Ranking 49ers Teams over Last 10 Years by Strength

No. 4: The 2006 Niners

So, one person made the 2006 Niners fun to watch.

Well, make that two people.

In 2006, the 49ers acquired offensive guard Larry Allen in free agency. Over the next two seasons, Allen would start 27 games for the 49ers. It was exciting to say the least, and it really paid off for San Francisco.

Paving the way for second-year back Frank Gore, Allen made his mark on a former NFC rival. Gore rushed for 1,695 yards on 312 carries. He also added 61 receptions for another 485 yards. Totaling over 2,000 scrimmage yards is impressive, but not as impressive as one single moment that year.

On December 14, in Week 15, the 49ers traveled to Seattle for a cold and rainy divisional showdown. Trailing 7-3 when the fourth quarter started, Alex Smith found Arnaz Battle for a 54-yard completion. Later, Gore would seal the deal with his 20-yard touchdown catch, as Smith found him while rolling left on the play.

“The boy just became a grown man today, baby,” 49ers’ running back Frank Gore said of his quarterback. “There’s a lot more to come.”

Just a phenomenal game that showed the 2006 Niners had heart and something to build on.

Bottom Line

The 2006 Niners played with heart and showed signs of life. The 2007 offseason brought hope and things were looking up. A good reason to be rated higher than their more talented counterpart seasons.

Next: No. 3, the 2013 Niners