San Francisco 49ers

With all the renewed hope around the 49ers these days, the team needs to aim for the bottom of the NFL in one category. Anything that makes an organization look cheap, no matter how slight. The 49ers have to be 32nd, in absolute last place.

By Fooch In the meantime, if you get a chance, check out the 2009 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.  It airs on ESPN at 9am pacific, noon eastern.  The Bay Area's own Joey Chestnut looks to retain the mustard belt he won from Takeru Kobayashi last year.  Happy Independence Day!

by Calvin WatkinsFiled under: 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Broncos, Browns, Buccaneers, Dolphins, Jets, Lions, Raiders, Vikings, NFL Analysis Solution: Start Culpepper and wait until 2010 for Stafford.10 Quarterback Battles Worth Watching originally appeared on Fanhouse NFL Blog...

By bwill5025@msn.com (Brad Wilbricht) While linebacker Patrick Willis garners most of the headlines, the San Francisco 49ers have a handful of other options set to break out at the position. With Mike Singletary now in control, there’s a good chance the team’s linebacking corps will progress into one of the top units in the NFL....

By Fooch Patrick Willis, the 49ers' inside man (Barrows) How 49ers earn income in offseason (Maiocco) Niner Insider : 49ers Rank 77th (SFGate.com) 2009 Opponent Breakdowns (49ers Examiner) Make No Mistake: This QB Competition Should Terrify You (49ers Webzone)

By Fooch 10. Isaac Sopoaga: Why the guy who could reasonably be considered a relative disappointment?  Well, at this point it sounds like Kentwan Balmer will be starting the season as his backup.  I'd like to see Balmer break out in training camp and take the left defensive end starting spot, but I'd...

By Fooch John Taylor (1987-1995): Taylor made arguably the second most famous catch in 49ers history, the game-winner against the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII.  Taylor currently stands 8th or better in franchise history in receptions, yards and touchdowns.  And, of course, he holds the pre-emin...

The 49ers did not get involved in the action to sign former Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Greg Ellis. If Ellis' price had dropped, the 49ers would have made a bid. However, the Oakland Raiders signed Ellis to a contract. Meanwhile, the 49ers did not make much of an effort to bolster their pass rus...

By Fooch Last year (and early into this year) we put together a Niners Nation All-Time 49ers team for every position on the field.  In putting together that roster, the vote tallies never rose to more than 350-400 voters on a given position.  Certainly a good turn-out, but we can definitely do better...

By Fooch Crabtree is ranked as the number 1 receiver, seemingly by a lot. Is he BY FAR the best WR on the team?Crabtree the strongest WR? Even stronger than VD and Bear? Really?Patrick Willis - So Dirty. Discuss...Frank Gore - So Dirty. Discuss...Andy Lee - So Dirty. Discuss...49ers Offensive Line - Underrated,...

By Fooch In reality this is a non-story, but I wanted to use it to frame a discussion of sorts.  Tip of the cap to Mike Sando for pointing this out, but apparently Arizona Cardinals DT Darnell Dockett is on Twitter and had some thoughts on the predictions some folks are making about the 49ers and the Car...

Although Mike Singletary didn't speak as loud or as long as he often does, the coach finished up the San Francisco 49ers' offseason workout program with one more inspiring speech in what's certain to be a year full of them. If only the 49ers could be so certain about what quarterback will be s...

By Fooch So what does Smith have to do to win the job? He not only has to outplay Hill in practice, he has to outplay him by a considerable margin. And, even then, it might not be enough for Singletary to go with him over Hill. Smith has to prove to Singletary that Hill is not the only quarterback on the team w...

Singletary is an NFL Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champ, and now he's the 49ers head coach. He took over for Mike Nolan last October, and one game into his tenure (a 34-13 loss to the mighty Seahawks), Singletary ordered Vernon Davis to the showers early in the fourth quarter for pouting.Singl...

