San Francisco 49ers 2010 Season Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds
With the NFL Football season just around the corner, we are providing season previews for all 32 teams to give you the betting edge. Follow the best NFL Football Handicappers as they analyze the the San Francisco 49ers in this 2010 season preview. Use our comprehensive and insider info to bet successfully on the NFL in our recommend sportsbooks.View the rest of our 2010 NFL Season Previews here.
San Francisco 49ers 2009 NFL Record: 8-8 Home: 6-2 Away: 2-6
San Francisco 49ers 2010 Preview
In his first full season as 49ers coach, Mike Singletary succeeded in raising expectations. But it proved harder than he expected to fulfill them. For all of Singletary’s fire-and-brimstone speeches – and there were plenty in 2009 – the 49ers improved by only one game and missed the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. The postseason drought is a stunning development for a franchise that once considered anything short of a Super Bowl a disappointment. Getting back on the winning track will hinge largely on improved play from quarterback Alex Snlith, the former No. 1 pick who enters 2010 as the unquestioned starter. After going 5-1 against the NFC West, the 49ers believe the pieces are in place for a long awaited playoff trip. They are so confident in their roster that they barely made a peep in free agency, reasoning that continuity and the infusion of a strong draft class will be enough to push them into the postseason for the first time since 2002.
2010 San Francisco 49ers Quarterbacks
Smith, who lost his training camp battle to Shaun Hill last year, gets the starting job without a fight this time. Smith flashed potential last season by throwing 18 touchdown passes over the final 11 games. It helped that he was healthy for the first time since separating his throwing shoulder in 2007. Smith seems to see the field well only when operating out of the shotgun, which is why the 49ers moved toward a spread offense over the final month. The 49ers believe that back-to-back years with the same coordinator for the first time in his career will eliminate the tentativeness that Smith, at times, shows. There is no one breathing down his neck on the depth chart. The 49ers signed another former No.1 pick, David Carr, as insurance. Second-year quarterback Nate Davis is still at least a year away.
2010 San Francisco 49ers Running Backs
The only question mark surrounding Frank Gore is how much longer he can handle the pounding. He has four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons – a franchise first – but the heavy workload is a concern, especially because of his hard-nosed, between-the-tackles style. Gore can still flash his speed; he, Tennessee’s Chris Johnson and Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew were the only NFL players with three touchdown runs of 60 yards or longer last season. Niners executives have hinted at moving toward a multi-back system, but Gore is reluctant to share the load, reasoning that the nlore carries he gets, the better he runs. Glen Coffee and rookie Anthony Dixon are downhill runners like Gore, so the team still needs all elusive, outside running threat. Fullback Moran Norris, used as a lead blocker, has yet to duplicate the success of his 2006 season.
2010 San Francisco 49ers Receivers
No 49ers wideout has produced a 1,000-yard season since Terrell Owens in 2003. That streak could come to an end in Michael Crabtree’s first full season. The No. 10 overall pick in ’09 proved a quick study after ending his contract impasse last October, leading all rookies with 56.8 receiving yards per game. The 49ers can move Crabtree around the field now that he has had time to learn the playbook. Coaches want to get hinl the ball more often on slants to let him show the run-after-catch ability he demonstrated at Texas Tech. After Crabtree, it’s a mixed bag. Josh Morgan, penciled in as the other starter, made only modest gains in his second season and topped 70 yards in a game only once. The 49ers added speedy but shaky-handed Ted Ginn Jr. in a trade with the Dolphins, hoping he can be a late bloomer as a deep threat. The 49ers’ most accomplished pass-catcher is actually Vernon Davis. On the verge of being labeled a draft bust, Davis blew away franchise records for tight ends last season (78 catches for 965 yards). He cured his drops by staying after practice to catch balls shot out of a machine aIld showed better focus with help from Singletary’s tough-love approach. Brandon Jones and Jason Hill will battle Ginn for playing time. Delanie Walker, a converted receiver, backs up Davis.
