The Disrespected: Why The 49ers Shouldn’t Be Overlooked In Minneapolis

Despite jumping out to a 2-0 start to begin the season, the San Francisco 49ers are still being disrespected. However, a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday might just be enough to earn themselves a spot amongst the elite teams in the NFC.

Even after beating the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals on the road in week one, and dominating the Seahawks in week two, almost every significant NFL analyst is picking the Vikings to hand the 49ers their first loss.

Granted the Week Three matchup will be played in Minneapolis, those who are actually paid to cover the NFL might want to give the 49ers a bit more credit. The 49ers have no individual positional holes and have no weaknesses in any facet of the game.

San Francisco can rely on their defense, running game, and even Shaun Hill’s arm to win games (9-3 as a starter). Plus, not to mention the 49ers have one of the best special teams in the NFL. Their punter Andy Lee is a Pro Bowler, place-kicker Joe Nedney is automatic, and Allen Rossum can make big plays in the return game.

The 49ers and their fans know that their is something special brewing under Mike Singletary but apparently the rest of the NFL still doesn’t believe in what this team can do. But let’s not forget what happened the last time Viking running back Adrian Peterson matched up with 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis. Minnesota ended up romping a much weaker 49ers team but Willis dominated Peterson, holding him to just three yards on 14 carries.

Not only was Peterson shut down in that game, but on Sunday his team will be facing a revamped 49er defense that has been punishing opposing quarterbacks (three INTs, four sacks, constant knock downs and Patrick Willis knocked Matt Hasselbeck out of the game) and have allowed opposing runners to just 2.5 yards per carry.

Although the Vikings have Brett Favre, at 40-years-old, the former gunslinger turned “game-manager” by Minnesota doesn’t put much fear into the minds of 49er defenders. In-fact, last year the 49ers dispatched Favre and the New York Jets in a punishing fashion winning 24-14.

Furthermore, the Vikings receiving corps isn’t exactly the Packers receiving corps of the 1990’s and therefore Favre’s new receivers will be in for a rude awakening going up against a physical 49ers secondary.

Going off what has been seen through the first two weeks, I’ll take the 49ers defense to keep the Vikings offense under 17 points.

However, another issue is that “expert” analysts are claiming that the 49er offense will not be able to move the ball against the Minnesota defense.

The Viking defense which is suppose to be “incredibly dominant” against the run has given up 4.0 yards per carry so far this season and the two teams they’ve played were the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, not exactly Vince Lombardi’s Packers or Jimmy Johnson’s Cowboys.

Write it down right now, Frank Gore will run effectively against the Vikings on Sunday and it will be enough to enable Shaun Hill to make the clutch throws when necessary  in order to win the game.

And yes, the 49ers will win on Sunday because they are hungry. Hungry to stop being the butt of jokes, hungry to return this once proud franchise to it’s glory days and hungry for respect.

With the way the 49ers can control the game, expect a Shaun Hill to Vernon Davis touchdown to be the game winner, 49ers 20 Vikings 17.

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

San Francisco 49ers: Why Week One Victory Makes Niners Look Scary Good

If your generic bandwagon sports fan asked your typical die-hard follower of the NFL the following question: “What matchups are the hardest for a NFL team to win?”  The answer would probably include at least one of the following: road game in a loud stadium, inter-divisional game, and a game against the defending conference champions.

Well, the 49ers opening win on Sunday was on the road, in a loud stadium and against the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.  Now, considering that the overwhelming majority of NFL analysts on all marquee media outlets still underrate the 49ers, you would think their “upset” over Arizona would have been all over SportsCenter.

But then again, even with an upset, we all know about ESPN’s east coast bias probably getting in the way.  After all, the Patriots and Bills play on “Monday Night Football” tonight, and that game is what ESPN will be focusing on all day long.

However, it is pretty safe to say that the Patriots are the heavy favorites to win tonight’s matchup.  To the contrary, on Sunday afternoon in Arizona, despite the Cardinals being the defending NFC champs, there really wasn’t a favorite because the matchups between Arizona and San Francisco are always a coin toss.  But even though neither team dominates the historical head-to-head record, Arizona is a team on the hot seat this year, trying to prove last season was no fluke.

Coincidentally, the expectations going into Sunday’s game were that Arizona’s Kurt Warner would hook up with receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin for big yards through the air.  And it was also expected that Frank Gore would go over 100 yards on the ground for the 49ers.

Yet, as the old saying goes, “on any given Sunday” something unexpected can happen.  The unexpected that happened in Arizona on Sunday was that the 49ers came away with a 20-16 victory with Frank Gore amassing just 30 yards rushing on 22 carries.

With Gore stuffed all game long and quarterback Shaun Hill not exactly being the Brett Favre of the ’90s, it is crystal clear who won the game for the 49ers.

Mike Singletary’s smashmouth defense held Arizona’s lethal offense to under 300 total yards and won the turnover battle 2-0 with two interceptions off Warner.  However, the interceptions were not just great individual plays, but were team turnovers as both were due to an intense pass rush by outside linebackers Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson who got in Warner’s face all game long.

Combined with the intense pass rush that the 49ers haven’t shown in years was the absolute dominating play by middle linebacker Patrick Willis.  The former defensive rookie of the year and former Pro Bowler is in just his third year out of Mississippi, but is already considered by many as the best linebacker in all of football.  Against Arizona on Sunday, Willis led the team with 13 tackles, 11 of which were solo tackles and a huge leaping interception that gave his offense starting field position inside Cardinal territory.

Just to put those numbers in perspective, the next highest tackle total by a 49er defender was five total and four solo.  Essentially, when a play does not go as an incomplete pass, Patrick Willis is making the tackle.

Albeit, as good as Willis performed on Sunday, the entire squad chipped and played their roles.  Along with the aforementioned Lawson and Haralson, cornerback Nate Clements came up with the San Francisco’s second interception and made quality tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Not only that, but first year starter Dashon Goldson at free safety enabled 49er fans to see how strong safety Michael Lewis can punish tailbacks when allowed to sniff the run.  In years past, Lewis would have to sit back and compensate for former starter Mark Roman’s poor coverage abilities but on Sunday, the former Eagle looked like a shadow of his former self, stepping up to put hard hits on opposing runners.

