Letter to Niner Nation, playoff-style

Hello again Niner Nation.

Last time we met, we were toasting Candlestick blackouts and a limping Ben Roethlisberger.

Now, we are coming off of a nice long week of rest and into the throes of playoff season. Pretty exciting stuff, huh?

And you know what the playoffs bring out? Bandwagoners. You know, those people that buy expensive jerseys the day before a playoff game and can’t tell you the name of a single player on the 50 yard line. Those people who will start cheering for Drew Brees and don’t realize that he’s on the other team.

Don’t get caught in the sea of bandwagoners, sports fans! Whether you’re sporting a “Who Dat?” hoodie or are drenched in red & gold. And, should you find yourself stumbling into the bar that this sports brat is posted up at, feel free to pull up a stool, order a spring bach, and wow me with some of these fantastic facts:

1. A no-brainer, the league’s No. 1 offense taking on the league’s No. 2 defense. We know that Breesy is coming off of a straight-up annihilation at home where he passed for 466 yards against Detroit. And while Pierre Thomas led New Orleans with 66 yards on eight carries and touch, San Francisco could be the team to stop him. Remember, this is a Niner team that didn’t allow a single rushing touchdown in 14 games. Let’s see if Patrick Willis and company can repeat that magic.
2. Keeping the heat on the quarterbacks. San Francisco’s defense is more than ready to put unnecessary amounts of pressure on Brees. New Orleans’ blitz-happy defense is confident that they can knock Alex Smith to the ground, again. Smith is ignoring his critics and claiming that he can keep up with Brees. And Brees is that guy that just broke Dan Marino’s passing record. Recipe for a feisty match-up? You’d better believe it.
3. Of course, the home field advantage. The Niners are golden at home, and the Saints—no matter how dominant they look in the Superdome—they’re 5-3 on the road. They just don’t travel well.

Start carbo-loading now, sports fans. Who knows how many brews we’re going to have to put back during this first game of playoff weekend. Cheers.