By phartlaub@sfchronicle.com (Peter Hartlaub) Jamie Williams was one of the more memorable San Francisco 49ers from the 1990 Super Bowl team, perhaps known as much for his love of comic books as for his blocking skills - he may have been the only NFL player in the 1980s who wore a Spider-Man T-shirt...

By Florida Danny Avg. Pass Offense DVOA 17.1% 6.0% 23.1% Avg. Rush Offense DVOA 3.0% 5.5% 8.5% Avg. Offense DVOA 10.4% 5.5% 15.9% 15.8% 0.5% 15.3% Avg. Rush Offense DVOA Improvement in Season B 5.4% 1.7% 3.7% Avg. Offense DVOA Improvement in Season B 10.7% 1.0% 9.7% DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE CHANGES

Head coach Jeremy Gunn and the Charlotte 49ers men's soccer program have received ten commitments for the 2009 season. The ten commitments join a 2009 roster that features nine returning starters, 15 returning letterwinners and three redshirts (Owen Darby, Julien Brown-Lathem and Ju...

By mbarrows@sacbee.com (Matthew Barrows) That's a function of the man calling the shots on offense this year. Whereas last year's offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, gave the competition all the tension and drama of a U-boat control room, his successor, Jimmy Raye, comes across as a far more fatherly, far more nurturing figure.

S Curtis Taylor, No. 28. The free safety is known as the quarterback of the defense, and like the quarterback it's unreasonable to think a seventh-round free safety can play right away. However, if Taylor shows promise in training camp, it will help add depth to a thin position and might promp...

By Fooch Some folks compare him to Alex Smith, but given the round and cost, I'm intrigued to see if the 49ers can develop Nate Davis into a long-term answer. The 49ers went for more upside guys in the likes of Curtis Taylor and Ricky Jean-Francois, two defensive players from LSU.

DE Tyson Jackson: This guy practically screams 49ers. He's big, physical and comes from college football's best conference, the SEC. He would be a perfect fit at left defensive end on the 49ers' three-man defensive line ... if they hadn't spent a first rounder on a left defensive end, Kentwan B...

By Fooch Considering Colorado State running back Gartrell Johnson is expected to be a "relatively" late draft pick, the man has a fair amount of popularity among the Niners Nation faithful.  A search revealed 4 stories, 5 FanPosts and 22 comments involving Johnson in some manner (and that's not e...

Mike Singletary's early minicamp was designed to set a workman-like tone for his 49ers team and to give new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye an early look at his offensive talent. It also revealed that the team still has plenty of holes to fill this offseason. The 49ers are expected to have n...

By mbarrows@sacbee.com (Matthew Barrows) Smith, who feuded with former coach Mike Nolan in 2007, said it felt as if he was receiving a fresh start with the 49ers. Smith said new coach Mike Singletary has brought a new attitude to the team. The 2009 offense, meanwhile, is similar to the one Smith ran in 2006 under offensive coordinator...

Very interesting KNBR interview yesterday with Jim Trotter, the SI reporter who, along with Adam Schefter, broke the news about the Jimmy Raye hire Wednesday evening. According to Trotter, before Mike Singletary made his final choice for offensive coordinator, he brought the two fina...

By raiderhater On January 12th Tony Dungy retired after more than three decades in the NFL as a player, assistant and head coach. He spent 13 seasons as a Head Coach, seven in Indianapolis. Dungy won more than 75% of his games coached in Indianapolis and led the Colts to a victory in Super Bowl XLI. He will be rep...

By Matt Cordon (kh) That’s among the reasons Jerry Rice’s career ended in a Denver Broncos training camp, and why Emmitt Smith finished his career as a plodder in Arizona, averaging significantly less than 4.0 yards per carry. Likewise, the five ESPN experts picked Dallas.

