The 49ers invested a nice little chunk of change in free agents for the second consecutive years and were expecting big things.  Justin Smith has delivered as expected, Isaac Bruce has been up and down, DeShaun Foster has not done much of anything, including the hideous fumble yesterday, and we've discussed J.T. O'Sullivan plenty.

Aside from the bigger name free agents, two signings have provided a much greater impact than I realistically expected: Allen Rossum and Takeo Spikes.  Both had very solid games yesterday, continuing a trend for both that has lasted all season long.

Allen Rossum
Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can still see my thoughts on the Allen Rossum signing, way back on March 2:

Allen Rossum - This falls into the "Whatever" category of signings.  Hopefully he can make a nice little impact in the return game.  While I understand letting Hicks go, I definitely will miss some of his big special teams plays.  He made important stops and could set the 49ers up with solid field position on occasion when returning.

Boy was I wrong about that.  As mentioned in yesterday's post-game notes and quotes, Rossum is on pace for career highs in both kick return and punt return average.  The man is in his 11th season and recently turned 33.  For the NFL, that's usually when you start going over the hill and speed is often the first thing to go.  For Rossum, it has clearly not been an issue. 

There were times in the preseason when he was returning some pretty deep kicks that had many of us concerned, but clearly it was just to get the work in.  Yesterday, Rossum averaged 20 yards on his 2 punt returns and has continually set the 49ers up in excellent field position.  If the offense continues to show some consistency, we'll find even more value in these big returns.

Takeo Spikes
After the 49ers signed Takeo Spikes, I indicated that I thought the team's linebacker depth had improved, even if people felt Spikes was washed up.  He had suffered a bad injury to end his tenure in Philly and was working at a new position, the 3-4 Ted.  Spikes was a crazy playmaker in his prime and the Ted is not known as quite the playmaking position.  The position is supposed to do the grunt work to open up holes for Patrick Willis to make tackles.

And yet, Take Spikes has been a huge impact player on and off the field.  Yesterday he had another solid performance, with 6 total tackles and a pass deflection.  On the season he has 60 total tackles, including 2 for losses, 6 pass deflections and a team-high 3 interceptions (not sure if that's a good or bad thing).  He is currently second on the team in tackles behind Bamm Bamm and it feels like he is making a big play every game.

What I've also found refreshing is his attitude towards the team.  I've noticed that in post-game quotes he's often included.  Additionally, when the local Fox channel talks to the players outside the locker room, he is usually one of the players involved.  It's hard to tell what kind of leadership role he has taken, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's one of the main guys players look to for guidance.  It's just a guess, but based on how he conducts himself, it seems like a relatively educated guess.

So who really has bee the bigger "surprise?"  Or maybe you're not surprised by the performance of either?  My vote is for Allen Rossum.  Even though Takeo Spikes finished 2007 injured, he had some decent numbers, although it was a rather quiet season for him.  As my March post showed, I really didn't expect a whole lot from Allen Rossum.  And yet he has been one of the few bright spots of an otherwise disappointing season.

The final injury reports were released, and depending on which of the questionable people are playing, the matchups will be rather intriguing.

49ers Pass Rush vs. Saints offensive line
The Saints will be without starting left guard Jamar Nesbit, center Jonathan Goodwin is questionable and left tackle Jammal Brown is probable after being limited in practice all week.  For the 49ers, the pass rushing is starting to gain some traction as we've seen the likes of Parys Haralson and Roderick Green step up and make plays.  Justin Smith will continue to be moved all around the field to create matchup havoc.  And of course the impact of Manny Lawson is unknown at this point since we have no idea what defense the 49ers will roll out.  I'd say that more 3-4/4-3 than nickel/dime would make sense, but after the Seahawks game, who knows what will happen.

Either way, I think this is one area the 49ers may have the advantage.  If Drew Brees gets enough time he'll absolutely pick apart the 49ers defense.  Once again, I'd let the corners play man-to-man and come with an extra blitzer to create havoc in the backfield.

Whomever v. Reggie Bush
Although it's only a guess, I think it's safe to say somebody will be spying Reggie Bush the entire game.  Bush has absolutely shredded the 49ers in his short career, but the 49ers might finally have the talent to contain him...at least somewhat.  The two primary options for defending Bush would be either sticking a DB on him all game, or going with Manny Lawson for the first ten yards and a DB thereafter.

