“In Shaun We Trust” Is More of a Question than a Statement for 49er Fans

For the love of Joe Montana, will the San Francisco 49ers please find a franchise quarterback in the foreseeable future?

 

That has to be one of the burning questions San Francisco fans awake to in a cold sweat in the middle of the night on more than a few occasions.

 

But that question was finally put to rest this week when head coach Mike Singletary named Shaun Hill the starter for the 2009 NFL season over previous No. 1 draft pick Alex Smith.

 

You’re not convinced that Hill is the answer to San Francisco’s quarterback question this season? I can’t imagine why you have your doubts.

 

Why do you question Hill’s credentials, ye of little 49er faith?

 

What’s that? You say he wasn’t even drafted out of college? Neither was Kurt Warner.

 

You say that he has only thrown 18 touchdown passes since he came into the league in 2005? You say that he doesn’t have a strong arm, and that he’s about as mobile as Brett Favre in coveralls on his Mississippi farm?

 

So, why exactly did Singletary choose Hill over Smith again? You could say it was because Hill has more poise than Smith, leading the 49ers to a 5-3 record after being named the starter last season. You could say it’s because Hill has completed 64 percent of his passes during his NFL career.

 

However, you could also say that Singletary picked Hill as the starting quarterback because there weren’t many other feasible options. Smith didn’t play last season because of injury and has been ineffective for most of his young NFL career.

 

The 49ers did try to woo Warner away from Arizona in the offseason, only to be spurned when he re-signed with the Cardinals.

 

A team with a franchise quarterback doesn’t go looking for another one during the offseason.

 

Whatever the reasons for Singletary’s quarterback selection, San Francisco fans will have to get used to seeing Hill behind center—at least until he has a bad game.

 

While that might not make fans giddy with excitement, there are other burning questions surrounding the 49ers as they enter the upcoming NFL season.

 

 

 

1. What is going to happen with Michael Crabtree?

 

Crabtree, who was almost guaranteed a starting spot in the San Francisco receiving corps this season, is still unsigned.

 

He has caused turmoil in the front office, and he will cause more in the locker room once he does sign.

 

Even if Crabtree signs in the coming days, he will definitely not be ready to play when the 49ers open the season Sept. 13 at Arizona. Crabtree will have to learn the playbook, work on his timing with Hill, and learn to adapt to life in the NFL.

 

If Crabtree gets his act together and signs soon, don’t expect anything significant from him until at least the third or fourth game of the season.

 

 

 

2. Can two of the most important 49ers—Patrick Willis and Frank Gore—stay healthy this season?

 

As Patrick Willis goes, so goes the San Francisco defense.

 

Willis injured his ankle in preseason and has missed the first two exhibition games. He is expected back at full strength by the season opener, but the 49ers can ill-afford to have Willis miss any playing time this season.

 

Gore has been a workhorse for the 49ers the past three seasons, carrying the ball 812 times. Singletary has to like the looks of rookie Glen Coffee, though, to give Gore a breather this season. Coffee rushed for 129 yards in the team’s second exhibition game and has looked very impressive thus far.

 

The 49ers need Gore to be healthy so defenses can’t key on forcing them to throw.

3. Will the loss of fullback Zak Keasey hurt the 49ers this season?

 

Fullbacks usually only get attention when they do something wrong, like fumble or head down the field in the wrong direction.

 

When San Francisco lost fullback Zak Keasey to a season-ending injury in the first exhibition game, though, it was a significant blow.

 

Gore is one of the best running backs in the league, but he still needs help finding holes in which to run. Moran Norris will be the starter for San Francisco at fullback this season, but Keasey was also going to see significant playing time.

 

If Norris gets injured, Gore could find the running lanes a little narrower this season.

Even with a New Sheriff in Town, Rams Aren’t Ready To Win West

Rebuilding.

 

That’s the dirty word that strikes fear in the hearts of football fans from California to Connecticut. When a football team is rebuilding, it means the chances for a successful season are as hopeless as an ice cube in the desert.

 

However, the bright side of a football team that’s rebuilding is that there is hope that perhaps next year or the one after will bring positive results.

 

So, where do the hopes of fans of the St. Louis Rams lie for the 2009 NFL season? There is no doubt that the Rams are rebuilding. You don’t come off the heels of a 2-14 season without trying to rebuild.

 

But how far along in this rebuilding process are the Rams? Unfortunately for St. Louis fans, the Rams have been rebuilding and rebuilding and rebuilding…and, well, you get the picture.

