2009: A 49er Playoff Odyssey

The San Francisco 49ers are the team that always has high hopes around the Bay Area, that is before the season starts.

Always, they make some moves during the off season and some good draft choices and the 49ers look like they could finally turn it around, but they always seem to always find a way to lose and close the door on returning back to their former championship selves.

This season though is holding lots of optimism not just from Bay Area residents and critics, but from across the country as well.

The off-season brought back performing veterans Allen Rossum, Takeo Spikes, and Isaac Bruce. They were solid producers during the 2008 season and will be big contributors this coming season as well.

Also, Brandon Jones (Tennessee Titans), Marvel Smith (Pittsburgh Steelers), and Demetric Evans (Washington Redskins) join the Red and Gold and will provide depth and bring a solid work ethic as well.

The 2009 NFL draft brought the 49ers key players that will work their way into starting roles in the coming future.

Arguably the best player in the draft, Michael Crabtree was on a silver platter waiting for the 49ers to pick him up in the 10th overall spot.

Along with Crabtree, other notable pickups include running back Glen Coffee, quarterback Nate Davis, and linebacker Scott McKillop.

The offense of the 49ers now faces their seventh coordinator in seven seasons, with Jimmy Raye II taking over the reins for San Francisco.

Though his track record has shown more failures than successes with teams he has coached with, the 49ers are certain that he will be able to revitalize the offense.

He brings a run-first attitude and that should bode well for both the running back, Frank Gore, and the eventual starting quarterback.

Alex Smith and Shaun Hill will be battling it out to grab the starting quarterback position. Smith is battling back from injury and is trying to prove he is worth the 2005 No. 1 overall pick.

Hill is a proven starter and will look to prove that he can handle the starting role and lead this team into the postseason. Off-season acquisition Damon Huard and rookie Nate Davis are also listed on the depth chart, but mainly for back up duties.

Frank Gore will once again be the primary weapon on offense and he wouldn't like to have it any other way. Gore has rushed for 1,000 yards in his last three seasons and looks to do it again in 2009.

Gore will not be taking all the carries though as San Francisco has added Glen Coffee to help spell him whenever need. Defenses will now have to be extra cautious with this two-back system of Coffee and Gore.

Veteran Isaac Bruce returns to the 49er receiving corps to add his veteran leadership to the young group. Josh Morgan, Vernon Davis, Jason Hill, Brandon Jones, and rookie Michael Crabtree will be glad to have his leadership and skills aboard to help with their games as well.

Lots of people may say that the 49ers have too many emerging receivers that someone is not going to get playing time, but that is a problem that most teams would welcome with open arms.

The offensive line got a boost with the addition of Marvel Smith. Joe Staley and Eric Heitmann are locks on the line as well, but the rest is up for grabs. This line will be the thing that could make or break the 2009 season for the 49ers.

The same exact thing can be said for the defensive line. Justin Smith is a workhorse, but mainly a run stopper.

Isaac Sopoaga will be moved back into the inside at the nose tackle position for the same purpose. For the most part, the defensive line will be looking to stop the run and they got solid pieces to do that.

Hands down the best part of this defense, the 49ers linebackers will need to take things to another level to be a top-tier defense. The linebacker corps is led by two-time Pro Bowler Patrick Willis.

Manny Lawson will be a starter with a chip on his shoulder, to prove he can be a solid pass rusher for the team. Parys Haralson who stepped up in his place last season, will look to reprise his pass rush skills this season as well.

Takeo Spikes, Jeff Ulbrich, and rookie Scott McKillop round out the solid group with their strong abilities to bring the ball carrier down.

The secondary just took a blow with Walt Harris tearing his ACL during practice. 49ers rushed out and brought in solid veteran Dre' Bly to go opposite Nate Clements at the corner positions.

Michael Lewis is still showing he has what it takes to get the job done in the strong safety position and Dashon Goldson will take over for the underachieving Mark Roman at free safety. The only thing that will hold this secondary back is the questionable secondary.

Let's take a look at the teams slated for the 49ers in 2009 and see where the 49ers could have trouble, get easy wins, or games to drop everything and watch.

Week 1: @Arizona Cardinals

The 49ers take a visit to Glendale, Ariz.., for their first game of the season. The defending NFC champs will be hungry to get back to the Super Bowl and finish what they started in 2008. Kurt Warner and the high-octane offense will be troubling for the San Francisco defense.

The 49ers will need to control the clock and make sure they limit the mistakes against the Cardinals. The Arizona defense has a solid secondary with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Antrel Rolle, and Adrian Wilson.

