49ers get no respect from the Strip
ESPN has them rated dead last in its preseason power rankings
list. Odds makers in Vegas just last week had them at 110/1 to win
the Super Bowl
– and I’m not talking about the Raiders either.
No, I’m talking about the 49ers.
49ers get no respect from the Strip
ESPN has them rated dead last in its preseason power rankings list. Odds makers in Vegas just last week had them at 110/1 to win the Super Bowl – and I’m not talking about the Raiders either.
No, I’m talking about the 49ers.
Once the measuring stick of greatness in the NFL, the 49ers have become the Rodney Dangerfield of the league. And they shouldn’t get any respect for obvious reasons. But this year’s team could shock a lot of the naysayers, who apparently are out there in droves.
For starters, this year’s team is going to be a lot more solid offensively than last year’s squad was, last Sunday’s 23-7 loss to the Raiders notwithstanding. I know that’s not saying much since last year’s team moved the chains about once a half and scored a touchdown about once a month. But Mr. Nolan and company have made some sound moves – acquisitions that should help even a bust pick like Alex Smith excel on the playing field.
For starters, getting former Raider coach Norv Turner to run the offense was a huge move. Turner not only helped develop a number of quarterbacks, including Hall-of-Famer Troy Aikman down in Dallas, but he’s also considered a major asset to the offensive playbook.
This year, Turner plans to utilize Smith’s skills better by rolling him out of the pocket more, which will slow down the blitz and accentuate his ability to throw on the run or take off down field. Another huge plus for Mr. Smith was the signing of Trent Dilfer in the offseason, a 13-year veteran backup QB with a Super Bowl ring. Dilfer will play a huge role in Smith’s development.
And this year Smith has some major players that he can dump the ball off to. Tight end Eric Johnson is healthy again and first-round draft pick rookie Vernon Davis has the tools to be one of the top tight ends in NFL history.
With Gore and Barlow – whoops, almost forgot the Niners last Sunday shipped Barlow to the Jets for a fourth-round draft pick. Anyway, with Gore in the backfield and the explosive back Maurice Hicks getting a lot of playing time, the Niners’ running game will be no joke either.
Ever since Rice and T.O. departed, the Niners’ receiving core has looked slightly below average at best. Enter former Cleveland Brown Antonio Bryant wearing T.O.’s old number and combine that with Arnaz Battle, who seems to get better with each passing week, plus the addition of Taylor Jacobs from Washington, and the Niners just might be kicking the ball off almost as much as they’ll punt it.
But the biggest factor of all was the off-season acquisition of the Strongest Man in the NFL award winner and future Hall of Famer Larry Allen, who was released from Dallas in March. Allen, a left guard, will play alongside left tackle Jonas Jennings, who has recovered from his shoulder surgery. The two of them should be able to open up some major holes for the Niners’ running attack while giving Smith plenty of time to make the right decision in the pocket.
When all is said and done Allen will be the key piece of the puzzle. And at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds he’s one of the smallest guys on the Niners’ line this year.
The biggest question mark this season will be on the defensive side of the ball. But with former Live Oak player Jeff Ulbrich back in the lineup alongside Derek Smith and Bryant Young still holding down the fort up front, the Niners will be solid defensively too.
My prediction: 9-7 or 10-6 one playoff game and out. Not bad, but not good enough to drop $500 on those Super Bowl odds.
