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Niners aim to improve on 8-8 record for 2010
By David Zizmor January 5, 2010 |
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SANTA CLARA--For 2010 the first thing the 49ers will be looking at is getting some rest and then the draft. That is the biggest thing on the mind of the 49ers because this team finished the season 8-8 and to be fair they had a couple games they should have won in particular the game in Minnesota early in the season where they lost to the Vikings on Brett Favre's crazy play at the end and they probably should have won that game up in Seattle at the beginning of December. If the Niners had won those two games their 10-6 and they're probably in the playoffs. The 49ers are not that far away from being in the post season. Using that as a jumping off point you have to look at the draft where the 49ers are going to try and improve themselves and try and get themselves to that next level. Jumping from 8-8 to get to the playoffs is a big move. If you look at this 49ers team the places they really need to improve are on the offensive line and maybe with speed in the secondary. They're strength this year is their defense which really took a big step forward especially in the last month of the season where the 49ers actually proved they have some good pass rushers and put pressure on the quarterbacks. They were able to force a lot of turnovers and they're actually one of the best teams in the NFL in forcing turnovers and they finished up the plus 21 turnover ratio. So that is definitely a good deal for the 49ers defense and is very close to being a top level team in the NFL. On offense there is a lot to be desired it's going to be a big learning curve here, a lot of this had to do with quarterback Alex Smith coming in to start in the middle of the season instead of the beginning and not being completely familiar with all the guys on his team in the offensive set and getting familiar with offensive coordinator Jimmy Rae. Also with the 49ers adjusting their offensive mind set mid season. Sit Smith the problem was the 49ers started moving towards more of three wide receivers sets and they weren't really ready for that as the season began so the plays were just in the play book for Smith. Hopefully with the off season to prepare and knowing that Smith is going to be the quarterback next season the 49ers will be able to adjust their playbook not just for Smith but for all the good wide receiving talent he has. Remember the 49ers didn't have Michael Crabtree in training camp and they certainly didn't know Vernon Davis was going to be the force he was this season and they didn't know that Josh Morgan and couple of other guys were going to start developing to decent receivers. The 49ers have all these guys and all these weapons on offense right now they really at the beginning of the season weren’t aware where they were going to be significant weapons. Guys like Davis, Crabtree, and Frank Gore, these guys are all going to be big contributors next season and with a little adjusting in the playbook and the time to work together they can become a real good force for the 49ers. It's going to take some work and that's what you would like to see. Dave Zizmor covered 49ers football during the 2009-10 campaign with commentary and 49ers game coverage by Morris Phillips, and the 49ers preview with Tony the Tiger Hayes for Sportstalk Radio |
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