Every so often I roll out Nolan quotes, post-game quotes and similar whatnot.  I thought I'd make the post-game quotes a more regular feature as I receive them.  Even with all the coach-speak and athlete cliches, we can probably get a little context.  Also, I'll throw in my thoughts if anything jumps out.  I'll make sure and set it off as my own opinion.

HEAD COACH MIKE NOLAN
On the game as a whole: “Okay, defensively we’ve got to get off the field better, obviously. (We) didn’t do a good job there. And offensively, we definitely have to stay on the field. We’ve got to convert on third down. Special teams was uneventful. There wasn’t much to report there. But that’s what led to the loss: gave them another big pass, uncharacteristic of our secondary. But two weeks in a row, I’m not going to say it is becoming characteristic, but we got the quarterback on a blitz and he just unloads it deep and beats us.”

The cliche of the day: “I know we brought pressure. It’s a good example of getting five sacks. (I know) how excited people get about sacks and how they think they’re directly related to winning. That should give you a great example that it really isn’t. To win is all about having more points than the other team. It gets down to staying on the field offensively on third down and getting off on defense, and a lot of other things but it’s never one area.”

Fooch: Oh Coach Nolan...I've joked about coach/athlete cliches including scoring more points than the other team but I've never seen somebody use the phrase "having more points than the other team."  Really bringing his A-game.

On deactiving Roderick Green and activating Marcus Hudson: “With Rod I thought that I’d just let Tully (Banta-Cain) have the opportunity. I thought that it was important to get (Marcus Hudson) up for the special teams as well. So, Hudson did the special teams. He’s a good special teams player. I felt we’d need him for the game. And Tully had a good week. I thought we’d inspire him and see if he would do something. But I’ll look at the film, but he…again from a pass rush standpoint, I don’t know. I guess I shouldn’t say it before I know. We were okay in that area, like I said, five sacks, but we didn’t win the game.

FRANK GORE
On the offenses performance: “We just went out today flat. We went out flat as a team. We just have to go out there and stick together and play hard. We can’t give up. We just have to keep playing hard.”

Fooch: I realize a 16-game, 4-month long season can be grueling and I certainly don't know enough as a fan to get what players go through.  However, I still find it amazing when players talk about how their team came out flat.  In baseball I can see that happening because we're talking about 162 games where a single loss usually won't sink your season.  But when you're playing 16 games and each one is so important, it's a little tough to swallow.

J.T. O'Sullivan, Takeo Spikes, Nate Clements and Tully Banta-Cain after the jump...

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Kickoff is a little over 12 hours away and I thought I'd get one more preview out.  Scouts Inc. usually hits on a lot of the obvious, but their preview of the game is always a plus.

49ers Keys to Success (with my own thoughts)
1. Straighten out the problems on the offensive line - According to Maiocco and Stats, LLC, Joe Staley has given up a team-high 5 sacks.  His move to left tackle has not exactly been smooth sailing, but hopefully as the season goes on we'll see some improvements.
2. Get Gore the ball early and often - Certainly not a shocking suggestion.  Gore has proven his ability to contribute in both the running and passing game.  I know forcing a specific ratio can create problems but it seems foolish if he's not touching the ball 25 times a game.
3. Keep Cassel running in the pocket - Cassel has completed 2/3 of his pass and while his YPA is relatively low, it should only improve as he grows more comfortable.  Accordingly, the pass rush simply has to be there.  Eventually, Cassel is going to gain some comfort with the deep game and I'd prefer it not happen today.

Matchup to Watch
They agree with us on the Moss-Clements being the best matchup of the week.  They say that:

This week Moss gets to test out his speed and big-play ability on one of the league's better cover men. It has the potential of an exciting matchup, and both players are sure to be up for the challenge. Clements prides himself on his ability to shut down opposing teams' best receivers, and he should get opportunities to prove himself against New England. The key factor in Moss versus Clements will be Cassel's ability and willingness to get the ball deep with the timing and accuracy to allow this matchup to play out.

Let's hope for a repeat of Clements' performances against Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson.  Walt Harris will have to hold up his own end of the bargain against Wes Welker, but Moss is the biggest threat out there.

