2009 San Francisco 49ers NFL Predictions

Written August 30, 2009 by InfoPlays

San Francisco 49ers 2009 NFL Predictions Mike Singletary was the perfect hire for the San Francisco 49ers. He played the game the right way as a player and now he’s coaching his players to do the same. He turned the 49ers into winners late last season as the team won four of its last five contests to build some momentum heading into 2009. San Francisco has not been to the playoffs since 2002, so he’ll have his hands full in attempting to get them back to the postseason. He brings an attitude and toughness to table that players respect, which is the first step. The 49ers are listed at +275 to win the NFC West at Sporstbook.com. This team could be the sleeper of this division, so give these NFL odds a shot if you think they can pull it off.

Offense: The 49ers opened training camp without a starting quarterback again this year. But after a few preseason games, Shaun Hill has been named the starter. He is 7-3 as a starter over the past two seasons and Singletary loves how he simply manages the game without making too many mistakes. The 49ers were 5-17 in games that Hill did not start, so based off of that evidence it was certainly the right move. Alex Smith has had a hard time staying healthy since being drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2005. He will battle it out with Damon Huard and rookie Nate Davis for the No. 2 spot. Frank Gore is a workhorse at tailback, averaging 21.5 touches/game over the past three seasons. The team wants to keep him more fresh this season, so they drafted Glen Coffee out of Alabama in the third round. He has looked very impressive in the preseason thus far and should compliment Gore very nicely this season. Rookie Kory Sheets was also signed as an undrafted free agent to add speed and possibly become the third down back.

San Francisco used to be known for their wide receivers, but they haven’t had one register more than 61 catches in a season since Terrell Owens departed in 2003. The 49ers were hoping that No. 10 overall pick Michael Crabtree would become the next great receiver to wear a 49ers uniform. But he is being selfish and has elected to hold out until the franchise meets his needs with a big contract. For now, veteran Isaac Bruce is their No. 1 receiver. He was their leading receiver last year, and he still gets it done entering his 16th season in the league. Free agent Brandon Jones was signed to a nice four-year deal from Tennessee in the offseason. Second-year man Josh Morgan showed a lot of promise in his rookie season and could take over as the No. 2 if Jones can’t cut it. Jason Hill will be in the mix after catching 30 balls last year. The 49ers must find a way to get tight end Vernon Davis a lot more touches. He was fourth on the team with 31 grabs a year ago, but too often he was asked to block on passing downs. The 49ers offensive line has allowed 55 sacks each of the last two seasons, both franchise-worst’s. Former Pro Bowl tackle Marvel Smith was signed in the offseason, but he actually retired today and won’t be with the team. Left tackle Joe Staley earned a big contract extension in the offseason and he’s the clear anchor of this unit. 2008 second-round pick Chilo Rachal vastly improved late last season and should be ready for a breakout year at right guard. Eric Heitmann is consistent at center, and left guard David Baas worked his way into the starting lineup late last year. The problem lies at right tackle, where the team started three different players there last season.

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Defense: Justin Smith is dominant along the defensive line at right end. The 49ers have solid depth up front with veteran Demetric Evans signed in the offseason to start at left end. He’ll join Isaac Sopoaga and nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin. Ray McDonald is also in the mix at end, but he’s coming off reconstructive knee surgery so they don’t know what to expect from him just yet. Kentwan Balmer was a disappointment at end last year as their first-round pick. San Francisco might have gotten a steal in this year’s draft with LSU’s Ricky Jean-Francois in the seventh round. The 49ers are solid at linebacker as well. Patrick Willis led the league in tackles as a rookie in 2007 and improved his overall game in 2008. Takeo Spikes lines up next to him and recorded 96 tackles last season, second on the team to Willis. Outside linebacker Parys Haralson led the team with eight sacks last season, and the team thinks he can do even better in the future as they signed him to a four-year, $15 million extension this offseason. Manny Lawson rounds out this group as the strong-side backer.

The 49ers have made several moves in the secondary in recent years, bringing in free agent after free agent. But that should change this season. 2007 draft choice Dashon Goldston will take over at free safety for Mark Roman. Roman has started nearly every game over the past three seasons, but he’s recorded just one interception which is unacceptable. Strong safety Michael Lewis should help mentor Goldston and make sure he’s in the right spots so his natural talent can take over. Lewis also had 96 tackles last season, which was tied for second behind Willis. Cornerback Nate Clements is the real deal, and veteran Walt Harris can still get it done in spite of his age. Tarell Brown is expected to play a bigger role as the nickelback this season and eventually replace Harris. This shapes up to be a very solid defense, which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Singletary puts his stamp on this side of the ball.

InfoPlays Prediction: 3rd in the NFC West – We honestly could see the 49ers winning the NFC West this season. They won 4 out of their final 5 games last season under the guidance of Singletary. Players sometimes have a hard time respecting their head coach, but Singletary certainly has his player’s attention. This is a Super Bowl-caliber defense that will have to carry the load while the offense has time to gel. The reason San Francisco won’t overtake the Seahawks or the Cardinals is because of their offense. Hill may not make many mistakes, but he doesn’t have the ability to make the same big plays that Warner and Hasselbeck can make for their respective teams. San Francisco has a good running game, but opponents will be able to stack 8 in the box all season long to counter it. Unless Crabtree decides to get with the program before it’s too late, the 49ers don’t have enough playmakers on the outside to scare opposing defensive coordinators. San Francisco will be in about every game this year, but they won’t make enough plays to win most of their match-ups. An 8-8 record and a third-place finish in the NFC West is the foreseeable outcome.

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