Ep. 245: How hard will the Rams hit the plexiglass?

Ep. 238: “Are you concerned about Garoppolo’s deep ball?”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we have officially ended our holdout and reported to (dis)organized podcasting activities. Will Jimmy Garoppolo ever complete another deep ball? (9:38) How will things shake out with the linebacker corps? (22:04) And how will the 49ers overcome the lack of quality edge rushers to get after the quarterback? (28:20) All that, plus the importance of tackles and centers in Shanahan’s offense (37:49), breakout players (50:00), and more as we open up the mailbag to answer your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

76 min listen

Ep. 240: PFF’s Zac Robinson on Garoppolo, the West Coast system, and evaluating QBs: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, Smart Football Month rolls on as Zac Robinson from Pro Football Focus joins us to discuss all things quarterback. Just how tough is it for a quarterback to pick up the West Coast system? (11:41) What does Jimmy Garoppolo need to do to improve in year two? (21:24) And what should you be looking for when trying to evaluate quarterback play? All that, plus Reuben Foster is suspended, the five most important players for 2018, and cat murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

63 min listen

Better Rivals Ep. 282: Mailbag Time!: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we open up the mailbag to answer all of your 49ers questions as we try to get through the dead of the offseason. How do things shake out in the secondary?(6:30) What was our favorite move of the offseason?(30:00) And seriously, what is going on with all of the injuries in recent seasons?(45:32) All that, plus the team signs another Stanford player, hyped players primed to disappoint, and Game of Thrones thoughts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

80 min listen

Ep. 159: Texans recap, Rams season preview: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we have real football to talk about! Who’s trending up and trending down following the 49ers’ preseason opener against the Texans? Then, Joe McAtee from Turf Show Times joins us as we begin our NFC West opponent preview with the Rams. All that, plus injury updates, QB competition talk, and Longacre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

89 min listen

Ep. 219: “Saving San Francisco.”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, it’s time to start looking back on the season that was. How do the storylines from before the season compare to today? (27:16) Who took home our end-of-season awards? (37:38) And how did our preseason predictions fare (spoiler: it wasn’t great)? (57:33) All that, plus what we learned from a Week 17 win over backups (1:57), two players land on the PFF All-Pro second team (9:48), and early returns from the Jimmy Garoppolo nickname tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

76 min listen

Ep. 256: Shanahan is not to blame: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, execution problems still haunt the 49ers. How did Josh Rosen exploit the middle of the 49ers defense? (4:38) What’s going right, and wrong, with the 49ers run game? (15:27) WHY DIDN’T THE TEAM ADD DANTE FOWLER?! (31:58) All that, plus a spotlight players (27:33), a preview of the final Battle of the Bay (41:26), a running back problem, and a new official co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

65 min listen

Ep. 176: What’s next? Front office rumors, Jets recap, Falcons preview: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, it’s time to step back and take a look at some big-picture topics in Ninerland. What should you make of the rumors of a front office shakeup? Which current players will be core contributors on the next good 49ers team? Is Vance McDonald really one of those players? All that, plus takeaways from the collapse against the Jets, Jaquiski Tartt in the spotlight, and is there anything the 49ers can do to keep Matt Ryan and the Falcons from putting up 50? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

97 min listen

Ep. 237: “Why take another one with a torn ACL in the 4th round?”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we wrap up our coverage of the 2018 NFL draft. Was Kentavius Street worth the risk in the fourth round? (:53) How will D.J. Reed fit in with the current secondary? (16:59) And which late-round player has the best chance of finding the field early? (37:25) All that, plus the importance of athleticism for the current 49ers regime, why the 49ers are basically the hopeless romantics of the NFL, and any lingering concern with the absence of an edge draftee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

75 min listen

Ep. 241: PFF’s George Chahrouri on the value of advanced stats, season projections: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, George Chahrouri of Pro Football Focus joins us in an analytics-slanted episode of Smart Football Month. What are expected points and how can they help evaluate decision making? (10:21) What is clustering and how can it help us group quarterbacks more constructively? (42:14) And most importantly, what does the data tell us about the 49ers in the coming season? (53:59) All that, plus a lightning round from the dark web, Witherspoon gets invited to DBU, and Jimmy dates a porn star. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