And, finally, defensive end Justin Smith deserves much more credit than he has received over his career.  Playing for a much-maligned Bengals defense and of recent, a poor 49ers defense, has made Justin Smith a name most NFL fans would not be aware of.  But despite being the only legitimate force on the 49er defensive line last year, Smith managed seven sacks and started out this season with a game-ending sack of Kurt Warner.

Now in his ninth year in the NFL, Smith has recorded 51.5 sacks in 128 career games and in those nine seasons has missed just one single game.  Add that to the fact that Smith almost never comes off the field, and you have one of the most underrated defensive ends in football.

With Smith and the rest of the defense clicking right out of the gate (as shown by the 49ers shutting down one of the best offenses in the NFL), the rest of the league ought to be fearful of the dominant style of football the 49ers defense can bring into a game.

The 49ers held Boldin and Fitzgerald to just eight catches, 90 yards and one touchdown between them.  And the touchdown to Fitzgerald would be the only trip the Cardinals made to the end zone all game long.  Just one touchdown against the 49ers defense?  Who saw that coming?

Now the defense won the game, but the winning score was on the right shoulder of Shaun Hill.  On the game-winning drive, Hill went 9-13 for 72 yards and threw the winning touchdown pass to Frank Gore.  It was Hill’s ability to find the open receiver that overwhelming lead to the go-ahead score as Gore ran just twice for four yards on the drive.

This was not the way the 49ers were supposed to win this game.  Struggling to run the ball, scoring only field goals on their first few possessions, and then letting Arizona find a groove and score 13 unanswered points to take a 16-13 lead was not the formula for a 49ers’ victory.

Yet, despite all that, the 49ers won their season opener on the road, in a hostile environment, against the defending NFC champions.

Now, the fact they came away with this opening week victory without firing on all cylinders shouldn’t go overlooked.

Despite being held to 30 yards on the ground, Frank Gore did score both 49er touchdowns.  Although he still contributed big time in the victory, one thing is certain: Gore is not going to be held to 30 yards very often.

Imagine how dominant this 49er team can become when “Frank the Tank” starts rolling over opposing defenders.  The sky is the limit for this team.  Along with Gore prone to eat up yards on the ground, the much-maligned Vernon Davis seems like a much more mature team player.  Combine that with the fact new coordinator Jimmy Raye’s system is geared towards the tight end, opposing defenses are going to have to game plan for Vernon’s game changing ability as a receiver.

Plus, if the defense can stay healthy, there is no reason why they can’t keep up their dominant play from week one all season long.  Especially with a “no-nonsense” type of coach in Mike Singletary, the defense should be making big plays all season.

With a stout running game and a dominating defense, all quarterback Shaun Hill needs to do is continue limiting the interceptions (zero in Week One) and make the throws when needed.  If he can do that, the 49ers are a team that the rest of the league ought to look out for because if they don’t, the 49ers will “hit them in the mouth.”

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Enough With Michael Crabtree: The San Francisco 49ers Offense Doesn’t Need Him

Over the past 48 hours, the community section for the San Francisco 49ers has been stuffed with nothing but Michael Crabtree articles. Which brings a particular question to the minds of knowledgeable 49er fans.

Do those writing about Crabtree still believe that Mike Martz is the 49ers offensive coordinator?

If that were the case, then the hoopla over Crabtree’s holdout would be justified. Martz’s system is fitted for the “big play” receivers, and Crabtree has seemingly been made out to be the next Brandon Marshall.

But Martz is no longer the offensive coordinator in San Francisco.

The former 49ers coordinator reportedly didn’t see eye-to-eye with head coach Mike Singletary.

Therefore, Singletary replaced Martz with what you could essentially call the “anti-Martz” this offseason. New coordinator Jimmy Raye’s career managing offenses has been far from spectacular when you look at his record, which falls 60 games below .500 at 65-125.

But despite the rather poor overall record, Raye’s style fits in perfectly with the personnel the 49ers have on offense. With Alex Smith and Shaun Hill at quarterback, it is clear the 49ers aren’t built to beat the opposition with the long ball.

However, it is not just the quarterbacks that make that crystal clear. When your best offensive weapon is your running back and your most freakishly athletic play maker is a tight end (one that has not yet produced at the pro level), the offense is not built for a playmaker at wide receiver.

With the way the 49ers offense is built, Jimmy Raye’s system is essentially a perfect match. While Raye was offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1998-2000, the offense was run through Tony Richardson and Tony Gonzalez.

When Raye left Kansas City, he went on to the same position with the Redskins, where the focal point of the offense was running back Stephen Davis.

Most recently, Raye was the running backs coach for the New York Jets, where he helped Thomas Jones become the most important piece to the Jets offense. In two years with the Jets, Jones has rushed for 2,341 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Although Raye has been hired as both a wide receivers coach and running backs coach in the past, the ground game has always been the heavy component of his offenses.

Consequently, when you project the style in which the 49ers’ offense is going to be run this season, it is clear that the wide receivers will be the least utilized position on the field. 

Even if Crabtree were to sign, the 49er offense is going to pound the rock first, second, and third. 

Running back Frank Gore is set to eclipse his career numbers from the 2006 season because of the continuity in this year’s offensive line, and the fact his lead blocker from that season, Moran Norris, is back in the Bay.

Gore’s two most productive seasons in his four year career came with Norris as his lead blocker, and the 49ers decided to bring the Norris back this season due to a request from their Pro Bowl running back.

With a head coach and coordinator who believe in “hitting people in the mouth”, along with a sturdy offensive line and a bruising fullback, Gore might just rush for 2,000 yards.

True team receivers like Isaac Bruce and Josh Morgan realize how Gore is going to be  the focal point of the offense, and as wide receivers, their job is to block.

