This week in 49ers history......Week 4: 1973

I promise I will have a post surrounding the 49ers' current fortunes up at some point in the near future, but for now please enjoy another fine piece from Paul Kadwill as he delves into the archives to look back at a Week 4 clash from years gone by.

 

For week 4 of the 1973 season San Francisco took the cross-country trip to Atlanta Stadium where they faced divisional rivals the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons were in just their eighth year of existence at the time, forming during the 1965 league expansion.

Although still in their first decade, the Falcons team had already been built up into a very competitive outfit by their head coach and long-time 49ers foe Norm Van Brocklin.

Van Broklin spent the majority of his successful NFL career in Los Angeles playing quarterback for the Rams before finishing with a stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In 1973 the 49ers were still under the guidance of head coach Dick Nolan, who had steered them to three consecutive playoff appearances between 1970 and 1972.

Returning from a successful '72 season, the 49ers roster featured All-Pros Gene Washington and Ted Kwalick, both of whom had led the league in touchdowns at the respective positions of wide receiver and tight end.

Another area of strength was the depth at the quarterback spot.

For years the 49ers had relied upon the efforts of John Brodie. However, Brodie was injured in the 1972 so backup Steve Spurrier started nine times and made the most of his opportunity by taking the team to the playoffs and giving San Francisco confidence that either QB could get the job done on the field.

Brodie came back to his starting job for 1973 but age was finally catching up with #12. Indeed, Spurrier started five games in the '73 season before Brodie called time on his football career after 17 years with the 49ers.

Injury issues also plagued the Niners' rushing attack as both starter Ken Willard and backup Vic Washington would spend time on the sidelines.

On the defensive side of the ball the 49ers relied on several veterans including outside linebacker Dave Wilcox and defensive lineman Charlie Krueger.

The 1973 campaign was the peak of Wilcox's career, with the seven-time pro-bowler and four-time all-NFL player amassing 104 tackles and forcing four fumbles that year.

He was just as effective in coverage too, recording 14 interceptions in his pro career.

Krueger, a 15-year member of the 49ers, was the consummate pro. He became a starter in 1959 and had not missed a game for over five years heading into the '73 season. Quite a feat for someone playing on the defensive line. He was a technician at his position and someone that had earned the respect of offensive linemen throughout the league as a tough and talented competitor.

The 1973 49ers draft was pretty average aside from the addition of Willie Harper. The Nebraska linebacker was selected by the team in the second round and went on to complete 11 seasons of duty for the 49ers, serving as part of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl in 1981.

The first-round pick from this year was a S/CB from Texas Southern University by the name of Michael Holmes. At 6'1” and 180lb with blazing speed, return abilities and numerous school defensive records to his name, a lot was expected of Holmes. Sadly after just two seasons with the team, he was released. He eventually wound up as a receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL and was a real success. His post-football career, however, has been even more rewarding as this interesting article reveals.

The game

The divisional rivals met in Atlanta with identical 1-2 records. Both teams were desperate to get back to .500 and to push on in their quest to play in Super Bowl VIII in Houston, Texas.

After a cagey and scoreless first quarter, the 49ers went ahead through a 10-yard Bruce Gossett field goal after being stopped short of the endzone by Atlanta.

Vic Washington then scored what was to be the only TD of the game with a seven-yard rush during the second quarter, making it 10-0 to the visitors before Atlanta hit back with two field goals before the half.

Both defenses continued to dominate in the second half.

The Atlanta secondary did a sterling job of covering their targets and breaking up passes, only allowing Brodie to complete 54 percent of his attempts. He finished the game with just 168 yards.

Offensive weapons Gene Washington and Kwalick were both held to three catches each, with Atlanta giving up 67 yards to Washington and 48 to the tight end.

On the other side the 49er defense was even more successful, racking up four sacks and knocking Falcons QB Bob Lee out of the game. Lee was replaced by Dick Shiner, who endured a dreadful day, posting a 40 percent pass completion rate with an interception.