 

The Rams have been in a rebuilding mode since 2003, the last time the team had a winning season. Six-straight years of rebuilding have caused fans of the Rams to wonder just how long a rebuilding process should take.

 

There is a new sheriff in St. Louis, though, and his name is Steve Spagnuolo. He has laid down the law in an attempt to change the losing attitudes that seemed to permeate the franchise under previous coach Scott Linehan.

 

No matter how much Spagnuolo tries, though, he can’t suit up and change the Rams on the field by himself. He still has to turn it over to the players. Do the Rams have enough talent to go from builders to believers in one season under Spagnuolo?

Why Rams fans have reason to believe

 

Steven Jackson – Jackson is one of the most powerful running backs in the league. He has shown flashes of brilliance during his five years in the NFL, but he has also had difficulty staying healthy.

 

Jackson has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, but he has also missed significant time due to injury the past two years.

 

Marc Bulger – Bulger has been the poster child for the biggest disappointment in the NFL the past two seasons, but he also hasn’t had a lot of protection around him. After passing for more than 4,300 yards in 2006, Bulger has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.

 

He is still only 32 years old, so it’s not like Bulger is ready for a retirement home. If his rebuilt offensive line can offer some consistent protection, look for Bulger to bounce back in 2009 and look more like the man who gave the franchise reason to believe that he would be better than Kurt Warner.

 

An improved defense – The strength of the St. Louis defense is on the line. Second-year man Chris Long, All-Pro Leonard Little and Adam Carriker should put plenty of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Rams are also better this year in the secondary and at linebacker with the addition of rookie James Laurinaitis.

Why Rams fans have reason to be very afraid

 

An unproven offensive line – The Rams only have two proven commodities on the line—center Jason Brown and right guard Richie Incognito. The left side of the line is anything but a certainty with the disappointing Alex Barron taking over for all-everything stalwart Orlando Pace.

 

Newcomer Jacob Bell will be asked to step in at the left guard spot and help keep Bulger off the turf.

 

The antithesis of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt at receivers – When the Rams were known as “The Greatest Show on Turf,” the highlight of the team was their electric receivers who could shred a defense in the blink of an eye. Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt frustrated even the best defensive game plans with their speed, athleticism and precise route running.

 

Now the Rams are in trouble in this area. Second-year sensation Donnie Avery was just lost for six weeks with a foot injury, which should make fans even more concerned. When the season opens, the Rams will probably start Laurent Robinson, Derek Stanley and Keenan Burton in the receiver positions.

 

Who? Exactly! Those names should make every defensive coordinator salivate at the thought of loading up the box and forcing Bulger to try to throw early and often.

 

What does all this mean for the Rams in 2009? It probably means that, while they will be better than 2-14, the playoffs are still nothing but a pipe dream in St. Louis.

 

If Jackson stays healthy, if Bulger gets his head on straight and gets some protection, if Avery gets back and builds on his rookie season and if the defense continues to gel, look for the Rams to win seven games at best. If they get a little crazy, it might even improve to a non-losing record of 8-8.

San Francisco 49ers Who Weren’t a Bust, But Will Probably Never Get One

Although it’s been seven years since the San Francisco 49ers had a winning season in the NFL, it doesn’t take someone long to think of the dominance the franchise put together in the 1980s and ‘90s.

 

And when the 49ers are mentioned, there is no doubt that names like Montana, Rice, Young, Brodie, Tittle, Lott and Clark are at the height of conversation. Joe Montana is the face and name of the 49ers after leading them to four Super Bowl titles during the 1980s.

 

But what about the men who played key roles in San Francisco’s success over the years, but who might not ever set foot into the NFL Hall of Fame unless they show up unannounced? Which players would make the “San Francisco 49ers’ Best Players Without a Bust (Hall of Fame bust, that is!)?

 

Here is a look at San Francisco “greats” who are long overdue for some recognition:

 

 

 

Gene Washington, WR, 1969-77

 

When you think of great San Francisco receivers, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark and John Taylor immediately come to mind. Washington, though, is a receiver who contributed greatly to the team’s success during his tenure. Although he isn’t in the NFL Hall of Fame and doesn’t have his number retired, he finished his San Francisco career with 60 touchdown receptions and gained almost 7,000 yards.