Personally, I think this is a perfect opportunity to unleash Dashon Goldson in a one-on-one situation.  He's listed as questionable this week but it sounds like he'll be able to play.  The other options is running a cross between zone and man on Bush.  Lawson would cover him in the first five or ten yards and then hands him off to a DB for the rest of the field.  The problem with that is confusion could result leaving just enough of a hole for Bush to run wild.  This is the most intriguing matchup of the day in my opinion.

49ers Receivers vs. Saints secondary
Bryant Johnson is questionable for Sunday and I'd imagine is a game-time decision.  Randall Gay is also questionable due to a hamstring injury and has been limited by the injury since week 1.  If Gay is out Mike McKenzie gets the start opposite Tracy Porter. 

If Johnson is sitting for the 49ers, I'm honestly not sure who would start opposite Isaac Bruce.  Arnaz Battle has settled in as the #3 receiver, so it's entirely reasonable to see Jason Hill or Josh Morgan starting opposite Bruce.  Hill has been getting more time on special teams, but he showed some impressive skills in the preseason.  I'd like to see either of the two get a little more playing time, but for my own personal benefit I've got Josh Morgan starting in one fantasy league where week 4 byes are killing me.  A quality game from Morgan would certainly be all the more beneficial.

One other brief point on the passing game is the effectiveness of Vernon Davis.  There has been plenty of discussion about Vernon Davis and his issues with catching the ball.  However, folks seem to agree that Davis's speed has been sufficient to at least spread out the defense and open up holes underneath.  The counter would be that eventually they might let Davis roam a little more free, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.  He makes big plays on the short passes so I'd imagine there is still the worry about what he could do catching balls up top.  Hopefully we'll see Davis explode tomorrow at the Superdome, but as long as he's being covered, hopefully the underneath remains open.

We started out discussion of 49ers-Seahawks matchups yesterday.  Some of today's discussion centers on matchups that have been affected by injury, be it significant or otherwise.  You never want to get too confident, but when you're facing a team that has been decimated by injury, your chances have to improve (assuming you can take advantage of the weaknesses).

Match-Up #4: 49ers Pass Rush vs. Seahawks pass protection
Advantage: 49ers - In accumulating three combined sacks, Parys Haralson and Justin Smith spent a good chunk of time taking on the right side of the Cardinals offensive line.  Seattle recently placed right guard Rob Sims on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.  In the first half of the Cardinals game the 49ers established a very solid pass rush.  The Cardinals brought in additional protection in the second half and stunted the rush and the 49ers couldn't make any adjustments.

The lack of wide receiver depth could be important in the developing pass rush.  If the 49ers can go straight man-to-man on the outside, that frees up a guy like Michael Lewis or a nickel back to add to the pass rush.  The 49ers are also thin at running back, so one would hope the 49ers try and tire them out with repeated blitzes.

Match-Up #5: Seahawks Passing Game vs. 49ers secondary
Advantage: 49ers - Matt Hasselbeck is still a very solid quarterback.  He's getting a little old, but given sufficient protection, he can pick apart defenses.  However, I can't imagine many quarterbacks who could make big plays with all unproven receivers.  This is probably the biggest story of the week considering the sheer volume of injury. 

Last weekend the 49ers secondary gave too much of a cushion due to fears of being beaten deep.  It's entirely possible Courtney Taylor or Jordan Kent could absolutely destroy the 49ers secondary.  However, it's not something the 49ers should play for at the beginning of the game.  The 49ers top 4 corners (Clements, Harris, Spencer, Strickland) is not the best group in the league, but I'd bet they're one of the better collections of talent.  They're paying these guys to shut down the pass game and this is the perfect opportunity for them to make a big impact on the overall defense.

Match-Up #6: Seahawks return game vs. 49ers return coverage
Advantage: 49ers - The injuries have even impacted the return game.  Nate Burleson was the primary return man for the Seahawks, averaging 18 yards per punt return against Buffalo (with a long of 21 yards).  The 49ers dealt with a serious averaging starting field position issue, although that was due to turnovers.  However, anything that will potentially hurt Seattle's field position is a good thing. 

The 49ers did a very good job the few times Arizona returned the ball and will look to continue this week.  The preseason was a disaster at times on special teams but so far that hasn't carried over to the regular season.  I realize it was mostly due to turnovers, but if the 49ers can avoid giving Seattle phenomenal field position, the defense might not have to exert themselves quite so much.