78 min listen

Ep. 229: “Now we turn our attention to the NFL draft.”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, it’s time to turn our attention to the NFL draft. What will we be looking for when evaluating draft prospects? (14:16) Why is positional value so important when talking about the draft? (30:08) And what are the strengths and weaknesses of the 2018 class? (46:05) All that, plus John Lynch confirms the worst-kept secret in football (2:07), quick thoughts on the 49ers’ latest free agent additions (5:42), and bachelor party shenanigans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

76 min listen

Fantasy Championship Heroes and Zeros, Ref Debacles, and CFP Playoff Almost-Collapses by The Ringer Fantasy Football Show

69 min listen

Jim Sannes on NFL predictive analytics and betting: Jim Sannes, senior writer/analyst at FanDuel and host of the Covering the Spread podcast, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: The predictive models that Jim uses in his handicapping (9:20). Philadelphia Eagles... by The Football Analytics Show by The Power Rank and Ed Feng

68 min listen

Better Rivals Ep. 317: State of the 49ers roster entering 2020: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we break out our roster model to take a look at the current state of the 49ers roster as we approach the new league year. How do we go about grouping players into tiers and what do those tiers represent? Which players do we feel like are the core pieces that the 49ers roster is built around? And which positions could use a bit of love this offseason? All that, plus which tier to put Jimmy in (and other players we disagreed on), why McGlinchey fell, and which pending free agents we’d bring back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

72 min listen

Better Rivals Ep. 289: It’s a pre-preseason mailbag!: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, 49ers football is nearly upon us and we’re breaking open the mailbag to celebrate! Which players are we irrationally excited about? (17:00) How are we feeling about the secondary considering the reports out of camp? (27:07) And who will ultimately break through the logjam at wide receiver? (36:11) All that, plus a new Bar Fight segment, Tom Brady’s contract, and surprises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

66 min listen

Ep. 220: “You don’t want to turn into the Colts.”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we kick off our month-long deep dive into the state of the 49ers roster. What type of model do we think is best to evaluate the roster? (2:16) Which criteria are important to consider in that model? (5:16) And, of course, where do the 49ers’ players fit in that model? (29:28) All that, plus the coming EDGE makeover (34:15), Dontae Johnson’s opportunity (39:44), and developmental players most likely to take a step forward (42:46). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

66 min listen

Hour 1: Making a Difference: Hour 1: Making a Difference by Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty and Michelle

45 min listen

Ep. 242: Robert Saleh’s pressure packages and their effectiveness: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we put a bow on Smart Football Month by taking a look at Robert Saleh’s pressure packages and their effectiveness. How often did the 49ers stunt or blitz last season relative to league average? (18:11) Were they actually effective when they did? (30:47) And how should we expect that to change in the coming season? (44:18) All that, plus takeaways from the Football Outsiders Almanac, Jimmy GQ feature week, and real football is right around the corner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

63 min listen

Ep. 221: "This is how a draft class turns things around.": On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, our deep-dive evaluation of the 49ers roster continues. Are there any transitional players set to hit free agency who should be brought back for another season? (15:58) How is the 2017 draft class looking after one season? (34:56) And Solomon Thomas is a foundational player, but at what position? (42:59) All that, plus clarifying some questions on the tier breakdown from last week (7:38), the transitional players we’d rather move on from sooner rather than later (33:23), and what to do with Jimmie Ward (54:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

65 min listen

2019 Season Predictions + Survivor Pool & Pick ’Em Strategy (Ep. 391): David Hess and Tom Federico from TeamRankings are back with us to share their thoughts on the best ways to approach survivor (3:24) and pick 'em contests (28:18). How do survivor players utilize expected value (8:07), what are the biggest busted survivor by FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