Crabtree, on the other hand, appears to be another T. O. who is all about “Me, Me, Me”, and his absence at camp may actually be good for the team.

If he eventually signs with the 49ers, he will be so far behind he will be forced to ride the pine and watch how the offense is run from the sidelines. And perhaps next season, Crabtree will realize that he is just another receiver.

Now whether or not Crabtree ever fulfills his potential for the 49ers shouldn’t be the biggest concern for the team. In fact, with Raye as offensive coordinator, the focus should be on whether or not Vernon Davis can live up to the hype.

For all those who have already labeled the brash tight end a “bust”, you might want to do a bit more research.

In 2006 Davis was a rookie, and therefore you have to give the guy a break for not putting up tremendous numbers in his first year in the NFL.

However, the following season, Davis caught 52 balls for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Clearly a significant increase in production, despite the fact the 49ers had the worst offensive coordinator in team history with Jeff Hostler.

Therefore, going into last year, Davis was primed to have a breakout year, but the 49ers hired Martz as offensive coordinator. Martz never—let me repeat—never utilizes a tight end in his offense other than for blocking purposes.

So for 49er fans who expected Davis to catch 70-80 balls for 900+ yards and 7+ touchdowns, I’ll tell you this—it’s awful hard to catch 70-80 balls when the team only throws in your direction 49 times.

That’s right. Davis was thrown to less than 50 times last season.

But with Raye as offensive coordinator this year, fans will finally be able to see what Davis can do with the ball in his hands. If Davis fails to perform, then there is no defending the “bust” label, but all signs point to the 49ers tight having an impressive season catching the football.

With Gore and Davis primed to carry the bulk of the offensive plays, whether or not Crabtree shows up to camp shouldn’t matter to 49er fans. Whenever the young receiver signs, he signs.

If he never signs, and re-enters the draft, Crabtree will most likely fall even further in the draft, receive less money, and more likely than not, will never reach his potential. Knowing that, it is quite obvious that Crabtree needs the 49ers more than the 49ers need Crabtree.

Therefore, with the talent the 49ers already have on the offensive side of the ball, the organization needs to call Crabtree’s bluff and not give in to his contract demands. If the rookie wants to be a productive NFL receiver, he’ll sign sooner or later.

But until he actually signs, the media should stop pestering the 49ers with Crabtree questions and focus on the players who are actually in camp.

California Dreamin’: Struggling NFL Neighbors Wish “Battle” Meant Something

Every year the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders meet during the preseason in a game which has become known as “The Battle of the Bay.”

However, for a game that doesn’t matter, the media and fans always seem to over-hype a rivalry that in reality should not exist.

The 49ers were the glory team of the 80’s and early 90’s, winning all five of their Super Bowls in that span.

Meanwhile, the Raiders won all three of their Super Bowls in the 70’s and 80’s. From the mid 70’s to the mid 90’s, at least one of the Bay Area franchises was always a legitimate contender.

There were a couple of seasons immediately before and after the turn of the millennium when both franchises had playoff talent, but since 2002, when both teams lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the same postseason (49ers in the divisional round, Raiders in the Super Bowl) neither team has been good.

Over the last six years, both teams have been either mediocre or genuinely terrible.

Therefore, over those six seasons, fans of both the teams and media have gotten hyped up about “The Battle of the Bay” because they really haven’t had much else to cheer about once the regular season rolls around.

Consequently, depending on who wins the annual preseason game, either 49er fans or Raider fans tend to start “talking sh**” about their team because they won “The Battle of the Bay.”

In reality, the fans of the winning team are “talking sh**” that their third- and fourth-stringers are better than the other team’s third- and fourth-stringers. I must respectfully say, who the f*@% cares?

As a die-hard 49er fan, the whole concept of the 49ers-Raiders rivalry is just as annoying as the half-Athletics, half-Giants baseball cap.

Clearly, Bay Area sports fans are either A’s or Giants followers and 49ers or Raiders fanatics. To use the words “Cross-Bay Rivals” for either sport is the most over-blown statement in the history of rivalries.

Just like in the MLB, the NFL Bay-Area franchises are in opposite conferences and rarely play each other when it actually matters.

True “rivals” are teams that play within the same division or teams in the same conference that often match up against our Bay Area teams in the playoffs.

For example, neither the A’s and the Giants nor the 49ers and Raiders are rivals. The A’s have a legitimate rival in the Los Angeles Angels and the Giants have a notorious rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The same rule applies to football.

Even when the NFC West was a cakewalk for the 49ers, they still had playoff rivals in the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers. Nowadays, with the Arizona Cardinals and 49ers playing on Monday Night Football seemingly every season, a true inter-division rivalry is being created.

Meanwhile the Raiders have always had a true rival in the Kansas City Chiefs. One could argue that Oakland fans don’t like the Broncos or Chargers any more than they like Kansas City, but there just seems to be a little something extra when the Raiders and Chiefs get together.

However, the fact that both the 49ers and Raiders have been awful the last few seasons means that all of their respective rivalries have diminished in intensity and prestige.

Fans of both teams look to try and find that passionate rivalry during preseason, when hopes have yet to be dashed by the poor regular season performances on the horizon.

Realistically, there shouldn’t be any sort of rivalry. As a fan of the 49ers, I always root for the Raiders to do well when they aren’t playing against my beloved 49ers.

However, I can’t say the same about the rival of my San Francisco Giants; the Los Angeles Dodgers. I truly want the Dodgers to lose every game they play. That’s how it should be.

If your team has a true rival, then you should want that team to lose every single game they play. Perhaps the die-hard, over-the-top Raider fans in “The Black Hole” always want the 49ers to lose, but I guarantee you that there is a significant portion of Oakland fans who casually root for the 49ers the way I casually root for the Raiders.

That being said, the consistent losing of these two franchises is extremely irritating, because it makes fans of both teams overreact about a meaningless preseason game.

If just one of these teams could return to their winning ways, then perhaps fans of both teams can refocus on their true rivalries and stop over-hyping the annual “Battle of the Bay.”

