49ers reinforcements on way for second half

The 49ers kind of quietly finished off their first half of the season by roasting Jacksonville in London last weekend, and will start their second half Sunday vs. the Panthers with a solid 6-2 record.

Perhaps the biggest news for the 49ers though will be the return of three key players they've been without for most or all of the 2013 season thus far. First off, Aldon Smith, who was sentenced to a 30-day rehab stint after week 3, has been re-instated with the team and should be a go for a full work load Sunday. The return of Smith will drastically improve the 49ers defense, especially their front-7, as they'll be getting back the most dynamic pass-rusher in the league. Despite missing 5 games, I expect Smith to show up ready to rock and provide a big impact in Sunday's game. The other guy the 49ers are hoping makes an impact upon his return this Sunday is wide receiver Mario Manningham. Unlike Smith, Manningham hasn't stepped on the field yet this season, missing the teams first 8 games in recovery from last seasons ACL-tear. However, Manningham has been practicing for a few weeks now, and all indications are pointing towards him being in solid condition and ready to make an impact right away.

While Aldon Smith is obviously key as the teams most dominant pass-rusher, Manningham is crucial because the 49ers simply do not have many receivers who have been getting the job done this season. Outside of a few nice outings from Anquan Boldin, 49ers receivers have been one of the worst units in the league. If your wondering why Colin Kaepernick's passing numbers were so pedestrian in the first half, that's played a big role (take away the opener vs. Green Bay and he's downright bad in the air). Not far behind Manningham will be the return of Michael Crabtree, Kaep's number one receiver and the guy that should really open up and complete this offense. He was activated from the PUP list this week, and should make his debut at some point towards the end of November or early December. He'll be the real difference maker to this offense when he gets back, assuming he gets up to speed in a timely fashion and avoids setbacks. Untill then, Manningham will give Kaepernick a viable #3 option in the passing game for the first time all season and thus alleviate some defensive focus off Bolden and Davis. The 49ers' offense, which almost appears as if they've been held back a bit by the conservative calling since week one, is really set to unleash in the second half.

49ers Ready to Kickoff Preseason

It seems like it's been a year since the 49ers came up just short of their 6th Super Bowl tittle in franchise history, but finally the clock starts ticking towards kickoff 2013 as the 49ers start the preseason Thursday night vs. Denver.

There really aren't many changes to the 49ers starting lineups (at least yet) from last seasons squad, but the ones that have changed are significant. Although it will likely be for just a series or two, we'll finally get our first glimpse of Anquan Boldin in a Niner's uniform and see what kind of chemistry he's building with young Colin Kaepernick. Boldin has the most pressure of any 49ers newcomer as he's being asked to fill the shoes of 2012 breakout star and #1 wideout, Michael Crabtree. Of course, the 49ers are still hoping Crabtree could be ready to help them down the stretch in the season's final month and hopefully the playoffs, but for now, Harbough is planning to go the distance with the guys he has. Although Boldin isn't quite in the same league as Crabtree, he's a more than capable wideout and I think he'll be utilized much better in San Francisco than he was in Baltimore. The other significant change to the starting lineup is on the defensive side, where rookie Eric Reid will be asked to take over the free safety spot from the departed DaShon Goldson. Of course we all saw the 49ers secondary torched in last years Super Bowl, a big reason why they came up short, and the Niners are hoping the LSU standout will step in and make as seamless of transition as possible.

Again, Reid is a rook and will likely see a lot more time than Boldin in tonight's game, but those are the two guys I'll be watching on every play at the start of this thing. I'm also curious to see what kind of shape Nnamdi Asomugha shows up in. Will he be the all-pro caliber corner we saw across the bay for so many years, or will he be the flop that got overpaid by the Eagles the last two seasons? My guess, as I said when they first signed him, is he's no longer the corner he was in Oakland, but certainly better than he showed in Philly. It wouldn't surprise me to see him win a starting job with a strong preseason, and I expect him to see a lot of work in tonight's game. The other new 49ers cornerback, Eric Wright, got placed on the non-football injury list upon his signing yesterday, so unfortunately we'll have to wait at least a week or two to see his 49er debut.

I'm also curious to see how the rookies from last years squad do as they start their sophomore campaign. A.J. Jenkins was a basic no-show in terms of production last season, so he's got to do better and he's a guy I expect to see out on the field a ton this preseason. Last preseason, it was clear he wasn't ready to match-up with NFL corners and beat them off the line, but he's supposedly made strides this camp and I'm anxious to see how that's gone. Then there's LaMichael James, who did make an impact at the end of the year and showed the 49ers that they may have themselves a nice little secret weapon type player moving forward. James can obviously catch the ball out of the backfield, return kicks and run the wildcat/QB option plays with Kaepernick, but he also showed he's not scared, and quite able to run between the tackles too. I'm looking forward to seeing what an offseason of growing and strengthening has done for the kid as he could wind up being Frank Gore's primary backup.

49ers Add Eric Wright to Cornerback Competition

After identifying cornerback as an area in which this team could improve after last season, the 49ers have been proactive in doing just that. They brought in former pro-bowler Nnamdi Asomugha earlier this offseason and have just now completed a trade with the Tampa Bay Bucs that landed them Eric Wright.

All the Niners had to part with in order to obtain Wright was a conditional late round pick in next April's draft, so on the surface, it looks like the 49ers could come away with a steal. Wright had a big year in 2011 in which he recorded 73 tackles and 4 interceptions with 16 PD's. However, he was suspended for PED use and missed 6 games in 2012 which resulted in an off-year (34 Tackles, 1 Int). Much like Asomugha, Wright will be trying to get back to his career norm with the fresh start in San Francisco, and I definitely think it was a good add. Not to mention, he restructured his deal with Tampa earlier this summer and his salary figure for 2013 is just $1.5M guaranteed. I'm just a little curious as to why Tampa was willing to dump him so cheaply. His salary base for next year wasn't large, he's a free agent after the season and he was slated to line-up opposite of Darelle Revis to compose one of the better CB duo's in the league. Either way, it's a risk I think the 49ers were well off in taking.

Now, what does this do to the 49ers already growing depth at corner? Again, they brought in Asomugha earlier this summer and if he plays anything like he did when he was across the bay in Oakland, then he's a sure fire #1 corner for this team. The same can be said for Wright. If the season started tomorrow, I'm sure Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown would get the nod, but Jim Harbough has this competition wide open and if the two newcomers play up to their standards, then they should be starting come September. There's also Chris Culliver (who looked like a budding star at times last season), Parrish Cox and Tramaine Brock who all played significant roles in the 49ers Super Bowl run last season. The 49ers secondary was certainly a weakness as the season wore on last year, and was exposed badly in the Super Bowl by a team that wasn't considered a top passing squad. Now they'll be asking rookie Erick Reid to step into the departed DaShon Goldson's spot, which is going to be huge shoes to fill for the first rounder, so it's going to be key that this team is strong, and deep, at the corner position.

