Warner retiring on Friday... reported on NFL network. nt

[CBR]

[Upton]

1. Excellent news!!

The 49ers are about to take control of the NFC West once again anyway...

[JonLP24]

4. Probably so

but it has little to do with Warner. It depends on whether AZ adds a solid CB to cover the other side of the field, resign Dansby or find an adequate replacement, give Dockett a better contract who is still playing on a lousy 3rd round pick contract, and take care of Boldin. Also interested in what they do with Steve Breaston but I'm not worried about letting him walk if they find ways to keep Boldin around longer. With that said I don't trust Cardinals management to make the right decisions.

[Upton]

6. I don't know..

Warner has been awfully good for Arizona, the last couple of years in particular. It's hard to imagine the Cardinals being anywhere near the same offensive force without him....

You've got some great receivers though. I should think the Cardinals will find a way to keep Boldin in order to help out Leinart.

[JonLP24]

7. He was

Particularly 2008 which will be difficult for any future QB in franchise history to match which they needed considering how awful their pass defense was in '08. However that year the running game was awful so that is why the passing numbers were high but regardless the YPA was very impressive which was down this year.

However the QB position is not my biggest concern, Leinart knows the offense and ran it very well. I'm confident in his abilities but he is no Warner. "Beanie" Wells is the most explosive RB I've seen in a Cardinals uniform and he was a rookie. He should be better this year and has shown improvement in ball security in the last several games. Defense is has some solid talent that they need to build around. Key players in Dansby, Dockett, Campbell, Rogers-Cromartie, Rolle, and Wilson. They need another strong playing CB and some depth at LB. They could add some depth on the D-Line as well considering Bertrand Berry is aging. Also they have some O-line issues but I think they underachieved with the talent they have. Oh and a pass catching TE.

So point is with the right decisions AZ could have a strong running game with a tough defense and not solely relying on Leinart to win all the games by himself.

[Auggie]

10. Debatable...

if they do "take control" it could be at 8-8 -- hardly worth the gloat. And I hope you're not putting stock in Alex Smith to lead this team. I haven't seen anything to prove he can. Unless the 49ers pick-up a proven free agent QB and get a couple of hulks for the O-line I'll reserve judgment until next October.

[Upton]

13. I know we need a QB..

but it looks like we're stuck with Smith. I don't understand what's wrong with him. I mean outside of having a different OC every year. There's no doubt he's an intelligent guy, he supposedly has good leadership qualities, but he seems to lack the football instincts needed to be successful in the NFL..

[Auggie]

20. I think you said it: "football instincts"

Maybe he will settle down under a second year with Jimmy Raye. If the 49ers could ever develop that power running game I could see him playing a similar role Trent Dilfer had with the Super Bowl Ravens -- just good enough to carry the team on short, high-percentage completion passes while the ball carriers and defense wins the game.

But at this stage Smith has been around long enough that he should be playing at the same level as Aaron Rodgers. And that isn't happening. He's back-up material.

[JonLP24]

22. Then again at this stage Warner was in the Arena league

Hey I found it noteworthy to point out in a Warner thread. :)

[Onceuponalife]

31. Brett the Fav-rah might be available for that job!

Get those 49er butts lined up for slapping! I hear they like that sort of thing in San Francisco.

[madinmaryland]

17. Would that QB be....

:D

[Auggie]

23. Shit, Mad... the 49ers are not going to draft another spread offense boob

Fucking forget it

[madinmaryland]

29. Hey Auggie. Just to let you know, I say the say thing to a couple

of diehard deadskin fans here and get the same response you just gave me!

:hi:

[Auggie]

34. Yank my chain enough and I might growl

I know you're really saying that for the benefit of your two Frisco pals.

:hi:

[BulletproofLandshark]

30. Only because NFL rules mandate that the division has a winner.

ALL four teams in the West are going to blow next season.

[TZ]

33. .

:rofl:

[JonLP24]

38. I disagree

I went already went over some of the very young players that are playing well and they should get better. The 49ers got an excellent run defense as well as a very good running game. A couple of key additions they should do well.

Many here have the mistaken impression Warner is all the Cardinals have. In nearly all the games they won he was really clicking in the first half, however as the game got longer and threw more passes he got worse. There have been a few games in the second half where he had passes batted at the line, forcing it to Fitz when other receivers are open, etc and often getting 3 & outs letting the other team get back in it when it should be a blowout. Houston is a great example, up 21-0 at half, 21-21 in the 4th where Rogers-Cromartie made a game winning interception returned for a TD.

The Cardinals were a complete team, a first in at least 2 decades they had an effective running game. Hightower-Wells made for a nice 1-2 punch and they are very young. Wells is great and could be extra special if he develops into the pass catcher out of the backfield which is Hightower's role. The receivers are great no question, however I'm scared management won't keep them together. Adrian Wilson is a top 5 safety in the league no question and he is the leader of that defense. Antrel Rolle is solid as well. Rogers-Cromartie had a great season and made few mistakes, he's going on just his 3rd season next year and he shows improvement in every game. Darnell Dockett lead all DT's in sacks and was key in making Arizona #1 in rush defense weeks 1-7, then weeks 8-17 they fell off and making Arizona one of the top teams in forcing sacks. They need to resign Dansby and add depth to LB so they need help. O-line needs to improve but I'm sure Russ Grimm will take care of that issue if he doesn't leave to coach elsewhere.