San Francisco 49ers: Five Players Who Will Be Key in 2009

For the second time in three years, the San Francisco 49ers will head into the regular season with heightened expectations following a 7-9 finish from the previous campaign. 

However, the last time the 49ers were in this position, they fell flat on their face.

After a 7-9 2006 season, San Francisco fell apart with an inexperienced offensive coordinator at the helm and finished a extremely disappointing 2007 season with a record of 5-11.

But if the 49ers want to fulfill their expectations, there are five players that are going to be quintessential to making that happen.

1. Dre Bly

The 10-year veteran cornerback came into the league with the St. Louis Rams back in 1999 and played in St. Louis for four seasons. Bly then spent four years in Detroit as a member of the Lions and the past two with the Denver Broncos.

Bly has only missed nine games in his 10 year career, and has appeared in all 16 games in seven of his 10 seasons.

With veteran Walt Harris suffering a season ending knee injury during mini-camp, Dre Bly has a chance to fill in the second cornerback spot alongside Nate Clements.

However, as disappointing as Harris’ injury may be, it could end up being a blessing in disguise. Harris’ play has started to dwindle the last couple of seasons, as he has gotten deeper into his mid-thirties.

Bly, on the other hand, is a couple years younger than Harris at 32, and has a tremendous chip on his shoulder after a a couple of down seasons in Denver. The former two-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion brings a lot to the table, and a return to the NFC West may just be enough to rejuvenate his career.

In order for the 49ers to win the division, they are going to need to prevent receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and TJ Houshmanzadeh from running up and down the field.

Nate Clements can’t cover all the top receivers, so Bly is going to need to play a big part in shutting down the top-flight receivers who call the NFC West home.

2. Dashon Goldson

Staying in the secondary, fans are expecting third-year safety Dashon Goldson to take over the starting free-safety spot from incumbent Mark Roman, who hasn’t recorded an interception in two seasons.

Goldson has been hit with injuries in his short career and has played in just 19 games in his first two seasons with the 49ers.

However, at 6′ 2″ and 200 pounds, Goldson has the frame to be a physical defender, and his coverage abilities are much better than Roman, who was continuously burned by opponents last season.

If the soon to be 25-year-old can stay healthy, his presence on the defense will be a huge boost to veteran strong-safety Michael Lewis. The 49ers safety has yet to show his true capabilities as a run-stuffer because he has had to compensate for Roman’s poor coverage ability.

If Goldson and Lewis can stay healthy, the 49ers have a much stronger duo at the safety position than they had last season.

3. Parys Haralson

Switching gears to the pass rush, one of the most important pieces to the 49ers future success is none other than outside linebacker Parys Haralson.

When Haralson was drafted in the fifth round back in 2006, few 49er fans saw the former Tennessee Volunteer rising to such a integral part of the defense so quickly.

In just his third season in the NFL, Haralson led the 49ers with eight sacks and was the main pass rushing threat on the team.

If Haralson can continue his progression and improve on his numbers from last season, the 25-year-old may end up with double digit sacks, which would be huge for a pass rush that is looking to make big strides this season.

4. Manny Lawson

Opposite Parys Haralson in the 49ers starting linebacker group is none other than Manny Lawson.

After being the 49ers second of two first round picks in 2006, Manny Lawson came to San Francisco with high expectations.

And in his rookie year, the only year in his three seasons in which he played in all 16 games, Lawson did not disappoint. In those 16 games he racked up 57 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one memorable, leaping interception in St. Louis against the Rams.

The 6′ 5″ 240 pound pass rushing outside linebacker is an absolute giant on the field and his potential to make big plays is enormous.

However Lawson managed to play in just two games in 2007, when he tore the ACL in his left knee—prematurely ending his season.

With an outside linebacker, an ACL injury can take more than a year’s time to fully heal. And in his first season back from the injury, Lawson managed 45 tackles in 14 games.

But coming into this year, the 49ers linebacker is two years removed from the injury and is prime to have the breakout season that San Francisco fans have been waiting for.

 

5. Marvel Smith

The final player to watch for is the newly acquired offensive tackle Marvel Smith. After spending nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith signed this offseason with the 49ers and is slated to be the starting right-tackle.

Smith was one of the key linemen who helped lead the Steelers to their fifth Super Bowl Championship in Super Bowl XL. That season, Smith earned his first and only Pro Bowl selection.

But despite being a gigantic physical force on the offensive line, Smith has suffered from back injuries the past two seasons. Smith was hurt during Pittsburgh’s most recent Super Bowl run.

With his last two seasons ending prematurely and his team winning a Super Bowl without him, Smith no longer had a spot on the roster and became a free-agent this offseason.

The 49ers decided that Smith was worth signing, as his back problems are said to be fully healed. If that is indeed true, and Smith can stay healthy for the full season, San Francisco will have one of the best offensive lines in the NFC.

 

These five individuals on the 49ers roster are going to make or break the season for San Francisco.

Each position they play has been a question mark for quite some time for red and  gold. 

The pass rush has been quite anemic over the last few seasons, and the combination of Haralson and Lawson are going to need turn things around.

With the pass rush being incredibly below average over the last few seasons, the secondary has been a major scapegoat.

Whether the blame is fair or not is questionable. But regardless of the lack of pressure on the quarterback, the secondary needs to perform better.

Bly and Goldson in the starting lineup should be enough to help change the way 49er fans view their pass defense.

And finally, the right-tackle position was like a revolving door last season.

Jonas Jennings, Adam Snyder, Barry Sims, Kwame Harris—Well, no, Harris was long gone (thankfully). But even so, the right-tackle position was a huge problem with the offense.

However, with a Pro Bowler like Smith now in the mix, the right-tackle position looks to be solidified.

These five players are really no-brainers to be the difference makers for the 49ers this season.

All the fans realize that inside linebacker Patrick Willis is going to continue tackling everything that moves, and that Takeo Spikes is going to provide great veteran leadership in the middle of that defense.