San Francisco stretched their lead with a field goal in the third, giving them a seven-point lead. They were unable to add to their 13 points however and, with Nick Mike-Mayer kicking a 37-yarder in the fouth quarter for Atlanta, the final minutes were edgy as San Francisco tried to hold to a four-point advantage.

Once again it was down to the defense to step up for the 49ers and they did that stoutly, stopping any chance of an Atlanta fightback to ensure that Nolan's men emerged victorious 13-9.

The win gave the 49ers a 2-2 record and hopes of returning to the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year.

But the season was marred by injuries to key players for the second year running, although this time the backups could not rescue the situation as San Francisco only managed third place in the NFC West with a 5-9 record.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Kadwill

This Week in 49er History: Week 3, 2008

This week I have chosen to take a look back at a more recent game in our history, the 2008 week 3 matchup with the Detroit Lions.

I must confess that the reason for choosing this is entirely personal, as it was the game where I was finally able to fulfil my childhood dream of watching the 49ers play at Candlestick Park.

Ever since I was old enough to pick up a ball - the first I can remember being an American football - I had wanted to visit the home of the 49ers.

I grew up in the 80s and 90s reading and watching anything I could get my hands on about the game and our team.

And at the centre of it all was always Candlestick Park, the place where Joe, Jerry, Steve and countless other heroes played out the dreams of myself and thousands of others.

Living over 5,000 miles away, and before the internet changed everything, made San Francisco, its players and its stadium even more magical and in 2008 I was fortunate enough to set foot in there to watch a game. Bliss.

They say you should never meet your heroes for you shall always be disappointed. Whilst that may be true sometimes, thankfully on this occasion it most certainly was not.

With each year that has passed since the game, my memories have become even more entwined with my childhood dreams, making 'The Stick' even more iconic.

OK, enough with the romanticism, those of us who can recall 2008 can remember that it was hardly a vintage year on or off the field.

However it was a significant year that can be remembered as the beginning of the end of a bleak era that began in the early 2000s and did not come to a close until the hiring of Jim Harbaugh which signalled our latest, more successful epoch.

This game with the Lions proved to be both the last home game and the last win in Mike Nolan's tenure as Niners head coach.

Nolan was fired in Week 8 after a loss to the New York Giants gave the team a 2-6 record going into their bye week.

Mike Singletary took over as head coach until the end of the season and won the job on a permanent basis after inspiring a turnaround that saw the 49ers finish 7-9.

The 2008 season was also the year of the Mike Martz offense, when the orchestrator of 'the greatest show on turf' moved his unique offensive playbook from Detroit to San Francisco.

Quarterback and former first overall pick Alex Smith was soon to be placed on injured reserved due to a broken bone in his shoulder, an injury caused by a wire left in it from a previous surgery actually cutting through the bone!

With Smith out of the picture the starting Quarterback was J.T. O'Sullivan, a player who arrived to little fanfare as he signed from Detroit along with Martz, primarily because he knew the Martz offense better than anyone.

Legendary wide receiver Isaac Bruce, who made his name with Martz at the St. Louis Rams, was brought over in free agency.

By this point, though, Bruce was well past his best, but he still proved to be a useful addition to a rather lacklustre receiving core.

The 2008 draft will go down as one of the worst in franchise history.

Newly promoted general manager Scott McLoughin oversaw a draft that included only six picks due to the team being fined a fifth round pick for alleged tampering.

None of the six players selected are with the team, first-round pick Kentwan Balmer was never able to realise his potential and endured a dismal NFL career.

After being released by the 49ers, the defensive lineman spent time at Seattle, Carolina and finally Washington.

Balmer mysteriously disappeared from the Washington team hotel during preseason in 2012, with team officials unable unable to contact him for over a week. No explanation was provided and, in an even stranger development, he was not officially cut from the team until earlier this year, almost two years later.

Alway from the demise of Mike Nolan and the emergence of Mike Singletary, two of the primary occurences that signalled the beginning of the Niners' re-emergence came with the signing of Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Justin Smith and the shellacking of Vernon Davis by coac Singletary.

If Singletary is to be commended for anything during his time with the 49ers, aside from his sterling work with the team's linebacking core prior to his promotion, then he must surely be recognised for changing the fortunes of Vernon Davis who is now one of the elite tight ends in the game.

