Pete Dougherty analysis: 49ers built for long-term success
The San Francisco 49ers’ rise to the top of the NFC has a familiar pattern.
- Feb 1, 2013
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The San Francisco 49ers’ rise to the top of the NFC has a familiar pattern.
When Bill Belichick stuck with Tom Brady as his starting quarterback in 2001 even after Drew Bledsoe was cleared to return from a collapsed lung, it wasn't particularly controversial.
All five of the NFL's top-scoring teams have premier quarterbacks: New England's Tom Brady, Denver's Peyton Manning, New Orleans' Drew Brees, Washington's Robert Griffin III and the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers.
NFL coaches will tell you theirs is the ultimate team game. They couldn't be more wrong. Yes, football requires the synchronization of 11 players, and a breakdown anywhere can blow a play on either side of the ball.

If you've ever answered "Who has the ball?" with "It's halftime," you might recognize The Airhead. Check out the characters in Joe Heller's cartoon gallery of oddball fans.
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If you've ever answered "Who has the ball?" with "It's halftime," you might recognize The Airhead. Check out the characters in Joe Heller's cartoon gallery of oddball fans.
Archives
View the last seven days
See our paid archives for news older than a week.
Special Reports


