1st Team All Pro - TE George Kittle Thread

Originally posted by smithgdwg:

I think we would be 10-0 right now if Kittle never had the injury.

Injuries suck...

I agree. Double edge sword though. Part of what makes Kittle so good is how aggressive he is and how he plays like a savage, fighting for those extra yards. It's bound to catch up with him.

Kittle is our gronk

Originally posted by susweel:

He's not practicing so it's probably likely.

Friday is the key practice for him. I think he will be limited Friday and play Sunday night

Originally posted by StubbyNBY:

Friday is the key practice for him. I think he will be limited Friday and play Sunday night

Don't get me excited lol

If Kittle has to miss one of the next 3 games, I think this would be the one.

Originally posted by golfish:

If Kittle has to miss one of the next 3 games, I think this would be the one.

Baltimore matters way less than the other two. NFC teams have direct tie break implications.

Originally posted by GhostOfBaalke:

Originally posted by smithgdwg:

I think we would be 10-0 right now if Kittle never had the injury.

Injuries suck...

I agree. Double edge sword though. Part of what makes Kittle so good is how aggressive he is and how he plays like a savage, fighting for those extra yards. It's bound to catch up with him.

Didn't he get hurt blocking someone in the backfield

Originally posted by okdkid:

Originally posted by golfish:
If Kittle has to miss one of the next 3 games, I think this would be the one.

Baltimore matters way less than the other two. NFC teams have direct tie break implications.

Agreed. If Kittle has to miss one of the next 3 I'd hope it be Baltimore. Obviously that's not how things work.

If Kittle sits out again, we'll need Sanders, Deebo, Dwelley, Bourne and the RBs to do their thing

I'm hoping Kittle shows up big for Ravens and/or Saints...it'll be huge for Niners to win at least one of those

Originally posted by SanFranFanfrmVa:
This is playoff time. Chances of going on the road and beating the likes of the Saints is slim and none in January. If we lose the division do you think this team is going on the road and beat the Seahawks,Packers and Saints in 3 straight weeks? Not going to happen.

No is not. If we lose 2 of the 6 remaining we will still get in, even maybe with a bye (doubtful, but there would still be a chance)

and you never know what can happen in the postseason. it is just 1 game at a time, and we have similar odds at home and away.

so, no. I would not play him NOW if he is not at 100%.

Come divisional or wild card game, then yes, he has to be there even if he is at 20%.

Originally posted by Mertonschickendance:

Don't get me excited lol

I really have a good feeling he will play this week. I think if he's 90/95% he will give it a go and he's getting there.

This game is likely for a Bye

Originally posted by alwayssecond:

Originally posted by SanFranFanfrmVa:

This is playoff time. Chances of going on the road and beating the likes of the Saints is slim and none in January. If we lose the division do you think this team is going on the road and beat the Seahawks,Packers and Saints in 3 straight weeks? Not going to happen.

No is not. If we lose 2 of the 6 remaining we will still get in, even maybe with a bye (doubtful, but there would still be a chance)

and you never know what can happen in the postseason. it is just 1 game at a time, and we have similar odds at home and away.

so, no. I would not play him NOW if he is not at 100%.

Come divisional or wild card game, then yes, he has to be there even if he is at 20%.

One would think that an NFL team that finishes with a double-digit win total in the regular season should be fairly safe in knowing they qualify for the playoffs. Actually history shows that since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978, there have been 20 teams that have posted a record of 10-6 or better who failed to join the postseason chase for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Nine of those teams have done so since 1990 when the playoff format increased to include six teams per conference.

Two of those 20 teams finished 11-5 yet didn't make the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos (pictured) posted an 11-5 record in 1985 which placed them one game behind the Los Angeles Raiders in the AFC West. Denver lost out on the playoffs via tie breakers to the New York Jets and New England Patriots who also posted 11-5 records that season. The Jets entered the postseason as the first wild-card based on a better conference record than the Patriots or Broncos. New England trumped Denver for the second wild-card based on a better record among common opponents. Adding insult to injury for the 11-5 Broncos was the fact that the Cleveland Browns won the AFC Central that season with an 8-8 mark.

