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We’re working our way out of the 20s, slowly but surely, as we rank the NFL’s teams from bottom to top before the season starts.
At No. 26? The 49ers.
The Niners were supposed to contend for the NFC West crown a year ago, but fell apart after a 2-0 start. They finished 3-11 amid an ugly public spat between coach Mike Nolan and quarterback Alex Smith.
After the season, Nolan twisted in the wind for a bit, before losing only his authority over personnel. And then with Nolan on the hot seat, the Niners brought in power-hungry Mike Martz, who clearly covets another chance to coach a team, to run the offense.
Yeah, this is gonna work out just fine.
There’s potential on defense, given the presence of linebacker Patrick Willis, the league’s defensive rookie of the year in 2007. If 2008 first-rounder defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer has a comparable first season, the Niners could become a force.
But the offense is the real area of concern. Martz has big plans, but he had big plans in Detroit. And we know how that turned out.
Barring a miracle, things won’t end well in San Fran.
August 6th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I would have put them lower than the Rams and the Ravens. I’m a Detroit fan and the only time I liked Martz was when the Lions had that brief stretch of time where they were 6 - 2. And it was all downhill from there. I don’t trust him running an offense.
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August 6th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
SWEET! The Lions are in the top 25!
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August 6th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
3-11 doesn’t give them a full schedule. wasn’t it 5-11?
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August 6th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
to jkrik13
I can definitely see the confusion, but the record of 3-11 is after the 2-0 start.
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am
First, he meant 3-11 after their 2-0 start to the season. Second, I’m a 49ers fan, and I’m hoping that we get the Rams OC rather than the Detroit OC. We’re all crossing our fingers that he has learned his lesson from his bad tenure in Detroit.
Plus, no offense to Lions fans, but taking the quarterback out of the equation, the 49ers have more talent on offense (and WAY more on defense) than the Lions of the past few years. That could have changed in Calvin had stayed healthy, but alas, he got hurt.
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:24 am
Awwww. Poor Niners……..
Why is everybody so paranoid about Mike Martz…?
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:34 am
@ apeck:
I never thought of it that way. Haha.
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August 7th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Jesus Christ, would it kill you guys to put the rankings on ONE PAGE so that we wont have to click on EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Is this some sneaky way to make it look like your site gets more hits?
That’s pretty low
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August 7th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Little disappointed with this pick Florio. No way the Lions have a better record (who is their running back? or QB? Old Man Kitna? or Def for that matter?). The Niners will start slow with a tough schedule but finish strong in the stretch. Frank Gore will be a machine in the Martz offense and the Defense will emerge as one of the toughest in the league with Mr. Willis crackign skulls all over the field. Prediction - 9-7 6th in the NFC … bold NinerMan … very bold.
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August 7th, 2008 at 9:24 am
@NinerMan
Very bold indeed. 9-7 tho? Try flipping that around.
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August 7th, 2008 at 10:00 am
spfhelmiii: “but taking the quarterback out of the equation, the 49ers have more talent on offense”
Are you serious? You can’t take the most important guy on the field out of the equation. You have a better RB, but not necessarily a better running game. Your WR are a joke and pale in comparrison to DET. Your “stud” TE has never done anything.
Your great D has vastly over paid and over rated Clements and J smith.
You will be lucky to win 5 games this year. 3-4 would not be surprising.
My tam is in the AFC so no bias either way.
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August 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Mongo man you have to give us some props on defense. Mr. Willis is already top 5 in the game at his position and he is only getting better. I agree we overpaid, but Clements and Smith are still starters on most teams which is what we needed. The Niners defense was solid, if not spectacular last year and it was on the field 3/4’s of the game, had new players to add to the defensive puzzle, and lost Manny “The Tornado” Lawson to injury. They might not finish 9-7, but they will NOT finish 5-11 … that is my “LOCK OF THE YEAR” … trademarked so no stealing it Flo Man.
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August 8th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Yo NinerMan, how’re the drugs treating you? 9-7???
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August 8th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
all i gotta say is this for such a poor offense last year
“jim hostler”
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August 10th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Martz clearly covets the head coaching job?? Bullshit Mr Florio - he’s not clearly shown anything like that. What he has clearly shown is a desire for the 49ers offense to be successful.
Now can we stick to the truth? Go on, give it a try, you might like it.
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August 10th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Niners ranked higher than the Rams and Ravens??? Wow…just wow…
I don’t know whats worse…the decision to make that the ranking or the fact that it could possibly be true…
The Rams at least have a good QB and some consistent weapons(Jackson and Holt).
The Niners are absolutely hopeless at QB, WR is not much better, and Gore has injury questions but is undeniably a beast when healthy.
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August 11th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
49ers have overachieved each of the last 4 years. that is hard to do and achieve an 18-46 record. they actually did bag some close games they probly shouldnt have won. especially in 06.
half the time they get beat badly.
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August 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Yet those Ram’s consistent weapons & QB lead to them picking 2nd in the 2008 draft and the 49ers absolute hopelessness lead to a better record. So yes, it is true - 49ers were better than the Rams.
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