San Francisco 49ers @ Carolina Panthers: A Prospector's Guide

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Anybody else remember back in the 90s when the 49ers and Panthers had a budding rivalry? The Panthers jumped into contention in a fairly short amount of time after coming into the league as an expansion team and they gave the 49ers all sorts of trouble. Fast forward to last year's Panthers Watch and we're once again rooting for Panthers losses.

This is a game that the 49ers really should win, but given the 49ers varying performances this year, who really knows what will happen. It seems fairly certain at this point that our 49ers will remain a tough team to figure out from week to week. We know the general formula the 49ers need to succeed but it's a matter of the team consistently putting that formula together. Throw in the often treacherous 10am pacific start time and who knows what will happen. Coach Singletary has indicated the 49ers will use the practice schedule they used for the Falcons game, so hopefully that's a difference-maker.

Once again I've attached a prediction poll. Head after the jump for random tidbits about this matchup.

The 49ers travel to Charlotte, NC, to face the Carolina Panthers in what will be the 17th meeting between the two clubs. Carolina holds a slight advantage over the Niners by leading the overall series 9-7, but San Francisco has a .500 record on the road vs. the Panthers (4-4). The Niners have won two of the past four meetings against Carolina, securing a win at home and on the road in those victories.

San Francisco captured its first victory of the season by defeating the Oakland Raiders at Candlestick Park, 17-9. After trailing 6-3 at halftime, the 49ers scored 14 points in the second half to defeat the Raiders. QB Alex Smith connected with WR Michael Crabtree late in the 3rd quarter on a 32-yard TD recept. to give the 49ers its first lead of the game. The TD reception for Crabtree was his second in as many weeks. RB Frank Gore rushed for 149 yds. in that game, passing RB Ken Willard to move into third place on the franchise's all-time rushing leaders list with 6,032 yds. Gore also moved into 5th place in all-time scrimmage yds. with 8,147 yds. by again passing RB Ken Willard.

49ers-Raiders Panthers Connections
Coaches
49ers head coach Mike Singletary was a member of the Chicago Bears while Panthers tight ends/offensive quality control coach Geep Chryst was in a similar role in Chicago from 1991-92. Chryst also coached with 49ers wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan and tight ends coach Pete Hoener while the two were with the Arizona Cardinals from 2001-03, and with 49ers quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson while the two were with the San Diego Chargers in 2000. 

- 49ers tight ends coach Pete Hoener coached with Panthers secondary coach Ron Milus and wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert while the three were with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2003 season. 

- 49ers wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan coached with Panthers head coach John Fox while with the San Diego Chargers from 1992-93. Sullivan also coached with Panthers defensive line coach Brian Baker with the Detroit Lions from 1997-2000. 

- 49ers secondary coach Johnnie Lynn, Panthers head coach John Fox, Panthers assistant head coach/running backs coach Jim Skipper, and Panthers secondary coach Mike Gillhamer all coached together while with the New York Giants from 1997-2000. 

- 49ers asst. offensive line coach Ray Brown coached with Panthers wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert while with the Buffalo Bills from 2008-09. 

- Panthers special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers served as the 49ers special teams quality control coach from 2003-07. 

- Panthers linebackers coach Richard Smith served as the 49ers linebackers coach from 1997-02. Smith also coached with 49ers special teams coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer while the two were with the Detroit Lions during the 2003 season. 

- 49ers equipment manager Steve Urbaniak graduated from East Carolina University, in 1998. Urbaniak helped the Pirates reach consecutive Libery Bowls as a punter before spending two years at the student manager.

PANTHERS-NORCAL CONNECTIONS: Panthers assistant head coach/running backs coach Jim Skipper was the head coach for the XFL's San Francisco Demons in 2001 ... Panthers secondary coach Mike Gillhamer broke into coaching as a defensive line coach at the College of the Sequuoias from 1979-83. He also was the defensive backs coach at San Jose State from 1990-93 ... Panthers linebackers coach Richard Smith served as the outside linebackers coach/special teams at Cal from 1984-86.

49ERS-CAROLINA CONNECTIONS: 49ers QB David Carr played in 6 games (4 starts) for the Panthers during the 2007 season ... 49ers K Joe Nedney played in 12 games for the Panthers during the 2000 season ... 49ers CB Phillip Adams is a native of Charlotte, N.C.

FORMER 49ERS: Panthers P Jason Baker played 27 games for the 49ers from 2001-02 ... Panthers S Marcus Hudson was a 6th round (192nd overall) draft pick by the 49ers in 2006. He played in 48 games for San Francisco from 2006- 09. 

SIC ‘EM BEARS - 49ers WR Dominique Zeigler and Panthers CB C.J. Wilson were teammates at Baylor from 2003-05. 

BAYOU BENGALS - 49ers DT Ricky Jean Francois, S Curtis Taylor, and Panthers WR Brandon LaFell were all teammates at LSU from 2006-08. 

THE "U" - 49ers RB Frank Gore and Panthers LB Jon Beason were teammates at the University of Miami during the 2003 season. 

RUNNIN' REBELS - 49ers LB Patrick Willis and Panthers DE Greg Hardy were teammates at the University of Mississippi during the 2006 season. 

PART OF THE "PACK" - 49ers LB Manny Lawson and Panthers S Marcus Hudson were teammates at N.C. State University from 2002-04. 

O-H-I-0! - 49ers CB Nate Clements and Panthers CB Chris Gamble patrolled the corners of the Ohio State defense together from 2001-02. 

HERE COME THE BEAVERS - 49ers LB Keaton Kristick and Panthers QB Matt Moore were teammates while the two were at Oregon State University during the 2006 season. 

QUACK ATTACK - 49ers T Adam Snyder was a teammate of Panthers TE Dante Rosario and T Geoff Schwartz at the University of Oregon during the 2004 season. 

SOONER SCHOONER- 49ers S Reggie Smith and Panthers LB Nic Harris patrolled the Oklahoma backfield from 2005-07. 

PANTHER PRIDE - 49ers TE Nate Byham and Panthers T Jeff Otah were teammates at Pitt from 2006-07. 

TROJAN TIES - 49ers S Taylor Mays, G Chilo Rachal, and Panthers C Ryan Kalil were all teammates at USC during the 2006 season. 

HELLO HOKIES - 49ers WR Josh Morgan, Panthers WR David Clowney, and TE Jeff King all lined up together for Virginia Tech from 2004-05