All signs point to another year of struggle
(By Kevin Lynch of the Chronicle staff)
The shuddering signs that the 49ers might repeat last year's performance were all too evident against the Cowboys Saturday night. Unfortunately, the 49ers mediocre displays against the Raiders and Dallas can't be explained away as bumpy preseason showings.
Sure, the Steelers are 0-3 this summer and the reigning Super Bowl champions' first-team offense didn't score a touchdown in last year's exhibitions. But the Steelers are a team filled with veterans who know how to pace themselves. They know Super Bowls aren't won in August.
Will interceptions like this be the norm?
The 49ers however, are a rather amorphous group with young players trying to make the team and win starting jobs. The team's poor performances could be a continued reflection of the 49ers' lack of talent.
It seems unlikely that this team will be one that pulls off a dramatic worst-to-first turnabout, which seems to happen to at least one club every year.
The team does have a chance to display a wholely different side once the regular season begins. First, new coordinator Norv Turner's offense is built on deception and misdirection, which the 49ers rarely showed. Second, the defense unveiled only a fraction of the blitzes and coverages they will trot out next month.
Improvement will be key for this nascent group throughout the season. As the many personnel moves prove, coach Mike Nolan and vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan are still cleaning up the roster.
In some cases, there are no clear replacements for the players they release or trade.
Posted By: The Sporting
(By Kevin Lynch of the Chronicle staff)
The shuddering signs that the 49ers might repeat last year's performance were all too evident against the Cowboys Saturday night. Unfortunately, the 49ers mediocre displays against the Raiders and Dallas can't be explained away as bumpy preseason showings.
Sure, the Steelers are 0-3 this summer and the reigning Super Bowl champions' first-team offense didn't score a touchdown in last year's exhibitions. But the Steelers are a team filled with veterans who know how to pace themselves. They know Super Bowls aren't won in August.
Will interceptions like this be the norm?
The 49ers however, are a rather amorphous group with young players trying to make the team and win starting jobs. The team's poor performances could be a continued reflection of the 49ers' lack of talent.
It seems unlikely that this team will be one that pulls off a dramatic worst-to-first turnabout, which seems to happen to at least one club every year.
The team does have a chance to display a wholely different side once the regular season begins. First, new coordinator Norv Turner's offense is built on deception and misdirection, which the 49ers rarely showed. Second, the defense unveiled only a fraction of the blitzes and coverages they will trot out next month.
Improvement will be key for this nascent group throughout the season. As the many personnel moves prove, coach Mike Nolan and vice president of player personnel Scot McCloughan are still cleaning up the roster.
In some cases, there are no clear replacements for the players they release or trade.
Posted By: The Sporting