The one guy who could become expendable now is Carlos Rogers. His play deteriorated down the stretch last season and he was nowhere near the player he was for this team in 2011. Plus the Niners could clear $5 million in cap space by releasing him. However, he was the teams top CB in 2011, and they may roll the dice on the chance of him bouncing back to that form. Either way, it should be a situation to monitor closely in the coming weeks.

49ers Notes: Final Draft Thoughts

There's been a ton of talk surrounding the 49ers of late, with the loss of Michael Crabtree for possibly all of 2013, to the new rookies in town and even the signing of consultant Eric Mangini.

Two 49ers draft picks who I've yet to get into deeper analysis of yet, and the two biggest additions to this teams offense via the draft, are RB Marcus Lattimore and TE Vance McDonald. We'll start with McDonald, cause he was selected before Lattimore in the 2nd round, and was ranked by many draft experts as a top-2 tight end in this class. NFP had McDonald as it's 37th most valuable player in the 2013 draft, so for the 49ers to get him at 55 may end up being a steal. The 6'5" 260 pound had some very nice years at Rice, where he caught 15 TD passes and over 1500 yards in his career (only two of which where full seasons as a starter). He's adept in the blocking game, and has the size to take on bigger, stronger defenders, but he's also got speed to be able to beat the average linebacker in passing routes. He should come in and immediately become the team's #2 tight end and has a chance to  be used even more prominently now with Crabtree shelved. As intigral as Delany Walker was in this offense, I see McDonald with the ability to be even more. I'm not ready to say that Vernon Davis and Vance McDonald are the next Gronkowski-Hernandez tandem, but they certainly have the ability to be.

Then of course, there's Marcus Lattimore, who I for one was thrilled about landing in the 5th round. This guy has Frank Gore written all over him, as he had that explosive freshman year for South Carolina, and unfortunately suffered that gruesome injury the following year and was never able to stay on the field. Obviously, that raises a red flag for the 49ers, but the main point here is that Lattimore will not be asked to be the bell cow in San Francisco, he won't even be 2nd on the depth chart his first year, so there will be plenty of time to get this kid recovered and back to his normal self. I know Gore is still running effectively and isn't yet 30, but he's got a lot of mileage on him and I was thinking it was time to start looking at guys who may be the future for this team at running back a few years down the line. Lattimore certainly has that potential. Kendal Hunter is that perfect change of pace back, but Lattimore has that everydown ability and can even create in the passing game. Had he been coming off a year like his freshman year, he'd have probably been a top-10 pick. On that ability alone, and getting him in the 5ht round, are two reasons why this was my favorite pick of the 2013 draft for the 49ers.

What to Do Without Crabtree?

Even if your a casual football fan in the Bay Area, I'm sure you heard the news circulation Bay Area sports talk waves Wednesday after news surfaced that the 49ers may very well be without #1 wideout Micheal Crabtree for most or all of the upcoming 2013 season.

What a tough break to hit a team with Super Bowl aspirations heading into next season, especially after the way Kaepernick and he built such a good rapport in the second half of 2012. If your not up on the details yet, Crabtree tore his Achilles tendon in the 49ers OTA's on Wednesday and immediately went under the knife to get it repaired. The initial thought after the injury was that maybe Crabtree would avoid injury and miss 3-4 months, but after surgery became necessary, his 2012 season immediately went into doubt. The tentative timetable coming out of 49ers headquarters is 6-months, which if true would put him back in position to return to the field towards the end of the regular season. Jim Harbough has made it quite clear that he's not counting out having his top wideout at some point in 2013, but most believe the injury will take closer to 8-10 months to fully heal. Whether it's 6 months and Crabtree's back for the last quarter of the season, or he misses it completely, the 49ers have just lost one of their top offensive weapons and they're going to have to address the issue.


That trade for Anquan Boldin is looking mighty good right about now, but even with Boldin in tow, the return of Mario Mannigham and the expected improvement from A.J. Jenkins, the 49ers have to go our and fill Crabtree's spot with another proven pass catcher that will take up some defensive attention. There's always the option to make a trade, but now that the 49ers are in obvious need, teams could really hold them for ransom. The one name I've seen that is intriguing and could be available is Tennessee's Nate Washington who has some big play ability and has put up decent numbers with below average quarterbacks with the Titans. The most likely addition, if they make one however, will likely come via the free agent market. There still could be other names hitting the market in the coming weeks, but right now I'd say their top target would be former 49er Brandon Lloyd. The 32 year-old showed signs of being a top wideout with San Francisco early in his career, but didn't quite start thriving until he arrived in Denver in 2010 and became Kyle Orton's number one target. Lloyd has had some injury issues in his career, but turned in a decent season in New England last year, putting up a 74/911/4 line while playing 3rd fiddle to Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski. Lloyd is intriguing because of his ability to stretch the field whereas Boldin and Manningham are more intermediate route runners.

While I fully expect a new addition to be made to the receiving corps by July, the 49ers are still going to need their players internally to really step up in Crabtree's absence. The two guys I'm talking about in particular are Vernon Davis and A.J. Jenkins. Davis fell of the face of the earth after Kaepernick took over for Smith last season, and those two must find a connection with each other this summer. Also, A.J. Jenkins was a major bust in year number one, although he did have quite a few guys ahead of him on the depth chart. If they're going to overcome the loss of Kaep's favorite target, they have to find him a new one, and both of those guys will have to be better and more consistent in 2013.

49ers Draft Review: Eric Ried, Tank Carradine

As the dust has settled on the NFL draft, we wanted to go back and take a look at some of the 49ers top draft choices and examine what they could bring to the table for the 2013 season.

We'll go ahead and start out with the top two picks, starting with first rounder Eric Reid. Obviously, if you followed the draft at all, you know the 49ers moved up 12 spots in round one in order to ensure they got the man they hope to be their replacement for DaShon Goldson. Reid is a big-hitting free safety, who excels at coming up and helping in the run game but can also drop back and do a good job in pass-coverage. He was projected to go towards the end of the first round, which makes me wonder whether the 49ers traded up with the idea of using pick 18 on Reid, or if they had someone else in their sights. Nonetheless, Reid was the choice, and I like it. I saw him play extensively in LSU's game vs. Alabama last season, and he certainly stuck out as one of the top defenders on the field. I think the best way to describe him would be "ball hawk". He's always around the ball ready to make a play, as evident by his 91 tackles in 2012. He's good in space and has good instincts. If there's an area that is a bit of a question mark with him is his speed and whether he'll be able to keep up with some of the faster receivers at the next level. Overall, I have to give them a B for this pick, as it does meet a need and Reid should be a fine NFL safety, but I do believe they could have gotten him at 30.