The defensive line, led by Justin Smith, isn’t going to blow anybody out of the water, and will probably be just as average as it was last season.

On the offensive side of the ball, Frank Gore is going to get his yards, especially with fullback Moran Norris back with the team.

Quarterback Shaun Hill is the definition of “steady eddie”—He will make some ugly throws at times, but will do just enough to put this team into position to win ball games.

And finally, the solid receiving corps—led by Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan and rookie Michael Crabtree—is going to put up quality performances catching the football every single game for the 49ers.

With a more productive season from Vernon Davis into that mix, the receiving corps is full of weapons for Shaun Hill, and will end up producing in one way or another.

However, the five aforementioned players will be the biggest keys to whether the 49ers finish with another losing record, or find themselves in the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

 

 

San Francisco 49ers: Log-Jam at Wide Receiver; Let Crabtree Sit

Heading into training camp, and looking forward to the start of the regular season, the 49ers have a log-jam at wide receiver.

For the San Francisco faithful, having a crowded receiving corps is a welcomed problem to have, as the team has been searching for top-flight wide receiver talent since the departure of Terrell Owens in 2003.

Currently, the 49ers have five wide receivers that saw significant playing time a year ago—the list includes future Hall-of-Famer Isaac Bruce, who is returning to the 49ers for a final season after contemplating retirement, third-year receiver Jason Hill, second-year receiver Josh Morgan, long-time 49er Arnaz Battle, and free-agent acquisition Brandon Jones.

The 49ers let go of receiver Bryant Johnson, who caught 45 balls for 546 yards and three touchdowns last season.

If the 49ers had held onto Johnson, they would have six capable wide receivers—even before adding Texas Tech standout Michael Crabtree into the mix, after drafting the former Red Raider with their tenth overall selection in this year’s draft.

Needless to say, even after releasing their former No. 2 receiver Bryant Johnson (who is now with the Detroit Lions), the 49ers still have six receivers worthy of significant playing time.

It is a great problem to have for head coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, but the question remains—how are the 49ers going to spread the ball around to their numerous receivers, especially considering San Francisco is a running football team?

The chances San Francisco keeps all six receivers on the roster are extremely unlikely, as most depth charts of the season max 53 man roster include five receivers.

Therefore, unfortunately for 49er fans who have come to enjoy Arnaz Battle’s contributions on the field, he is most likely to be the odd man out; however, 49ers general manager Scott McCloughan ought to be searching for teams in need of a wide receiver, because Battle is definitely not washed up.

Cutting loose Battle would be a poor move, as Battle can serve as a quality slot receiver for a team who already has clear-cut No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.

From 2006-2007, Battle caught 109 balls for 1,268 yards and eight touchdowns on a 49ers team that then had a rather weak receiving corps. Hopefully, McCloughan can find a trade partner and pick up either a draft pick or more defensive line help in the deal.

Either way, with Battle most likely gone, that still leaves San Francisco with five quality receivers in Bruce, Morgan, Hill, Jones, and Crabtree.

Clearly, Isaac Bruce is still going to be the No. 1 receiver on the depth chart after a tremendous comeback season last year.

After catching just 55 balls for 761 yards and three touchdowns in 2007 with the Rams, Bruce caught 61 passes for 835 yards and seven touchdowns in his first season with San Francisco.

The numbers may not seem like that much of an improvement, but due to his age, putting up better numbers at all is a tremendous accomplishment. With the chemistry he built with quarterback Shaun Hill, those numbers could have been even better had Hill been under center the entire season.

Following Bruce on the depth chart should be none other than Josh Morgan. Last year, Morgan dazzled fans during the preseason and continued his superb play in the regular season, but missed significant time due to coming down with an illness that caused him to lose 15 pounds at the start of the season.

Coincidentally, Morgan was left behind in his development during his rookie year, and in 12 games managed just 20 receptions; however, in those 20 catches, Morgan racked up 319 yards, good for an even 16.0 average and three touchdowns.

Coming back healthy for the 2009 season, Morgan—not Crabtree—may end up being the big-time 49er receiver who breaks out for a Pro Bowl-caliber season; Morgan clearly has the ability to become a star.

In fact, even though most football fans know that Crabtree has nearly all the receiving records at Texas Tech, many people don’t know that Morgan holds nearly all the receiving records for Virginia Tech.

The former sixth round pick Morgan now has a year’s experience in the NFL, and it would be smart for the 49ers if they kept the pressure away from Crabtree and have Morgan start opposite Isaac Bruce.

After Morgan as the No. 2 wide receiver, many would think that Crabtree should be the next receiver onto the field in the three wide-receiver set.

However, Jason Hill showed some promise late last season, as all 30 of his receptions came in the team’s final nine games—coincidentally, the same nine games that were led by Mike Singletary.

Hill improved immensely from his rookie yea,r in which he caught just one pass while barely seeing the field. Now entering his third season, Hill could be an extremely effective possession receiver.

In the ideal world, Hill and Crabtree ought to rotate as the third receiver for the 49ers. On shorter third down situations, the more experienced Hill should see the field for important first down conversions; however, on third and long plays, Crabtree should get his first taste of the NFL, in situations where he has the opportunity to make big plays.

Instead of throwing Crabtree into the fire against NFL defensive backs who are years better than the corners he faced at Texas Tech, the 49ers ought to bring him in slowly and match him up against safeties and opposing team’s third- and fourth-string corners.

Taking their time with Crabtree is essential to keep any chance of a prima donna type receiver from developing with such a highly-rated draft pick. Not only that, but Crabtree’s foot injury that caused him to miss the NFL scouting combine prevented him from partaking in drills during mini camp.

Unless the 49ers stumble early on during the season, Crabtree should be used carefully and be put in situations to succeed. There is no need to rush his development unless the rest of the receiving corps starts to falter.

