FanHouse

To get you ready for the season, FanHouse is previewing all 32 NFL teams. Here's San Francisco's outlook.

2006 Record: 7-9

2006 Offense: Frank Gore stepped into the upper echelon of running backs; unfortunately, the rest of the offense is a year or two behind. Still, this unit showed marked improvement over the second half of the year. Alex Smith made his bones without any real playmakers in the passing game, especially with Vernon Davis missing a chunk of his rookie year because of an injury. A lot of this has been attributed to the work of offensive coordinator/quarterback guru Norv Turner, who's now preparing to fail as a head coach again running the Chargers.

2006 Defense: The 49ers defense finished 26th last year, Mike Nolan's last employing the 4-3. That's what you'd about expect from a unit that, Manny Lawson aside, was comprised of aging, unspectacular veterans. The team ranked in the second half of the league in rush defense, pass defense, interceptions, and sacks. Pretty substandard all around. They also didn't benefit from weak field position (see below).

2006 Special Teams: The 49ers were weak on kickoffs, averaging only 60.7 yards per kick (with a terribly low five touchbacks). They did get good coverage on those kickoffs, though. And Maurice Hicks averaged 25.1 yards per return, good enough for seventh out of all players with 30+ returns on the season.

Coaching: Nolan is one of the league's best young coaches, and he's had this team pointed in the right direction from his very first day. Smith will be learning the system of Jim Hostler, his third coordinator in three years, which, as MDS has pointed out, can't be good for his development. Mike Singletary runs the defense for probably the last year before moving on as a head coach.

Draft: The 49ers made a splash by getting a legitimate blue-chipper in Patrick Willis and then by trading back into the first round for Joe Staley. They also got a great young player at a position of need in receiver Jason Hill. But the best move they made was giving up a fourth-round pick for Darrell Jackson. Nobody the 49ers could have used on that pick would make as immediate and notable of an impact as Jackson will.

New Additions: Though Jackson's the veteran who will do the most for this team, all of the offseason attention was focused on Nate Clements. Clements and Michael Lewis will improve a secondary that failed to make plays last year, but I expect a breakout year from hybrid pass-rusher Tully Banta-Cain, who was signed from the Patriots.

Three Keys:

1) Will Alex Smith's progression continue? By the looks of things in training camp and preseason, Smith is going to have a large year.
2) Can the aging defensive line hold up? The team put together a great crew of linebackers in the offseason, but they might be required to do a lot of work.
3) How will the team adjust to the 3-4? The defense now has some talented pieces, but how quickly can the new assembly come together and learn a new defense?

Prediction: The 49ers still have a lot of holes, but are much, much improved from last year's upstart. A lot of people are diggin' on good vibrations in Frisco (not to mention the excitations), but the 49ers are still a year away from being a top-flight team. They'll compete for a division crown at 9-7, but will probably have to settle for the wild card.

Gratuitous YouTube: I'd want to pose next to that booty too.