49 min listen

Better Rivals Ep. 284: Rewatching the 1994 NFC Championship Game: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we hop in our DeLorean and take a look back at the 1994 NFC Championship Game between the 49ers and Cowboys. Why was this game so important?(7:50) What stands out most re-watching it 25 years later?(19:27) And what turning points could’ve drastically altered the way we view this game today?(39:14) All that, plus the players who would best translate to today’s game, John Madden the GOAT, and minicamp updates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

69 min listen

28-2 with 352 & #1 Squad Battles Player Tips! by FUT Weekly Podcast

54 min listen

The antidote for Matt Stafford is... Kirk Cousins?: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, Joe McAtee from Beyond the Horns joins to discuss what Matt Stafford shows about the Rams team building philosophy, and whether they will be able to sustain a winning roster. And Jeff Deeny, fellow 49ers fan and analyst at PFF, joins to discuss whether or not Kirk Cousins is actually any good. by Better Rivals: A San Francisco 49ers Podcast

64 min listen

Ep. 243: Questions that will define the 49ers season: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, football is right around the corner and it’s season preview time! Will Jimmy Garoppolo be able to sustain his excellent play over a full season? (9:19) Does the pass coverage take a significant step forward? (19:47) Will the 49ers be able to generate more edge pressure this season? (27:56) All that, plus record predictions, superlatives, and a fond farewell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

85 min listen

Ep. 218: “It’s a Christmas miracle!”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO LOSE A GAME AGAIN! How did Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo attack the NFL’s best defense to pull off a Christmas miracle? (0:54) Why weren’t the Jaguars able to find the same success against the same defensive scheme? (28:08) And which rookie shines in this week’s spotlight? (39:32) All that, plus a Better Rivals draft crush update (44:30), a Garoppolo nickname tournament (48:02), and what to watch for in an exciting season finale against the Rams (53:05). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

82 min listen

Ep. 210: “Is C.J. Beathard going to die?”: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, the 49ers are 0-7 for the first time in nearly four decades and everything is fine. Why did the run defense fall apart? (0:39) How did C.J. Beathard fare in his first career start? (18:17) And which member of the offensive line has been performing much better than expected? (30:43) All that, plus Shanahan unveils a new run play (34:37), D.J. Jones deserves more playing time (38:25), and what to watch for in Philadelphia (45:06). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

71 min listen

Matt Freedman on betting the NFL in 2022: Matt Freedman, the director of content at FantasyPros and BettingPros, joins the show for a wide ranging conversation. Highlights include: The hilarious way his fantasy football career got started (4:38). Matt's NFL model and handicapping process... by The Football Analytics Show by The Power Rank and Ed Feng

59 min listen

Ep. 269: Roster quality entering year 3: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, we wrap up our evaluation of the current 49ers roster by identifying the team’s very best, core players. How are we feeling about our incumbent Tier 1 players after another season?(17:28) Which players make their debut in the top tier?(24:46) And what are our major takeaways after going through the entire roster?(37:24) All that, plus thoughts on a boring Super Bowl(2:23), the absurdity of franchising kickers, and looking ahead to the primary focuses for this offseason. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

70 min listen

Better Rivals Ep. 308: Is Shanahan too conservative?: On this week’s episode of the Better Rivals podcast, data scientist and host of the PFF Forecast George Chahouri joins to discuss Kyle Shanahan’s decision making after the let down against Atlanta. What holds Kyle back as a play caller? And is the defense ultimately to blame for the loss? Then Joe McAtee from Turf Show Times joins to discuss whether the Rams will play spoiler to first-seed hopes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

59 min listen

PFF Grades and One Big Question: On today's show we take a look at the 5 highest Pro Football Focus grades from the Titans game, listen to some good press conference sound and discuss what the Chargers need to improve upon during the bye week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Chargers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Chargers

32 min listen

Ep. 259: It's thankful time: On this special Thanksgiving edition of the Better Rivals podcast, Oscar welcomes former Football Outsiders contributor, current Footballguys.com writer, and fellow 49ers fan Danny Tuccito to discuss what aspects of the 2018 team they are thankful for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by The Gold Standard: San Francisco 49ers Podcast Network

47 min listen

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Ep. 245: How hard will the Rams hit the plexiglass?

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