Eric Reid highlight video here.

With their second pick, the 49ers grabbed impressive Florida State defensive end, Cornellius "Tank" Carradine. They definitely needed to add some depth to that defensive front, and Carradine was a sound choice at the end of round two. The 6'4", 275 pound end can supply the pass rush (11 sacks in 2012) and knows how to penetrate the O-line and get in the backfield to make plays (13 TFL). I expect Reid to be starting in week one, but it also wouldn't surprise me if Carradine works his way into the lineup as well. The question for him will be his health. He's coming off a torn ACL and was limited in his draft workouts, but is expected to be ready for full participation by July. Scouts have drawn comparisons between he and Justin Tuck, so that should give you an idea of what kind of strength and power this kid plays with. If he can stay on the field and keep getting better, I think the 49ers will wind up extremely pleased with this selection down the road. Outside of the Marcus Lattimore pick, which we'll discuss later, this was my favorite pick of this draft for the 49ers.

Conellius Carradine highlight video here.

49ers Notes: Draft Day

For a team who came just short of a Super Bowl victory just over 2 months ago, the 49ers' brass still sees a lot of areas that this team can improve upon. They've been pretty aggressive in free agency, and today, weeks of waiting will come to an end as we'll finally find out exactly what they do with that 30th pick in round one.

So far leading up to this 2013 draft, the 49ers have done a pretty good job of identifying their needs and bolstering their roster in any way they can. They started out by signing of Nnamdi Asomugha, which could end being one of the steals of the offseason if he can take advantage of his fresh start in San Francisco, which I think he will absolutely do. He's expected to be the 49ers 3rd corner coming into camp, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him take a starting gig if he gets back into his Oakland form, which playing press coverage should allow him to do. The 49ers also added Craig Dahl as a backup option at free safety should they not find a more suitable replacement for Dashon Goldson by the time training camp starts. That's the one area they could go after with their first round pick, but outside of Texas' Kenny Vaccaro, who will likely be gone by the middle of round one. Dahl has started the last few seasons for St. Louis and is a solid player, but isn't quite the play-maker that Goldson was and not as good in coverage. The 49ers also added DE Glen Dorsey, a former first rounder from the Chiefs, to add some much needed depth to their defensive line, another area I wouldn't be surprised to see addressed with one of their top few picks.

Offensively, the 49ers have been aggressive as well. The biggest move perhaps made by them all offseason was trading for Anquan Boldin, who I think will be a tremendous add to the offense. Boldin never quite fit in with Baltimore like the Ravens hoped, but he still was a consistent target for Joe Flacco, and I expect him to be even better with Colin Kaepernick. I mean, before heading to Baltimore, this guy was a shoe in for 1,000 yards and 10+ TD's each season, and he's still got plenty of good football left in him. The Niners also signed Phil Dawson, who expects to take over for David Akers after the horrible season Akers had in 2012. Dawson isn't the most flashy kicker in the game, but he does get the job done and has the leg to kick the 55-yarder through the gusty winds at Candlestick.  The 49es also had to fill Alex Smith's backup QB role after dealing him to KC last month, and did so by acquiring Colt McCoy from the Browns. McCoy has the ability to move around a bit and is smart with the ball, drawing a lot of similarities to Smith in many aspects, so he should be just fine as QB 2. Of course, hopefully he won't really be needed, but if he has to come in and finish a game or fill in with a spot start, I think he's more than capable of leading this team on the short term.

With the draft getting ready to start here in an hour, I'll be back with an updated post with both the 49ers and Raiders first round picks. For the 49ers, again, defensive line, or secondary would be my guesses for their first pick. Many expect them to try and move up to make a play on Vaccaro or someone like DT Sheldon Richardson from Missouri. The Raiders are much less of a mystery, as they have the 3 pick and likely will take the best OT available, either Luke Joeckel  or Eric Fisher... Stay tuned!

Alex Smith Trade and the Ripple Effect

On Wednesday, business opens for the 2013 NFL season, and the 49ers figure to be one of the most active teams right off the bat. As I'm sure you've heard by now, they've already agreed to send Alex Smith to Kansas City, but it will finally become official after this weekend.

The Smith trade has been something that was in the works for apparently a few weeks before both teams agreed to the deal last week. Now, if you just scroll down to our previous post, when we talked a lot about the prospects of Smith being traded and what I was hoping to see in return if he was indeed dealt, you'll see that I'm completely satisfied with this deal. Alex Smith has started to show he can win in this league, and he's put up some decent numbers in the process the last few seasons. What he did with virtually no receiving help in 2011 was pretty impressive. While he's not an elite, top-10 QB, he's got a solid skill-set and has really developed into a smart player. He's going to finally give the Chiefs a QB that will not only help them compete, but one they may be able to build around a bit as he's just 28 years old and entering his prime. Had Smith left after the 2010 season as many expected he would, he would have gone down as one of the biggest blunders in not only 49ers draft history, but NFL draft history, as another top picked QB with huge expectations that never amounted to much. But instead, he helped lead the 49ers back to the place they're at and finally adapted to this level.

For all those qualities, the 49ers had to get something at least halfway decent in return, and they were able to do just that in landing the Chiefs 2nd rounder (pick 34 overall in next month's draft) as well as a conditional mid-round pick for the 2014 draft. I was hoping for at least a 3rd rounder, maybe high-end 4th or a serviceable defensive back in return, so seeing the pick they're getting is really what made this deal a big win for the 49ers. Would I have liked to see Brandon Flowers come over? Absolutely, Now they enter the draft with 15 picks and are in terrific position to move up at various points to grab a particular player they like should the situation present itself. Five of those fifteen are within the top 90 picks of the draft and that's ammo enough to be able to move up significantly in round one. The only question really at this point is what they'll use their first pick on and which player may have their eye as a possible option to move up for. Depending on what happens with DaShon Goldson, the 49ers could have a huge hole in center field that would become priority number one. They also really could use a young shut-down corner too, and then there's the D-line that needs to be addressed as well.

Finally, besides putting the 49ers in a much more optimal draft position, the Alex Smith trade frees up $8.5 million that would have went towards their 2013 cap. I mean, that's a legit amount of money and it's a reason why the 49ers will be able to enter Darrelle Revis talks should they so choose. So, for a player the 49ers would have probably been forced to cut anyway this spring, they free up that large chunk of cap space to be able to put towards a potential top of the line free agents, and get themselves a draft pick that just barely missed the first round. Now, it remains to be seen what the 49ers turn that $8.5M and high-end 2nd rounder, but at this point, I trust Harbough and Co. have a good idea of what they want to do. I have to give the Niners an A for this deal. At the same time, it's a nice deal for KC as well, who get themselves a proven QB who's shown he can win and help lead a team from the outhouse to the penthouse. Starting QB's don't just grow on trees these days in the NFL, and the Chiefs managed to get themselves a pretty good one for a pick that may never end up amounting to anything. Really a win-win for both teams.

