Alex Smith has had his ups and downs in his career and with the 49ers staying in the hunt for a playoff spot he has an opportunity to make the best of a rare second chance.  Smith finished his rookie season in 2005 starting the last nine games of the season with one touchdown and 11 interceptions.  Norv Turner was hired as offensive coordinator in 2006 and Smith slightly improved throwing 16 touchdowns with 16 interceptions.  He became the first Niner QB to take every snap under center in a season.  The Chargers hired away Turner the following season and replaced by quarterback coach Jim Hostler.  Hostler had no prior play calling experience and Smith’s progress stalled.  It marked the beginning of a downward fall for Smith as he separated his right shoulder in week 4 of 2007.  He would miss the next three weeks and come back for three games in which he was ineffective only to sit out the rest of the season on injured reserve because of his shoulder.  During this period Mike Nolan questioned Smith’s toughness by saying his shoulder injury was not as bad as being perceived.  The criticism took a toll on Smith’s confidence.  In 2008 he competed for the starting job but lost it to J.T. O’Sullivan and then before the start of the season he broke his right shoulder blade.  I labeled Smith a bust at that point as he would be sitting out the whole season and lost the starting job even if he was healthy.

Smith looked like he was not going to get a second chance to be a starter not only with the 49ers but with any other NFL team but he restructured his contract this off-season and took a significant pay cut to remain with the 49ers.  We know how the story goes up until now and Smith is ready to put himself back into the starting quarterback role for good this time but only if he can lead the 49ers back to the playoffs.  It will be an uphill battle for Smith and the 49ers because they will probably need a 4-1 record down the stretch to clinch a playoff spot.  Either way Smith will be counted on to lead the 49ers to wins as the offensive playbook has been adapted to his skills and abilities.  This time he has no excuses because of the spread formation and the talented receivers around him.  This is his chance to make a name for himself and disprove the bust label because a third chance will likely not come.

The 49ers secondary were beat deep down the field many times last year and they will have to improve on their lack of interceptions.  If the defensive backs can get help from the D-linemen by pressuring the quarterback more often an increase in broken up passes and interceptions will happen while getting beat on a long pass will decrease.

CB Nate Clements:  The durable veteran is entering his third season with the Niners and Clements great tackling skills and his ability to match up against the best receivers in the NFL makes the 49ers secondary respectable.  But Clements is only one man and the rest of the secondary will need to produce for the 49ers to win games on defense.

CB Shawntae Spencer:  After sustaining a torn ACL last season that ended with him being placed on injured reserve Spencer went into training camp determined to get his starting job back after Walt Harris supplanted him the last two years.  Ironically Harris suffered a torn ACL during OTA’s which opened the door for Spencer to become the starter again.  Shortly after Harris’ injury the Niners signed Dre’ Bly and the prospect of Spencer starting diminished.  When you are under the radar the big plays you make are more noticeable to the coaches because you come out of nowhere and the coaches do not expect that.  Let’s hope his knee injury can hold up for a whole season and that it does not cause him to let the receiver run by him.

Strong Safety Michael Lewis:  Two concussions in August make him uncertain for week 1.  Lewis is a solid safety and was third on the team last year in tackles racking up 118.  Concussions are serious injuries and with Lewis being a hard hitter it is uncertain when he will play this season.  We need him back as soon as possible.

Free Safety Dashon Goldson:  The third year pro replaced former starter Mark Roman by having a strong training camp and playing well in the preseason.  Goldson is a known hard hitter and his speed and instincts will allow him to make plenty of plays this season.  Goldson is ready to break out this year.

Key Reserves:

CB Dre’ Bly:  When the 49ers signed Bly in the off-season to replace the injured Walt Harris I automatically assumed he would be the starter.  The 11 year veteran showed in training camp he still has what it takes to cover quick receivers but that was not enough to earn a starting job.  Bly’s playing time will come mostly in the Nickel package as he will be the first corner off the bench because he excels at covering receivers down the field.  His 40 interceptions in ten seasons is impressive and if he can keep up the way he has been playing during his career Bly could be starting at cornerback at some point in the season.

CB Tarell Brown:  He was competing for Harris’ starting job along with Bly but he did not have an impressive training camp or preseason.  Brown’s contribution to the D this year will be in the Nickel package.  Bly will get the first look in the Nickel package so Brown’s playing will be limited unless someone gets injured.

Strong Safety Reggie Smith:  With starter Michael Lewis sustaining two concussions in the preseason his status for the start of the season is questionable.  Enter Smith.  He only has one year of experience and played in only three games last year so he is a question mark.  He is a versatile player who can also play the corner position but I am hoping Lewis will be able to come back and play in week 1.  Relying on a player who has only three games of experience makes me uneasy.

Special Teams:

The 49ers have one of the best special teams units in the NFL.  Led by coach Al Everest the special teams will put the 49ers in position to make plays on both sides of the football.  Joe Nedney is still automatic but his ability to make field goals 40 yards or longer has been an issue.  But when you have a Pro-Bowl punter in Andy Lee, who will try to pin down the opposing offense inside the 20 yard line and Pro-Bowl return man in Allen Rossum who will try to get the 49ers great field position, the special teams unit will be counted on again this year to give the 49ers offense and defense some help.

Kicker Joe Nedney:  He is getting older and has lost some range but Nedney is a dependable kicker who can score three points in pressure situations.  He does confuse me sometimes like last year against the Seahawks in week 2 he missed a 41-yard field goal at the end of regulation to win the game, but then he won the game with 40-yard field goal in overtime.  He will miss some kicks but he is still considered one of the better kickers in the league.

