49ers vs. Seahawks: Why 49ers Will Fail If They Ignore Kendall Hunter in Week 1

"We go out, we hit people in the mouth." It's not shocking that Mike Singletary's outdated and horrendously predictable offensive mindset failed. Getting in screaming matches with quarterbacks on the sideline, trying to ram the ball down the opponent's throat and forcing Frank Gore to make one cut and bash into a bevy of defenders is not something Jim Harbaugh seems keen on as he kicks off his regime.

Of all the aforementioned changes, the last may be the most important to the 49ers' overall success. Gore has been behind a porous offensive line since he arrived in San Francisco. Though it has seen tremendous improvement, offensive coordinators in San Francisco—with the exception of Norv Turner—have literally forced Gore to be beaten into the ground.

Feature backs are a dying bread in the NFL. Even the most sturdy and productive backs fall victim to the wear and tear of the most physically trying job in the NFL.

Gore could have played in any era. He's a rare breed of back who can be physical, elusive and hit a second gear when he needs to. He's got elite vision and he's been one of the only constants in what has been a lackluster 49ers offense since Gore arrived.

That's why the 49ers' can't be short-sighted this time around. Gore has only played a full season one time in his NFL career. Gore is the unquestioned leader of the offense and aside from Patrick Willis, the best player on the team.

That's why it's no surprise that the 49ers have wanted to use him. The fact of the matter is, not using him now can pay dividends for the 49ers down the stretch. Gore may be useful when the 49ers have games like the Week 1 opener against Seattle on their mind, but the 49ers never seem to learn that overworking Gore is a surefire recipe to get him placed on the IR.

Last year, it appeared as though Brian Westbrook would take some of the heat off of Gore, especially on third down. Singletary, Jimmy Raye and interim offensive coordinator Mike Johnson used Westbrook as a replacement back when Gore went down, but ignored him for the majority of the season.

The same cannot hold true for Kendall Hunter if the 49ers want to win. Hunter is a rookie out of Oklahoma State who embodies everything the 49ers are looking for in a second back.

There is going to be a drop off when he enters the game, but like Gore, he can do a little bit of everything and could easily be a back the 49ers utilize as a legitimate No. 2 back, not simply an emergency back as they utilized Westbrook.

Anthony Dixon showed a ton of promise when he first entered the league last season. He had a monster preseason that had 49ers fans thinking this big back might be just the change of pace back the 49ers needed.

He's not a worthless commodity by any means, but at this point it's evident that Hunter will be more instrumental to the health of Gore and the overall success of the 49ers' offense.

So what does that mean exactly? Are we really to expect Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman to leave No. 21 on the sideline? After all, isn't it absurd to justify the upside to not having the best 11 on the field?

The 49ers need to have Gore in when it counts the most. That means clutch conversion downs, in the red zone and most of all, towards the end of the season. While he still needs the majority of touches, feeding Hunter carries on less significant downs throughout the course of the season won't just help Gore maintain his health this season, but it will increase his shelf life to ensure he can play for longer.

Gore got a monster deal and fans are going to want to ensure they see every penny of it. It may seem odd to think of it this way, but if Gore doesn't touch the ball less, he's not going to perform at his highest level.

Too many talented backs are chewed up and spit out of the NFL. It's good to see the 49ers take care of Gore's wallet. At this point, it's time they take care of his health.

Getting Hunter acclimated to the NFL scene is going to take time. The lockout didn't exactly allow for rookies to get their feet wet this year. Even so, the 49ers can't wait until Hunter feels comfortable to get him involved.

Everyone in the offense is out of sorts. It's going to be a learning process and the 49ers don't have the luxury of getting their offense installed completely before the season starts and that's okay.

The intricacies of Harbaugh's offense aren't going to be learned right away. The 49ers aren't winning a Super Bowl this year (sorry if this is news to anyone). Waiting for Hunter to be ready and abusing Gore in the opener is a recipe for disaster.

The 49ers have been down this road time and time again. For once, the new regime needs to look to the failed 49ers' coaching staff before them and recognize what caused their downfall. The 49ers can't be fixed this season, but keeping Gore from landing on the IR this year ensures they are in prime position to take a step forward next year.

A healthy dose of Gore early on doesn't equate to a healthy dose of Gore later on. He can't be Mr. Everything and unless the 49ers incorporate Hunter early, there's no way we see Gore late in the season.

An argument could be made that getting Hunter the ball in the opener against the Seahawks isn't conducive to winning in Week 1, but it's imperative the 49ers look at the bigger picture. Gore's health depends on it.