 

 

 

Freddie Solomon, WR, 1978-85

 

Much like Washington, Solomon was a steady performer for the 49ers over his eight-year stint with the team. Solomon was on the “glory” teams in the early ‘80s when Montana emerged as the savior of the franchise. Solomon was durable, dependable, and ended his San Francisco career with 371 receptions, 5,846 yards and 48 touchdowns. Those numbers might never get his number retired or land him in the HOF, but his contributions to the 49ers can’t go unnoticed.

 

 

 

Ray Wersching, K, 1977-87 

 

It’s hard to believe that the man who is the second-leading scorer in San Francisco history doesn’t have his number retired with the franchise, but such is the case with Wersching. He leads the franchise in career field goals (190) and extra points (409), and he is second in career points to Jerry Rice with 979. Not bad for a guy who looked like he should be a baker or a pizza maker, not a kicker.

 

 

 

Kermit Alexander, DB, 1963-69

 

Ronnie Lott gets all the San Francisco love when it comes to defensive backs, but Alexander is someone who deserves accolades of his own. Lott is the career leader in interceptions for the 49ers with 51, but Alexander isn’t far behind with his total of 36. Alexander is also the career leader in fumbles recovered for the 49ers (23).

 

 

 

Garrison Hearst, RB, 1997-2003 

 

Joe Perry and Roger Craig have more total career rushing yards for the 49ers than Hearst. However, a little-known fact about Hearst is that he is the all-time leader in rushing yards per game for San Francisco. Hearst averaged 75.3 rushing yards in every game that he played for the 49ers, which blows the doors off comparable figures posted by Perry (55.7) and Craig (58.4). Hearst rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons with San Francisco.

 

 

 

Jeff Garcia, QB, 1999-2003

 

Garcia will never be mistaken for Montana or Steve Young, but he succeeded Young in 1999 and went on to post very solid numbers for the 49ers over the next five seasons. Garcia ranks fifth in career wins for the 49ers behind Montana, Young, John Brodie and Y.A. Tittle. Anyone who can be mentioned in the same breath with those impressive quarterbacks isn’t half bad. For his San Francisco career, Garcia completed 61.4 percent of his 1,449 completions and threw for more than 16,000 yards.

 

 

Atlanta Falcons Need to Keep an Eye on Division Foes in 2009

There’s an old adage in sports that talks about taking care of your own business so good things will happen. It says that if you worry about what your competition is doing, then it can cause you to lose focus on the task at hand.

 

You’ll have to forgive the Atlanta Falcons, though, if they have trouble not keeping one eye on their competition in the NFC South Division in 2009. After all, despite all of Atlanta’s success last year in making the playoffs and posting 11 wins, the Falcons didn’t even win their division.

 

Last season, the Carolina Panthers held off the Falcons by posting a 12-4 record. And right on Atlanta’s heels in the NFC South were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 9-7 and the New Orleans Saints at 8-8. The Bucs weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until they lost their last game of the season.

 

The Falcons look to break out of their franchise rut of never having posted consecutive winning seasons by making the playoffs again this year. With the addition of All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez and a solid draft, Atlanta is poised for success.

 

But if the Falcons are going to change history, they are going to have to take care of things within their division. Here is a look at Atlanta’s competition in the NFC South and the outlook for 2009:

 

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers battled injuries to key players, but they still managed to have a successful season. The key to Carolina’s success lies at the heart of its coach, John Fox.

 

In his six years at the helm of the Panthers, Fox has managed to average almost 10 wins per season. Things should be no different in 2009, as Carolina boasts one of the best running backs in the league in DeAngelo Williams (1,515 yards and 18 TDs) and one of the best receivers in Steve Smith (78 receptions for 1,421 yards).

 

Quarterback Jake Delhomme battled injuries last season and only threw 15 touchdowns and had 12 interceptions, but he should be healthy this season. The biggest key for Carolina is going to be whether All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers remains with the team for all of 2009.

 

Peppers has requested a trade and wants out of Carolina. Without him, the Panthers will have 14.5 fewer sacks and will lack defensive intensity. 

 

The Panthers are a little older and the uncertainty of Peppers makes them ripe for dethroning in the NFC South by the young and hungry Falcons. Look for age to catch up with Carolina in 2009 in the form of an 8-8 record.

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

If not for a late-season implosion, the Bucs would have won the NFC South or at least taken home a Wild Card berth. Tampa Bay lost its last four games to finish 9-7, which cost head coach Jon Gruden his job.