The defense can be topped with solid offensive production on the ground. Look for this match-up to go either way. I will give this game to the Cardinals with the home-field advantage, but it will be close.  49ers Record: 0-1

Week 2: Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers will return home to host the Seattle Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck will be anxious to get on the field and hook up with T.J. Houshmandzadeh on many an occasion.

The running game for Seattle will not be as effective as last season, but could do damage if over looked. The secondary will need to be on their game to stop Houshmandzadeh and the passing game.

The 49ers should be able to pull out the victory and even up their record. The Seahawk defense is strong with rookie Aaron Curry and the addition of Cory Redding and Ken Lucas.

The departure of pass rushing specialist will come back to haunt them as the 49ers will be able to pass freely and that will then open the run game for Frank Gore to run rampant on the defense. Home cooking will be tasting good for the 49ers and bitter for the Seahawks, 49ers Record: 1-1

Week 3: @Minnesota Vikings

The 49ers go on the road again and visit Minnesota to battle the Vikings. Adrian Peterson and company look to come out victorious at home. The 49ers will need to do everything they can to stop the run offense of the Vikings.

The quarterback situation in Minnesota is not set in stone and don't expect really big things from Percy Harvin in his rookie season.

The Viking defense is really strong and the 49ers will need to prevent all mistakes from happening in order to come out with the win. The offense will need to score on almost all opportunities and the defense will need to stop the run.

This will be a tough game and the 49ers will get the short end of the stick and come out with a loss. 49ers Record: 1-2

Week 4: St. Louis Rams

The 49ers come back home to play the Rams. This should be an easy win, seeing as how the Rams didn't do anything during the off-season that will make them a real threat in the NFC West this year.

Marc Bulger needs to prove he can still handle throwing the ball and Steven Jackson needs to prove he can run it.

The Rams defense is nothing spectacular with the only big addition of rookie James Laurinaitis, but then they cut their leading tackler last season, Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Easy victory for San Francisco, as long as they don't underestimate this team and end up getting cocky and losing. 49ers Record: 2-2

Week 5: Atlanta Falcons

The Iceman cometh... Matty Ice, that is. Matt Ryan rolls into town to face the 49ers and he brings a well-known friend with him, Tony Gonzalez.

The Falcons offense is looking potent with Ryan, Gonzalez, and of course Michael Turner. The 49ers will have their hands full on both sides of the ball, since the Falcons defense has also upgraded.

Rookies Peria Jerry and Lawrence Sidbury Jr. join the crew of Mike Peterson and John Abraham on defense to show the 49ers an impressive front seven. The only shakiness is in the secondary, which San Francisco will need to exploit to get another W.

The Falcons will be tough and the 49ers will need to be even tougher to pull out the win; chalk this one to Atlanta. 49ers Record: 2-3

Week 6: BYE

Week 7: @Houston Texans

After the a week of training, the 49ers travel to Texas to take on the Houston Texans. Andre Johnson is a legitimate threat on offense and look for quarterback Matt Schaub to go to him early and often. Nate Clements will need do his job right in order to keep Johnson in check

The Texan defense features Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, Cato June, Amobi Okoye, and rookie Brian Cushing. Lots of big name players and they will be bringing big games unless the 49ers can unleash an aerial assault against a rather weak secondary. San Francisco should be able to cruise to a victory in Reliant Stadium. 49ers Record: 3-3

Week 8: @Indianapolis Colts

This game will be difficult for the 49ers as they face the powerhouse in the Colts. Peyton Manning no longer has Marvin Harrison, but that should not stop him from picking apart the 49er defense. Joseph Addai is a tough runner and this offense will score early and often.

The 49er defense will need to make stops all the time in order to eke out a win. The offense will need to deal with Dwight Freeney and a strong Colts defense. This one is going to be a arduous match for San Francisco to win, and I don't have high hopes going into this one. 49ers Record: 3-4

Week 9: @Tennessee Titans

AFC South teams are slated back-to-back as the 49ers travel to Nashville to play the Titans. The number one seed in the playoffs last season, the Titans look to rebound from an early exit and return to the post-season.

They will be carried by runners Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Also look for Michigan State running back, Javon Ringer, to work his way onto the field too.

This will be a battle of the runners as Frank Gore will be put to the test against a solid Tennessee defense. Having a top ten defense last season, don't think the 49ers can score easily.

They will need to work for every point and have an excellent run defense as well. Titans will be strong on both sides of the ball and the 49ers will come out of Nashville with two straight losses. 49ers Record: 3-5

Week 10: Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler, the cry baby from Vanderbilt, will showcase his skills with his new team, the Bears. Chicago failed to get any solid contributors to receive Cutler's bullets, but the run game of Matt Forte will suffice.

