Comments on: 2012 Plays of the Year: Sacks http://blog.49ers.com/2013/02/19/2012-plays-of-the-year-sacks/ Wed, 22 May 2013 03:23:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Dan http://blog.49ers.com/2013/02/19/2012-plays-of-the-year-sacks/#comment-71223 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:42:29 +0000 http://blog.49ers.com/?p=11669#comment-71223 Ray McDonald’s No-Helmet sack with Ricky Jean Francois’ follow up sack.

This was a statement made loud and clear. Up to this point, the toughness of 49ers was still being debated by many skeptics. The Niners went into a hostile environment, against a solid football team, and silenced all the critics by outplaying the Patriots.

McDonald’s sack showed an attitude of toughness that can’t be debated.
It’s more than one sack. It’s clear evidence of roster depth, talent, team discipline, and sound coaching…. Whether it be the first team defense or the next man up.

]]> By: phatalerror http://blog.49ers.com/2013/02/19/2012-plays-of-the-year-sacks/#comment-71156 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 02:18:09 +0000 http://blog.49ers.com/?p=11669#comment-71156 I really liked the no-helmet sack by Ray McDonald, and Smith’s 5.5 sack performance was highly commendable even if against a mediocre offensive line that included a 49ers’ cast-off from the previous free agent round.

However, the Ahmad Brooks sack was a reminder that the 49ers’ defense as a whole played very well against a Super Bowl Baltimore Ravens offense that had put up four touchdowns each against the Patriots and the Broncos in their previous two post-season games.

It’s a shining moment of a complete defensive effort that will be maligned for years to come, but was hardly at the heart of the 49ers loss that Super Bowl evening.

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