It really is something of pick your poison with this offense. As long as the offense stays creative with short dump offs and screens we don’t need a particularly strong running game.
24-14 Texans. I just don’t think the 49rs can keep up with our offense, and other then the atroicious first game our offense has put up big points every week.

Our man Patrick Willis won’t let that happen. I’d expect someone like Manny Lawson to cover Daniels leaving the inside linebackers to deal with Slaton.

That’s why I’m starting Slaton in fantasy this week.

But usually these yards come in 3rd and long situations….so there is no damage.

If the safeties and linebackers play their assignments I think the D will be fine. I imagine we’ll see 8 men in the box most of the day until Hill and Crabtree can show that they can beat us in the air.

You need the “medical card” to get it legally, but even if you don’t have it you can pretty walk 10 feet and find it. And they don’t really enforce the possession laws. I see people smoking on the streets just about every day without a care in the world.

Willis is faster than Slaton

Alex Smith lost the starting job this season to Shaun Hill (he was injured for all of 2008).

The 49ers offense only managed to score 14 pts vs. the lowly Rams….No way we can match your offense.
If we’re going to win, it’s going to be on defense.

Depending on who you ask, he’s either been a unmitigated disaster, or injury issues and constant changes at the OC position is to blame. I lean towards the latter, but also think college spread offense QBs tend to have issues translating their skills to the NFL. There has been rumblings that Smith couldn’t identify any pro routes when he was interviewing with teams because of the offense he ran at Utah. Another reason to be wary of Tebow.

Offensively, if Shaun Hill can get time, it’s possible for the team to score a decent # of points, but I don’t know about keeping up with Schaub and Co. I guess then we’d see what Crabtree really brings to the table.

STOP GORE. The key to winning this game is stopping their running attack – it will be the biggest test for our defense thus far based on our current standings.

Pass rush with a capital P (one of Singletary’s motto is Physical with a capital F). Good quarterbacks have had way too long to pick apart the secondary.
The OL, especially RT, has been a weakness for a long time. And as Fooch mentioned, cohesion hasn’t come yet. There have been high hopes for FS Dashon Goldson, but we are still hoping. He has only started this year, so we are looking for progress to come.
Also, Nate Clements, while good in all facets of the game, has not been the shutdown corner we were expecting.
On a general note, many fans are disappointed with the lack of creativity in the offensive play calling – too many runs straight up the middle, leading to many 3rd and longs.

The offensive line is by far the weakest point on the team.
We have a good LT and C, but everything else sucks.

The pass rush has been inconsistent thus far, they played well the 1st 4 weeks but couldn’t get any pressure vs. Atlanta (of course that can be due to the fact that Atlanta operates it’s offense out of a 2TE set).

We have an inexperienced FS that has made plenty of mistakes this season.

Nate Clemments has also had plenty of bad moments and is below average (for a No.1 CB)

The one thing I will say, however, is that you should keep an eye out for our 2nd CB Shawntae Spencer, he has played very well so far and has been a bright spot in our secondary.

Folks have nailed them pretty well here. The offensive line has been a problem to date and forced the team to make changes to the right side of the line. Shaun Hill has been getting killed in the pocket so they need to make some serious adjustments there.

On defense, the pass rush has been inconsistent. They’ve had games where they destroy the opposition and games where they can’t get out of their own way. The 49ers have an aggressive secondary, but a consistent pass rush would help them tremendously.

Don’t know if this is a curse or a blessing….

and Westbrook has himself a day.

What do I really think? The Texans have too many weapons for the Ninahs to handle. If it’s not Slaton, it’s Johnson. Not Johnson, then Daniels. Don’t like Daniels, then Walters. Don’t forget Jones, or Davis, or Dreesen, or perhaps Leach will break through…no, Anderson! Two times for Anderson on Sunday. And, the Browns for good measure…Chris and Kris.

I am confident that the Texans have found themselves on offense, defense and special teams and this game will be a breakout game for all facets and a statement will be made in this game.

Run? I don’t even know if we have scored a single rushing td this year. Trust me, stopping the run against us doesn’t really do much to hamper our offense, considering its been done in every game this year.

We couldn’t care less at this point if your run D is good.

We are going to throw for 350 yards on you and give your whole team the swine flu.

Enjoy Sunday’s reality check.

You are the best team in the worst division in the NFL….grats.

You’re the first one. Congrats.

Lol

And every team in this league can beat us down. Well, WE can do the same to every single team.

Sure, we may lose. But ya know what? Nothing that happens on these boards impacts the game in ANY way. Cincy didn’t lose because their fans talked shit. They lost because the Texans played better football than them.

So I think we sould be proud of our team. If they win, we were right, If they lose, it’s our own pride that suffers. Either way, the game is not impacted.

So let’s stop being the Sheep and instead be the Wolves. If the Texans choose not to bring it, at least the fans can.

Its going to be a good matchup. Depth against depth really. The question to me is if you can cover a back like slaton out of the backfield while also covering OD and KW and AJ and JJ(who as our 3rd has 3 tds). I don’t see schaub throwing for 370 like he has the last few weeks, but i still see him getting 250, but he will have to work for it hard. The darkhorse is going to be your special teams against ours. Our kick returners are elite class, but the aformentioned JJ loves fumbling punts when he isn’t running them back for sick returns.

I think the other big question is gore. If we can slow him(notice i didn’t say stop) I don’t have faith in your passing game even with Crabtree to keep you in it, and we have given up only 150 yards in the last 3 games combined.

TL;DR
Strength against strength. One of the deepest WR cores against one of the deepest secondarys, and our shockingly competent(recently) run game against gore.

Thanks Drew.

Used to go into San Fran for Moroccan food at some place that was AWESOME. Can’t remember the name….