 

Not only did the Bucs lose Gruden, but they also lost their starting quarterback Jeff Garcia (to free agency). Add to that the fact that Tampa Bay’s top running back (Cadillac Williams) is coming off knee surgery and only played in six games last season.

 

Replacing your quarterback and having to adjust to a rookie coach in Raheem Morris isn’t the recipe for offensive success for an NFL team. Monte Kiffin, the team’s long-time defensive coordinator, also left to coach with his son at the University of Tennessee.

 

In other words, the Bucs are probably facing a learning curve season in 2009. The cupboard in Tampa Bay may be a little bare for a season or two before the playoffs are a reality.

 

New Orleans Saints

The Saints had the most potent quarterback in the NFL last season, but he didn’t have a lot of weapons with which to work. Drew Brees led the league with 5,069 passing yards and he tossed 34 TDs, but he didn’t have a lot of help from the rest of the offense.

 

That’s one of the biggest reasons that New Orleans finished a dismal 8-8. The Saints lost their best receiver, Marques Colston, in the second game and their starting tailback, Deuce McCallister, only carried the ball 107 times.

 

Pierre Thomas filled in for McCallister, but he only gained 625 yards. Former Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush was limited to 10 games last season and only had two rushing TDs.

 

The Saints were first in the NFL in passing yards per game and 28^th in rushing yards. Another problem for the Saints was the fact that they usually had no problem scoring, but they also couldn’t keep their opponents out of the end zone.

 

New Orleans must do better defensively than 23^rdin the league if they’re going to make the playoffs in 2009. Here’s betting that the Saints improve enough to take home a Wild Card spot behind the Falcons in the NFC South.

History Not With the Atlanta Falcons as the 2009 Season Approaches

Atlanta residents have Sept. 13 circled on their calendars. That’s the date of the opening game of the 2009 NFL season when the Atlanta Falcons host the Miami Dolphins at the Georgia Dome.

 

After an improbable 2008 season, in which the Falcons shocked the NFL world by going 11-5 and making the playoffs after an off-season of turmoil, next season brings with it even more hope, right?

 

Wrong.

 

The Falcons have one of the brightest young quarterbacks in the NFL in 2008-09 Offensive Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan. Atlanta also has one of the most exciting running backs in the league in workhorse Michael Turner, who ran for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

 

Oh, and don’t forget speedster Roddy White, who finally realized his first-round draft potential last season when he caught 88 passes for 1,382 yards and seven touchdowns. The addition of All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez from Kansas City, who hauled in 96 passes for 1,058 yards last year, would seem to have the Falcons destined for the playoffs.

 

Given these facts, it’s almost a certainty that Falcons fans are buzzing with excitement over the thought of what the 2009 NFL season will hold in Atlanta. Unfortunately, Falcons fans are keeping their giddiness about the upcoming season to a minimum. They are not punching the team’s playoff ticket just yet.

 

Why not? One word—history.

 

The Falcons don’t have history on their side when it comes to a season following good fortunes. The last time that Atlanta had a winning record prior to last season was 2002, when the team posted a mark of 9-6-1. The next year the Falcons couldn’t handle prosperity and stumbled to 5-11 in 2003.

 

How about the 2004 season, when the Falcons won the NFC South with an impressive 11-5 record? You guessed it; Atlanta once again struggled and missed the playoffs with a .500 record of 8-8 in 2005.

 

The last time that the Falcons were the NFL’s unexpected darlings prior to 2008 was when they made their only Super Bowl appearance in 1998. The city was caught up in the excitement of the Falcons’ Dirty Birds persona and the success of a 14-2 record.

 

What happened next? Losing. The Falcons followed their Super Bowl season with another 5-11 record in 1999. In fact, since the City of Atlanta became the home of an NFL team in 1966, the Falcons have never posted consecutive winning seasons. How’s that for futility?

 

The closest the Falcons have come to back-to-back winning records occurred in 1971 & 1972 when they went 7-6-1 and 7-7. Atlanta also posted a 7-7 record in 1977 and then went 9-7 in 1978.

 

This season, Falcons fans have good reason to hope that the franchise’s past history won’t be repeated. With a solid coach in Mike Smith, a franchise quarterback in Ryan, the running of Turner, and the receiving of White and Gonzalez, the Falcons seem to be poised to end their curse of losing the season after tasting success.

 

But you’ll understand if the fans in Atlanta want to wait and see before they take it to the bank.

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