We'll talk more about how the 49ers replace Smith and some of the potential options they could see come draft day in April, but we also have March Madness kicking off and that will be heating up in the coming weeks. Needless to say, between Madness, the Draft, NBA playoffs (which the Warriors are in the picture for) and the start of the MLB season around the corner, it's really a sports fan's paradise this time of year. In order to keep a pulse on all of it, we'll probably be doing a lot of mixed posts over the next few weeks were we dabble into a few different topics. Get ready for a wild next few weeks, sports fans!

49ers Shopping Alex Smith

With just 2 weeks to go before the 2013 NFL offseason can officially begin, the rumors surrounding 49ers QB Alex Smith have been running rampant.

After Colin Kaepernick took over the starting QB job for the 49ers in November last season, then carried them through the playoffs and within a play of winning a Super Bowl, it made Alex Smith expendable. Before Kaep came in and started working his magic though, Alex Smith was having his best statistical season as a pro, and had the 49ers on top in the West and well on their way to the playoffs. In roughly 8.5 games, Smith had a QB rating of 104, throwing for 1,737 yards with 13 scores and 5 picks. Not too shabby of numbers at all, and there are plenty of teams throughout the league that wouldn't mind having a young, efficient QB at the helm for them. With this being a weak draft class regarding QB's, and the list of free agents less than impressive, it makes Smith a surprisingly sought after commodity. The big rumor of the weekend had Smith headed to Kansas City when the 2013 business season officially begins March 12. I'm not sure what the 49ers would possibly get in return from KC, but if I'm the 49ers, I'm trying to get a starting corner or at least a 3rd rounder. I mean, Smith is a starting caliber QB who showed he can lead a team to the playoffs and has dramatically improved over the last 3 seasons. By no means should the 49ers just give this guy away just cause they've found a new starter.

Now, the one way I let Smith go for a later draft pick would be in order to clear some cap space for a legit free agent cornerback. There are a few out there on the market this year, and more could become available next month, but the one thing the 49ers badly need is a fast, cover-corner that can shadow an opposing team's number one wideout and not need help. The one guy who I really like, although he's been a bit of a letdown for Philly is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. He's got the size, speed and physicality to be that true number one, and was becoming just that in Arizona before being traded in the Kevin Kolb deal. Their are Charles Woodson and Brent Grimes, but Woodson is approaching 40, and Grimes hasn't played a full, healthy season in 2 years, so I don't think I'd go with either of those two. Woodson could be intriguing on a one-year, Randy Moss-type deal if he's looking for another shot at a tittle, but there will probably be teams that offer him more than the 49ers should. A dark-hourse option who'd be my second choice behind DRC is Sean Smith. He's 6'3", 220 pounds and moves greatly for his size. Miami will reportedly pass on tendering him the franchise tag, so there's a good chance he'll be free. Outside of these guys, there really aren't many high-end starting corners on the market now.

Back to the Drawing Board for 49ers

Last season, after a tough loss in the NFC Championship, it was obvious where the 49ers had to improve. This year, however, despite narrowly missing their 6th ever Super Bowl championship, they have to feel pretty good about where they stand heading into the 2013 season.

Kaepernick: A True QB1

I've put off writing this for a few days as I tried to gain some prospective after that tough loss to Baltimore, but the more I look at the 49ers and what the future holds for them, the more confident I become. They've found their quarterback of the present and future in Colin Kaepernick, a guy who makes them a legit tittle contender now and should only get better over time. We tend to forget cause he was making it look so easy, but the Super Bowl marked just the 10th career start for the big-armed, quick-footed signal caller. Where I'd like to see him improve though in his first full season behind center, is in the clock management aspect of the game. The 49ers had all the time in the world during that last drive in the Super Bowl, but they just looked out of sync and unsure how to use the clock once they got down inside Baltimore's 10 yard-line with over 2 minutes left on the clock. There were numerous other instances which I'm sure they could have back in that game, but the last couple plays of that very last drive would have to be the spot they'd like to re-do the most as they really had the game in their hands at that point.

49ers Fall Short of SB Win

Again though, it was a sign of a young offense led by a young QB, that will only get better and better. They and offensive line that's one of the youngest and best in the game and all will be returning next season. Then there's the receiving core, which took a complete 180 in 2012 after being basically non-existent for most of 2011. You can put a lot of that on the emergence of Michael Crabtree, who finally took that next step in 2012 and showed everyone why he was so highly touted coming out of Texas Tech. He's a legit number one wideout and has developed a great chemistry with Kaepernick already. Mario Manningham was also putting up some solid numbers in the 49ers passing game before going down with a season-ending injury in December. When looking ahead to 2013, even if Randy Moss doesn't return, the 49ers have to feel good about where they are at wideout, and won't need to do nearly as much work there this spring.

Perhaps the area in which the 49ers need the most improvement lies within their secondary, and on their defensive line. At the tail-end of the season, the 49ers pass-rush became virtually non-existent, and it caused their pass-coverage to suffer some because of it. I know a lot of that had to do with Justin Smith being injured and not being 100% upon his return, but the 49ers need to get more depth along that front line, and could really use another impact corner. Carlos Rogers is still a viable starter and Chris Culliver took some big steps this year, but the Niners need that one premiere cover guy that they can throw on a Julio Jones and not need to worry about giving help to. They linebacking core looks great going forward, and I love their starting safeties, but more depth on the D-line and in the secondary could help out a defense that looked a bit tired at times in January/February. As far as their offense is concerned, I really don't see a dire need in any one particular area right now. They'll likely look into another veteran wideout to replace Moss (assuming he leaves) but the the one area offensively I could see them using a high draft pick on is at running back. Frank Gore isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but he's going to be 30 and has racked up a lot of mileage over the last 6 seasons.

We'll talk much more about what the 49ers will do this offseason throughout, but I just wanted to re-assure Niner fans still reeling from the loss on Sunday that even better times lie ahead, and that's coming from a guy who cannot stand the term "we'll get 'em next year"!

49ers Favored in "HarBowl"

The odds are in, and to nobodies surprise, Las Vegas has picked the 49ers as the favorites to win Super Bowl XLVII by 4 points.