Overall, Scouts Inc. slightly favors the Patriots.  They give the Patriots the edge in wide receivers, on the o-line and d-line, in special teams and at head coach.  The 49ers get the edge at quarterback, running back, linebacker and defensive back.  They predict a 23-17 Patriots win stating that:

San Francisco appeared to lose some confidence last week in New Orleans, and the 49ers are now on pace to set a new league record for sacks allowed in a season. New England isn't without its own question marks -- and shaky quarterback play is just one of them. But the Patriots get a narrow edge in this game, if for no other reason than Belichick has had an extra week to prepare for it.

The first four weeks of the season have seen the 49ers secondary squaring off against everybody from Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams and Larry Fitzgerald to Courtney Taylor, Logan Payne and Terrance Copper.  In spite of last week's performance, the 49ers secondary remains a strength in my opinion.  With that in mind I thought we'd take a look at the biggest matchup of week, along with some other important matchups.

Matchup of the Week
Nate Clements vs. Randy Moss: As interesting as I think Walt Harris and Wes Welker is, the matchup everybody will be watching is 6-4 super-freak Randy Moss vs. 6-0 Nate "Lockdown" Clements.  Clements has been money well spent and prior to Brady going down, Randy Moss slipped into the rejuvenation machine.  However, both the principals face some problems this week. 

Nate Clements will be hoping and praying the pass rush steps up this week.  As good as he is, if even a guy like Matt Cassel gets enough time, eventually he'll probably find Moss.  Maybe it won't happen early on, but eventually Clements will get worn down.  On the other side of the ball, aside from the opening week, Matt Cassel has struggled to develop a rapport with Randy Moss.  Raiders and VIkings fans are probably wondering when he'll repeat his behavior in those cities.

Other matchups
Patriots pass rush vs. 49ers offensive line: The Patriots pass rush managed next to nothing two weeks ago versus the Dolphins and witnessed Chad Pennington absolutely pick them apart.  It was helped in great part by a great running game, but either way Pennington was 17/20 for 226 yards.  Given the number of sacks JTO has suffered thus far, a full game on his feet would really be quite nice.

49ers pass rush vs. Patriots offensive line: One thing I've noticed is that Ray McDonald has been especially quiet up to this point.  He's made plays but he hasn't been the impact guy I thought he would be at the beginning of the season.  Any thoughts on what has kept him from blowing up for the 49ers?  Aside from McDonald, I'd expect we'll see a bit of Tully Banta-Cain for the first time.  He had some good performances in the preseason garbage time so who knows what we can expect.  I do know that Parys Haralson and Roderick Green need to bring the speed off the outside and get Cassel frazzled as early as possible.  If they can get Cassel hearing footsteps early it will make their job all the easier.

49ers receivers vs. Patriots secondary: One interesting advantage might be the injury of third corner Lewis Hobbs Sanders who has missed all of practice this week.  If they're short on cornerbacks, a healthy 49ers wide receiver corp could potentially do some damage.  Arnaz Battle is coming off probably the best game of his career and a chance to face a rookie like Terrence Wheatley.

49ers running game vs. interior of Patriots defense: As Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams showed last week, this defense can be run upon.  I'm sure Belichick has the defense prepped for Frank Gore, but Gore brings enough talent to overcome such gameplans if he gets enough touches.  The Patriots interior includes the likes of Vince Wilfork at nose tackle, Tedy Bruschi and Jerod Mayo at inside linebacker and hard-hitting Rodney Harrison at strong safety.  I include Harrison because of the support he can bring in the run game.  Aside from some ugly blocking against the Seahawks, the offensive line has opened up just enough space for Frank Gore to squeeze out some sizeable runs.  A solid running game is absolutely, positively essential to protecting JTO.

We started out discussion of 49ers-Seahawks matchups yesterday.  Some of today's discussion centers on matchups that have been affected by injury, be it significant or otherwise.  You never want to get too confident, but when you're facing a team that has been decimated by injury, your chances have to improve (assuming you can take advantage of the weaknesses).

Match-Up #4: 49ers Pass Rush vs. Seahawks pass protection
Advantage: 49ers - In accumulating three combined sacks, Parys Haralson and Justin Smith spent a good chunk of time taking on the right side of the Cardinals offensive line.  Seattle recently placed right guard Rob Sims on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.  In the first half of the Cardinals game the 49ers established a very solid pass rush.  The Cardinals brought in additional protection in the second half and stunted the rush and the 49ers couldn't make any adjustments.