There are two types of heart-breaking losses.  There is the last second stunning end to a game, something Cardinals fans endured last season when Tully Banta-Cain pounced on a Kurt Warner end zone fumble.  Then there's the slow Chinese water-torture type of death, as we saw today.  The former is like ripping off a band-aid, the latter just eats you up for a good chunk of a game.

This game can be fully explained by two statistics: turnovers and time of possession.  The 49ers had 4 fumbles and 1 interception.  Arizona finished with 37:05 to the 49ers 22:55 in time of possession  and held onto the ball for roughly 3/4 of the 2nd half.  It got so bad that before the two under 2 minute drives in the 4th quarter, the 49ers had the ball for ONE DRIVE IN THE SECOND HALF!

One thing to keep in mind (not to poor salt on this) is that the final score actually could have been a lot worse.  Twice the Cardinals ran the ball inside the five yard line, only to be moved back 15 yards due to personal fouls.  Instead of 14 points on those two drives, they came away with 3 points.

While it's hard to talk about anything good, for these initial recaps I want to at least get the good, the bad and the ugly down so we have a more complete picture.

The Good
Frank Gore - When he was actually on the field he was making plays befitting a Mike Martz running back.  He was a great escape valve for JTO and he looked lean and mean bouncing off tacklers.  I expect a big year from him no matter how the 49ers do record-wise.

Parys Haralson/Justin Smith - Haralson finished the game with 2.5 sacks and was bringing pressure for the entire first half. Justin Smith had a half a sack but was getting in Warner's face the entire first half.  However, the Cardinals adjusted in the second half bringing in more protection and the pass rush immediately died.  I know you don't want to give up the big play, but an occasional corner and safety blitz might have kept the Cardinals more honest

Bryant Johnson - He didn't have a huge game, but he got himself open and held on to the ball.  Considering how much time he missed in training camp, I think he performed quite well.  His chemistry with O'Sullivan should only improve.

Vernon Davis - He made some solid catches, but equally important, he had some really nice blocks and no mental mistakes, a big problem for him the last two seasons.

The Bad
J.T. O'Sullivan - I won't put him in the ugly category because he did make some things happen on offense.  However, he had trouble when the pocket started to collapse.  He made a few nice dump-offs but his three turnovers killed (even if pass protection caused one of them).  He probably showed more bad than good considering the offense only managed 1 touchdown on a Gore run, but he did show some things that have me mildly optimistic.

Offensive line - At times they got a lot of push and opened up big holes for Frank Gore.  However, 4 sacks and two quarterback fumbles are not good results.  Joe Staley was pushed around for good chunks of the game and clearly is still learning the left tackle position.  Hopefully we'll see some steady improvement in the coming weeks.

The Ugly
The Secondary - Even when the 49ers were getting some pass rush early in the second quarter, the secondary could not maintain coverage, particularly on Anquan Boldin who finished with 8 receptions for 82 yards all in the second half.  There were several third and long situations where the 49ers simply couldn't make plays.  You let a team convert multiple 3rd and long situations and you're definitely going to end up on the wrong side of the score.

Turnovers - Everything that could go wrong on offense in the early part of the game did.  Throw in the later Takeo Spikes fumble on the short kick and it was a miserable day for the 49ers.  You turn over the ball 5 times, you're probably not going to win the game.  You turn it over 5 times and force 0 turnovers yourself and you're definitely NOT going to win the game.

Timeouts/Game Management - The one continuous complaint at this site (aside from QB play) is the time management issue.  With 1:01 left in the first half and Arizona deep in their own territory, the 49ers made a stop on 3rd down to set up a 4th and 12 punt.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of timeouts, Arizona ran the clock down to 10 seconds and the 49ers could do nothing to end the half.  One of those timeouts was blown on a pretty stupid challenge.  I'm not saying they would have scored with more time left, but they certainly would have had more of an opportunity.

Next week
Even though it's only week two, the 49ers face a huge showdown up in Seattle next week.  Due to injuries and suspensions, the Seahawks could be struggling and the 49ers have to take advantage of that.  I really hope the team is able to bounce back from this loss and not let it bog them down next week.  It'll be tough to win on the road, but it would be a huge momentum builder and help in any eventual tiebreaks.

Thanks to everybody who took part in the discussion, even as the knife was being twisted in the second half.  We had 34 users take part with our highest (besides me) being shlecko at 73 comments.  Due to the length of the list, I'm posting it after the jump.

