Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous about the Niners.

[phillycard]

They're making moves man. Not that we're not, but it's obvious from the draft and their FA signings they mean business.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

They're making moves man. Not that we're not, but it's obvious from the draft and their FA signings they mean business.

Joe Staley and Patrick Willis were AWESOME 1st round picks. The rest of their picks were just eh.

I am a bit worried too.

 

[Mulli]

If the 2006 Cards could beat them twice, I am not that worried.

 

[hafey]

Norv Turner may be an average Head Coach, but he is a terrific offensive cordinator. I believe their offense will take a step back next year.

 

[Mulli]

Norv Turner may be an average Head Coach, but he is a terrific offensive cordinator. I believe their offense will take a step back next year.

 

[crisper57]

I'm not. I think the talent we had last year would have given us alot more wins with a different coaching staff. Denny and his buddies held this team back. Now we have real coaches that will improve what we already had, plus we had a great FA season and draft. I'm confident the new staff will get the most out of this team.

 

[schwalbhimself]

I'm not. I think the talent we had last year would have given us alot more wins with a different coaching staff. Denny and his buddies held this team back. Now we have real coaches that will improve what we already had, plus we had a great FA season and draft. I'm confident the new staff will get the most out of this team.

 

[Heucrazy]

They're making moves man. Not that we're not, but it's obvious from the draft and their FA signings they mean business.

I'm only nervous in the fact that I think we'll probably split with them. As being swept or them winning the division? No way.

 

[BigRedRage]

niners suck

 

[Pariah]

Joe Staley and Patrick Willis were AWESOME 1st round picks. The rest of their picks were just eh.

They also added Clements, D. Jackson and less flashy, but also important signings (IMO), A. Lelie and Banta-Cain.

They're going to be pretty good.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

They also added Clements, D. Jackson and less flashy, but also important signings (IMO), A. Lelie and Banta-Cain.

They're going to be pretty good.

Agreed. I was really impressed with their first round though. Slightly below Cleveland IMO.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Without Norv and Co...they will lead the division and probably the NFC in turnovers.

 

[Jetstream Green]

without Turner

I think the niners will be asking themselves at the end of the season..."Is Alex Smith really our QB of the future?"

 

[Pariah]

I think the niners will be asking themselves at the end of the season..."Is Alex Smith really our QB of the future?"

I think they're asking themselves that now.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I think the niners will be asking themselves at the end of the season..."Is Alex Smith really our QB of the future?"

Completly agree. IMO this is the biggest difference between us and the Niners. We have Leinart - they don't. And i don't buy ALex Smith one bit. You can disagree with this assessment but in any way how is he better than Drew Stanton? Maybe a tad smarter but he beat up on the WAC while Stanton played the big boys 2 out of 3 games. Product of his QB draft class IMO.

Plus i think we match up with them VERY well. If the coaching is as good as i think it is I think we should at the very least in contention for the divison the last couple weeks of the season.

 

[Renz]

niners suck

 

[lobo]

I'm not. I think the talent we had last year would have given us alot more wins with a different coaching staff. Denny and his buddies held this team back. Now we have real coaches that will improve what we already had, plus we had a great FA season and draft. I'm confident the new staff will get the most out of this team.

We are in same church same pew. Can't control what other teams do, can only control your own destiny. We (they) have done a whole lot or the right things. I got no complaints.

 

[Assface]

I just want to know how we're going to get a pass rush past their stud RT Kwame Harris.




I almost typed all of that with a straight face!

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Let's assess the 49er moves real quick.

1) Signed Nate Clements.

-- Obviously I like the move, even though I think they paid WAY too much for him. Regardless, he'll cause teams to throw away from him, and he gives them potential matchup advantages on defense.

2) Signed Tully Banta- Cain

-- I love this move for them. Very solid, under the radar pickup. He and Willis make their LB core much better.

