San Francisco 49ers vs New Orleans Saints Live Blog: Game-Time Updates, Analysis

San Francisco 49ers vs New Orleans Saints 2011 Preseason Matchup

Hey there sports fans! Thank you for joining me on my live blog of the preseason matchup between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, where I'll be feeding all of the up-to-date coverage you could ever hope for.

This live blog will center predominantly around the 49ers and should not be viewed simply as a play-by-play recap of the game, though that type of update will certainly be a part of it.

When it comes to preseason, winning isn't everything. The 49ers shot out to an undefeated preseason in 2010, only to fail to win more than four games until Week 12 of the regular season.

Even so, guys are competing for jobs and we finally get to see Jim Harbaugh in action. There are a number of position battles underway, most notably at safety. The signing of Donte Whitner and re-signing of Dashon Goldson gives the 49ers one of the deepest safety groups in the league, as soon as Reggie Smith heals up, of course.

It's also a great time to shop around Taylor Mays, who is ever-so prominently on the trading block. If he shows flashes of the player the 49ers thought they were getting when they drafted him in the second round of the 2010 draft, a team just might bight on the trade bait.

Adam Snyder is still battling for a job, as the 49ers brought in Jonathan Goodwin to anchor the line. The right guard spot is anything but locked up though. It will be interesting to see if Snyder gets any play there or if Harbaugh sees him as more of added depth.

Let's not forget the most compelling story of all, the quarterback situation. I won't call it a controversy, because to do so would be misleading. Alex Smith and rookie Colin Kaepernick aren't competing for a job at the moment but it's Smith's to lose.

Even so, it's clear that Kaepernick is the quarterback of the future. He has the tools to be special. Even if the 49ers have to chop down the playbook for him while he gets acclimated, putting a few drives together will give him more than enough time to showcase his abilities.

It also gives Smith a chance to display his progression in his seventh offense in seven years. Given the status of the lockout, Smith won't be able to exude mastery of the playbook just yet. Still, he's got a lot to prove and a stellar performance from him (even in preseason) could do wonders with his relationship with fans.

He's the most polarizing player on the team. When he's at his best, the entire fan base rallies around him. When he's not looking sharp, he gets the brunt of the blame for the downfall of the storied franchise.

Keep it locked right here for all of your updated analysis and reaction of the game.