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Up to this point we have discussed just about everything under the sun when it comes to the San Francisco 49ers.  We've beaten into the ground everything from the quarterback competition to the Ted linebacker position and everything in between.  During this entire time I never really even thought about doing one broad overview of the team.  We've predicted wins and losses based on the schedule and we've looked at their various opponents.  However, no post has brought it all together.  In doing this post, I think I've officially written my longest post at Niners Nation, so a good chunk of it will be after the jump.

In the President's State of the Union address, you often hear, "The state of our union is strong."  You won't hear such proclamations.  However, I am willing to say that the state of the union could turn out to be stronger than many of us anticipated.  When asked how I feel about the 49ers in 2008 (because clearly the world wants to know), I use the term cautious optimism. 

Looking at reader comments and the media around the nation, there are plenty of folks who are not feeling good about the 49ers chances in 2008.  For example, Bill Simmons posted his NFL preview column and he was pretty clear in thinking the 49ers will suck this season.  Now, clearly what the Sports Guy thinks about the 49ers is not on my radar, but I think it's indicative of the national belief. 

The 49ers were one of the cinderella picks heading into last season (although the Sports Guy didn't buy into the hype).  Then they crashed and burned and I think the ugliness of last season is carrying over into this season until they prove otherwise, which is a perfectly reasonable expectation.  Throw in a circus of a qb competition between the likes of J.T. O'Sullivan, Alex Smith and Shaun Hill and it's understandable why non-fans would think the 49ers are a joke.

So why am I cautiously optimistic?  Aside from being a diehard 49ers fan, I think there are several reasons why this team could be a solid football team.  I'll qualify solid by saying a very good season to me would be 9-7.  While parts of this team are playoff caliber, there are still enough question marks to keep me from going too far. 

We know that Patrick Willis is a beast, we know that Frank Gore is the man and we know that Isaac Bruce will probably put up solid but unspectacular numbers.  And I'd say we know Vernon Davis will find himself flagged for a whole variety of penalties.  So what don't we know yet?

How will this whole JTO thing pan out?
This is the million dollar question.  More of the season's potential is riding on this question than anything else.  In one of his media sessions Scot McCloughan stated that if Alex Smith is still the backup at season's end, he will not be back with the 49ers in 2009.  His salary escalates too much to keep him around.  So, will Alex Smith start for the 49ers again?  I'll go out on a bit of a limb and say that barring injury, no and that the Alex Smith era is over and done.

While most people don't like cocky individuals, I think the quarterback position requires a person who can forget his mistakes and look to the next play.  Certainly you don't want to repeat mistakes, but you also don't want them weighing on your mind constantly.  JTO brings a swagger that I am starting to enjoy.  Even for a guy who has treked around the NFL and NFL Europe, he seems to have this belief that he can be a great quarterback in this league.  I often wonder if Alex Smith has that kind of confidence.

I realize there are future contract issues to consider, but for the here and now in 2008, I think JTO will be a successful quarterback.  I'm not predicting Pro Bowl and MVP type great, but he will bring respect back to the 49ers QB position.  He's got the arm to make the throws and he's got just enough mobility to avoid sacks and make small things happen with his feet.  I said it before and I'll say it again, he's going to make some great plays and he'll also mix in some plays that have you shaking your head in disbelief (in a bad way).

The cautious comes into this because I'm certainly not 100% convinced of what I stated above.  The NFL has seen guys like Jake Delhomme and Kurt Warner come along and become Pro Bowl QBs.  However, the odds are certainly not in JTO's favor that he'll become the next one in that line.

Will we see a pass rush?
I don't think the pass rush will be anything spectacular in 2008.  I think Ray McDonald will take the next step in his pass-rushing evolution, but I think the pass rush will be more of a stop gap measure than a true force of nature.  And I think the 49ers defense can be successful without a great pass rush.  As long as they are creating some sort of pressure, the mere threat of a sack will be enough to force quicker throws from quarterbacks. 

The 49ers made additions and changes to the defense but I think it still remains a run-stopping defense with enough talent to contain the passing game.  Nate Clements is a #1 corner but I don't think he'll ever be confused with Champ Bailey.  Part of that is the lack of flash, but as long as Clements can contain that #1 receiver, who needs sizzle when you got the steak?

