FanHouse NFL Season Preview: San Francisco 49ers - It's JTO Time

Training camps are underway, the NFL season is a month off, and to get you ready for 2008, FanHouse previews all 32 teams, "heat index" style. We'll rate each club in 10 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Quarterbacks: Listen, I'd love to believe in J.T. O'Sullivan. He's had a great pre-season, he's battled through a lot of adversity to earn this shot, and he seems to have the physical tools. However, the fact that he's failed in every NFL stop before this worries me. Is Mike Martz the magic potion that will cure O'Sullivan and turn him into a good NFL quarterback? Maybe. He's certainly made a lot of other quarterbacks look really good. At quick glance, O'Sullivan appears to be a perfect fit for the Martz offense. He's making good, quick decisions. He's got an arm that's plenty good enough. But the fact that he's never succeeded anywhere else in the NFL tells me that there is at least a part of his pre-season performance that's "mirage". There isn't much else to work with here. Alex Smith has been generally terrible, doesn't appear to get along well with coach Mike Nolan, and he's getting to the point in his career where San Francisco may just have to consider giving up on him. Shaun Hill, meanwhile, looked passable in a late-season audition last year before becoming virtually invisible in training camp. He doesn't appear to be much of a factor. Heat Index: 5


Running backs: Unlike O'Sullivan, who I want to see prove himself before I'll be a believer, I'm a believer in Frank Gore. He topped 1,100 rushing yards, caught 53 passes, and was the single effective player on an awful offensive unit. This year, Gore is paired with Martz, who is likely to only get more out of his feature back than 2007 offensive coordinator Jim Hostler did. While Gore will get the bulk of the work, you can expect to see a good deal of DeShaun Foster, too. He was brought in from Carolina as a free agent, and he's not just going to ride the pine. He has some value as a receiver, and he'll serve as a good compliment to Gore. Heat Index: 8

Receivers: Because of the presence of Martz, this position is one of the most intriguing on the team. There is some true talent here, especially with tight end Vernon Davis. Because of injuries his rookie year and a quarterback carousel last year, we haven't seen anything close to the best he can offer. Davis is athletic, has super hands, and appears to have a good rapport with O'Sullivan. The 49ers signed veteran receiver Issac Bruce away from division rival St. Louis, but guys like Arnaz Battle, Bryant Johnson, and Jason Hill don't offer much name recognition, though Hill looked particularly strong during the pre-season. It's really not known what these guys can do in this offense when the games count. Having Davis running around is going to take a lot of pressure off the wideouts, but at some point, defenses will figure out how to neutralize Davis, forcing the receivers to make plays. Heat Index: 6

Offensive line: These guys were a sieve last year. They have to take at least some of the blame for Smith's failures. They simply didn't do even a mediocre job of keeping him clean. If the same thing happens to O'Sullivan, it won't matter how good he is or who the offensive coordinator is. Joe Staley and Adam Snyder man the all-important left side, with Snyder replacing the departed Larry Allen. Staley steps in for Jonas Jennings, who moved to the right side, so at least O'Sullivan can see when he blows a block. Overall, it's a pretty average line, but the question marks at tackle earn them a below-average grade. Heat Index: 4

Defensive line: The team signed former Bengals end Justin Smith because, frankly, there was a horrible lack of playmakers at that position. Issac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin, and Robert Fields are other guys being counted on along the line. The 49ers have been known for shifting between the 3-4 and the 4-3 formations, but they don't seem to know which scheme best fits the personnel. For now, this team has the look of one that will rely on Smith for a lot of the plays up front. Heat Index: 4

Linebackers: Thanks to second-year pro Patrick Willis, this is probably the best unit on the defense. Willis has to get better in pass coverage, but that's just being picky when you talk about a guy like this. He's the total package. He's a hitter. He's quick, and he's a pretty smart player. Manny Lawson is back after blowing his knee out last year, however he might be a better bet for a major contribution in 2009. He looked a bit shaky in camp and the pre-season games. Jeff Ulbrich will also see significant time here. Heat Index: 8

Secondary: Nate Clements is a one-man unit at cornerback. At his best, he can shut down the opponent's top receiver. Unfortunately, he can't shut down all the receivers at once. Walt Harris is aging fast, and probably doesn't have any business starting in the NFL anymore. In San Francisco, Harris is probably starting, as Shawntae Spencer and Donald Mitchell are all the 49ers have for "depth". Michael Lewis and Mark Roman are passable safeties, but nothing better than that. Heat Index: 6

Coaching: Mike Nolan is on the hot seat, no question. He's 16-32 in three years, and he is probably lucky to have gotten a chance at a fourth year. Having Martz around helps a lot, as the defense appears to be making positive strides. The fact that the offense was so bad last year eventually had an impact on the defense. Now, there will (they hope) be a sense that they don't have to pitch a shutout to win games. Heat Index: 5

Intangibles: If these players like Nolan, they'll play hard for him. After all, if they don't, he will be replaced. It may also help this team that they don't have to deal with the "chic pick to win" pressure they had last year. This year, no one thinks they can win. Heat Index: 6

Total Heat Index: 52

The 49ers aren't there yet. They have problems at quarterback, wide receiver, the offensive line, the defensive line, and the secondary. They have a coach on a big-time hot seat.

However, keep something in mind. This division is not locked down to one or two teams. The Seahawks and Cardinals are the top two teams in most prognostications, but both are eminently beatable. If Martz can get the quarterback going and the offense in a rhythm, it will take a heaping helping of pressure off the defense, which had way too much responsibility last year. It's a lot to ask of a journeyman quarterback with a bunch of no-name receivers, though.