3) Signed Ashley Lelie

-- Others may be a fan of this move, I'm not. He's mediocre, not all that much of an upgrade (if at all) from Antonio Bryant.

4) Traded for Darrell Jackson

-- Could turn out to be ok, but he drops way too many passes and has bum knees. I think there's a real reason why Seattle was willing to trade him within the division, and not just because they have depth at the position.

Their draft was solid, very solid. Willis will be a top LB, Staley should be a solid tackle.

Right now, I'm not sure the 49ers are all that better than they were last year. If Gore has a season like he had last year, and if Vernon Davis becomes the deep play threat they hope he'll become, they could bump to 10 wins. Regardless, I'm not excessively worried about them, no more than I am Seattle and the Rams.

 

[vinnymac]

The 49ers have made improvements. They get Darrell Jackson and Clement. Patrick Willis imo, is going to be in the same mold of Ray Lewis. Not to big on Staley, but the pro's feel he was worth moving up for. Cohen is going to be solid in the middle for the 49ers.

I said last season that the 49ers are one good WR away from making the playoffs. They still are after releasing Byrant. I beleive they drafted Jason Hill from washington. According to all the gurus' Hill is going to be a very good WR in the league.

The biggest lost is Norv Turner. The 49ers offense is going to be based on how well there new offensive cordinator can get these players to play.

It will be no surprise if the 49ers return to there glory years starting this season.

 

[Assface]

We have Bolding and Fitz. Clements can only cover one of them at a time. As much as we bag on BJ he's still a mismatch for almost any nickel out there.

Lelie can't catch a cold. There's a reason why he's on his third team.

Willis should contribute right away. He'll make it more difficult to run on them. They still don't have much talent up front to protect him from blockers, though.

Tully Banta-Cain has 91 career tackles in 4 years.

Darrell Jackson is an x-factor. Has age caught up to him? How are his knees? Is he in for another double digit TD year? I think his main contribution will be helping out young QB Alex Smith. So far Smith hasn't had many veterans to work with. Last year he had a rookie TE and a second year RB and no established veteran presence at WR.

 

[vinnymac]

We have Bolding and Fitz. Clements can only cover one of them at a time. As much as we bag on BJ he's still a mismatch for almost any nickel out there.

Lelie can't catch a cold. There's a reason why he's on his third team.

Willis should contribute right away. He'll make it more difficult to run on them. They still don't have much talent up front to protect him from blockers, though.

Tully Banta-Cain has 91 career tackles in 4 years.

Darrell Jackson is an x-factor. Has age caught up to him? How are his knees? Is he in for another double digit TD year? I think his main contribution will be helping out young QB Alex Smith. So far Smith hasn't had many veterans to work with. Last year he had a rookie TE and a second year RB and no established veteran presence at WR.

Bottom line is the 49ers have improved to make a run at the playoffs and win the NFC west conference.

 

[Pariah]

You may not like Lelie and he may drop some passes, but the man stretches the field. He gets behind defenses a lot, and that's going to open things up for Davis, Gore and Jackson.

The Niners are a lot better this year--for both the moves we've been discussing and for the mere fact that Nolan's defense is one more year in the same system and Alex Smith is one more year away from his horrifying rookie campaign.

 

[football karma]

Its interesting

You look at their stats and you wonder how they won 7 games last year.

One of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, and yet an offense that finished in the bottom quartile both in yards and in scoring.

Their yards per attempt passing is in the bottom third -- 6.5 yards, and for a team that ran the ball so well and threw such short passes -- they gave up sacks at a pretty good clip.

Defensively -- also ranked near the bottom in both yards and points.

They clearly have added talent in the offseason -- but their issues from 2006 seem unaddressed: no pass rush and a passing game that will now rely on two WRs who have a reputation of dropping passes, being injured and dont like to go over the middle.

I dunno -- this could be the classic -- "have a better team, but finish with the same record" kind of year for the 9ers

 

[Toro]

Staley is way overrated.