Earlier in the offseason I made a prediction that the 49ers defense would be at the very worst in the top half of the league.  I still believe that will happen.  The addition of Justin Smith and the return of Manny Lawson will obviously be huge.  However, Tully Banta-Cain coming off the bench instead of starting and the addition of Takeo Spikes could be equally important, at least to the linebacking corp.  TBC was at his best in New England coming off the bench.  When they started predicting 10 sacks and the like for him last year (I believe it was somebody at ESPN), I thought that was a bit premature.  He won't have huge stats this season, but I think the intangibles will be important.

More after the jump, including my locked-in record prediction for 2008, for which you can mock me endlessly later in the year (and feel free to throw out your official prediciton of record)...

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For the most part, the 49ers depth chart is relatively settled.  We know who will be starting at corner and who will be coming in as the 3rd DB.  We know our quarterback, our running backs and so on.  Wide receiver certainly is up in the air as we've discussed ad nauseum.

Along the defensive line, there isn't uncertainty, but there are some interesting pieces-parts to mix and match depending on the situation.  The depth chart has been updated since final cuts and we're left with two versions according to ESPN and the 49ers home page:

49ers home page
LDE: Ray McDonald - Kentwan Balmer

NT: Isaac Sopoaga/Aubrayo Franklin (injured) - Ronald Fields

RDE: Justin Smith - Kentwan Balmer

ESPN
LDE: Isaac Sopoaga - Kentwan Balmer

NT: Aubrayo Franklin - Ronald Fields

RDE: Justin Smith - Ray McDonald

I pulled up my TiVoed 49ers-Bears game from Week 3.  Since the starters were slated to play into the third quarter, it seems like we would get the best idea of who is where on the defensive line; particularly since everybody on the line was healthy going into the game.

When Fox ran the defensive players across the screen they went with ESPN's depth chart. However, that doesn't tell the tale if you look at the first Chicago series. 

First play of the game: They used the  4-3, lining up McDonald and Smith on the ends, with Franklin and Sopoaga playing the defensive tackle positions.

Second play of the game: They switched to the 3-4 with Justin Smith lined up at outside linebacker.  Franklin played nose tackle, while McDonald and Sopoaga played on the ends.

Third play of the game: They went with a nickel defense on 3rd and 8, with two linebackers and four down linemen.  The four linemen were lined up with a big gap in the middle and two on each side of the gap.  They went with Justin Smith and Ray McDonald in the defensive tackle positions and Roderick Green as one of the defensive ends.  I think Parys Haralson might have been the other but I'm not sure (might have been Balmer).  Even though both our linebackers they were clearly down linemen rushing the passer and both have filled this role in the past.

This is clearly a small sample size, but even before this it was pretty clear the 3-4 and 4-3 would be mixed in together liberally.  On the one hand, as the three plays above show, that certainly could create some confusion as to the roles of each defensive lineman (and even some of the linebackers).  On the other hand, the team will have plenty of opportunities to mix in fresh personnel.

So this hasn't really answered our initial question regarding the depth chart.  Ray McDonald clearly will be receiving a lot of playing time and the team has indicated they'll mix him in quite often with Justin Smith.  His biggest impact will be in pass-rush situations, but he's got the talent to be an every down lineman.

The 4-3 depth chart is easier to predict since they can move Sopoaga over to defensive tackle and slot in McDonald.  Smith is on the line and Parys Haralson/Roderick Green fill the OLB slot.  In the 3-4, I wouldn't be surprised to see Justin Smith getting more than half the OLB snaps in order to keep McDonald in the game.

The 3-4 is not designed to create a lot of defensive linemen sacks.  The down linemen open the door for the linebackers to make plays.  However, due to the mixture of defensive fronts the 49ers will be showing, I believe Ray McDonald is the key to the 49ers pass rush in 2008.  He's got a chance to be the impact pass-rushing defensive lineman the 49ers need.

We'll have plenty of 49ers-Packers recap coverage in the next few days, but for this evening I wanted to get some quick observations down.  It's been quite some time since the 49ers took care of business in this kind of fashion.  There was some good, there was some bad and there is certainly still plenty to improve upon.  However, for one day, there was plenty more good than bad.

J.T. O'Sullivan - We might as well start with the quarterbacks.  O'Sullivan looked horrendous to start , but then the chemistry was re-established with Josh Morgan quite impressively.  O'Sullivan showed us the absolute best and the absolute worst in the space of 30 minutes.  If he ends up winning this little competition, it will definitely make for a roller-coaster season.  If he was winning this competition heading into tonight, his 2nd quarter performance should be enough to keep him in the lead and maybe even buy him a little more cushion.

