Round And Browm

49ers' playoff picture: With this defense, the NFC's No. 2 seed is well within ...

-I covered the Eagles in the late-’80s, when that defense was a holy terror–Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, Seth Joyner and more.

It’s a defense that I’ve always believed was one of the best and least recognized of the last 20 years, probably because it always hit a wall in the playoffs (usually because it’s offense couldn’t get going).

Maybe not as overpowering as the mid-’80s Bears, as long-lasting as the ’80s Giants or as athletic as the 2000 Ravens, but still just a sight to behold when Reggie & Co. were rolling.

And to my surprise, Ronnie Lott recently told me he thought it was the best one he’s ever seen, measuring mostly by intimidation and power.

I’m not saying the current 49ers D is as good as any of those units, because those teams did it over several seasons and most of them won Super Bowls.

The 49ers have won nothing yet. Put up some great stats so far, but December and January is when you earn your laurels.

But I can say that my view of the 49ers’ remaining schedule feels just like the flash-card way I used to view the old Eagles teams’ match-ups.

The 49ers don’t have the same dominant passrush as that Eagles team, but the front seven, when you add in the linebackers, is comparable. Definitely comparable.

-The basic truism: If an opponent doesn’t have a dynamic offense, with a QB who can laser it through tight windows under pressure, it probably doesn’t have a great chance to beat the 49ers.

Bad offenses have no shot vs. this team, unless the 49ers blow it themselves.

That’s the way I always felt about the old Eagles, and it wasn’t 100%, but that rule mostly held true: