tell me about the 49ers

[Kneel B4 Zod]

There was some talk in the draft thread about this yesterday, but I’d like to hear more thoughts. I don’t get to see a lot of this team, and as a Pats fans I now have a rooting interest in them.

Here is what I know:

- Joe Montana used to play for them
- Bill Walsh is great in those Coors Light ads
- They were 7-9 last year
- Football Outsiders had them ranked #29 in DVOA last year, with 6.2 estimated wins and 5.1 Pythagorean wins
- That’s about it

What do people think of this team for the upcoming year? Are they an NFC version of the Jets? Were they a lot better than in 2005, or did they just appear better?

Take a guess at their record for 2007!

[Suigin406]

their division is nothing special and they've got some good weapons on offense...let's see how the defense plays against some solid offenses in their division...

my guess is 6-10...

[capone0]

9-7, 10-6. They have a good O-line, good RB, and good set of CBs if healthy. They have a young but up and coming QB who just turned 23 but has 2 years of NFL experience. They added a good #1 WR in Darrell Jackson who has had a history of injury problems but should be an upgrade.

If they can stay healthy, they should have a very good, solid team. Not sure how they would do in the AFC but in the NFC they could make the playoffs. Their D was awful last year and gave up the most points in the league but that was largely due to a couple games against top flight opponents who just lit them up.

The only real aged vets who are with the team are Marques Douglas, Bryant young, Walt Harris, Trent Dilfer and Larry Allen. All 5 will have to be replaced in the coming seasons and will have to avoid injury for the team to be successful.

Another worry is the loss of Norv Turner to the SD which could be worry some with the development of Alex. Alex does have much better weapons this year then he did in the past especially if Vernon is healthy throughout the season as well as Gore.

[PITTM]

i am a huge niners fan. I was camped out with 4 others all morning waiting for our pick. we all wanted patrick willis and we got him. The best thing the niners have going right now is frank gore, vernon davis, and a pretty sweet, young defense.

Our team is super young and imo we are on an upward trend. Last year i picked us to go 4-12 and was wrong by 3 games. This year i would say 9-7 or 8-8 seems right for us as the other teams in our division are ridiculously underrated. Also, i think Mike Nolan is the most underrated coach in the league.

[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.

[capone0]

[ QUOTE ]
their division is nothing special and they've got some good weapons on offense...let's see how the defense plays against some solid offenses in their division...

my guess is 6-10...

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand why they would get worse when they improved their team substantially in the offseason? Their last 8 or 9 games was much more remenscent of how good they should in this coming season.

[Patton4]

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their division is nothing special and they've got some good weapons on offense...let's see how the defense plays against some solid offenses in their division...

my guess is 6-10...

[/ QUOTE ]

I take it you watched very little of the NFC west last year.

[slothinator]

There offense looks really good right now; that alone may be enough to win the division. If they get their defense to play well this year, 10-6 with a division title, or at least a wild card berth, should be no problem. Winning the division depends a lot on how Seattle goes about getting themselves back on track this season.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
their division is nothing special and they've got some good weapons on offense...let's see how the defense plays against some solid offenses in their division...

my guess is 6-10...

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand why they would get worse when they improved their team substantially in the offseason? Their last 8 or 9 games was much more remenscent of how good they should in this coming season.

[/ QUOTE ]

this kind of gets to my FO/DVOA question. their Points Scores/Allowed would indicate that were fortunate to win 7 games, and 5 or 6 wins was more likely.

any thoughts on this?

[Patton4]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
their division is nothing special and they've got some good weapons on offense...let's see how the defense plays against some solid offenses in their division...

my guess is 6-10...

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't understand why they would get worse when they improved their team substantially in the offseason? Their last 8 or 9 games was much more remenscent of how good they should in this coming season.

[/ QUOTE ]

this kind of gets to my FO/DVOA question. their Points Scores/Allowed would indicate that were fortunate to win 7 games, and 5 or 6 wins was more likely.

any thoughts on this?

[/ QUOTE ]
A 41-10 loss to Chicago, a 41-0 loss against KC and a 34-10 loss to NO didn't help. The rest of their games were close, and after watching all of their games last year, I'd say they probably should have won 2 more games than they did.