The Patriots suffered a similar fate in 2008 when they finished 11-5 and missed the playoffs while the 8-8 San Diego Chargers won the AFC West. Although New England had the identical record as Miami and Baltimore, they lost out on the division crown to the Dolphins and the second wild-card spot to the Ravens based on conference records.

Here are the 10-6 teams that didn't make the playoffs since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978.

2012 Chicago Bears (10-6)
2010 New York Giants (10-6)
2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
2007 Cleveland Browns (10-6)
2005 Kansans City Chiefs (10-6)
2003 Miami Dolphins (10-6)
1991 Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
1991 San Francisco 49ers (10-6)
1989 Washington Redskins (10-6)
1989 Green Bay Packers (10-6)
1988 New York Giants (10-6)
1988 New Orleans Saints (10-6)
1986 Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
1986 Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
1985 Washington Redskins (10-6)
1981 Denver Broncos (10-6)
1980 New England Patriots (10-6)
1979 Washington Redskins (10-6)

Pretty much just need to win 1 more.

Originally posted by okdkid:

Originally posted by Polkadots:

Originally posted by okdkid:

They wouldn't do this if he was at risk for cartilage injury.

George Kittle isn't practicing today, but he is putting on cleats to rehab. #49ers

— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) November 20, 2019

I know OTC said he hadn't stepped foot on a practice field, but that isn't accurate. He was on a side field last week doing rehab work. It sounds like he is doing / did the same type of stuff today.

That is correct. This is obviously improvement. I suspect they will ramp up his rehab workload each day this week and see how the knee responds. I don't see the value in having him practice.

A side field is not the practice field though, to me. The practice field to me is where you go through drills and walk-throughs with teammates. Rehab is very different. Kittle has not even participated in a limited capacity in practice since the injury.

The extent of the damage of course will always determine what level of participating they allow either way, in rehab, or active practice sessions. It's been noted, although a bit indirectly, that the nature of the injury was severe enough to keep him in the press box instead of standing on the field.

When I rewatch the play, I'm still not sure if we're dealing with a significant patellar contusion or maybe a tibial plateau contusion, since that exact diagnosis still hasn't been released. Either way, if it is a bone bruise like "NFL MD, Dr. Chao" predicted, there would certainly be an unsettling level of risk still to have him play this week. At this point, we're all in the same boat. We just. Don't. Know. I think most can understand my level of concern though and the PTSD that would be triggered when thinking about the fact that we let Richburg play on a torn quad last year.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
A side field is not the practice field though, to me. The practice field to me is where you go through drills and walk-throughs with teammates. Rehab is very different. Kittle has not even participated in a limited capacity in practice since the injury.

The extent of the damage of course will always determine what level of participating they allow either way, in rehab, or active practice sessions. It's been noted, although a bit indirectly, that the nature of the injury was severe enough to keep him in the press box instead of standing on the field.

When I rewatch the play, I'm still not sure if we're dealing with a significant patellar contusion or maybe a tibial plateau contusion, since that exact diagnosis still hasn't been released. Either way, if it is a bone bruise like "NFL MD, Dr. Chao" predicted, there would certainly be an unsettling level of risk still to have him play this week. At this point, we're all in the same boat. We just. Don't. Know. I think most can understand my level of concern though and the PTSD that would be triggered when thinking about the fact that we let Richburg play on a torn quad last year.

I understand that is your personal preference. But the medical staff would not let him but weight on the leg, let alone any type of athletic movement, if he was still at risk for long term injury. We already have footage of him doing weight bearing rehab.

In regard to Richburg: I believe he was misdiagnosed, which resulted in his lingering injury issue last year. It will be very hard to misdiagnose a bone bruise and/or any lingering hyperextension damage.

The fact that he had cleats and helmet on for his rehab makes me believe he'll play this Sunday