The lack of wide receiver depth could be important in the developing pass rush.  If the 49ers can go straight man-to-man on the outside, that frees up a guy like Michael Lewis or a nickel back to add to the pass rush.  The 49ers are also thin at running back, so one would hope the 49ers try and tire them out with repeated blitzes.

Match-Up #5: Seahawks Passing Game vs. 49ers secondary
Advantage: 49ers - Matt Hasselbeck is still a very solid quarterback.  He's getting a little old, but given sufficient protection, he can pick apart defenses.  However, I can't imagine many quarterbacks who could make big plays with all unproven receivers.  This is probably the biggest story of the week considering the sheer volume of injury. 

Last weekend the 49ers secondary gave too much of a cushion due to fears of being beaten deep.  It's entirely possible Courtney Taylor or Jordan Kent could absolutely destroy the 49ers secondary.  However, it's not something the 49ers should play for at the beginning of the game.  The 49ers top 4 corners (Clements, Harris, Spencer, Strickland) is not the best group in the league, but I'd bet they're one of the better collections of talent.  They're paying these guys to shut down the pass game and this is the perfect opportunity for them to make a big impact on the overall defense.

Match-Up #6: Seahawks return game vs. 49ers return coverage
Advantage: 49ers - The injuries have even impacted the return game.  Nate Burleson was the primary return man for the Seahawks, averaging 18 yards per punt return against Buffalo (with a long of 21 yards).  The 49ers dealt with a serious averaging starting field position issue, although that was due to turnovers.  However, anything that will potentially hurt Seattle's field position is a good thing. 

The 49ers did a very good job the few times Arizona returned the ball and will look to continue this week.  The preseason was a disaster at times on special teams but so far that hasn't carried over to the regular season.  I realize it was mostly due to turnovers, but if the 49ers can avoid giving Seattle phenomenal field position, the defense might not have to exert themselves quite so much.

Normally I'd get to this sort of issue when the injury reports come along, but I think this is sufficiently big enough to discuss now.  Seahawks WR Nate Burleson is out for the season.

Deion Branch and Bobby Engram are both out for the foreseeable future, leaving Seattle with a wide receiver corp consisting Courtney Taylor, Jordan Kent and Logan Payne.  I'd imagine they'll sign somebody in the coming days, but that passing game is in a world of hurt.  This is definitely a bit different than facing the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

EDITOR'S NOTE 3:30PM - I forgot that Seneca Wallace played some WR the last few years for them.  Not a big addition, but certainly another option.

During his midday press conference today, Mike Nolan was asked about giving up the short stuff in order to prevent the long ball:

No. It wasn’t until the second half where they were able to. Now, obviously, they are a big play offense. They make big plays, and that’s one of their m.o’s. I thought that the secondary did a good job on [Larry] Fitzgerald. But that was not our goal – to give them anything underneath. We typically play a lot of man[-to-man defense] so it’s very tight coverage. There are certain situations they created some formations that they’ve done in the past as well. But we didn’t execute as well underneath the second half to get off the field. Some of those third downs for example were a case of that.”

First, it's entirely possible one of the three guys mentioned above becomes a big play threat this weekend.  It's entirely possible Hasselbeck just shreads the secondary.  I'm not betting on it, but anything is possible.

However, the 49ers should show very little respect for the pass to start the game.  Hasselbeck is a very solid QB, but if he doesn't have legit receivers out there, why not stuff the box against the run?  Does the combination of Seattle's receivers and the trio of Clements/Harris/Spencer inspire confidence that straight man-to-man coverage is sufficient?  This could open up increased blitzing and increased protection against the run.

The Seahawks did get a decent performance from TE John Carlson.  If you're looking for a tight end in fantasy football, he might be a guy worth having until Branch and Engram return.  Until the Seahawks receivers show they can make plays I'd expect to see a lot of passes to the tight end.