Punter Andy Lee:  The 2007 Pro-Bowl and All-Pro punter put up great numbers last year by setting a career-high and Niners single-season record with a 47.8 gross average on punts, breaking his own previous record of 47.3 avg. in 2007.  He also had a career-long punt of 82 yards against the Patriots last year.  Like in years past Lee will make up for what the offense cannot accomplish by pinning opponents deep in their own territory.

Kick/Punt Returner Allen Rossum:  Last year Rossum had career high averages in kick-off returns (26.8 yards) and punt returns (14.9 yards) and we should expect more of the same from the specialist.  Getting good field position before every drive will help the 49ers offense especially Shaun Hill in that they will not have to go many yards for a score.

Five Keys to Success:

1.  Safety Michael Lewis needs to stay healthy if the 49ers secondary wants to improve on the multiple times they were beat deep down the field last year.  He has had two concussions in a month and the 49ers might have to rely on Reggie Smith for much of the season if precaution is taken with Lewis’ head injury.  The opponents D will exploit Smith.

2.  Nate the Great needs to be Nate the Great.  He was outstanding while on the Bills which is why the 49ers signed him to a big contract.  He has done a decent job the two years on the roster but we need to see more out of Clements this year.

3.  Joe Nedney will have plenty of opportunities to make game-tying or game winning field goals.  He needs to capitalize where the 49ers offense falters.

4.  If punter Andy Lee can continue being one of the best punters in the league the 49ers will be in good shape each game.  He will give the 49ers defense plenty of chances to make big plays.

5.  We are not sure how effective Dashon Goldson, making his first career start in week 1, and Shawntae Spencer, starting for the first time in two years, will be.  A lot will be riding on the two starters but with Goldson’s tackling and hitting abilities and with Spencer determined to show he still has what it takes to make plays I think both will be reliable this season.  They know there are players waiting on the bench eager to take over the starting job.

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D-line

Left DE Isaac Sopoaga:  As much as we need a pass rush he is not on the line to pressure.  His four total sacks in four seasons is an indicator but Sopoaga’s job is to hold up the line while the other D-linemen put pressure along with the linebackers.  The Steelers D-line is great at allowing pressure to come from unexpected angles and somebody has to plug up the line. Sopoaga is that man.

NT Aubrayo Franklin:  Unless your name is Albert Haynesworth the nose tackle position does not get a lot of hype.  Getting a pass rush out of Franklin will most likely not happen, I am sensing a pattern here, but he is great at stopping the run.  Like Sopoaga he will be plugging the holes.

Right DE Justin Smith:  Finally, here is our pass rush guy.  One out of three D-linemen isn’t bad but right?  Oh, yeah we have no pass rush.  That was what Smith was brought in to do at six years $45 million, including $20 million in guarantees.  So far that has bought us seven sacks and 50 tackles.  Smith is good at putting the pressure on the QB but at that price tag we need more sacks out of the veteran this year.  Especially if he is all we have to rely on for sacks from the line.

Linebackers

Left Outside LB Manny Lawson:  Much of the 3-4 pass rush will come from the outside LB’s and with Lawson’s speed and athletic ability he will break out this year after having issues with injuries early in his career.  Lawson was a defensive lineman while at North Carolina State so the pass rushing instincts are there.  Coming off his best season last year, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 blocked kicks, expect him to continue building on his stats and confidence.  If we don’t get a pass rush out of Lawson, we won’t have one at all this year.

Middle Left LB Patrick Willis:  This is the only man opposing offensive coordinators fear.  The 2007 Defensive Rookie of the Year is the 49ers D and he leads by example.  His numbers two years in the NFL are amazing: 315 tackles, 244 of them solo, 5 sacks and 15 pass deflections.  Nothing more needs to be said about him.  Just watch in awe.

Right Outside LB Parys Haralson:  He led the 49ers with eight sacks last year and he will be counted on again this year pairing up with Lawson to be the fourth pass rusher coming from the outside.  Haralson signed a new contract that will keep him with the Red and Gold until 2013 so we have to demand another repeat in sacks like last year.  He will need to get at least ten sacks if the 49ers want to have an effective pass rush running the 3-4 scheme.

Right Inside LB Takeo Spikes:  The Bills and Eagles thought Spikes was past his prime but after ten years in the NFL he is showing he still has what it takes to make plays.  Last year he ranked 2nd on team with 122 tackles and was tied 1st on the team with 3 INTs and 2 forced fumbles.  Four games into the season he took over as a starter.  Spikes has not disappointed since then and with a great training camp he and Willis will lead the defense installing Singletary’s wear-you-down style of play.

Key Reserves:

Left DE Kentwan Balmer:  The 2008 second round pick is entering the season as a reserve but he will get plenty of playing time to convince the coaching staff to insert him as a starter.

Right DE Ray McDonald:  McDonald is entering his third season and he showed last year he can put pressure on the QB. With that being a hot commodity on the defense this year his playing time will rise.

Right Inside LB Scott McKillop:  Drafted in the 5th round of the draft McKillop had a productive training camp and preseason but his playing time will be limited unless an injury takes out one of the starters.  Hopefully we will see him but not in that capacity.  Whenever he does start he will be force for the defense.

Five Keys to Success

1.  Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush.  Without it the defense will take two steps backwards for every step of progress they make.

2.  No matter how unsuccessful the pass rush might be this year, if Patrick Willis is on the field we have a chance.  If something happens to him, goodbye season.

3.  Someone needs to step up in the pass rush.  Really, the pass rush again? Well that is the job of the D-linemen and linebackers and this is the biggest question mark we have.  So who will it be…

4.  The success of the 3-4 schemes will make or break the D this year.  It will most likely make them meaning they will be a top ten defensive unit in the NFL this year.  I am assuming someone steps up in the pass rush but the 49ers are good at defending the run and they will tested this year facing off against Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner and Maurice Jones-Drew.

5.  Pass rush.

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