Quote Originally Posted by Brain Daddy View Post
Then take off the blue and gold blinders More than anything the team needed a legitimate NT (Franklin), someone to help with the pass rush (TBC), depth in the secondary (Clements, Lewis), and a few decent targets in the passing game for Smith (Jackson, Lelie).

The team did a pretty good job of filling holes this year, now it comes down to "if" - "If this player is effective..." "If that player does a good job...". The talent is there, but the real question, as with any FA acquisitions, is whether or not they can perform as well with their new team as they did with their old. I expect the new players to perform and improve the team as a whole, but we won't know if they really will until September.


Many Niner fans were wondering that same question. LargeAnt posted a pretty good explanation on our board:


Nope. That's probably why you can't figure it out. You're looking at the final tally and assuming the defense was pretty consistent across the board. The fact is, over the first 7 games, the defense was giving up 30.7 points per game, including 20 to a Raiders team that was shut out 3 times and 34 to the Cards, which was tied for their highest total and the most they put up with Warner at QB. After some personnel and scheme changes, the defense gave up 18.9 points per game over the last 9 games. The Niner D was better against the run, about the same against the pass, about the same at getting to the QB, and in my opinion (and apparently the opinion of many others) did more to help themselves on that side of the ball than the Rams did this offseason.
Clements and Franklin were your only solid pick ups (I don't care about Clements contract, the talent is there, if they ***** are willing to take the cap hit it doesnt matter).

Is Banta Cain going to be your starter? I think you guys are in bad shape if that's the case. He seems to me to be nothing more then depth, which doesn't really help the team that much. Lelie is a huge bust, he has only had one good year, his other four or five are like number 3 WR stats, he just isn't very good. Jackson could be good, but he could also be a product of Hasselbeck. This needs to be Smith's break out year, if he doesn't produce he'll start looking like a bust and Lelie and Jackson won't have a solid year at all.

I think the offense and defense can pull it together this year, but all the stars will have to be alligned in the team to make it a legit playoff contender. I think alot hinges on Smith's development. He didn't get any better as the year went on, actually he looked like he got worse to me. He needs to put up more yards and stop personally turning the ball over multiple times a game