Therefore, the crowded receiving corps ought to look as such on a depth chart:

1. Isaac Bruce

2. Josh Morgan

3. Jason Hill/Michael Crabtree

4. Michael Crabtree/Jason Hill

5. Brandon Jones

Jones, the free-agent acquisition from Tennessee, may have a difficult time finding playing time. The rest of the 49ers receivers are either already familiar with coach Singletary, or—in Crabtree’s case—have high expectations to see quality playing time.

Last season, Jones caught 41 balls for 449 yards, but only one touchdown and 3.1 yards after catch on average.

Meanwhile, Josh Morgan caught less than half the amount of receptions, yet had two more touchdowns and 5.3 average yards after catch.

So, whether or not Jones can live up to the bill and be the speedy receiver that the 49ers brought him in to be is very much in question.

With the rest of the 49ers receivers prime for big seasons, Jones may be left behind.

Now clearly the depth chart is subject to change due to potential injuries and on-field performance, but as of right now, Josh Morgan should join Isaac Bruce as starting wide receivers, not Michael Crabtree.

However, we’ll all have to wait until September 13th to find out for ourselves how Singletary and Raye are going to manage this log-jam at wide receiver.

49ers Still Lack a True Goal-Line Back

Coming into the 2009 offseason, NFL analysts were dissecting the San Francisco 49ers and the various holes on the roster. Most of the discussions were centered around the offensive line, free-safety position, and the pass rush.

Now, clearly each of these three areas were in desperate need of an upgrade, but one particular play last season could have turned things around for the 49ers.

If the they had scored from the two-yard line on the final play of a Monday Night contest against the division-leading Cardinals, San Francisco would have split the season series againt Arizona, giving the red and gold a legitimate chance to win the division.

But the loss essentially eliminated any chance to catch the Super Bowl-bound Cardinals.

The play in question was a power-dive to Michael Robinson, who fell short of the goal-line by a full yard.

It was later revealed that the 49ers’ coaching staff was unclear on how far out of the endzone its team was on that play.

But regardless of the ball placement, it was clear that the 49ers did not have confidence in their No. 1 back Frank Gore to punch the ball into the end-zone.

Instead, they gave the ball to Robinson, a converted former quarterback at Penn State.

If San Francisco was willing to give the ball to a former quarterback-turned-mediocre tailback on such an important play, it must have had very little faith in Gore’s short-yardage capabilities.

If that is the case, one would think the team would bring someone else into the fold to fill that role. But the fact that they have yet to fill that hole over the offseason is quite puzzling.

Perhaps rookie runningbacks Glen Coffee and Kory Sheets will take over on short-yardage situations, but neither one fits the bill of the protoypical bruising back that is necessary for those types of downs.

It is clear that neither Robinson nor practice squad player and annual preseason standout Thomas Clayton are going to be counted on in key situations.

Knowing this, who are the 49ers going to turn too?

Enter Deuce McAllister, who is still a free-agent and thus would not command much money at all for, say, a one-year deal. When healthy, he is a proven tough-nosed runner who can fill that hole as a short-yardage back.

Because of his increasing tendency to land on the injured reserve list, it would be unwise to bank on McCallister as Gore’s sole backup.

However, if McAllister were to stay healthy, platooning him alongside third-round pick Coffee would make an effecive one-two punch in case Gore goes down.

Bringing in another runner is paramount as Gore is clearly the engine of this 49er offense, and although he has been rather lucky with injuries in his NFL career, he had major knee issues while in college at Miami, Florida.

Not to mention, last season was the first in which Gore missed a couple of games with an ankle injury—not entirely uncommon for a player whose legs are routinely pummeled by 300-pound linemen.

The way things stand, if Gore were to go down with an injury that forced him to miss any extended amount of time, you can kiss the 49ers’ season goodbye. There is absolutely no way they can recover from losing their franchise runner with the current roster.

The 49ers would be missing a tremendous opportunity at bolstering their backfield if they failed to bring in McAllister.

And who knows, that one short-yardage/goal-line play could be the difference between the playoffs and yet another 49ers season ending in December.

San Francisco 49ers: Nothing Wrong with “Moving” South

Good news for 49ers fans: When it comes to the York family, the most important apple fell far from the tree and landed close to the tree’s brother-in-law.

Just over 18 months ago, Denise Debartolo York decided to essentially fire her husband John York as acting owner of the San Francisco 49ers and handed the job to their son, Jed.

In that time, Jed has already proved his willingness to do whatever it takes to change the fortunes of the 49ers franchise.

Gone are the days of Dennis Erickson and Mike Nolan, and beginning are the days of Mike Singletary.

The 49ers faithful can thank Jed for idolizing his Uncle Eddie (Edward Debartolo Jr.), who was the mastermind behind the dynasty that was the 49ers’ five Super Bowl Championships during the 80’s and 90’s.

The latest 49ers owner is not even 30, but having grown up in the 49ers family, he has seen more football greatness than many will see in their lifetime.

Coinciding with that fact is that Jed cares about one thing and one thing only, doing what is best for his team in order to help them win football games.

Now, despite the fact that a new stadium won’t be complete until 2014 or later, a new venue is vital to moving the franchise forward.

Fans and players alike will be more drawn to the 49ers at a new park, which will hold numerous advantages for everyone involved.

Players will have the luxuries of a new state-of-the-art locker room, better equipment, and everything in between.

Meanwhile, a new stadium would bring in a wave of a fans buying up tickets which the 49ers organization desperately needs. Over the last few losing seasons in an ageing stadium, fans have been staying away, especially with ticket prices going up.

Now, obviously, tickets at a brand new stadium won’t be cheap, but the fact that a new yard will create a huge buzz in the greater bay area, fans will come to fill up the seats.

In fact, one of the prime reasons for “moving” the 49ers south to Santa Clara is because the 49ers have just as big, if not more of a following in the South Bay, than they do in and around San Francisco.

Currently, the 49ers are further than they have ever been in their negotiations with Santa Clara and a potential stadium deal, but a move away from San Francisco has brought criticism from many living in the city.

