 |
| photo via baysportsnet.com |
First year head coach Jim Harbargh is doing an incredible job with the team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Second year LB NaVorro Bowman is ridiculous, plus first-year LB Aldon Smith has just been named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month. Veteran LB Patrick Willis continues to be himself, plus Carlos Rogers is a blanket in the secondary.
It probably would've taken a former quarterback as coach to get any sort of significant production out of Alex Smith, and that's exactly what first-year Head Coach Jim Harbargh's been doing with him. Statistically speaking, Smith isn't lighting the world on fire, but he hasn't done much to hurt his team
either.
Coach Harbargh is getting through to his players in a way that previous coach Mike Singletary was unable to. We all saw evidence of his intensity back in Week 6 with that postgame coaches handshake debacle with Detroit's Jim Schwartz. Former teammates from Harbaugh's playing days say that particular display of intensity comes as no surprise, as he's always had a reputation for being a fierce competitor.
Running back Frank "The Inconvenient Truth" Gore has battled health problems that have plagued him throughout his career, but when he's right, he can be one the best workhorse backs in football. His 134-yard rushing performance against Cleveland last week, plus his 141 yards against the Lions shows evidence of the roll he's on. Let's see if he can stay consistent for the remainder of the season.
Sure, the Green Bay Packers are currently 7-0, but the Niners are the only 1-loss team in the NFL, and they're pretty much a lock to clinch the NFC West in the next couple of weeks. It's just a matter of "when," since division rivals St. Louis, Arizona, and Seattle ain't doin' jack this year.
The San Francisco 49ers have got their swagger back!
-Turnbull
0 comments:
Post a Comment