Alex Smith - Smith didn't look spectacular but he was able to move the offense and get 10 points on the board.  The one noticeable problem he had was throwing behind and above receivers.  He didn't hit a single receiver in stride and missed out on a big gain when he underthrow Josh Morgan.  While O'Sullivan had some passing issues, when he was on he helping create big plays.  At times it felt like Smith was holding the offense back from big plays.  While he didn't do anything particularly awful, he definitely didn't do enough to warrant a start next weekend.

Shaun Hill - In this QB competition it's never really safe to make any proclamations, but I think barring injury to O'Sullivan AND Smith, Hill is more or less out of the contest.  It doesn't help to be playing with the third string offense, but I just don't see enough snaps to go around for him to make a statement.

Josh Morgan - Let's just say my excitement level for this rookie is reaching unhealthy and unrealistic levels.  Morgan finished with 5 receptions for 114 yards and was an Alex Smith underthrow from taking a 65 yarder to the house (or at least making a big gain).  Last season Thomas Clayton led all NFL running backs in rushing and yet I did not find myself nearly as excited.  Morgan made big catches, he did the little things (like getting first downs) and he was all over the field.  Detractors would argue his big plays came against the Packers #3 or #4 guy, Jarrett Bush.  However, I throw back two arguments: 1) He can't determine who covers him and 2) If Morgan is playing in the regular season he's likely being covered by the #3 or #4 guy because he's come into the game as part of a 3 or 4 receiver set.

As is quickly becoming tradition, I'm planning a post devoted just to Morgan's performance for early this coming week.  I realize I am probably setting myself up for a huge disappointment, but let's be real here.  The 49ers have been desperate to develop a star receiver since TO left town.  Morgan may not become that star receiver, but he is showing legitimate signs of being a serious playmaker.

Dominique Zeigler - Zeigler is totally going to get screwed by the numbers game.  Although, if the 49ers elect to keep 6 receivers I'd take him over Lelie any day.  Zeigler made some solid catches and impressed me with his fearlessness, particularly considering how small he is.  His bio says he's 185lbs, but I don't buy that.  He's eligible for the practice squad again but I wouldn't be surprised to see another team try and snag him.

Defense - The biggest criticism of the 49ers defense has been the lack of a pass rush.  It was only a single preseason game, but the defensive line and linebackers showed dramatic improvement from week 1.  The team finished with 6 sacks and Aaron Rodgers could not get into a rhythm the entire first half.  Ray McDonald clearly has problems with jumping offsides, but he is also showing signs of being a legit pass rusher.  He had 1.5 sacks and forced Rodgers into another one (although that might be the .5).  Tully Banta-Cain made noise in the fourth quarter with a pair of sacks and Justin Smith even got in on the action.

The highlight of the night on defense was the stop after O'Sullivan's INT.  The defense got really lucky on the Donald Lee drop in the endzone, but followed that up with a pair of big stops.  On that defensive stand, and many others, the defense used hard hitting to set the tone and make sure the Packers knew they were in for a long night.

Special Teams - We're going to break this down into the good and the bad.  The good is very clear: Allen Rossum showed signs of why he was signed.  While his punt return TD was against the bottom of the Packers depth chart, he had to make some Pro Bowl caliber moves to score the TD.  Also, Joe Nedney continues to be absolutely money.  If the 49ers are going to get into contention, having a kicker with ice water in his veins is a big asset.

Now the bad.  The special teams coverage was absolutely atrocious on a couple of returns.  Granted it's the bottom of the depth chart, but giving up a pair of big kick off returns, particularly after the Johnnie Lee Higgins TD last week, is not a good sign.  This coming week's game will give us a better idea of special teams coverage since first teamers play for up to three full quarters.

In spite of some of the ugliness, it was a fun game to watch, which is something 49ers fans have missed out on for much of the last few years.  It's only one game so I won't get myself too worked up over the offensive performance (aside from Josh Morgan of course).  There was plenty of good, but also plenty of room for improvement, making this upcoming game against the Bears all the more important.

Speaking of which, it's a short week as the 49ers and Bears square off Thursday on Fox in a nationally televised game.  I'll have some more specific reviews of this just completed game and we'll get prepped for the Bears game shortly thereafter.