While there Seattle running backs are certainly decent, they do not inspire fear.  They managed 4 yards a carry (much better than Arizona's 2.8) against the Bills so they can certainly gain some ground.  If the 49ers don't worry about the big play they could provide solid depth in the defensive secondary to prevent large gains.

So am I getting ahead of myself?  The Seahawks have a solid defense so I'm not going to say this is anything remotely resembling an easy win.  The 49ers will have to play a great game to win.  However, I believe the game plan has been somewhat altered with this injury.  Mid-game adjustments are certainly a possibility, but why not be a little more aggressive early on?

EDITOR'S UPDATE 5:00PM - Apparently Maurice Morris is also out for this weekend with a sprained knee.  TJ Duckett will get more carries and I'd imagine former Cal Bear Justin Forsett will be active for the first time.  He had a great preseason, so we'll see what kinds of touches he gets on Sunday.  I've never been a huge Morris fan, but we'll see who brings the backup for Julius Jones...

via sf49ers.com

After yesterday morning's practice, Takeo Spikes took some time to answer a bunch of questions from the press.  Considering how much time and energy it took to get Spikes signed and in uniform, he had plenty to say.  Further down are some of Mike Nolan's thoughts on the Spikes signing and the impact.

Previous experience as a Ted:
“The good thing about it, I played that position late in my career in Buffalo, but just defense, I played just defense my first four years in the league with Cincinnati, so that’s why I’m familiar with it.”

Impressions of Patrick Willis:
“He’s just—I’ve seen him do interviews on TV and everything, but he’s all that everybody says he is. I think he is a good young man and I think he is an outstanding player. Everything he’s proven over this past year, I mean it speaks for itself. We are going to get together and everything I know and some of the things I’ve learned over my years, I’m going to help him out and try to notate that transition over as far as him taking his game up into another level.”

Why the 49ers:
"...Even the first time I came out here to San Francisco, I was impressed...I was impressed with the coaching staff. It reminds me of the coaching staff that I had when I first got to Buffalo out of free agency out of Cincinnati and that really turned me on, and then having the chance to talk to the guys. Mark Roman, Nate Clements, Jonas [Jennings]. Those guys kind of stayed in my ear throughout time, all over the summer time. I still didn’t know, so I was just waiting and seeing what the best opportunity was and the big thing, it really wasn’t about money for me. I wanted to come somewhere where I thought I would have the best opportunity to win because I’ve been playing for eleven years now, so I’m trying to at least, at the minimum, get to the playoffs and then we are going to win it all in the Super Bowl. So, I felt like San Francisco was the best place for me.”

On his health:
“I’m fine. I’m good. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t. That’s a good way to look at it, but I got passed the surgery to the fifteenth week of the season. I almost made it through, but I’m fine now...I was hoping to play the season out, but that Monday night when Minnesota won, that kind of put us out of the playoffs, so there was really no need for me to go ahead and continue to finish.”

How long it will take to learn the defense:
“It’s just a matter of time. The good thing about this defense is it’s not loaded with a lot of stuff. I came from Philly, to where it was serious. It was a lot of stuff, but the good thing is it’s basic. You are going to have a couple of calls, but it is more so terminology for me. The best part about it is I’ve been in the league now, going on eleven years, so it’s not really much I haven’t seen. It’s really not anything I haven’t seen. Now it’s just finding out what we used to call it and call it that here now.” (Spikes mentioned it was similar to the defense he played in under Dick LeBeau in Cincinnati)

Comparing the Ted to the Mike:
"He’s (Willis) actually coming into the same position that I was when I came into Cincinnati because I was in that same position. A lot of the calls are for that side of the defense, the weak side. He’s sitting right there on the weak side, but at the same time the TED has a lot of opportunities to make plays, too. They are out there to make. Do I just sit back and bide and at the end of the day, “There’s just this play he’s got to make and everything,” nah. If there is a play out there to make, I am going to go out there and make it. I tell him meet me at the ball. I tell all the guys, meet me at the ball, all the time.”

Why not wait until an injury opened up a need to sign him:
“To me, it is important for me to come in and understand what I’m doing and not only that. To understand who I’m playing with so they get to know me and I get to know them. That’s what is more important for me than anything and I kind of had this date circled on my calendar but as time goes on—nobody likes training camp, I don’t like training camp, but I’m here.”

