[Patton4]

Niners have a great chance at making the playoffs this year, not so much due to their skills as a team (which this year, on paper, looks better than they have in a long while), but mainly due to the fact that nobody in the NFC west could be considered the front-runner this year. The niners have made some big improvements to their defense, which at times played very well last year. Offensively, they have an elite back, a quarterback who gains more confidence with each start, a definite #1 reciever in D-Jax and a capable #2 in Battle. Vernon Davis could breakout this year in his sophomore season, and their line will be bolstered by Staley, an athletic left tackle who will replace Kwame Harris and probably move Jonas Jennings to Right Tackle. The line should be better than it has in a long while, as long as it remains healthy.

Niners, if healthy, will finish 9-7 or better. Aside from 2 tough early matchups (at Pittsburgh and home vs. Baltimore week 5) their schedule looks very favorable.