Rookie Johnny Knox and Juaquin Iglesias were drafted, but don't expect them to become the next Jerry Rice or Tim Brown. As long as Forte is held in check, the 49ers will not have to deal with any damage being done by Cutler.

The defense of Chicago is not as scary as it used to be and the 49ers should be able to take advantage of that. Mike Singletary was a former Bear and he should be able to exact damage onto his old team.

Good game for NFL Network to slate for their first game. This should be a hard-fought battle but in the end, the 49ers will be the last team standing. 49ers Record: 4-5

Week 11: @Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers can safely say that he filled Brett Favre's shoes and can be the starting quarterback for the Packers.

The pass game of the Packers is lethal and will be tough for the 49ers to stop. Rodgers will be hooking up with Greg Jennings and Donald Driver on many occasion.

The Packers defense will be transitioning into a 3-4 defense and that will be something for the 49ers to keep in mind.

The linebackers will be coming to attack the quarterback and the defensive line will stop all ball carriers on the ground. This will be a difficult game for the 49ers to win and the Packers will be cruising to victory here. 49ers Record: 4-6

Week 12: Jacksonville Jaguars

This team is a solid passing scheme away from being a top tier team. The Jaguars have the run game with Maurice Jones-Drew and they have the defense, anchored by John Henderson, but the pass game is weak.

David Garrard is an average quarterback with no receivers and the off season was not where they helped that cause. Still this team is strong, even without a good passing game.

This is a game to watch because this can help the 49ers prove they have what it takes to compete with the best. The Jacksonville defense is strong, but the 49ers have an emerging offense and a defense hungry to make plays. Look for the 49ers to get the win in an upset. 49ers Record: 5-6

Week 13: @Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco now travel to Washington to deal with the Seahawks for a second time. Now they will need to handle the bad weather and the infamous "Twelfth Man." Not much more can be said about the Seahawks that hasn't been said earlier.

The 49ers will play hard and can come out victorious as long as they don't let the distractions get the best of them.

This will not be an easy win and the Seahawks will be a tough match at home, but the 49ers will be hungry to pull out the victory against their division rivals. 49ers Record: 6-6

Week 14: Arizona Cardinals

Two straight divisional games slated, but this one they get to come home for on Monday night! Last two seasons these have been games to watch and this game will be no exception.

It will be getting closer to playoff time and these are the games that separate post-season teams and the teams that still need fine tuning.

The 49ers will play hard and pull out the victory for the home crowd. This is a must-see game of the season. 49ers Record: 7-6

Week 15: @Philadelphia Eagles

Lincoln Financial Field is the next destination as the Eagles host the 49ers. Donovan McNabb and company will be tough foes to defeat and the 49ers should be prepared to play.

Brian Westbrook is going to be the guy to focus on as he can hurt you in many ways. The defenses of both teams will need to play well.

The Eagles lost veteran Pro Bowler, Brian Dawkins and also traded away Lito Sheppard, but this is still a strong defense. They bring in Ellis Hobbs and Sean Jones during the off season and should still be a little shaky in the secondary.

This is a game to watch to as well, as this game is a statement game for the 49ers, if they can pull out the win. Look for the Eagles to pull it out though at home. 49ers Record: 7-7

Week 16: Detroit Lions

The number one overall pick, Matthew Stafford, takes a visit to the Bay Area to play the 49ers. This is the game for the 49ers to win.

Even though the Lions did make some major moves in the off season and draft to insure at least one win this season, they are still rebuilding and the 49ers will cruise to victory.

Julian Peterson is coming back to pay his old team a visit with a new team. He will be dangerous, but the 49ers will be able to hold him in check and get the W. 49ers Record: 8-7

Week 17: @St. Louis Rams

The way things are projecting so far, this will be a must win game for the 49ers. The Rams are not a difficult team to beat and this win could carry them into the playoffs, with the current state of the NFC West.

The 49ers will just need to score early and often and close this thing out as early as they can.

The Rams will be the spoilers here for the 49ers and they will playing as hard as they can to stop the 49ers from entering the postseason. This will be tough also that they will be in St. Louis as well.

The 49ers will be able to pull it together and get the win and head into the postseason with a two game win streak of a momentum. 49ers Record: 9-7

The way things are slated, I see the 49ers making the playoffs with a 9-7 record. The way the NFC is, they will need to be division champs in order to make the playoffs as well and the way the teams are situated right now, that is highly probable

This is the season for the 49ers to prove they can hang with the elite and be a playoff team on a consistent basis. The staff is set and the players are hungry and this is the year to be the most confident. Let's go Niners!