My apologies for the lack of posting over the last couple days.  My birthday was Tuesday and while the good times lasted all day, the physical consequences carried well into yesterday.  However, I'm fully recovered and ready to get back to the dawning of the J.T. O'Sullivan era.

There are obviously a million and one things to discuss related to the quarterback situation.  It sounds like we'll hear later today who will get the starting nod on Saturday so that will get the troops chattering.  In the meantime, I want to open discussion on the 49ers defense.

Last month I threw out a prediction that the 49ers defense would finish the season in the top half of the league.  Since then, the defense was shredded by the Raiders running backs and they added Takeo Spikes.  This post was inspired in part by sfgfan's comments in the Culpepper FanPost:

So there you have it, a pass rush that’s dependent on two players who haven’t proven they’re pass rushers, a guy who is learning a new position, and a guy who the team hasn’t used as a pass-rusher.

The pass rush was clearly a major problem last season.  The team added Justin Smith in the offseason and gets Manny Lawson back healthy, but as sfgfan pointed out, neither is really a traditional pass rusher.  Maiocco pointed out that TBC is having a strong training camp, but I think most of us are in agreement that he is not an every-down type of player.

So the question becomes, how good can your defense be without a good pass rush?  The 49ers finished last season 21st in sacks with 31.  Unfortunately I can't find the stats on quarterback hurries or how many times the QB was knocked down.  Anybody have any idea where those stats might be?

It's a shame that the pass rush has been missing because I think the other pieces are in place for this defense to be really good.  The addition of Takeo Spikes adds necessary depth to the linebacking corp, which was already very solid.  The secondary is in good shape and with the continued emergence of Dashon Goldson the depth is good there as well.

So an argument could exist similar to the whole chicken or the egg argument.  If you've got a great pass rush giving the QB less time to throw it's conceivable the secondary would look better.  Of course, if you've got a very good secondary, can the quality coverage create enough time for the linemen and linebackers to make sacks?

While I do think that coverage sacks are an important part of the game, the secondary would get too worn down without a legitimate pass rush.  It's got to be a little less tiring to run from the line of scrimmage to the QB than to have to run 30 or 40+ yards covering a speedy receiver.

I'm not here offering solutions to the problem of the pass rush, mainly because I don't know what those solutions might be.  There has been talk of Parys Haralson turning into that guy, or maybe Ray McDonald.  You want a great pass rushing unit, but usually there is one guy who is considered the big threat.  It would be a shame to waste all this defensive talent.  It'll be something worth keeping an eye on the remaining three games of the preseason.

Earlier today, word came down that the 49ers had released Brandon Moore and would have Takeo Spikes visiting to take a physical.  Well, it's now official: Takeo Spikes is the newest member of the San Francisco 49ers.

Spikes actually has some 49ers connections.  He played with Justin Smith during Smith's first two seasons in Cincinnati.  When Spikes moved on to Buffalo he played with Nate Clements and Jonas Jennings.  Said Clements:

"He was a groomsman in my wedding so he's a good friend and I've been in touch with him about coming here the last few months," said Clements. "He’s a great addition. He brings leadership, playmaking ability and experience to the table, and I’m excited to have him here.”

Terms of the deal were not released, but I'd imagine it is not too long term a deal.  Spikes missed the final two games of 2007 after having surgery to repair of torn rotator cuff.  With the latest moves and one exhibition game behind us, I'm planning on throwing an updated 53-man projection in the next couple days.  This move certainly heats up the Ted battle.

Since we're just going to discuss 49ers, I imagine it's not really giving away my entire draft strategy.  However, aside from Frank Gore, many of the players discussed would be sleeper-type players.  Up to this point we've had some very brief discussions of the 49ers potential fantasy impact.  The preseason will answer some more questions, but in the the meantime, I thought I'd give the 49ers roster a once-over and throw out guys who could have some sort of fantasy impact. 

Including our Niners Nation Fantasy League (register for the free drawing by Thursday!), I'm in 3 fantasy football leagues.  One is a dynasty league where you keep an entire 28 man roster.  Another is a keeper league in which you can keep up to 3 players.  The NN league is a year-by-year league without keepers (at least not yet).  I mention all this because this analysis is aimed at one and done leagues.  Keeper and Dynasty leagues are a little too involved with each league having a million different rules that impact certain players' value.  In a one-and-done league you can account for most, if not all the variables.

