Minnesota at San Francisco

It would be very easy to look at this game from a statistical standpoint and feel comfortable making a play on Minnesota. By the same token, it would feel very uncomfortable making a play on the Niners. So why then do we choose to step into the "discomfort" zone, and make a play on SF? There is one thing to be said about pro athletes: they have big egos, and when someone stomps on that ego, they come back breathing fire. This 49ers team certainly had their share humiliation, but one thing for sure. Each and every time they bounce back by playing 60 minutes of their best football. Last year they were smacked by Philadelphia 42-3 on the road and came home to give Dallas all they could handle, and got the cover. They went to Washington and got hammered 52-17 only to come home and beat Tampa Bay 15-10 as a 10.5 underdog. They got whacked by Seattle and came back and played Jacksonville almost even losing 10-9 at +16. This year they get bounced by KC 41-0 and bounce back and beat Oakland 34-20. This team has proven time and time again that it takes these loses personally. The NFL is about mindset and motivation, more than statistics and I love San Francisco's mindset this Sunday. Last week once again they were bruttaly beaten in Chicago 41-10. They will rise again. This year has already seen Tennessee cover off a 40-7 loss, Atlanta cover off a 23-3 Monday Night humiliation, the Jets come back and win off a 41-0 blowout, and Kansas City come back off a 45-7 drubbing. Ego makes this a very strong play this week. Throw in the bad emotional state of Minnesota (a team that thought they were very good and had high hopes and got exposed by New England), and we have an even stronger play on the dog here.