A big reason why the 49ers are being favored in their first Super Bowl appearance in nearly 20 years is because of their explosive offensive attack. In a game that features two stout defenses, it's going to come down to which team can generate the most offense, and if their last two games are any indication, the 49ers will be up for the challenge. With Colin Kaepernick under center, the 49ers have proven that they can put up points in bunches as they can now beat you in a variety of ways. Just look at last weeks game vs. the Falcons when San Francisco didn't get a single first down in the first quarter, then went on to torch Atlanta's D throughout the rest of the game. Once that switch gets turned on, the Niners are a tough team to stop thanks to the playmakers that offense has generated and particularly the play of that offensive line. We've seen Kaepernick have a couple of outstanding games in January, and Frank Gore and LaMichael James have been able to run at will because of the way that line is playing, and they are going to have to be the ones that again set the tone vs. Baltimore.

As potent as the 49ers offense has looked the last two weeks, this will be the toughest defense they've run into since that Seattle game in December, and that was the last time the 49ers were handed a loss. My guess is that Baltimore will stack the box heavily to keep an eye on both Gore and Kaepernick running the ball as I think they're going to try and force the Niners to beat them through the air. Kaepernick has done a tremendous job (for the most part) of protecting the ball, but the Ravens make a living off turning the ball over and 'Kaep is going to have to be extra aware of the playmakers in Baltimore's secondary. That being said, and as good as the Baltimore defense is, the 49ers are favored in this one because they can win whatever type of game this turns into. They've shown already during these playoffs that they aren't scared of facing an early deficit and making a comeback. They also are more than capable of playing defense and running the ball should this one turn into a low-scoring, smash-mouth type of contest.

I do think this one will be close, but I do think the 49ers will pull away in the end. They are playing with a ton of swagger right now, and Baltimore has just barely survived a few games in order to make it to this point. The only way the Ravens win this one is if they get to Kaepernick early and often, create some turnovers and make Kaepernick look like a 2nd year QB with just 12 career starts.Otherwise, if Kapernick gets going, it opens up the running game and like I said earlier, makes the 49ers a very tough team to slow down. I'll go ahead and make my prediction now, even though we'll be discussing this game again before next Sunday's showdown. My guess is it will be a bit of a defensive battle in the first half then the 49ers take over and dominate the 2nd. Picking a score is always just blind speculation, but I'd be surprised is San Francisco doesn't win by 7+. I'll go with 27-17, Niners.

49ers Rout Packers, Headed to Atlanta

Well, after that third play from scrimmage to start the game which ended up a pick-six for Green Bay on a horrible decision from the young QB, I'm sure plenty of 49er fans had their doubts about this game. But instead of letting that turnover set the tone for the game though, Colin Kaepernick brushed it right off and put together one of the best games of his life.

There was so much made about whether the sophomore quarterback would be up to the task of beating the Packers with just a handful of starts under his belt and after that first series, I know I was wondering whether  or not this was too big a stage for the youngster. The key for Kaepernick came on the very next drive though, as he was able to erase some of those early game jitters with a beautiful touch pass over a defender to Frank Gore that Gore ended up taking for a huge gain. That led to a Kaepernick TD run, and the rest was really history. Although the Packers did regain the lead briefly on a DuJuan Harris TD run, that was the last lead Green Bay had Saturday afternoon, as the 49ers defense tightened up their play and the offense really set the tone for the game. The key to the game coming if was for Kaepernick and the 49ers offense to limit the mistakes and avoid turnovers to ensure the Packers offense stayed on the sidelines. They executed that part perfectly, and did more offensively than I was anticipating. Instead of the conservative, ball-control offense I was expecting from the Niners, we saw the playbook open up and cater to Kaepernick's strength's. When looking at the box score, of course, his 16 carries, 181 rushing yards and 2 TD's will jump out at you, but his conversions on third down, whether he was running or throwing, was what really impressed me.

The up-and-coming gun-slinger couldn't have had the success he did though without some help though. Michael Crabtree put on a clinic vs. the Packers' secondary, catching 9 balls for 119 yards and two scores. He and 'Kaep have had an uncanny rapport since Kaepernick took over the quarterback job, and looked a bit like Montana and Rice on Saturday night. Also, Frank Gore had his typical workhorse out of the backfield, surpassing 100 yards and also making plays in the passing game. They real key for the 49ers offense in this one though was the terrific play they got from their O-line. They kept the Packers pass rushers off Kaepernick's back and opened up huge holes in the running game. Sure, Kapernick gets the unofficial MVP, but without those guys up front buying him time and opening up the center of the field, he doesn't have the chance to do a lot of the things he was able to.

Of course, the play of the Niners defense can't go without notice either. As solid as the offense was, that defense was able to match the great effort they put forth in Green Bay during their week one victory. And as good as we all feel about this win, that defense has to get right back to work Monday with their focus shifted to Atlanta. The Falcons were the NFC's best this season, so it's only fitting the 49ers will have to go through them in order to get that rip New Orleans. We'll break down the game more next week, but early on, the obvious key to the game will be for San Francisco to at least contain the Falcon's top-flight receiving core.

49ers Should Be Ready for Green bay

The 49ers kicked off the 2012 season with a huge win in Green Bay, and made it look relatively easy. Now they have to do it again if they want to earn a trip back to the NFC Championship.

It'll be a slightly different Packer team rolling into San Francisco Saturday though, as they won 9 of their last 11 games of the regular season then man-handled the Minnesota Vikings (who gave the 49ers won of their worst losses of the season) in the Wild Card round last weekend. The Packers, who were banged up and looked way out of synch in week one, have gotten all their key guys back and have had some players emerge over the second half of the season who the 49ers didn't see in week one. Instead of the sluggish Cedric Benson in the backfield, the Pack will display a much more complete duo of Ryan Grant and DuJuan Harris which will force the 49ers to have to game plan against this rushing attack.They really didn't have to do that in week one, it was mainly just contain Aaron Rogers and the passing game but the Packers have a new dimension now. Speaking of Rogers and the passing game, Green Bay has another dangerous weapon who's now fully established on offense in Randal Cobb. Before, he was sort of a punt return and occasional deep-threat, but he was Rogers favorite target throughout the regular season. With Cobb, the improved running game and the plethora of receiving options, this will likely be the best offense the 49ers will have played all year.

Still, even with the Packers improving across the board, the 49ers main goal heading in still has to be to contain Rogers. They did a great job of doing just that in September, and have to bring in that same mentality into this contest. No matter what though, you have to assume the Packers are going to score some points, so ultimately, it's going to be the 49ers offense that's the real key to this game. Colin Kaepernick doesn't have to out-perform Aaron Rogers, but he's got to make smart decisions and keep the 49ers offense on the field. He's going to have to avoid turning the ball over, and the 49ers are going to need some guys to step up in the passing game, most notably Vernon Davis. Michael Crabtree has been an absolute stud lately, and you have to assume the Packers will likely blanket him with double coverage all day, so Vernon Davis has to open up the middle of the field for Kapernick. Last year, it was Davis who was the only consistent threat in the passing game, but he's really disappeared since Alex Smith lost the starting QB job and has been basically non-existent since his concussion in early December.