Awhile back, Senator Dianne Feinstein was quoted as saying she would write legislation in an attempt to block the team from using San Francisco or 49ers in the team name.

The former San Francisco mayor argued that the team was a vital piece to the essence of the city and its important to the people of the city.

However, numerous professional sports franchises don’t play their games in the actual city/state that is in their name.

Just to name a few, neither the New York Giants nor the New York Jets play in New York; they share a stadium in New Jersey, and the Tampa Bay Rays play in St. Petersburg.

The 49ers moving to Santa Clara is not a relocation, it is the best option at building a brand new venue where the majority of their fan base has easy access.

Ignoring the fact that the majority of 49ers fans don’t actually live in the city of San Francisco and that a good chunk live in the South Bay, Santa Clara is only a whopping 37 miles down Highway 101.

The majority of sports fans worldwide have been traveling much greater distances to see their teams on a regular basis.  

A 49ers stadium in Santa Clara would enable easier access for most of the 49ers faithful, and will create a much better atmosphere in terms of weather. 

In all honesty, it is hard to form a concrete argument for the 49ers to stay in San Francisco, other than the sentimental issue of keeping the team in the city that made the franchise famous.

With Jed York now in charge of football operations, the 49ers are going to do whatever they can to help their team win games, and if a stadium in Santa Clara is the best location, then that is where the stadium is going to be built.

San Francisco 49ers: 2009 Success Hinges on Improved Play from Secondary

Before Niner fans start predicting their team to make the playoffs, they might want to take a moment to question whether or not their team has a pass defense capable of getting them there.

Before delving into the play of last year’s secondary, it’s important to note how this year’s offseason has unfolded.

So far, the 49ers have made some significant additions. However, up until recently, each and every one of them were on the offensive side of the ball.

The 49ers brought in free agent offensive tackle and former Pittsburgh Steeler Marvel Smith to fill their hole at right tackle in an attempt to shore up the offensive line.

Smith’s signing wasn’t the only change. In an attempt to improve the blocking for running back Frank Gore, San Francisco decided to bring back fullback Moran Norris. Norris spent 2006 and 2007 with the 49ers, years that saw Frank Gore put up his best two seasons running the football.

San Francisco didn’t stop adding to the offense after they beefed up the running game. Instead, they added to their receiving corps by signing former Tennessee Titan wide receiver Brandon Jones to be their deep threat in the passing game.  

But prior to the recent signing of veteran cornerback Dré Bly, the 49ers had made only one significant defensive signing, re-signing veteran ILB Takeo Spikes.

Clearly, the 49ers’ plan in free agency was to shore up the offense, but the defense still needed some help. San Francisco had the opportunity to address that side of the ball through the NFL Draft.

However, in this year’s draft, the 49ers didn’t take a defensive player until the fifth round. Granted, at pick No. 146, ILB Scott Mckillip was just the 49ers third selection of the draft. He would also be the only defensive player taken by San Francisco until the seventh and final round.

By primarily focusing on offense during free agency and the draft, San Francisco has put together a unit that should be able to put up plenty of points this season, regardless of who wins the starting quarterback spot.

Drafting Texas Tech standout receiver Michael Crabtree with their first-round pick will do wonders in the passing game, and along with veteran Isaac Bruce, youngsters Josh Morgan and Jason Hill, and new-comer Brandon Jones, the receiving corps should be quite productive.

Despite the drastically revamped offense behind a new coordinator Jimmy Raye, the 49ers have done little to nothing to improve their 23rd ranked defense from last season.

In particular, the 49ers pass defense was ranked 20th in the NFL last season, giving up an average of 219 yard per game through the air. The 49ers were tied amongst six other teams at 21st in the league for interceptions.

San Francisco defenders picked off opposing quarterbacks just 12 times and the defense could have been ranked anywhere from 21st to 26th in the category.

When it comes to the minuscule total of interceptions, you first have to look at the 49ers’ apparent “shut-down” corner, Nate Clements. The 80 million dollar man had just two interceptions for the season, being beat out by veteran corner Walt Harris (three) and veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes. You heard that correctly, Takeo Spikes had more interceptions than Nate Clements.

Not only that, but the 49ers finished a second season in a row without an interception from their starting free safety Mark Roman, who finally lost his starting position this offseason.

However, Roman’s replacement Dashon Goldson has played in just 19 games in his two years at the NFL level, made only 36 tackles, knocked down just three passes, and has yet to record an interception.

Goldson has had a history of injury problems, which adds to the problem of depth in the secondary. If Goldson can’t stay healthy, Roman may have to become the starter again or San Francisco may be stuck with playing a rookie at the free safety position.

Now, at 6′ 2″ and 200 pounds, the 24-year-old Goldson has the physical tools to be the playmaker the 49ers need him to be, but to bank on him staying healthy and to be able to produce against top-flight NFL receivers for a full season is asking a lot of such a young player.

But, if Goldson can perform adequately, his presence will help improve the play of his safety partner, Michael Lewis.

After signing with the 49ers in 2007, Lewis has not been able to be the run-stuffing and hard-hitting strong safety that the 49ers organization had envisioned.

Part of the reason Lewis has not been able to shine is the fact he has had to compensate for Roman’s poor coverage ability. Nevertheless, each member of last season’s secondary was burned time and time again by opposing receivers.

However, the signing of long time veteran and Pro Bowl cornerback Dré Bly will be a boost to the secondary.

But Bly’s signing was made only after the news of Walt Harris’ potentially season-ending ACL injury.

Therefore, prior to Harris sustaining the injury to his right ACL, the 49ers were essentially returning the same exact defensive roster from last season.

And as mentioned previously, that defense did not exactly scare many opposing quarterbacks.

In order for this 49ers secondary to limit the effectiveness of NFC West receivers such as Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Deion Branch, Nate Burlson, and Donnie Avery, they will not only have to step up their game but also hope for an improved pass rush.

Hopefully defensive coordinator Greg Manusky can get creative while working under head coach Mike Singletary and figure out a way to create a more effective pass rush.

