NFL Picks Week 4: Can the 49ers Pummel the Eagles into Submission?

Can The San Francisco 49ers play well enough to walk away with a victory in Philadelphia on Sunday? Yes they can. Will they? There is a question that bears investigating.

Albert Breer of NFL.com wrote a great article yesterday chronicling his interview with 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh is a very down-to-business guy who is focused like a laser on the task of making his team better in every way. He is instilling this same focus and intensity into every one of the players, and the team will be better for it.

Although the 49ers are happy to have a record of 2-1, any educated fan of the team could give you a laundry list of things that need fixing. There isn't a player on the team that is satisfied with their overall performance. The result of this culture is that you can be sure the team will be focused and ready to execute on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

So, how can the 49ers pummel the Eagles into submission? I have a few ideas.

Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and the rest of the front seven must continue their savage ways. Despite the East Coast bias and general lack of respect that the media has for the 49ers, there is a growing consensus that our front seven is among the elite units in the league. Vic Fangio has brought an aggressive one-gap philosophy that is playing to the strength of our linemen. Find me a better 3-4 DE tandem in the league, and I might have to buy you a Coke. 

The linebacking corps playing behind the line is playing beyond my own expectations, which were high enough to start with. NaVorrow Bowman is looking like Patrick Willis' little brother out there, and leads the team with 30 tackles. Both starters on the outside, Brooks and Haralson, are playing well and are providing consistent pressure off the edge.

Fangio must be creative and gutsy with his blitz schemes, and we must get pressure on Michael Vick. 

In addition to pressure from the front seven, the secondary must play disciplined or we will get torched for big plays from the Eagles passing attack. After struggling mightily the first two games, they played very well last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately for them, Dalton does not equal Vick. 

On offense, the team must improve their communication and execution of the protection schemes and the offensive line must start to open up running lanes for our running backs. Alex Smith has been getting hammered, and some of the hits he took made you wonder how in the world he hung onto the ball. 

The team has had little time to improve or jell, and the problems that they have are all fixable. I believe that the "arrow up" mantra Jim Harbaugh is chanting will become more and more evident in the positive steps that this team is going to take throughout this season. 

This week is a very good test for the team. Can they come away victorious? Yes. Will they? I can't wait to find out.