2010 San Francisco 49ers Offensive Line
So glaring was the 49ers’ need to upgrade their blocking that they opened their draft by taking Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Idaho’s Mike Iupati, thus becoming just the third team since 1970 to use two first-round draft picks on linemen. Singletary wants an aggressive, physical unit capable of dominating short-yardage situations, but left tackle Joe Staley is their only dependable anchor. Right guard Chilo Rachal is a mauler with upside, but opponents used stunts to exploit his overaggressiveness. He’ll have to be more disciplined. Center Eric Heitmann, entering his ninth year as a starter, isn’t overpowering but is technically sound and serves as the line’s unquestioned leader. Line coach Mike Solari has work to do with two rookies, but Davis and Iupati will probably start immediately, replacing Adam Snyder (right tackle) and David Baas (left guard), respectively. The most valuable backup is tackle Barry Sims, a 12th-year veteran who stepped in for an injured Staley last year and had his best season in years.
| 2010 San Francisco 49ers Schedule | 2010 NFC West Preview | 2010 NFC Conference Preview San Francisco 49ers Sportsbooks |
2010 San Francisco 49ers Defense
Teammates consider nosetackle Aubrayo Franklin among the most underrated players in the NFL. In the 49ers’ scheme, it’s up to Franklin to play square and lateral on the line of scrimmage. They’re not looking for Franklin to penetrate, just to hold the line of scrimmage and let the linebackers roam free. (Patrick Willis is among his biggest fans). The 49ers’ front office recognized Franldin’s value and designated him with the franchise tag. EndJustin Smith, who used to line up all over, is now almost exclusively at right end and is coming off his best season as a 4ger. With Franklin, Smith and Isaac Sopoaga leading the three-man line, the 49ers allowed opponents just 3.6 yards per carry, third in the NFL. The team has yet to get any production out of Kentwan Balmer, a first-round pick in 2008 who can play inside or outside but struggled to earn playing time. He finished last season on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury that further hampered his learning curve. Ricky Jean Francois, a seventh-round draft pick, might jump in front of Balmer on the depth chart.
Willis gets better every year and ranks among the NFLs best defensive players. His sideline-to-sideline speed was never more impressive than when he chased down Johnson, the Titans’ speedster, on several outside runs last November. He’s 245 and runs a 4.3. He’s a perfect prototype for a linebacker.” Willis has benefited tremendously from veteran inside linebacker Takeo Spikes. A heady player, Spikes showed he had plenty left in the tank during his 12th NFL season by registering 4.0 sacks, his best total since 2001. On the outside, the 49ers are still looking for a consistent pass-rusher; no 4ger has recorded double-digit sacks since Andre Carter in 2002. Parys Haralson, Manny Lawson and Ahmad Brooks show occasional flashes, but none has been able to sustain the pressure over a full season. The 49ers signed veteran Travis LaBoy, who missed last season with a foot injury, in hopes that he can regain the form that made him a formidable presence with the Titans
Injuries to Walt Harris (during summer workouts) and Nate Clements in Week 8 left the 49ers short-handed in the secondary, which explains why opponents topped 300 passing yards seven ,times. Clements, 30, hopes to come back strong, but questions mount over whether he has lost a step – or two. Shawntae Spencer surprised by emerging as the team’s best cover corner last season, holding his own in matchups against Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald and Houston’s Andre Johnson. The 49ers hope Tarell Brown is ready for a more significant role. Free safety Dashon Goldson was the 49ers’ breakout performer on defense last season, showing boundless range, a knack for being around the ball and, toward the end of the year, greater discipline. Safety Michael Lewis remains a solid all-around performer, but multiple concussions last season raise questions about his durability. Rookie Taylor Mays could press him for playing time.
San Francisco 49ers 2010 Season Prediction
Though the 49ers lack the talent for a deep playoff run, they have enough to contend in a vulnerable NFC West. The defense has been postseason-worthy for several seasons, thanks to the emergence of Willis, so now it’s up to the offense to hold up its part of the bargain. The front office has worked hard to equip Smith with the proper supporting cast – drafting Crabtree in ’09 and two sturdy blockers in ’10 – so there are no excuses left. It’s time to perform.
We predict that the San Francisco 49ers will finish 1st in the NFC West, with a record of 9-7.
San Francisco 49ers Betting
NFC West Odds: Even NFC Conference Odds: 13-1 Super Bowl Odds: 30-1
San Francisco 49ers Five-Year Win Betting Trends
2005: 4 2006: 7 2007: 5 2008: 7 2009: 8
Bet on the San Francisco 49ers
Will the San Francisco 49ers will go all the way to the Super Bowl? Or, will their season be lackluster? Either way, you can still enjoy San Francisco 49ers betting at our feature sportsbooks. San Francisco 49ers Betting is serious business; where you can make a ton of loot placing informed, smart San Francisco 49ers bets. Check out these highly reliable, trustworthy, online sportsbooks.
If you are looking for the best Online Sportsbook to bet on the San Francisco 49ers this season, then BookMaker.com “Where the Line Originates” is the place for you. BookMaker has NFL Football Betting Lines and Odds, along with a tons of futures on the 2010 Season, so get your NFL bets in early while the lines are hot!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.