By Florida Danny Here's how the 49ers stack up against the Cowboys in terms of DVOA: Team Rank Offense Rank Rank Rank SF 11.8% 25 14.3% 28 4.5% 15 7.1% 1 DAL 5.4% 22 5.9% 16 4.9% 16 6.4% 30 SF Rank SF DEFENSE VS. DAL OFFENSE ON 2ND AND LONG 8 29 SF DEFENSE VS. DAL OFFENSE ON 2ND AND SHORT 28 5 San Francisco 49ers 21 Dallas Cowboys

By Florida Danny As the above graph shows, Monday night was only the second time all season that the 49ers outplayed their opponent. In fact, the 49ers' game DVOA of +6.4% (which is compared to the Cardinals' +3.8% in the graph) means that we actually witnessed an above-average NFL performance from our belov...

By Fooch The 49ers are 2-6 but that doesn't matter.  Mike Singletary's 49ers got beaten down by Seattle two weeks ago but that doesn't matter.  I consider that last loss the final vestige of the Mike Nolan 49ers.  The Mike Singletary 49ers take center stage tonight.  If they come out and just get smoked...

By Florida Danny 49ERS STRENGTHS 6 9 6 3 8 49ERS WEAKNESSES 4 9 3 SEAHAWKS STRENGTHS 3 4 SEAHAWKS WEAKNESSES 26 VS. 11 28 VS. 15 29 VS. 13 30 VS. 9 27 VS. 24 25 VS. 20 27 VS. 17 29 VS. 3 25 VS. 26 26 VS. 28 31 VS. 31 25 VS. 22 25 VS. 32 27 VS. 30 25 VS. 21 29 VS. 30 31 VS. 31 26 VS. 9 30 VS. 20 Seattle Seahawks            17 San Francisco 49ers        27

By podcasts@sfgate.com (Benny Evangelista) The San Francisco 49ers are coming off one of their most impressive wins in the Mike Nolan era, mainly due to their biggest acquisition of the off season - offensive coordinator Mike...

By Benny Evangelista San Francisco 49ers quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan looked quite relaxed this week after leading his team to the win at Seattle, beat writer Tom FitzGerald says in his weekly Niners...

By Eric Williams Seattle Seahawks Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald reports that the desperate Seahawks are happy to see the 49ers this week. gt; Read more! Here’s some reading to get you ready for today’s game against the 49ers. Seattle Seahawks Frank Hughes talks to wide receiver Courtney ...

Steve Young* 11/15/87 5-6-80 1 td - Lost to New Orleans 26-24 Alex Smith 10/09/05 9-2-74 yds - 4 ints Lost to Indianapolis 28-3

By Fooch This is one thing we all have to keep in mind as we roll through training camp.  With the new offense, it will definitely take some time for the offense to come together.  Mike Martz mentioned he had never been in a situation like this with an even split of snaps between the top 2 QBs.  I certainly h...

By undisclosed@pressdemocrat.com (49ers) Instant 49ers: At the local combine, did you have an inkling you could be joining up with the 49ers? Instant 49ers: What's the difference between a Jeff Tedford offensive meeting and a Mike Martz offensive meeting? Instant 49ers: What's jumped out at you since coming to the 49ers?

By Fooch Not surprisingly, Frank Gore and Vernon Davis were pointed too as two extremely important guys for the offense, alongside Alex Smith.  Gore is a dual threat as a rusher and receiver, while Vernon Davis had one of the quieter 52-catch seasons in recent memory.  I think that goes to show just h...

By undisclosed@pressdemocrat.com (49ers) Ouch. I told Tucker that the 49ers were very impressed with Joe Staley last season. And coach Mike Nolan has been very disappointed in Jennings' inability to remain healthy since coming to the 49ers as a high-priced free agent in 2005.

By podcasts@sfgate.com (Benny Evangelista) Beat reporter John Crumpacker and deputy sports editor Larry Yant break down how the San Francisco 49ers have changed with all of the off-season moves , including the addition of a new...

By Gonzo Photo courtesy of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune).Yesterday, Adrian Peterson carried the ball 14 times and netted exactly 3 rushing yards.  The San Francisco 49ers had a game plan. . .to stop Adrian Peterson.  And, for the most part, they executed their game plan to perfection as #28 had his wor...

