San Francisco 49ers: Forget Alex Smith, 49ers' Offensive Success Starts Up Front

If you believe the hype around the 49ers’ offseason, you think San Francisco’s success hinges solely on improved play at quarterback.  

In that case, consider me Chuck D because I think the play of the guys protecting the QB will determine the 49ers’ fate in 2011. 

If you’ve watched the games (and looked at the numbers) you realize San Francisco’s offensive problems start with not being able to protect the QB consistently and an inability to run when other teams stack the box. 

San Francisco was 27th in the league last season in sacks allowed (44) and 30th in quarterback hits (95).  

Despite having one of the NFL’s best backs and playing in the league’s worst division, the 49ers finished in the middle of the pack in terms of yards per carry (4.1) and six percent below the league average according to Football Outsider’s Power Success metric, which measures effectiveness on third and fourth-down short yardage situations. 

Finding a way to improve those numbers next season is as vital to San Francisco’s resurgence as figuring out who will be throwing the ball to Vernon Davis. 

Like seemingly all of the 49ers’ offensive problems, the struggles of the front five stem from a lack of consistency in both system and personnel. 

In the past three seasons, the 49ers’ line has been asked to protect around Mike Martz' seven-step drop system, dabble in the spread during the return of Alex Smith and then become a power running team with Jimmy Raye and Mike Singletary. 

Meanwhile, the 49ers have switched out lineman so fast that even a diehard fan can’t keep track of who committed which false-start penalty. 

Last year alone the 49ers’ front added two rookies, a new center and lost their left tackle for seven games. 

As new head man Jim Harbaugh and new line coach Tim Drevno attempt to install yet another offensive system, they should look to the past and start by implementing an identity with their O-line. 

The 49ers dynasty was built on the brains of Bill Walsh and the arm of Joe Montana, but also on the personality of the late, great line coach Bobb McKittrick.

Whether it was Randy Cross or Jesse Sapolu, McKittrick instilled a nastiness in all his lineman that provided the backbone for the West Coast offense. 

Opposing teams constantly complained about McKittrick’s allegedly dirty tactics, but five Super Bowl rings will drown out a chorus of critics.   

Drevno needs his front five to have some of that old-school offensive line attitude for the West Coast offense to be successful in its return to Candlestick.  

The largest chip needs to rest on the shoulders of second-year tackle Anthony Davis. 

Davis was erratic in his first year as right tackle and did little to dispel the criticisms that he doesn’t have the fire to be an effective NFL lineman. 

San Francisco can’t afford another Kwame Harris situation. They need Davis to develop the physicality of an effective right tackle next season and ideally takeover from Joe Staley down the road, who has always been a little physically over-matched on the blindside.

As Harbaugh and Co. begin the task of rebuilding the 49ers’ crumbled offensive facade, they will need to find an answer at quarterback, but their biggest concern should be the performance of the team’s largest bodies.