My thoughts
Spikes seems to realize his role while still having the drive to be a play-maker.  I definitely like that he wants to work with Patrick Willis to make him a better player.  Up through 2004 Spikes was a big time playmaker before injuries slowed him down.  He's shown the ability to be a tackling, while forcing some turnovers and getting some pressure on the QB. 

While he seems to have some Ted-type experience, I'm curious to see how he does in what could be described as a somewhat secondary role to the star of the linebacking corp, Patrick Willis.  Obviously Spikes will play an important role and he is saying all the right things right now.

Whether you think he's washed up or not, I think the 49ers have improved their linebacking depth, while also improving special teams coverage.  If Ulbrich isn't starting, he'll see even more time in special teams.  As the punt coverage showed on Friday, that can never be underestimated.

Mike Nolan's thoughts after the jump

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Earlier today, word came down that the 49ers had released Brandon Moore and would have Takeo Spikes visiting to take a physical.  Well, it's now official: Takeo Spikes is the newest member of the San Francisco 49ers.

Spikes actually has some 49ers connections.  He played with Justin Smith during Smith's first two seasons in Cincinnati.  When Spikes moved on to Buffalo he played with Nate Clements and Jonas Jennings.  Said Clements:

"He was a groomsman in my wedding so he's a good friend and I've been in touch with him about coming here the last few months," said Clements. "He’s a great addition. He brings leadership, playmaking ability and experience to the table, and I’m excited to have him here.”

Terms of the deal were not released, but I'd imagine it is not too long term a deal.  Spikes missed the final two games of 2007 after having surgery to repair of torn rotator cuff.  With the latest moves and one exhibition game behind us, I'm planning on throwing an updated 53-man projection in the next couple days.  This move certainly heats up the Ted battle.

Since we're just going to discuss 49ers, I imagine it's not really giving away my entire draft strategy.  However, aside from Frank Gore, many of the players discussed would be sleeper-type players.  Up to this point we've had some very brief discussions of the 49ers potential fantasy impact.  The preseason will answer some more questions, but in the the meantime, I thought I'd give the 49ers roster a once-over and throw out guys who could have some sort of fantasy impact. 

Including our Niners Nation Fantasy League (register for the free drawing by Thursday!), I'm in 3 fantasy football leagues.  One is a dynasty league where you keep an entire 28 man roster.  Another is a keeper league in which you can keep up to 3 players.  The NN league is a year-by-year league without keepers (at least not yet).  I mention all this because this analysis is aimed at one and done leagues.  Keeper and Dynasty leagues are a little too involved with each league having a million different rules that impact certain players' value.  In a one-and-done league you can account for most, if not all the variables.

QB
Alex Smith: If he is the starter, he's got the arm and ability to put up some quality numbers.  If he looks to be the starter, I think he's definitely worth a late round pick as your backup QB if you've got a very strong #1 option.  If you waited too long and grabbed a guy like David Garrard, you might want a more solid backup option.

Shaun Hill: When I see him in action he comes across as more of the game manager type who will win football games, but won't put up huge numbers.  He put up a nice 3 TDs against TB, but didn't break 200 yards in any of this 3 appearances.  I think he definitely falls into the better real QB than fantasy QB (which I have no problem with as a 49ers fan).

RB
Frank Gore: Gore is a no-doubt first round pick thanks to the huge combined yards I fully expect.  He managed to finish 10th in points for running backs, in spite of the 49ers anemic offense.  And, if you're in a league that offers a point per reception, I think he's absolute gold.

DeShaun Foster: His only real value is as a handcuff to Frank Gore if you're concerned about injuries.  This offense is built around Gore and Foster is not going to put up the kind of numbers that would justify having him on your roster.

TE
Vernon Davis: Davis is going to put up big time fantasy points this year.  He finished 15th among tight ends last year after his 52 receptions, 509 yards a 4 TDs.  ESPN is  projecting 59/623/6 but I think his receptions and yards could be even bigger.  Mike Martz wants to take advantage of his speed a little more often, meaning bigger plays and more yards.  I don't know if he'll necessarily crack the Witten/Gates/Gonzalez/Cooley barrier, but I think he could get to the 5th or 6th spot this season.  I think the Duke is a very viable option as a starting TE.  If you can get Cooley, Witten, etc... maybe you go with them as a safe pick, but I think Davis's upside is immense.