I like the 49ers in this one, because of both home field advantage, and the fact they've had some time to heal up and get some players back. Justin Smith should be back and close to 100%, which should give a huge shot in the arm to a defense that sorely missed him while he was out. The one area I'm a little concerned about though is at kicker. Jim Harbough is going to have a tough decision to make with David Akers. On one hand, Akers has all the playoff experience and up until this year, had been the best kicker of the last decade but he's had an epic meltdown over the second half of the season. His range has deteriorated and all of the sudden, we're all holding our breaths on even easiest, chip-shot field goals. I have a feeling this one's going to be close and will come down to the fourth quarter, so the 49ers better have confidence in whoever they trot out there!

Prediction: 49ers 30-Packers 24

49ers Clinch NFC West, 1st Round Bye

After a rough 6 quarters that started with a second half meltdown in New England and carried over into a full on letdown vs. Seattle, the 49ers righted the ship in week 17 with a win over Arizona.

The victory gives San Francisco it's second division tittle in as many seasons, but perhaps most importantly, it gives them a week off during Wild Card Weekend in order to get some of their key components healed up. They played Sunday again without Justin Smith, an anchor to their defensive front, and although it wasn't exposed much vs. the lowly Cardinals, you saw the effect it had on the defense playing without Smith vs. the Seahawks last week. The other notable 49er who was coming off a concussion in week 16 was Vernon Davis, but he managed to suit up and play the majority of the game vs. Arizona. Still though, Vernon didn't contribute much offensively and really hasn't been a big part of the offensive focus since Colin Kaepernick took over under center. With Mario Manningham out for the year, and Randy Moss fading more and more as the season wears on, the 49ers need a few guys to step up and provide Michael Crabtree with some support in the passing game. On the plus side, Crabtree had a career day vs. Arizona, and appears ready to go into the postseason as the focal point of their aerial attack. Still, if the 49ers can't get some other guys going, they'll be in a similar spot as they were last January, when they just couldn't get anything done through the air.

As for the guy throwing the passes, Kaepernick had a nice rebound game Sunday vs. Arizona after a mediocre showing vs. Seattle last weekend. Kaep completed 16 of 28 for 275 yards and 2 TD's, both to Michael Crabtree who finished with 172 yards receiving. The 2nd year quarterback again showed his athleticism and the reason why Jim Harbough is so fond of him, making some excellent off-balance throws running to his left. He looks ready and confident heading into his first ever postseason as a starter, and the 49ers will be expecting a lot more out of him than your average 2nd year player with 7 starts under his belt. Although we didn't see any costly ones in the final week of the season, Kaep is still a young QB who's going to make some mistakes, but he's got enough big-play ability to overcome them. Plus, he really hasn't had a bad game yet since taking over as starter. We'll be breaking down the playoffs a lot more in the coming weeks, but as long as the 49ers defense plays more like they did in Week 17, and less like they did vs. Seattle and New England, you have to like their chances vs. anyone the NFC is lining up, including Atlanta.

Notes: 49ers, Giants and Warriors Take Over

With the Giants winning the World Series for the 2nd time in 3 seasons, the 49ers well on their way to another playoff birth and the Warriors off to their best start in over two decades, these three franchises have taken over the Bay Area sports media focus.

Giants: After staying relatively quiet throughout the first month of free agency, the Giants have made the moves they were hoping for all along in re-signing Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro, but on Thursday, they added another familiar face back into the mix. Andres Torres was non-tendered by New York last month and one couldn't help but think the Giants would inquire about him with their need for outfield help. Torres is coming off a couple of down years after his breakout 2010 campaign, so the Giants were able to get him on a bargain 1-year, $2M deal. I was hoping the Giants would find that right-handed, power hitting corner outfielder they were looking for, but apparently in this market, even guys like Scott Hairston are out of their price range. That being said, Torres is not a bad fallback option at all and should be more than capable as the fourth outfielder and may even give Blanco a run for playing time in left field if he gets hot. He hit over .300 in a reserve role in 2009, and hit .265 with 16 HR's  and 29 SB as a full-timer in 2010. The Giants like Torres' switch hitting abilities, his solid defense and his speed on the base paths, so even if they aren't able to add another outfielder to the depth chart between now and February, they have to feel pretty good with their group heading into 2013. More Giants Talk Here!

49ers: Speaking of 2013, we're just a few weeks away from the new year and the start of the NFL playoffs, but for 49ers fans, it kind of feels like the playoffs start this weekend. The 49ers will head into New England Sunday for a matchup that was a muffed punt away from being last years Super Bowl. After a few less than spectacular games, including the loss to St. Louis and allowing the Dolphins to take hang with them at home last week, the 49ers will be looking to rebound vs. a well-rounded Pats team. New England's offense is a pass-first attack and Tom Brady has the ability to pick the 49ers defense apart. It'll be crucial to get pressure on him throughout the day if they want to contain that passing attack. Defensively, the Pats are much improved, but they can be beaten. The 49ers may need to go to the air a little more than they've been recently, so a lot of this game will lie on the shoulders of young Colin Kapernick. If there's ever a time to make your statement that you've arrived as one of the better young QB's in the league and are here to stay, it's vs. Tom Brady and the Patriots. However, this game isn't all on Kaepernick. The O-line must do it's job in keeping the Pats' pass-rush off Kaep's back, and the 49ers must establish Gore early and often. The Niners should be treating this game like a playoff game, and they should learn a lot from this one, win or lose.

Warriors: Finally, we have the team that's been giving the 49ers a run for their money in both air time and print space across Bay Area media outlets. The Golden State Warriors came up with perhaps their most impressive victory of the young season Wednesday, rolling into South Beach and beating the reigning Champion Miami Heat on an impressive last second layup by the rookie Draymond Green. The 'Dubs were hanging with Miami all night long, even holding the lead throughout most of the contest, but what really impressed me was the way they closed the game out down the stretch. As he's been doing a lot recently, Mark Jackson stuck with the small lineup of Jarrett Jack, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, Carl Landry and a lot of Draymond Green down the stretch, and for the fifth straight time on this 7-game roadie, that group closed out a Warriors win. Klay Thompson led the Warriors charge with 27 points, 7 boards and 4 assists as he thoroughly outplayed Dwayne Wade and did a tremendous job in containing the dangerous off-guard. David Lee also chipped in another 22-13 night to help overcome a bit of an off night out of Steph Curry, and that's another sign that this team is for real. When your top scorer gets shut down, and you still find a way to defeat the consensus best team in the NBA, you know you've got something special going on... With the win, the Warriors have moved to 15-7, and they've thrived even without their star 7-foot center, Andrew Bogut. More Warriors Talk Here!