Its easy to forget just how different things were for Davis in 2008.

Up until then he had been a top end first-round pick who had never come close to delivering on his potential.

Sure, he had the most natural athletic ability possibly ever seen in a player, with size and speed stats that wowed everybody, but he'd never stood out on the field and was becoming more openly frustrated as time went on.

The tipping point for him occurred during Singletary's first game in charge, when Davis was penalised for slapping an opposing Seattle player after a play.

Singletary's response was to send his starting tight end to the locker room after a heated exchange of words on the sideline.

During the post-game press conference the head coach gave his most famous soundbite:

“I will not tolerate players who think its about them....I would rather play with 10 people...Cannot play with them, cannot win with them, cannot coach with them, can't do it! I want winners!”

Singletary's decision to publicly admonish the former Maryland star had a profound effect on Davis, who turned into a completely different player.

The physical beast who just couldn’t catch was suddenly spending hours on the practice field with a JUGS machine, as well as improving his route running, play recognition and blocking skills. 

He also brought a new maturity and team spirit into his play and quickly became recognised as one of the locker room leaders, a far cry from what he is believed to have been the case before Singletary took over.

Six years on and we have a player who excels at blocking, is the fastest player on the team, is known to have a great pair of hands and is widely regarded as being a fantastic team leader and role model. And to think, without Singletary and his lambasting of Davis, we may never of had 'The Grab' during the 2011 playoff win over the New Orleans Saints!

Justin Smith came to San Francisco on a six-year $45million dollar contract. That seemed like a lot of money in 2008, but the signing has certainly worked out.

49er great Bryant Young retired after the end of the 2007 season and the team needed to find a suitable replacement for the man who had carried the defense (and the team) for so many years. 

They found him in the Missouri native, who had just spent his first seven seasons in Cincinnati and has taken on the mantle from Young, amassing 41.5 sacks and 276 tackles for the 49ers.

After a fairly decent 7-9 season in 2007, the Lions were looking to become a playoff team in 2008. 

Instead the Lions suffered a spectacular downturn as they became the first team since 1976 to lose every regular season game, finishing 0-16 in what was their 75th year as the Detroit Lions.

Even with this pitiful record, they still had talent in several key areas of the field, especially at receiver, where they had Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams in what as at the time regarded to be the best pair of wideouts in the league. 

However, Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys just threeweeks later for first, third and sixth round picks in the following year's draft.

Onto the game.

Played before a capacity crowd and in an unusually hot Candlestick Park, the 49ers got on the board first when O'Sullivan found Bruce wide open in the back of the endzone for a six-yard touchdown.

During the second quarter Frank Gore capped off a fast six-play drive with a four- yard TD run out of a four-wide formation.

This was a typical Martz offensive rush play, coming out of a multiple receiver formation. Martz is mainly known for his passing offense, which was always prioritised over therunning game.

After a 44-yard field goal by Detroit, the 49ers put together another impressive drive with multiple long completions, including the final 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Delanie Walker that put San Francisco ahead 21-3 at half-time.

The 49ers got the ball to start the second half and were driving nicely before the Lions' defense stiffened.

Joe Nedney attempted a 47-yard field goal but it was no good. Detroit then pulled back 3 more points thanks to a monstrous 51-yard FG by their long-time kicker Jason Hanson, making it 21-6.

During the fourth quarter the 49ers had another nice drive going that stalled at Detroit's one-yard line.

It was fourth and goal. The kicking team came onto the field but the crowd were raucous and begging Nolan and co to go for 6 points. 

After some hesitation a timeout was called and the kicking unit came back off the field!

Lining up in a three-wide formation with newly acquired cornerback and return man Allan Rossum in the slot position to the right of the QB, the 49ers prepared themselves for the play.

The ball was snapped to O'Sullivan and he handed it off to the speedy Rossum, who at this point was at full pace running parallel to the line of scrimmage. 

Rossum evaded a defender at the seven-yard line before making like a rocket towards the corner of the endzone, where he dived football first in for the score! 

That spectacular fourth-down goal-line play made the score 28-6.