Delanie Walker: I include him here only because the discussion around Walker has been more prominent this year than last.  Martz has really taken a liking to Walker and it makes me curious about him.  I don't think he has a lot of value in a normal league, but he's got keeper potential.  He's a guy worth keeping an eye on as a potential waiver wire steal.

WR
Bryant Johnson: I go with Johnson first because I think for the 2008 season, he has the most fantasy upside.  He's out of the shadow of Boldin and Fitzgerald and looking to make a name for himself.  He could be a spectacular crash and burn, but he might be worth a look as your 3rd or 4th receiver.

Isaac Bruce: I'm not sure how much Bruce has left in the tank, but if he stays healthy and relatively fresh, he gives Smith/Hill the most consistent target they've ever had.  ESPN thinks projects 65 receptions, 866 yards and 6 touchdowns.  While those aren't spectacular, they would blow away anything the 49ers put on the field last year.  For now Bruce is a bye-week fill in but if the offense gets it going, he could be an ok flex option.

Arnaz Battle: It'll be interesting to see if his numbers go down because of the increase in receiving options.  ESPN points to him in a Mike Furrey role in the slot, and to quote them it isn't a bad thing.  He'll never be spectacular but he's probably a good bye week fill in if you have multiple byes with which to contend.  Did anybody here have him on their fantasy team as more than a bye week fill in?

Others: Jason Hill probably has the most upside of the remaining wide receivers if he can stay healthy, but he'll be on the waiver wire so no need to spend a pick on him.  Ashley Lelie is injured and has a lot of work to do before he can become a productive fantasy receiver.

Kicking
Joe Nedney: With only 19 field goal attempts, Nedney was not a viable fantasy option.  If the 49ers can move the ball a little more, he's consistent enough to be worth a look.  Until then he's a better real kicker than fantasy kicker.

Defense
I steadfastly maintain that this defense has the potential to be a top 10 defense.  Fantasy-wise, the 49ers were one of the worst producing defenses.  Until they develop a legit pass-rush they cannot be relied on in fantasy football.  While turnovers and points off turnovers are certainly possible, they cannot be relied upon.

Some leagues do offer IDPs, or individual defensive players, although ours will not be one of those leagues.  If you're in an IDP league, Patrick Willis is obviously money in the bank and will probably be one of the first defensive players taken.  Justin Smith might be worth a look if he is going to be spending a lot of time in the outside linebacker role.  If the pass rush develops, Nate Clements will have value as a pass rush means more hurried passes, meaning the potential for more interceptions.  Also, he finished 2nd among cornerbacks in tackles, so that's certainly a plus for fantasy purposes.

So, there you have it.  Aside from Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, a lot of the 49ers fantasy potential ranges between not much and high risk.  I guess it just comes down to whether you're a gambler or not.

There is a lot of quality writing here at SB Nation, but I miss much of it because of the sheer volume of sites.  So I added the RSS feed for the football sites and have been able to check out the latest and greatest headlines.  I mention this because I came across an interesting post that has inspired a post of my own.  Over at Buc Em, our Bucaneers blog, new author NoahChestnut had an ingenius post about a six-on-six flag football contest among the Bucs. 

Flag and touch football are always a ton of fun and traditions for many on July 4th before the BBQ.  That got me thinking, what current 49ers would make up a solid touch football squad for a game on the beach.  To make it a little more interesting, I thought I'd come up with two 4-man squads to face off against each other.  And of course, feel free to throw out comments on who you think you would make for solid touch football players.  Buc Em put together a whole 6-round draft, but I'm just thinking we'll come up with a pair of teams more or less randomly.

From what I've seen most players can throw a spiral, so we don't necessarily need to have a true quarterback at the QB position.  And considering some of the people with whom I've played touch football, it's definitely not a must.  Also, this is competitive enough where I don't think you'd see many of the bigger offensive and defensive linemen on the field.  Although, I suppose they would be the guy designated to run the short routes when you're looking to move the chains.  So I guess, consider yourself the honorary captain and pick sides. 

