 The San Francisco 49ers ended last season with a 5-3 finish after the bye week. This team is carrying on that inspired play and suddenly looks like potential division champions. What ever Coach Mike Singletary is doing to motivate the players is working and the defense has been incredible in the switch over to the 3-4. The 49ers are 3-2 and on top of the NFC West. They have beaten their three division mates, just loss to the Vikings, and were murdered by the Atlanta Falcons. That last loss to the Falcons (45-10) is a little worrisome, but overall the team has beaten division foes and hung in there in a close game to one of the undefeated. Not bad at all for the fans at Candlestick. The defense has not been that bad at all either. The last game pushed the San Francisco 49ers down a few spots in the scoring defense category. Now they are tied for 14th with the Cowboys and Steelers with an average of 19.6 points a game. Of course, the game had the same effect on the yards allowed per game. The only conclusive thing to take from the numbers is that they are particularly effective against the run, allowing just 88.6 yards a game. Linebacker Patrick Willis has been very active with this unit. He has 49 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions (including a return for a touchdown). The rest of the 49ers gang has 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three picks. San Francisco is winning the turnover battle as well, posting a +4 in the take-away/give-away battle. The offense is putting up a middle of the pack 22.4 points a game and is struggling to extend the field. Frank Gore (when healthy) is the key to the offense that relies on the 106.2 yards a game to move the ball. The 160 yards through the air are not going to get it done for the S.F. 49ers, especially with a Seahawks team expecting a boost with the return of Hasselbeck and the Cardinals are a wild card (are they doomed to the Super Bowl loser curse or not?). Last season the year was just about lost to the quarterback quandary. This season Shaun Hill has been handed the reins. He has managed to complete just 56.3 percent of his passes and is averaging just 6.24 yards a pass attempt (25th in the league). Still, he has managed to keep the turnovers down, throwing just two interceptions in 144 passing attempts. The line has not been that kind to him, allowing the quarterback to be sacked 16 times (3rd most in the NFL). The 49ers need to be able to throw the football to take spread the field and take away the eight men that are crowding the box on just about every play. The news that Michael Crabtree has signed a deal is exciting, but he has missed training camp, the exhibition schedule, and the first five games of the year. How effective will he be? Right now tight end Vernon Davis is the favorite target, catching 22 of the 81 passes completed and three of the five touchdowns thrown. Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce have not been the dynamic duo San Francisco 49ers fans have been trying to tell themselves they were going to be. Frank Gore's injured foot has stifled this offense more than the poor pass protection. Backup 49ers running back Glen Coffee is managing a dreadful 2.6 yards a carry. Gore is due back for the October 25th game, so the trouble running the football may soon be over. The upcoming schedule after the Week 6 bye is going to be interesting. Games against the Texans and Titans should be winnable, but that match up with the Colts is going to require the game of their lives from the secondary. The Bears are a wild card, but they always seem to squeak out a victory, so who knows what that game will be like. The 49ers have a shot to take the division late in the season with their final three division games coming after Week 13.
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