It's Official: Kaepernick In, Smith Out

Well, there was certainly enough media coverage on the subject, and Jim Harbough did his best at drawing out the drama as much as possible, but on Wednesday, we finally got the answer as to who the 49ers starting QB will be moving forward.

To nobodies surprise, Colin Kaepernick's two impressive victories over Chicago and New Orleans, coupled with his huge potential, has pushed himself ahead of Alex Smith as the 49ers starting QB. He made the decision pretty easy for Harbough with the way he's played ever since relieving a concussed Smith 3 weeks back. He's shown his ability to make plays with the football all season long on the ground, but he finally got his chance to stretch that arm out and he's shown exactly why the 49ers were so eager to trade up in the 2nd round of the 2011 draft in order to secure the Nevada alum. There's just such a big difference in the way Kaepernick and Smith each approach the game, and it's obvious already to me. Smith plays the game much more conservatively. He'll throw the ball away or check down rather than take that chance down field. Kaepernick will run away from defenders until he finds an open wideout or a running lane for himself and rarely wastes a down. Kaepernick looks for the big play when Smith is basically trying not to fail. For such little experience, Kaepernick already has a confidence level that appears to have exceeded Smith's. But when it all came down to it, Kaep got the job cause he's deadly accurate, has a rifle arm and is one of the top running QB's in the NFL. He's just better than Alex Smith, simple as that.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, they got some bad news coming out of the New Orleans game, as Kendal Hunter suffered an ankle injury that will end his 2012 season. Frank Gore's backup was having a career year, and was featured very largely in the 49ers offense, so it is a big hit to the club. This is another area where it helps to have Kaepernick out there, cause he you can design running plays for him so Gore isn't left with all the load. Gore's had a big season this year as Harbough has done a good job to not overuse him, so even with Kaep out there, the 49ers need another back to step up and take some of the duties Hunter filled. We've seen Brandon Jacobs make his debut with the 49ers, and he could be a guy that see's his carry numbers sky rocket, but the guy I'd like to see get some touches is 2nd round draftee LaMichael James. The rookie has yet to see any action this season, but could be used in the same change-of-pace way Hunter was being used. Jacobs is more of a between-the-tackles short yardage guy and the Niners already have that covered with Gore. What the Niners need is that explosiveness out of the backfield when Gore's getting a breather and I just think James has the best shot at being that guy. Not to mention, he's an ideal 3rd down back with his receiving abilities.

I couldn't go without mentioning the NaVorro Bowman contract extension. There hasn't been a bigger component to the 49ers defense the last year and a half than Bowman, including Patrick Willis, and he's really rounded into one of the top inside linebackers in the NFL. Willis and Bowman make the best middle-duo in the NFL, plus with Aldon Smith becoming a sack monster and Ahmad Brooks' all-around game growing, I think it's safe to say the 49ers have the best linebacking corps in all the NFL and none of them will be going anywhere anytime soon.

49ers Leaning Towards Kaepernick

If you live around the Bay Area, or anywhere in the US for that matter, and follow daily sports talk, you've probably heard the rumblings coming out of San Francisco about "QB controversy" and "Smith or Kaepernick". After Sunday's game with New Orleans, we should all have our answer.

First off, Alex Smith has got to be thinking to himself, "what in the world, do I need to do to get this city behind me?" He helped take them from irrelevance to the door-step of the Super Bowl in 2011 with a career year, now, on pace for another career campaign, he appears to have become 2nd fiddle to Colin Kaepernick. After all, Smith was coming off a 3-TD performance and was playing well before being knocked out by St. Louis in weeks 8 and 10. He also is carrying a surprising 104 QB rating and a 13/5 TD to INT ratio. But just like that, he goes down vs. the Rams with a concussion, and it really opened the door for a guy the 49ers have been showcasing all year long in different packages. I think the 49ers really like Smith as a game manager, and a guy who can make the plays you ask him to, but he's not a guy who's really going to go above and beyond like a RGIII or a Peyton Manning. Not saying Kaep will, but he's shown glimpses of being able to do some pretty terrific things with the football. This is why so many people have been asking for a change atop the QB depth chart in San Francisco. Not cause Smith wasn't doing the job, but because people believe Kaepernick can be something special.

So, in steps Kaepernick, who is lined up for his second career start Sunday vs. the surging New Orleans Saints, who have been on a tear since their ugly start to the season. This is the game that should really determine where the Niners go with their QB rotation from here on out though, as Smith is likely going to be cleared, but will not start and will be relegated to back-up or emergency number 3 duties. This is really the showcase for Kaep too. I mean, he looked great vs. Chicago last week, throwing for 243 yards and a couple of scores with a 70% completion rating and a 133 QB rate. Oh yeah, did I mention he did it vs. a daunting Chicago D that typically just terrorizes young QB's. He showed that big arm and athleticism, but what really makes the difference for me, he knows when to pull the ball in and run out of trouble. Too often, Alex sticks in the pocket waiting for something to happen and gets nailed, or gets rid of the ball too early to avoid pressure and misses a guy he couldn't get around to finding. Kaep has the ability to run away from that and buy more time for receivers. Much quicker in and out of the pocket and he's showing he's already got some veteran savvy to him with his smart choices out there on the field. This kid isn't a game manager, he's a game changer.


In short, at least in my opinion, ff Kaep can reel off two victories in a row over the Bears and Saints, Harbough isn't going to sit him back down. I just don't see that happening. On the other hand, if he comes out flat, makes "rookie mistakes" and doesn't get the 49ers off to a good start, then we could see 'ole Alex back there before long. This is the game that should determine, at least for the rest of 2012, who's behind center for the San Francisco 49ers, and I can't wait!

Bay Area Sports Notes

There's been a lot going on around the Bay Area Pro Sports scene the last week, and we figured we do sort of a bullet point on each team to catch up.

Giants: Obviously, we've posted here since the Giants won the Series in Detroit last month, but that hasn't stopped them from jumping right into the fire in terms of putting next years team together. They announced last week that they will tender Hunter Pence a contract for 2013, his final year under team control, and they just signed Jeremy Affeldt to a new 3-year, $18 million deal. They're also discussing a deal with Marco Scutaro and have optimism on that front. They still have big decisions regarding Angel Pagan, Brian Wilson and the infamous Melky Cabrera.

A's: There's really nothing big to report here. I doubt the A's will be much of a player in free agency, besides attempting to bring back Grant Balfour. They already severed ties with Stephen Drew, and probably won't be able to compete to keep Brandon McCarthy in town. They'll once again rely on upcoming talent and maybe a few mid-low level free agent signings they hope they strike gold on (a la Johnny Gomes in '12). Then again, after the season they just had, Beane could surprise us and go make a splash this winter. We'll certainly be keeping tabs on them in the upcoming months.