Last season, San Francisco sacked the quarterback just 30 times, few of which came during key situations.

If the 2009 49ers secondary wants to slow down the plethora of playmaking receivers inside the NFC West, they’re going to need more than just an improved pass rush; they’re going to have to step their game up to a whole new level.

Perhaps Bly and Goldson can be the answer to the improved secondary the 49ers so desperately need, but neither one should give Niners fans much confidence.

The simple fact is that the 49ers need a pass rush that enables the secondary a chance to make plays. Then the secondary needs to step up and actually make those plays.

If the 49ers defense can’t manage at least one of those two things, it may be another losing season yet again.

San Francisco 49ers: Drafting Michael Crabtree Leaves Other Needs Unfulfilled

Last month, the San Francisco 49ers received what most fans believe to be the steal of the 2009 NFL Draft, selecting Texas-Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree with the 10th overall pick.

However, the selection may not pay dividends right away.

Crabtree, despite being rated as the top receiver in the draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, may not have been the choice in order to elevate the 2009 version of the 49ers.

Do not get me wrong, Crabtree appears to have all the qualities that will make a top-notch NFL receiver, but the 49ers, under new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, are going to be a run first, run second and run third type of offense.

Not only will they be a running team, but also the 49ers also already have had a solid group of offensive weapons.

The list of offensive weapons returning from last season includes their best overall player in running back Frank Gore, as well as a future hall-of-famer in receiver Isaac Bruce, tight-end Vernon Davis, and up-coming receivers Josh Morgan and Jason Hill.

For this upcoming season, the 49ers selecting a wide receiver with their first round pick may have not been the best route to take, especially because San Francisco still has numerous other needs including the person throwing the ball to the wide receiver.

Noticeably absent from the list of 49ers offensive weapons (as listed above) is the name of a quarterback. Currently, the 49ers do not have a clear-cut starting quarterback as head coach Mike Singletary has stated that both Shaun Hill and Alex Smith will compete for the starting job.

Neither Hill nor Smith has had any sustained amount of success in the NFL. Hill has won seven out of his ten career starts, while Smith has gone 11-19 in his injury plagued four-year career.

Clearly it seems as if Hill is the front-runner for the starting job with his short amount of success with the 49ers over the past two seasons, but whether or not he can continue that over an entire season is yet to be known.

With that being said, the 49ers are quite obviously lacking a proven entity at the quarterback position and along with the fact that San Francisco is going to be a running offense, how often is Crabtree going to get his hands on the ball?

When they drafted Crabtree, San Francisco may have been caught in a position where they saw a big name left on the draft board and decided they could not pass up such an opportunity. However, they may not have adequately looked over all their specific positional needs.

Not only do the 49ers have multiple issues on the defensive side of the ball, their marquee offensive free agent signing this season is prone to injury.

Former Steelers offensive tackle Marvel Smith inked a contract with the 49ers early this offseason and when healthy, is a dominant force. But back problems caused him to miss the last four games of 2007 and forced to him to miss all but five games of last season. If Smith goes down with injury, the 49ers receivers may not have time to get open before either Shaun hill or Alex Smith become lunchmeat for defensive ends.

Knowing that Smith has been often injured over the last couple seasons and the fact that the play of last year’s right-tackles was down right dreadful, one would of thought the 49ers to go after an offensive tackle with their first pick. Michael Oher out of Mississippi was still on the board when the 49ers took Crabtree.

On the defensive side of the ball the 49ers are still looking for a marquee pass-rusher, and help in the secondary.

When it comes to the pass-rush, San Francisco fared better last season, receiving a boost from free-agent acquisition Justin Smith. In his first year with the 49ers, Smith had a solid season, picking up seven sacks.

However, the two other down-lineman joining him on the defensive line were rotated in and out quite often. Essentially, a rotating group of down lineman that includes Aubrayo Franklin, Isaac Sopoaga, Ray McDonald, Ronald Fields, Roderick Green and Kentwan Balmer joined Smith.

It is safe to say that unless the 49ers find a way to acquire a quality pass-rushing defensive end, their pass rush will once again be rather anemic. Instead of taking Crabtree, the 49ers could have taken the top rated defensive end in the draft, former Texas Longhorn, Brian Orakpo.

In the secondary, the 49ers could use a bit more depth and perhaps ought to trade for a veteran free-safety. The defensive backfield, led by 80 million dollar man Nate Clements, could easily become one of the better backfields in the league if the front office did some tweaking.

Cornerback Walt Harris is getting up there in age and can no longer be counted on as a No. 2 corner. His back-up Shawntae Spencer has shown time and time again that he is not the answer to replace Harris on the starting unit. Giving one of the younger corners on the roster a chance to prove themselves may be the best course of action in improving the pass defense.

Also, the 49ers are no longer going to use Mark Roman at free safety. There is no way a player who hasn’t had an interception in two seasons should be allowed to continue to play a position that is supposed to be prime for INTs. Roman’s poor coverage abilities have been a detriment to the play of strong-safety Michael Lewis. Lewis is best known for being a stout run-stuffer and big open field hitter but has had to compensate for Roman’s poor play and Lewis is no longer young enough to keep up in coverage.

The 49ers could have added a marquee free safety to the roster this offseason. Whether it was through the draft or free agency, there were free safeties available. The 49ers just failed to acquire one.

Despite the fact that the 49ers have a solid group of linebackers led by Patrick Willis, if their down lineman cannot create pressure, and if their defensive backs cannot keep up with other the other team’s wide receivers, the 49ers defense is going to yet again have a long and difficult season.

Now perhaps further down the line Michael Crabtree will become the receiver the 49ers have been looking for ever since the departure of Jerry Rice. However, for this season, San Francisco still has more dire needs than wide receiver.

Drafting a wide-out in Crabtree, along with the fact that the front-office traded away their second round pick, may mean that the 49ers will have to fair with nearly the exact same defensive starters as last season. And if that is the case, don’t expect the 49ers to be much improved from last season’s 7-9 record.

« Previous Page

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010