What area are you most concerned about during the 2011 season?

If I was put in charge of building a team, I would make sure to oline is the first to be build. I feel it's the most important part of the offense. They give QB's time to throw, WR's time to get open and running backs holes to run in. You can take a good QB and make them great by giving them all day to throw. Like they say, the game is won in the trenches. Own em up front and the rest will take care of itself.

It's definitely the OL early on , because going by our pre-season we most certainly will get tested by teams until we can make them weary by burning them when they blitz us. I do have some concerns about the second CB opposite Rogers and about whether Spencer will continue to have a problem with his hamstring, I do expect that our DB's will finally be helped by Fangio getting more pressure on the opposing QB's.

Originally posted by 49ersBest1:
If I was put in charge of building a team, I would make sure to oline is the first to be build. I feel it's the most important part of the offense. They give QB's time to throw, WR's time to get open and running backs holes to run in. You can take a good QB and make them great by giving them all day to throw. Like they say, the game is won in the trenches. Own em up front and the rest will take care of itself.

Agree, but that begs the question of which unit is most worrisome at the moment. I trust the OLine to improve and jell at this point, but believe the DBs will need a lot of help from pressure on the QBs to be really good.

The OLine is very, very young; but they are very, very talented. Unless the big maulers can't learn to play the WCO, they will be good by midseason. I will leave it to Harbaugh to scheme around their weaknesses.

Originally posted by pelos21:
Alex getting hurt imo. So I guess that ties in with the OL.

Excellent point. We have seen how well he has done when given the time, but we have also seen Kaepernick show that he is not even close to being ready to play at this level. It would be delusional to think that McCown is the answer or that there are any other QBs sitting at home right now that could do the job either.

Of course that is influenced by the OL play but I believe they have shown signs that they CAN improve and get the job done. That being said, it only takes on breakdown to injure the QB and this season would be in the tank offensively.

dtg_9er - You're right about the oline. I think the protection problem right now be mostly because of the change WCO. I hope they get it together by the time they play the Cowboys (week 2) because I always hate losing to them. Not likely, but at least the second half of the season could be explosive. I can't wait. They have good WRs, a great TE and an elite RB ... and Alex Smith. I really hope he can be productive given time to throw. I'm sick of the three and outs and the defense worn out by halftime.

#1 Oline play - I think they got exposed during the exhibition season and any d-coord is going to attack our line with bullrushes, stunts, and blitzes until we show we can stop it. Ironically, I think Harbaugh is smart enough to run the ball and get the dline out of its agressive up field push, and the new varied running attack seems capable of doing that. Singletary will be envious. Also, with all the weapons on the field, hopefully we can spread defenses out a bit this year!! God I hope so.

#2 The poor oline play will lead to the QBs looking horrible and all the blame falling in A Smith. Not that I think he is a great QB, but we certainly don't need the fans piling on to ruin their confidence. Their confidence could be shaken enough by the poor oline in front of them.

#3 Soft coverage schemes - I think the Texans showed that we are still very vulnerable to the 15-30 yard pass play in the middle of the field. It lets teams over through the center of the field (30 yrd line to 30 yrd line) too quickly. We seem to tighten up with the smaller fields in the red zone. But we need to do a better job defending the whole field.

Originally posted by 49ersBest1:
dtg_9er - You're right about the oline. I think the protection problem right now be mostly because of the change WCO. I hope they get it together by the time they play the Cowboys (week 2) because I always hate losing to them. Not likely, but at least the second half of the season could be explosive. I can't wait. They have good WRs, a great TE and an elite RB ... and Alex Smith. I really hope he can be productive given time to throw. I'm sick of the three and outs and the defense worn out by halftime.

The defense being tired is largely its own fault too -- if the D could go three and out they'd be off the field quick too!

My main concern would be are they or are they not growing mustaches again since Manusky isn't here anymore.

My biggest fear is that Alex Smith gets some time to throw and still doesn't get it done. My biggest hope is that Alex Smith gets some time to throw and gets it done.

If offensive play isn't good then you can forget about any hope for DECENT QB play........ At least if the line holds up and does well our QB play has a CHANCE

Originally posted by 49ersBest1:
If I was put in charge of building a team, I would make sure to oline is the first to be build. I feel it's the most important part of the offense.

That's because it is....... Without an o line there literally is no offense.

Our backfield, it's going to get shredded horribly.

Originally posted by SnakePlissken:
Our backfield, it's going to get shredded horribly.

Yeah if the pass rush remains the same as it has been for so many years , you could be right. We might be able to help the DB's this year if we can generate a decent pass rush , that remains to be seen though. I will feel more confident when Smith and Whitner are teamed up.

Originally posted by HearstFan:
The defense being tired is largely its own fault too -- if the D could go three and out they'd be off the field quick too!

It seemed like the defense would hold teams to a few 3 and outs but watching the offense struggle like it did must been disheartening. When the offense was explosive the defense totally fed off that energy and played better.

Originally posted by BayAreaBrawler:
If offensive play isn't good then you can forget about any hope for DECENT QB play........ At least if the line holds up and does well our QB play has a CHANCE

Originally posted by BayAreaBrawler:
That's because it is....... Without an o line there literally is no offense.

Do I really have to clarity what I mean by build an oline? "" I don't mean just throw 5 guys together and hope they work out. I'm talking about making it the number 1 priority. Spend serious money and top draft picks on them. The niners have done that without lasting success.