I think - and I can say that with a straight face because I actually spent 2 minutes thinking about this before hitting the Reply button just now - that a lot in this game will depend on Aldon Smith, not Justin. I think that on Saturday Lord Fangio should watch Aldon for an hour or so and decide whether he thinks the kid is capable of having the game of his life setting the edge against the run. If it looks like Aldon might have as much trouble doing that as he has the last month or so, then Fangio should just say the hell with it and turn the kid loose to charge after Rodgers on every down regardless. Rely on the Amazing NaVorro to fill the hole and deal with the inevitable screen passes. I think between Aldon, P Willie and NaVorro we have the speed at the right places to run Rodgers down if he decides to move out of the pocket. If Fangio thinks that Aldon can penetrate Rodgers' protection sufficiently on his own, he should keep Justin on the sideline and continue to play Rickie Jean.

Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown need to have big games too, but Aldon is the key, IMO. Time for the kid to grow up and be a scary man in this league.

On the other side of the ball, if ever there were a game I wanted to see the knuckle-dragging, clock-draining road-graders go to work it's this one.

Frankie G is in the best shape of his career after a 16-game season, certainly better rested and ready than he was last year at this time. I think/hope he is the guy who's going to carry the team as far as it can go this year. He wants a championship, he deserves one, and he should be able to get one if the rest of the team and coaches do their job around him.

Let Frank run free, keep the ball away from the Peckers, and win this one 24-13.

Oh and that rookie running back, James...to paraphrase something I read last night about pickpockets, he be knee-high to a spit-ball but he can bust those johnnies. I look for him to make a key play or two.

Finally, if we lose this game, I won't be whinging. I've already said everything I wanted to say about why we might come up short in these playoffs weeks ago.