By erickson@49ersnews.com Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott was on KNBR today and was talking about the state of our beloved 49ers and he said if he were coach, he’d cut Jonas Jennings, based on things he has heard and seen. Can’t say I disagree. The sad thing is Nolan has already stated that when healthy, Jennings will get his starting spot at LT back. Lott on KNBR Share This Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott was on KNBR today and was talking about the state of our beloved 49ers and he said if he were coach, he’d cut Jonas Jennings, based on things he has heard and seen. Can’t say I disagree. The sad thing is Nolan has already stated that when healthy, Jennings will get his [...]   [read the full post]

By erickson@49ersnews.com When the 49ers have the ball: Block Key Matchup: 49ers offensive line vs Ravens front seven - The 49ers JV line gave up six sacks to the Seattle Seahawks and the Ravens defense is much better than the Seahawks so if the O-line continues its woes look for Dilfer to be running for his life all day. Don’t be surprised if Shaun Hill makes an appearance due to Dilfer getting killed. more…) The 49ers (2-2) host the Baltimore Ravens (2-2) for their second home game in a row. Last week the 49ers forgot to show up on offense and the Seahawks beat them 23-3 to take sole possession of first place. The Ravens did the same against the Browns. Both team are coming off of losses and both [...]   [read the full post]

By Ryan Divish Here's the AP story out of San Francisco for the game. This week's opponent — The San Francisco 49ers... Here's a story from the SF Chronicle on playing the Seahawks with Holmgren quotes. Here's a new story on newly acquired returner Michael Lewis. Good pass protection for the Cardinals? What?

By Ryan Divish No Vernon Davis this weekend. After a day off, the links is coming back so strong, Mike Gundy won't be able to yell about it. This week's opponent, The San Francisco 49ers.... Here's John Clayton's latest piece on the NFC for ESPN. Here's Gregg Easterbrook's Tuesday Morning QB, from ESPN Page 2.

By erickson@49ersnews.com This week, the Seattle Seahawks are facing the Cincinatti Bengals, the Arizona Cardinals are facing the Baltimore Ravens and the St. Louis Rams are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All three of those are extremely winnable games against our division rivals. If the Bucs win, that’s basically the death blow to the Rams. I think its more or less a given that the Ravens SHOULD beat the Cardinals, and the Bengals really can and SHOULD beat the Seahawks. This week, the Seattle Seahawks are facing the Cincinatti Bengals, the Arizona Cardinals are facing the Baltimore Ravens and the St. Louis Rams are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All three of those are extremely winnable games against our division rivals. If the Bucs win, that’s basically the death...   [read the full post]

By 11IsDaNew16 Did anyone else just see what I just saw? Was that the Niners going 85 yards on a game winning drive? Was that Alex Smith leading that Drive? Did the offense actually win a game without Frank Gore gaining a single yard on the last drive? Wow that last drive was Sexay...

By 11IsDaNew16 Cardinals Grade: D+ Offensive Game Ball: Alex Smith One optimistic note going into St. Louis: Alex Smith looked like a Number 1 pick when the Niners needed him the most One Pessimistic note going into St. Louis: Alex Smith looked like a undrafted free agent the first 3 quarters.

Here's some real football trivia. Doug Williams did it with the 1987 Washington Redskins. So did Jim Plunkett (Raiders), Steve Young (49ers), Brett Favre (Packers), Jeff Hostetler (Giants), Troy Aikman (Cowboys), and Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers). Dan Marino couldn't do it for the Dol...

By sam@mysportsradio.com (MSR - MySportsRadio.com) This episode of Gold Rush touches on one of the greatest 49ers and of all time, Jerry Rice, and where he ranks in history. After his hall-of-fame career, Jon and Trevor discuss whether or not Rice would have been what he was without hall-of-famer’s Joe Montana and Steve Young throwing him th...