5 San Francisco 49ers Who Deserve Most Credit for Drastic Turnaround

This should be a great test for both squads. The Steelers, while riding a four game win streak, may be without quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. While the 49ers may be without their defense captain in all pro-linebacker, Patrick Willis. Without question, these two players are the MVPs of their respective squads and both teams may have to rely on their supporting cast to pull out a win. 

With or without these two players––in Patrick Willis and Ben Roethlisberger––this matchup is intriguing nonetheless.

While the Steelers were expected to have this level of success, who could have imagined the San Francisco 49ers at 10-3, fighting for the second seed in the NFC––right behind the defending champs in the Green Bay Packers.

After the lockout hoopla, in addition to a new first year head coach, the San Francisco 49ers seemed destined to be a rebuilding team in 2011. With an already strong defense and tweaked offense, Jim Harbaugh has done wonders with a team that has lacked direction. 

The drastic turnaround is a result of a collective effort, and the 49ers should be praised for their effort especially with everything going against the team heading into the season.

Without further ado, I present to you the five San Francisco 49ers who have played a major role in their recent success. 

Carlos Rogers

Carlos Rogers has improved a 49ers secondary that: a) lacked a true coverage corner and b) lacked playmakers. At age 30, he has surprisingly filled the void in both spots and at a much cheaper price than many of the top defensive backs in the league. 

While Rogers is not the next coming of Charles Woodson, he still has played at a high level. The secondary still needs improvement, but don't fault Rogers for the 49ers struggles. Rogers has far exceeded the one year contract he signed, and should look for a big pay-day once the season ends. 

Alex Smith

Alex Smith is not the second-coming of Joe Montana, but his solid play has revitalized a 49ers offense that was dead in the waters last season––heck, for almost half a decade. He has played well under the tutelage of Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. 

The West coast system seems to suit Alex Smith and Harbaugh has the offense humming with a strong running game to complement and relieve pressure from the former first overall selection. While the play-calling may seem complex, in hindsight, the offense is actually quite simple––well at least for Alex. 

Alex Smith will have to improve his play in the coming weeks, if he is to lead the 49ers to the second overall seed in the NFC. With Frank Gore not at 100 percent, Alex Smith will have to play big for the 49ers to pull out a victory against the Steelers on Monday Night Football. 

Jim Harbaugh/Trent Baalke

While Jim Harbaugh receives all the national recognition, and rightfully so, general manager Trent Baalke receives little to no acknowledgment.

While many fans criticized Baalke during the first half of the frenzied free-agency period for his slow, methodical approach, the first year general manager finished the race with a heap of gold. He signed key free agents in  Carlos Rogers and Dashon Goldson––both to one year contracts, and also filled the hole at the center position with former New Orleans Saint Jonathan Goodwin. All three players could be headed to Hawaii at seasons end. 

Even after letting Takeo Spikes leave in free-agency, Baalke believed a star was born in this next selection...

NaVorro Bowman

NaVorro Bowman is turning into a dominant player for the San Francisco 49ers. His play, alongside Patrick Wills, has formed the best inside-linebacker duo in the league today. 

In Bowman's second year––and first year as an official starter at ILB––he has played at a Pro Bowl level. At times, he is indistinguishable from the teammate he emulates––in Pro Bowl linebacker, Patrick Willis. Steven Jackson agrees.  

Joe Staley

In recent weeks, the San Francisco 49ers offensive line has struggled in pass protection but Staley should not be at the forefront of their issues. Staley has played at a Pro Bowl level but the issues that remain with the five-year veteran are injury concerns. 

In the last two years, Staley has missed a combined 18 games out of a possible 32. He played in nine games the last two seasons and the injury issues are recurring in 2011. The 49ers need their blind-side protector against the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite the loss of James Harrison to suspension. 

With Joe Staley healthy, the offensive line plays smoother, meaning Alex Smith stays upright. With Staley out for seven games last season, the 49ers offensive line struggled to pick up the slack, and the same struggles showed up against the Arizona Cardinals last week. 

The jokester will surely be missed against the Pittsburgh Steelers if he indeed cannot play.