We'll have the red team and the white team and let's hear why you think a player is suited for a certain position.  Since they'll be playing both way let us know where on defense a given guy will play as well.  One rule I will implement is that you have to select 2 offensive 49ers and 2 defensive 49ers.  No real reason, but I think it would keep things interesting.  You can substitute max one special teamer (Lee, Nedney, or Rossum) on either side.  The offense will consist of a quarterback and three wide receivers and those guys will then need to play deep safety, corner #1, corner #2 and pass rusher.  Remember, the pass rusher has to count to 5 Mississippi (or is alligator?) before he can rush the quarterback.

RED TEAM
QB/Deep Safety - Arnaz Battle - I couldn't resist the former quarterback here.  He can throw the ball but you know he'll be there to mix in some trickeration.  When I've played in the past, I'm a big fan of the QB lateral throw to the wide receiver who then throws deep.

WR #1/Corner #1 - Ashley Lelie - He may not do jack for the 49ers, but with his blazing speed I can definitely see him as an impressive touch football player.  One of the most successful plays is just a fly pattern by your fastest guy.  I could see Battle sending Lelie to the house and just chucking it up.  In touch football, who cares if you can't run correct routes.

WR #2/Corner #2 - Nate Clements - Lockdown is a guy who likes getting the ball in his hands whether it be interceptions or punt returns.  While he seems like a quiet guy on the field, he seems like he would talk a lot of smack after a big play in a touch football game.  His ESPN scouting report indicates he can "flip his hips and change directions effectively in the open field" and I think that is key for a game on the beach.  Playing football on the beach can be a pain when you're trying to juke the guy covering you in the sand.

WR #3/Pass Rusher - Patrick Willis - While he has speed, I don't think he has what it takes to cover a wide receiver.  Instead, imagine you're the opposing QB and Bamm Bamm is coming after you.  You know it won't be a simple "touch."  On the offensive end I could see him filling that quick in or out role to pick up a few yards at a time (I fill that role admirably thanks to my complete lack of speed).

GOLD TEAM
QB/Pass Rusher - Joe Nedney - I can definitely see Nedney standing tall in the pocket delivering passes.  I went with him as the pass rusher because I just don't see him covering the necessary space in the secondary to protect the deep pass.

WR #1/Deep Safety - Dashon Goldson - His scouting report indicates a weakness in man to man coverage, so I think defensively he's suited for that deep safety position.  I'm a little worried about the overall speed, but I think he can make some plays for the Gold Team.

WR #2/Corner #1 - Vernon Davis - Every touch game has the trash talker who won't shut up about how great he is.  Ladies and gentleman, I introduce to you Vernon Davis.  The Disease would definitely be "that guy" on the beach.  I have a feeling though that his defensive game would not be nearly as good as he thinks it is.

WR #3/Corner #2 - Alex Smith - The 49ers have run trick plays where Battle and Robinson line up in the backfield and Smith splits out wide.  Considering his ability to run the spread option at Utah, Smith brings serious athleticism to the table.  I'm curious about his coverage skills, but I could see him taking a deep pass from Nedney to the house.

And there you have it, two teams ready to battle on Baker Beach in the Outer Richmond of San Francisco.  So who wins?  Well, the gold team's success rides on the arm of Joe Nedney.  I think they've got more talent on offense, although I would love to see Nate Clements guarding Alex Smith straight up.  I think the Red Team takes it, but if Nedney comes to play, who knows.

So who do you have out there and why?  There were several players I would have loved to include but there is only so much space.  Who deserves a spot on the Battle at the Beach?

Aside from OTAs and a short minicamp, May, June and much of July are pretty quiet on the football front.  I'm guessing that's why the various publications put out their annual NFL Preview issues.  A lot will change in training camp, but for now, football fans demand information.  My first memories of this revolved around Street & Smith's.  Others have come along, including Athlon Sports and Lindy's Pro Football Preview, but for me, it all goes back to Street & Smith's.