49ers: Well, we've been covering mostly 49ers news here for the better part of the last two months, but there have been some new developments over the last week-plus. Mainly the pitiful meaningless game we all saw them play vs. St. Louis this last weekend. For some reason, David Akers can't hit the broad side of a barn all of the sudden, and Alex Smith's health is now in question after suffering a concussion early on in the game. That brings up point number two, which we'll discuss more in the coming weeks. It looks like Colin Kaepernick will get the nod this Sunday, and if he puts up big numbers, do the 49ers stick with him even when Smith is healthy enough to go? We know what Smith can do, but Kaep has shown glimpses of having both Andrew Luck and RGIII skill sets. He's still a little raw on decision making, but pretty impressive overall.

Raiders: Well, like with their fellow Oakland counterparts, there's not much new to report here other than the Raiders suffering through another sub-par season. They've had their moments in some games when Carson Palmer has carried the team, but DMC has been a major dissapointment in his first year as full-time back, and that defense is still having trouble stopping anyone. On the bright side, Brandon Myers looks legit at tight end, and Heyward-Bay and Moore look to be rounding into form at wideout.

Warriors: Last, but certainly not least are the Golden State Warriors. The 'Dubs have had an up and down first two weeks to 2012-13, and a big part of what happens next lies in the health of Andrew Bogut. The big man has been sit down for the next week-plus as he tries to regain strength in that repaired ankle of his. If it takes a week, or three, the W's need to be patient with him. As long as he's healthy and able to play 30 minutes by mid-December, the Dubs should be fine. We've seen how good they can be with a injured Bogut, so imagine what they can do with a healthy one. On the positive, Steph Curry looks to be in great shape and showing no ill-effects with his ankle problems... Finally, Harrison Barnes has been a little slow to come along here early on. Hopefully he steps up as the W's need him more than ever without Brandon Rush.

49ers Fend Off Seahawks

It wasn't he prettiest win of the season, and wasn't especially re-assuring after the way they just lost to the Giants, but the 49ers did manage to hold of Seattle Thursday night for a 13-6 victory.

You can really chalk this win up to the defense, and the lucky fact they were facing a rookie quarterback cause it was another lack luster performance offensive for the Niners. After scoring just 3 points last week vs. the Giants at Candlestick Park, the 49ers put up just 13 against a solid yet unspectacular Seattle D. Alex Smith, who played his worst game of the season last Sunday, had a slight improvement in Thursday's game, but his final line of just 14 completions and 140 yards through the air was hardly inspiring. Fortunately for the 49er offense, they did get another exceptional day on the ground out of Frank Gore, but it may have come at a steep price. Gore was forced to the sidelines for much of the 2nd half after racking up 130 yards on just 14 carries. Kendal Hunter filled in nicely after Gore suffered the bruised ribs and had to exit, but the 49ers need their workhorse back healthy for next Monday vs. Arizona. The 49ers knocked off one of the teams chasing them in the NFC West, but the Cardinals have been showing they're for real too, and enter this weekend with a chance to break even with the 49ers again at 5-2.

One of the topics that has quietly been circulating around the Bay Area sports media over the last week has been the use of Colin Kaepernick, and whether or not Jim Harbough is trying to ease the youngster into the lineup more with his sights set on a possible QB swap at some point later in the season. Alex Smith has had his best statistical season of his career so far, but in the games the team has lost, he's been downright awful, and his performance vs. the Seahawks was hardly the turnaround he was looking for after his 3-interception game last week vs. New York. With that huge game he put up against Buffalo, I was hoping Smith would turn the corner and become more of that go-for-the-kill quarterback, but he's regressed significantly since that Week 5 showing. That said, the 49ers are winning, and Smith, for the most part, has played a relevant role in their victories. I do get the excitement over Kaepernick, as he's come in and electrified the offense with that wildcat set up, and has displayed that cannon right arm. I just don't think it's time to make a big change like that at this point in the season. I'd keep using Kaep like they have been, maybe get him a few more plays where he's throwing the ball rather than just running him all the time, but Smith is still the guy I want in there for the majority of the snaps.

49ers The Team to Beat in NFC

If you didn't think that loss to the Vikings in Week 3 would light a fire under the 49ers, think again. After shutting out New York in the Meadowlands in Week 4, the 49ers romped the Bills, 45-3 in Week 5.

It was probably the most complete game by San Francisco that I've seen since the 90's. They displayed dominance on defense and a killer instinct on offense, and they did it vs. a team many expected to a factor in the AFC coming into 2012. Granted, the Bills have been a bit banged up on the offensive side of the ball, the 49ers made them look like a High School varsity team going up against an NFL squad, as they allowed nothing to Buffalo all day long. The lone bright spot for the Bills came on a punt return for a TD that ended up being called back because of holding, and that really seemed to swing the momentum early. Even though they dominated the game defensively, the 49ers only came up with two takeaways, but they held Buffalo to just 204 yards of total offense. They also cashed in on both of those takeaways and put the game away early in the 2nd half. Patrick Willis again led the charge with 7 tackles, including a forced fumble, and Chris Culliver came up with a pick. They had such an advantage, that Harbough used mostly 2nd teamers throughout the fourth quarter.

The real standout in this game though was the 49ers' offense. It was Alex Smith's best day as a pro, throwing for 300+ yards, 3 scores and didn't get sacked one time. Smith's QB rating was a near perfect 156.4 and he only needed the 18 pass completions to eclipse the 300-yard marker. He had big passes to just about every receiver, hitting Crabtree on a few big plays, including his first TD reception of the season. He also connected with Vernon Davis early on for a 49 yard play that set up their first score. Smith could have had even more yards through the air if the 49ers didn't commit penalties on a few big completions, including a 40-yard catch-and-run to Mario Manningham. It was the first game in which we've seen the newly stocked 49ers receiving core make a real difference, and they did it with #84 factoring in on just one catch for 11 yards. The running game was also exceptional Sunday for the Niners, as Gore again reached 100 yards and had a score on just 14 carries. Kendall Hunter also found pay dirt and collected 81 yards on the ground with just 11 carries. The 49ers also had success running the wildcat with Colin Kaepernick under center, though he did cough it up one time.

Over the last couple weeks, the 49ers have gained a ton of momentum, and will be in peak performance mode heading into a crucial re-match of last years NFC Championship with the Giants this weekend. This will be the first real big test for the 49ers since Week One in Green Bay and will be undoubtedly the best defense they'll have faced all season up till now. It should be interesting to see if the 49ers can run and pass on New York like they did Buffalo last week. Also, the 49ers pass defense will be tested this week as the Giants expect to get Hakeem Nicks back in time for the game.