Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

After a one-year stint in the desert, former San Francisco 49ers guard Adam Snyder signed a contract to rejoin the team. Snyder left San Francisco to sign with the Arizona Cardinals last offseason, which included a $5 million signing bonus. He signed a two-year contract with San Francisco on Monday.

Thank you all for the support. So excited to have the opportunity to finish what I started long ago!!

— Adam Snyder (@ASnyds68) May 6, 2013

The Cardinals released Snyder on April 29 and the deal he signed with the 49ers does not guarantee a roster spot. Chances are Snyder will make the final roster cut, but only as a backup. The reason why he originally left San Francisco was because it was his best chance to continue being a starter in the NFL. Now after experiencing what it is like to go from a winning team to a losing team, Snyder seems to be willing to be a backup for the 49ers.

What makes Snyder such a great offensive linemen to have on the roster is his ability to effectively play at any position on the line, whether on the left or right side. He has made starts in the regular season at guard, center and tackle in his career.

Alex Boone took over for Snyder at right guard after he left for Arizona and played exceptionally well. Boone was a Pro Bowl alternate for his efforts last season, so it is highly unlikely Snyder will regain his old starting job. Despite dealing with injuries last season, Snyder started 14 games for the Cardinals.

Before 49er fan should get upset about the offensive line breakdowns, Alex Smith’s missed throws, Braylon Edwards and his dropped passes, all the penalties stop.  Remember this, it was a short week, the 49ers had to go across the country and play a very good team with a physical defense.  Preparation was limited and the offensive line had some injuries on the right side.

I may sound like a homer right now but the cards were definitely stacked against the niners on turkey day.  If the Ravens had traveled to San Francisco I really can’t see the team getting dominated in the trenches like it did on Thursday Night.

Now the 49ers did get crushed at the line of scrimmage and Smith didn’t play very well that I’m not denying.  After the jump I’ll highlight what went right and why a loss like this can help the team in the playoffs.

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What a fun week to re-watch some game film!  Now I love football and find find a lot of joy breaking down my favorite team and your’s the San Francisco 49ers.  But you cannot possibly get more excited about watching such glory as this week’s 48-3 stomping of the Tampa Bay Bucs.  As a fan, what a game!  From top to bottom, offense, defense, special teams, coaching this team was dominate and this was the 2nd most exciting game of the season to watch (you just can’t top a comeback performance vs the “Dream Team” at home) but it was by far the biggest statement  the 49ers have made in 2011.
Here are my 10 Key Observations of the 49ers victory over the Bucs on Sunday.

1) Frank Gore is BACK in a big way, and in fact I would contend he never really went anywhere due to other circumstances the running game just wasn’t clicking.  Well now it is and Gore is proving his doubters wrong, which in my opinion he should not have ever had to.   Add Kendall Hunter to the mix and the 49ers run game is clicking in all facets.  As I wrote here, Gore looked explosive not only in the power game as he did vs the Eagles but around the edges, changing direction, it was a complete game, yet again by Frank Gore. 

2) Vernon Davis needs more opportunities, the guy is unstoppable when he has the chance to be.  With 2 very good Tight Ends in Davis and Delaine Walker the 49ers utilize both more than ever before this season.  In re-watching each game this season it seems that Davis is being used either as a blocker or a downfield threat.  Davis is a superior blocking TE and when needed can provide a huge boost to the Offensive Line.  Davis also is the fastest, and perhaps strongest TE in the NFL, probably the fastest and most athletic at the position of any TE in NFL history.  Yes I said NFL history.  The 49ers have used Walker mostly as an underneath, check down type of TE (minus his up the seam streak for a TD Sunday).  And while from time to time the 49ers have used Davis in the TE screen game they aren’t targeting him enough overall in the passing game.  When you send him deep (beyond 15 yards) or keep him into block on 75% of his plays far too often Davis cannot become a safety valve for Alex Smith which he has done a great job relying on early in the season.  The 49ers need to re-visit how they are using their dynamic TE duo and start to utilize Davis more in the underneath/mid-range game where I think he could do some real damage with his natural abilitity to go along with unreal athletisicm for the TE position.  I think it’s time for 49ers start using them in a transparent type of roles, with injuries to the WR position mounting the team needs to utilize Vernon Davis in more creative ways.  2 of his 3 catches yesterday went for TDs, time to get biggest freak to ever play the TE position more involved in all facets of the game.

3) Aldon Smith again displays that he needs to be an every down player.  I will continue to beat this drum,  kick this dead horse  until we see our 1st round pick on the field for at least 85-90% of the defensive plays.  The kid is just too good, recording another 2 sacks Sunday Smith now has a team high 3.5 sacks.  He is a BEAST, he’s not overwhelmed or caught out of position like rookies sometimes are (when have you screamed, COMEON ALDON! at your TV this season?, you haven’t).  Let this kid have every chance to prove why he was the #7 overall pick, give him a chance to get us 10-12+ sacks, give the opposing offense someone to fear.  It’s time already! 

4) Carlos Rogers signing was MONEY for the 49ers!  Extend this guy to a 3-4 year deal now already Trent Baalke ok?  After looking at eventual Eagles signee Nnamdi Asomogha the 49ers signed Redskins FA Carlos Rogers.  While Nnamdi is struggling in Philadelphia (getting embarrassed by Crabtree!) Rogers has been the perfect pickup for San Francisco.  Sunday’s Interception was his 3rd in the last 3 weeks and his 31 yard TD return was very impressive.  Rogers came in with the reputation of being a good cover CB with awful hands.  Living in DE in close proximity to MD I have alot of Redskins fans opinions in my ear at work all day and many thought he could be a star if he just starting catching the football.  Don’t look now but Rogers seems to have made whatever adjustments he needs to be a star CB. 

5) Alex Smith is FOR REAL for the first time in Smith’s career he has a real head coach (Nolan and Singletary are coordinators/position coaches at best).  An offensive head coach that plays to Smith’s strength’s and has really put him and the rest of the offense in a position to win.  Smith looks great this season and has presided over almost every type of win thus far this season.  A thrilling comeback in Philadelphia, an ugly grind it out win in Cincinnati and he’s blown out a legit team in Tampa Bay.  Smith ranks 3rd in the NFL in passer rating behind only Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers (you may have heard of those guys).  He has only 1 INT and 1 fumble lost.  Don’t look now but Smith looks to be the NFL’s comeback player of the year, and he’s making Jim Harbaugh look like a very smart man for bringing him back to SF after it wasn’t seen as a popular choice.
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