We'll look at those magazines later, but for now I thought we'd start with CBSSports.com's Pro Football Weekly.  PFW gives letter grades to eight offensive and defensive units, a projected record and odds on winning the Super Bowl.  I've put all the pertinent information about all 4 NFC West teams in this handy-dandy chart:

As you can see, PFW seems rather bullish on the Cardinals and incredibly down on the 49ers.  I have no problem with the long Super Bowl odds, but does anybody honestly see this team going 3-13?  I suppose anything's possible and I'm probably more optimistic than an objective football analyst.  However, I honestly see both the offensive and defensive units improving in 2008.  I'm not predicting 13-3, but I think a 7-9 or 8-8 prediction is completely reasonable and safe guess.  Furthermore, even though the grades aren't all that good, there is no one unit that is so awful as to warrant 3-13.

Right off the bat, let's look at the running back position.  Steven Jackson is arguably the better running back in the NFC West.  Even conceding that point, would you rather have DeShaun Foster as your #2 back or the combination of Travis MInor and youngsters Brian Leonard and Antonio Pittman.  Sure there is upside in those last two, but Foster brings more to the table this season.

Looking at the offensive line grades, it's fair based on last year's performance.  However, I definitely think the offensive line will perform above a C- if they can stay healthy.  The addition of Barry Sims gives them a very capable backup to Jonas Jennings, meaning they won't be sliding guards to tackle and tackles to guard.

As far as the defensive backs are concerned, I think this a clear sign of not doing enough research.  It seems like they saw the 49ers final numbers and assumed the DBs were just as bad as everybody else.  They did acknowledge that Clements played well under his "$80 million contract" (that we all know is NOT $80M).  While Walt Harris certainly regressed from 2006, the depth behind him has grown.  Shawntae Spencer remains a talented back up and the youth movement of Tarell Brown and Reggie Smith brings a lot to the table.

They wrapped up the preview stating that:

At the very least, the Niners should be a lot more interesting with Mike Martz in charge of the offense.  But with so many holes to fill on both sides of the ball, a sixth straight losing season seems more than a little likely.

Considering they predicted 3-13, it seems like they think it's more like a lock.

Other Stuff
As with every preview magazine, PFW has several feature articles on everything ranging from the 10 players to keep an eye on throughout the year to the top rated players overall and at each position.  I'm disappointed to say that Patrick Willis didn't make the top 10 players to watch each week, or even the honorable mentions.  Of course the top 10 were all the usual suspects on offense.  The honorable mentions did include Ed Reed and Antonio Cromartie.  Personally, I think you're gonna see something special every week when Bamm-Bamm takes the field.

As far as the player ratings, 4.0-5.0 goes Pro Bowl, blue chip guys who "consistently make big plays."  3.0-3.9 goes to impact players who fall short in at least one area.  2.4-2.9 goes to starters who get the job done or a "still-developing player who has the potential to get it done."

Coming in at #50 and the highest rated 49er is Bamm-Bamm himself, Patrick Willis with a 4.0 (for new readers wondering about the Bamm-Bamm, Chad Johnson gave Willis that nickname just prior to playing against him last season.  Suffice to say, it has stuck here at Niners Nation). 

Next to many players they included little initials, such as u (upside), uu (huge upside), c (player is at a crossroads) and d (begun to decline or will soon).  Willis is notched with a uu meaning huge upside.  Only Brian Urlacher ranks higher than Willis, while Lofa Tatupu and DeMeco Ryans are also given 4.0.  Since Willis has uu, and those two don't, he gets the tiebreaker.  An interesting point is made in his little bio:

Willis had one of the all-time great seasons for a rookie linebacker, leading the NFL in tackles by a wide margin...Such a high tackle total is usually an indicator of a weak defense, but make no mistake: Willis had an outstanding first season.  A fast, tough inside linebacker who makes tackles sideline-to-sideline, Willis could be an All-Pro for the next 10 years if he stays healthy and hungry.

Aside from Willis, the 49ers get high marks for Frank Gore (3.75, although I think there should be a u next to Gore considering the impact Martz could have on the offense).  Vernon Davis comes in at 3.4 with uu and in the team preview they think he could blow up in the Martz offense (shocker there).  Joe Staley checks in at 3.3 with a uu, Justin Smith is a 3.4, Nate Clements is a 3.7 and MIchael Lewis is a 3.4.

And just to cap it off, the man, the myth, the legend, Andy Lee comes in at 3.8 with a u.  You have to love a punter with upside!