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Why the San Fransico 49ers Coaching Staff is There
Published: May 30, 2009
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The 49ers are looking to be different in every aspect of the game of football next season. There’s not a huge changing of player personnel, nor a large number of changes to the starting lineup.
What’s changed most is the coaching staff. Namely offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye in place of Mike Martz, not to mention an unhindered Greg Manusky on the defensive side of the ball.
Most importantly though, is Mike Singletary, head coach.
Mike Singletary was promoted halfway through last season to interim head coach of the San Francisco 49ers after previous HC Mike Nolan led the team to a very sub-par first half season. The changes he had on the team were both numerous and immediate.
Namely though, he enabled the team to play inspired football. He came in and motivated every last one of them to play better than they ever have before, promising punishment for slacking. Singletary wants winners. But why did he keep the job going into the offseason?
The same reason he got it in the first place.
Singletary has a way of getting everyone on the team ready to play. He doesn’t accept anything but passion and winners on his team, and for that he’s keeping his job. He’ll go into next season yelling, snarling and otherwise foaming at the mouth, calling for strong, physical football. Will he get it out of his guys? Well that depends on a couple things.
First thing is new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. The 49ers interviewed several candidates for the job shortly after firing Mike Martz, citing difference of philosophy for the move. Among the candidates, one of the least likely to be hired was none other than Jimmy Raye.
At least from a fan standpoint. There seemed to be more qualified people for the position, but Singletary saw something there. One other thing to note is that he asked the players. He asked the other coaches.
It was almost unanimous that Raye should be the new coordinator for the 49ers. What will he bring for the team? Hopefully a power running attack and some nice stats for tight end Vernon Davis.
Raye is concise, strict and experienced. At this point, its pretty clear all the fans expect from him is a balanced offense with few mistakes.
On the defensive side of the ball we have Greg Manusky, who at times has been called an “up-and-comer” as far as coaching in the NFL has gone. It seems, however, that Mike Nolan set him back a few seasons, which is fine for me at this point. This means that we finally get him unhindered, to run his scheme his way.
The defense will be a true 3-4 next season, Singletary has made some line-up and role changes and Manusky hopes to build on these changes. He’s expected to work closely with Singletary in making the 49ers a hard hitting, physical defense to be feared.
The San Francisco 49ers and the NFC West
Published: May 11, 2009
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If you were to ask fans of teams around the league which division was the weakest, I’m willing to bet the majority would answer “NFC West.” Curious then, looking over the last 10 years of football, that the NFC West has sent more teams to the Super Bowl than any other division. Curious, indeed
It’s hard to gauge how much of a threat the 49ers are to teams outside of the division. Sure they compete, they go out and play football like any other team, but I’m seriously doubting fans of any of the teams San Francisco plays next season are penciling in a big L next to their game with the ‘Niners.
In fact, the only teams who ever seem to do this are teams within the division. I’ve known fans of the Rams, Seahawks, and the Cardinals, (yes, they do in fact have fans!) occasionally say a good word or two about their NFC West rivals, the 49ers.
So, rather than focus on the 49ers’ ultimate win/loss ratio, I’d much rather focus on, oh, say six games, by taking a look at the upcoming divisional games this season.
We’ll start with the Arizona Cardinals, last year’s division and conference champions.
In week one of last season they played ’em, and they played ’em hard… for about one and a half quarters, then the mistakes just poured in. J.T. O’Sullivan coughed up the ball one too many times, and that sealed the deal.
O’Sullivan is no longer with the team.
Does that mean the 49ers have a better chance of beating the Cardinals this coming season? I believe it does, though it’s not the biggest piece of the puzzle that could spell a ‘Niners victory.
Fast forward from week one to week 10, the 49ers are playing the Cardinals on Monday Night Football. Do you remember that game?
Goal line, only a few seconds left on the clock, the Niners can win it. Mike Martz calls the play, they line up, its the perfect opportunity to dump it off to Gore out of the backfield. Here comes the snap and the ball goes to… No. 24 Michael Robinson, who fails to break through the line.
A huge let down, brought on by simple miscommunication. That’s how close the 49ers were to beating the Cardinals, that’s one game less for them and one more for the Niners—one more that could have perhaps helped to get a playoff spot. So how about next season?
Well the 49ers are clearly a more improved team this offseason. I can see them beating the Cardinals at least at home, with a solid chance of winning on the road. In fact, I don’t consider the Cards to be the “team to beat” next season for the 49ers. Our real problem will be a healthy Seattle Seahawks squad.
The Seahawks, a team that has been a playoff contender for many, many years. They’ve got back all their star players, not to mention adding some serious talent with free agent WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and fourth overall draft pick LB Aaron Curry.
Both players scare me, albeit a bit less for Housh. The ‘Niners are going to need to protect the ball and more importantly our quarterback, because if there’s one thing I can see happening, it’s Aaron Curry being a headache for San Francisco for years and years to come.
We’ll have to beat them with defense, and looking at some of our “projected” rising talent, I’m feeling confident we can do it. An aging Matt Hasselbeck is going to be the target of a newly motivated OLB corps in Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson, not forgetting one Ahmad Brooks. Now, onto that other team in the division…
The St. Louis Rams, what can I say about ’em? They’re a team who, one day or another, can come out and completely lay down for other teams to run them over continuously, or they can come out and play some competitive, good football.
After their offseason, I don’t anticipate much of an increase in overall talent, playing them should be virtually the same as last season. So, with an improved 49ers squad, they should do just fine.
The strength of the 49ers themselves hinges on two main things; head coach Mike Singletary, with his vision and motivation, and the quarterback play of whoever wins the competition during the exhibition season.
If they have good quarterback play, which I firmly believe will only come from Shaun Hill this coming season, the ‘Niners should be a very strong team.
So, all-in-all, there’s a lot of question marks about the NFC West and where the 49ers stand in it. Most of what I know is that they’re definite contenders for division champions if they keep their heads on straight and execute. Arizona and St. Louis are teams the ‘Niners have at least a decent shot at sweeping.
The Seahawks will be the team to beat and with three of the 49ers’ first four games being divisional matchups, it will be important to get out there and get winning from the get-go.
Momentum is a strange beast in the NFL, who knows how far three early divisional wins could take the 49ers? Playoffs? We’ll see.