This is the kicker, McFadden and Adams have blown coverages all season. It was sickening and pathetic the way they were picked on. When Rogers-Cromartie went down this was severly exposed by NO added with the fact Antrel Rolle was also injured. I can't stress this enough but AZ really needs to replace Adams with a solid CB and move McFadden to nickelback. If they make the right decisions they won't blow. Leinart is solid and knows the offense not to mention the benefit from learning from Warner the past 4 years.

[BulletproofLandshark]

41. As usual, you lay out a very persuasive case.

Very well, the Cards will run away with the NFC Scrub division next season. I think Leinart needs to grow up in a hurry though.

[JonLP24]

42. I'm not saying that they will

In fact there is a strong case SF will due to the fact they have some amazing young talent and they have the #13 and #17 overall picks in the draft so with the right picks they can be a force. Also management for the Cards has a history of making bad decisions in regards to player personnel. Need LB, CB, and a pass catching TE. They also need to hold on to key players such as working out better deals for Boldin and Dockett, resign Dansby or find an adequate replacement. Steve Breaston is an upcoming free agent but I'm not too worried if they let him walk IF they find a way to keep Boldin around for 3-4 more years.

Leinart is key but in limited action he has done well most of the time including the full game he played against Tennessee. He would have been credited with a 4th quarter comeback but VY hit a winning TD at the end of regulation which on that drive he picked on McFadden and Adams like I previously mentioned. He was shaky at times too.

A lot really depends on free agency and the draft.

[Upton]

39. Check out the Redskin fan talkin trash..

after his beloved team finished 4-12, dead last in their division..:crazy:

[BulletproofLandshark]

40. That doesn't change the fact your division sucks. n/t

[JonLP24]

2. So it's official?

There was speculation that the only reason Warner would call for a press conference on Friday is too announce his retirement.

Also Antrel Rolle was convinced Warner would retire based on conversations he had and also said he was the best teammate a player could ask for.

[CBR]

3. That is what NFL Network is reporting but I only see a

speculative headline on ESPN. Twitter is also saying it is certain but twitter also said Johnny Depp died over the weekend.

[Upton]

5. It's on ESPN News..

[madinmaryland]

8. Looks like the team coming out of the NFC West will be 7-9. Disgraceful.

[Upton]

9. Considering

the 49ers were 8-8 last year and are improving...your post makes no sense.

Not that that's anything new..

[madinmaryland]

16. The 49ers played one of the weakest schedules this year. If they actually

play a semi-tough schedule, they and the rest of that division will be lucky to have any of its teams break .500.

They only "improved" as a result of the weakest schedule in the NFL.

[JonLP24]

19. Are you still on that?

You realize the 2009 regular season is finished and we no longer have to rely on 2008 records to evaluate SOS? The 49ers schedule was roughly .500 a higher percentage than your link.

[joeybee12]

11. What a stupid, stupid post Mad!!!

They'll be 6-10!


:evilgrin:

[Upton]

12. Actually when you look at how the Patriots deteriorated

as this past year wore on...I'm thinking 6-10 might be closer to their record in 2010..

[joeybee12]

14. Oh my...thin skinned, aren't we....

If the winner of your division is 6-10, the Forty-Whiners will probably be 4-12.

[JonLP24]

18. I disagree

Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Patrick Willis are young very talented players that should improve going on to next year. Davis scored 13 touchdowns with Smith/Hill throwing to him. Crabtree lead the receiving core in receptions in fewer games and Willis was the defensive team MVP. The 49ers have the 13th AND 17th overall pick in the draft so they have the opportunity to stock up on some young talent.

[joeybee12]

21. Nah, you're just disagreeing with me to disagree!

:P

[JonLP24]

25. Since I am in the Western TV market

I get to see a lot of 49er games. They lost 6 games by 7 points or less so with a couple of key additions they can do some real damage.

[thatsrightimirish]

15. he had one heck of a career

kudos to a classy non media spectacle retirement. Now he can put all of his focus on electing Republicans in Missouri

[Auggie]

24. I'll second the career angle -- about time someone did.

[KamaAina]

26. Congratulations San Francisco 49ers! 2010-11 NFC West champions!!

:bounce:

[KamaAina]

27. Once Favre does the same, (assuming he stays retired this time)

:eyes:

the careers of two certain future Hall of Fame QBs will have been ended in successive weeks by the defense of the 2009-10 NFC (and, we hope, soon Super Bowl) Champion New Orleans Saints. :bounce:

[Auggie]

28. Cool trivia

:thumbsup:

[Onceuponalife]

32. Congrats to him on a great career

To do what he did and go from stockboy in a supermarket to lead a worthl...uh, I mean valiant underdog type team to a SB championship outta nowhere. It's the stuff Hollywood dreams are made of.

But I won't miss his "I have to give praise to my lord and savior..." nonsense in every interview. That was getting awfully tiresome.

[jimnasium]

35. Damn...

Now I have to draft another starting QB in my fantasy league.

[Yavin4]

36. This Just In....AZ Cardinals To Draft Tim Tebow

Cardinals officials tell us, "We know that Tebow sucks, but we don't want Jesus to abandon us now that Warner has retired. Jesus is our GM."


Note: Before any of you attack me on this, remember that Warner, like Tebow, taped an fundie ad. Warner's ad was against stem cell research. So, he's fair game for ridicule, alright.

[JonLP24]

37. He would be an improvement over Brian St Pierre(AZ's potential backup at the moment)

[Renew Deal]

43. Sad to hear it.

He was a great player.