QB
Alex Smith: If he is the starter, he's got the arm and ability to put up some quality numbers.  If he looks to be the starter, I think he's definitely worth a late round pick as your backup QB if you've got a very strong #1 option.  If you waited too long and grabbed a guy like David Garrard, you might want a more solid backup option.

Shaun Hill: When I see him in action he comes across as more of the game manager type who will win football games, but won't put up huge numbers.  He put up a nice 3 TDs against TB, but didn't break 200 yards in any of this 3 appearances.  I think he definitely falls into the better real QB than fantasy QB (which I have no problem with as a 49ers fan).

RB
Frank Gore: Gore is a no-doubt first round pick thanks to the huge combined yards I fully expect.  He managed to finish 10th in points for running backs, in spite of the 49ers anemic offense.  And, if you're in a league that offers a point per reception, I think he's absolute gold.

DeShaun Foster: His only real value is as a handcuff to Frank Gore if you're concerned about injuries.  This offense is built around Gore and Foster is not going to put up the kind of numbers that would justify having him on your roster.

TE
Vernon Davis: Davis is going to put up big time fantasy points this year.  He finished 15th among tight ends last year after his 52 receptions, 509 yards a 4 TDs.  ESPN is  projecting 59/623/6 but I think his receptions and yards could be even bigger.  Mike Martz wants to take advantage of his speed a little more often, meaning bigger plays and more yards.  I don't know if he'll necessarily crack the Witten/Gates/Gonzalez/Cooley barrier, but I think he could get to the 5th or 6th spot this season.  I think the Duke is a very viable option as a starting TE.  If you can get Cooley, Witten, etc... maybe you go with them as a safe pick, but I think Davis's upside is immense.

Delanie Walker: I include him here only because the discussion around Walker has been more prominent this year than last.  Martz has really taken a liking to Walker and it makes me curious about him.  I don't think he has a lot of value in a normal league, but he's got keeper potential.  He's a guy worth keeping an eye on as a potential waiver wire steal.

WR
Bryant Johnson: I go with Johnson first because I think for the 2008 season, he has the most fantasy upside.  He's out of the shadow of Boldin and Fitzgerald and looking to make a name for himself.  He could be a spectacular crash and burn, but he might be worth a look as your 3rd or 4th receiver.

Isaac Bruce: I'm not sure how much Bruce has left in the tank, but if he stays healthy and relatively fresh, he gives Smith/Hill the most consistent target they've ever had.  ESPN thinks projects 65 receptions, 866 yards and 6 touchdowns.  While those aren't spectacular, they would blow away anything the 49ers put on the field last year.  For now Bruce is a bye-week fill in but if the offense gets it going, he could be an ok flex option.

Arnaz Battle: It'll be interesting to see if his numbers go down because of the increase in receiving options.  ESPN points to him in a Mike Furrey role in the slot, and to quote them it isn't a bad thing.  He'll never be spectacular but he's probably a good bye week fill in if you have multiple byes with which to contend.  Did anybody here have him on their fantasy team as more than a bye week fill in?

Others: Jason Hill probably has the most upside of the remaining wide receivers if he can stay healthy, but he'll be on the waiver wire so no need to spend a pick on him.  Ashley Lelie is injured and has a lot of work to do before he can become a productive fantasy receiver.

Kicking
Joe Nedney: With only 19 field goal attempts, Nedney was not a viable fantasy option.  If the 49ers can move the ball a little more, he's consistent enough to be worth a look.  Until then he's a better real kicker than fantasy kicker.

Defense
I steadfastly maintain that this defense has the potential to be a top 10 defense.  Fantasy-wise, the 49ers were one of the worst producing defenses.  Until they develop a legit pass-rush they cannot be relied on in fantasy football.  While turnovers and points off turnovers are certainly possible, they cannot be relied upon.

Some leagues do offer IDPs, or individual defensive players, although ours will not be one of those leagues.  If you're in an IDP league, Patrick Willis is obviously money in the bank and will probably be one of the first defensive players taken.  Justin Smith might be worth a look if he is going to be spending a lot of time in the outside linebacker role.  If the pass rush develops, Nate Clements will have value as a pass rush means more hurried passes, meaning the potential for more interceptions.  Also, he finished 2nd among cornerbacks in tackles, so that's certainly a plus for fantasy purposes.

So, there you have it.  Aside from Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, a lot of the 49ers fantasy potential ranges between not much and high risk.  I guess it just comes down to whether you're a gambler or not.