Returning to our Team Identity

Games in which we score a lot of points through the air are oodles and oodles of fun. I'm always a big fan. Here's the thing, though: with this team they should be pretty rare. I get that we have a lot of talent on this team for a passing game. Vernon Davis is, well, Vernon Davis; Michael Crabtree is really starting to break out; injury aside, Mario Manningham adds an awesome element to the team; and, look who's starting to show up to the party, a certain Mr. Randy Moss is getting more and more play time and turning that into some nice productivity.

Here's the thing, though. That whole deal - the passing game - that's going to thrive off of play action pass. Can Alex Smith throw from the shotgun? Of course. He's quite good at it. I look to see them spread it out and throw the ball.

But, the fact of the matter is that Frank Gore is really one of the most special players we have all seen in a long time and Kendall Hunter is growing into an excellent player as well. This team, the way it is built, should utilize those weapons. We don't need to get fancy. I like that we can, and I like that we do, when the situation arises. End of the Saints game last year? Boom. Fancy pants all over the place. And they couldn't defend it. It was glorious.

But we have strayed a bit from our core identity. So, even though Alex Smith rolled around in his own excrement for about four quarters Thursday night, I'm still happy with the game. Happy, of course, because we won; happy that this nonsense about Seattle's defense being the best in the league is over; but mostly, I'm happy that this team can return to its identity.

We have an elite defense, an elite run game, and a darn good pass game. They all thrive off of each other - especially the pass off the run. Let's not stray too far from that.