 | Rams To The Slaughter
The 49ers dominated field position all game long and never once lifted their neck from the throats of the Rams. Here is how they did it.
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| 2009 Season Preview: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have bright spots in Patrick Willis and Frank Gore, but their quarterback battle and unsigned first-round pick are worrisome.
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| Auditing The San Francisco 49ers 2008 Season
The 49ers auditioned Mike Singletary and were pleased with his 5-2 record over the past seven, but the Niners still have a long ways to go to match up with playoff teams in terms of pure talent.
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| O'Sullivan And Martz Converting Believers
Nate Clements turned Calvin Johnson into a show horse on Sunday and in turn, J.T. O’Sullivan is being transformed into a genuine NFL quarterback.
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| And The Winner Is...
The winner of the Niners starting QB job was the man who knew Mike Martz’s offense the best, and who came out of nowhere to win the starting job – J.T. O'Sullivan.
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| 2008 Season Preview: San Francisco 49ers
This 49ers appear to have improved but the QB issue is a major problem for an offense highly dependent on great QB play. The defense will be better, but it’s still not a unit that will produce enough QB pressure or turnovers for the team to make a big leap forward.
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| 49ers Pre-Draft Summit
Many fans feel as though San Francisco was over-hyped last season, meaning that they might sneak in and steal a few in 2008 after a 5-11 season.
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| Grading The Deal: 49ers Add WR Johnson
In Bryant Johnson, the 49ers grabbed themselves the best receiver left on the market, with a majority of the big names having signed deals within the first few days of free agency.
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| Alex Smith Vs. Third-Year QB History
Alex Smith is having the worst third-year of any quarterback drafted first overall. Worse than Jeff George, Drew Bledsoe and Tim Couch. Has a quarterback who has struggled so terribly in his third season ever gone on to be a Pro Bowl quarterback? Or even become an average starter?
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| 2007 Season Preview: San Francisco 49ers
The Niners have become a trendy pick as a breakout playoff team, but I’m not sold. Despite all the upgrades, there are still some serious questions in several spots. If all those questions (WR, DL, QB, PR, thin OL, Gore’s health) get answered positively, this team can achieve those increased expectations.
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| 2007 Draft Review: San Francisco 49ers
The Niners did some dealing and came away with a draft class that could have significant short-term and long-term impact on an improving team. Patrick Willis is a faster version of reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Demeco Ryans.
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| Gore For President
You had to know that there was a distinct reason why the San Francisco organization seemed strangely indifferent about the Reggie Bush hunt. That confidence was even more defined when the Niners dealt Kevan ‘Nolan is Hitler’ Barlow to the Jets. Make no mistake about it, Frank Gore is the guy in the backfield.
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| 2006 NFL Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers
Last season I called the 49ers the least talented team I’d ever seen, and they overachieved to win 4 games. This team should be better offensively, but still isn’t any better than about 25th unless Alex Smith makes the biggest improvement in league history. I keep looking at their schedule and trying to figure how they win more than 3 games, but I can’t. They finish a disappointing 3-13, but they should get markedly better in 2007 with a good draft.
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| Back To The 80's?
Most pundits agree: the 49ers had a fantastic draft. This won’t erase the hemorrhaging of talent that has characterized the team of late. But it’s a start. The 49ers’ No. 1 pick was TE Vernon Davis from Maryland. Not only was he the best tight end available, but the best receiver too. He is cast in the new mold of tight ends, a la Gonzalez and Gates, who can catch as well as a wideout. Davis can run and jump with the best of them.
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| A Little Algebra
Once upon a time, the Niners were the premiere free agent destination in the league. Now, the team can’t seem to attract a qualified GM, nor marquee free agents.
The ownership of the York family has cast a dark cloud on this once proud franchise. As proof, Forbes’ 2005 valuation ranks the Niners as 26th in value among 32 NFL teams. That’s below the Bengals, Saints, Lions, and the Texans. If that doesn’t motivate the Yorks, what will?
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