The 49ers, who at the time were not accustomed to holding such a large lead, unsurprisingly grew a little complacent as the fourth- quarter clock ticked down.

A simple Detroit screen pass that should have been stopped before the line of scrimmage ended up going for a 34-yard touchdown late in the game, cutting the advantage to 15 points.

There was enough time for Joe Nedney to tack on another three points, though, and ensure a 31-13 San Francisco win.

With this win, the 49ers were 2-1 but their promising start did not deliver a season of success as the Niners endured another campaign of turmoil.

It was not a team brimming with legendary players, it had a quarterback who would rapidly disappear off of the face of the earth not long after, and it was a mediocre year overall, but this game and the team of 2008 shall always occupy a special place in my heart as they were the team that I actually saw play at Candlestick Park.

It contained the backbone of the side that we watch today, including stars such as Frank Gore, Patrick Willis, Joe Staley, Vernon Davis and Justin Smith.

Nolan began 2008 as head coach by by the end of that year it was Singletary's role. 

Singletary went on to coach the team for the next two years, with the appointment of Jimmy Raye as offensive coordinator the worst of a long list of failures.

These events brought on a desire to go 'new school' in 2011 and hire a younger, experienced, successful and more contemporary coach in the form of Harbaugh. The rest, as they say, is history.

This game was one of the bright spots of an average and unspectacular year.

Yet it was a year that began the turnaround the fans had wanted for so long and so, for the reasons outlined above, 2008 was a pretty important year in 49er history.

Thanks for reading,

Paul Kadwill

This week in 49ers history - Week 2, 1981

As we approach tonight's Sunday Night Football clash with the Chicago Bears, Paul Kadwill continues his series looking back at famous games from the past by recalling a Week 2 meeting from the 49ers' first Super Bowl winning campaign.

The last time the 49ers faced the Bears in week 2 was the also the teams first Super Bowl year: 1981.

 

This was the year that San Francisco famously replaced the entire secondary with three high draft picks, namely Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson, and journeyman Dwight Hicks.

Alongside the new secondary the team added the quirky genius of Jack 'Hacksaw Reynolds and a mid-season trade brought in the original pass-rush specialist Fred Dean.

These manoeuvres overhauled the 49er defense, which when combined with a talented offense that began to click during the '81 season, escalated the team into the upper echelon of the league.

The 49ers first championship season started dubiously however, with a week one loss away to the Detroit Lions.  Hoping to get back on track, the team flew home to face the Bears.

 

The 1981 Bears team were average at best.

Although they had not won a conference or league championship since 1963, they had made the playoffs in 1977 and '79.

The team was also part way through equipping itself with many of the players that would lead them to Super Bowl glory  four years later.

The 1981 team also included the prodigious talent of Walter Payton, who had been a Pro Bowl player in each of the last five seasons.

Chicago would go on to finish bottom of the NFC Central division with a 6-10 record in '81.

 

This game, played in perfect footballing weather at Candlestick Park, was a close, tense affair that really could have gone either way.

 

The 49ers built an early 14-point lead with quarterback Joe Montana completing touchdown passes to running-back Ricky Patton and wide receiver Freddie Soloman.

But before the half-time whistle had been blown, the Bears had clawed themselves back into the game with a two-yard score from Payton and a field goal cutting the Niners' advantage to 14-10 at the interval.

Chicago took a 17-14 lead in the third quarter, but that only served to reawaken the 49ers' offense, who answered with a touchdown pass to veteran tight end Charle Young, making it 21-17 San Francisco.

Young went on to be voted the 49ers most inspirational player for 1981, partly for a little known but highly influential motivational speech at Super Bowl XVI, which began when he scrawled 'We are world champions' on a locker room chalkboard before the biggest game in the team'a history.

 

Patton then rushed for his second touchdown to ensure a more flattering 28-17 final score.

 

Although the scoreline appears comfortable for the 49ers, it really does not do justice to the back and forth nature of the game.

Statistically there was very little between the two teams, which perhaps gives a better indication of the game'scompetitiveness.

Both teams lost two fumbles and both had one rushing touchdown, with the 49ers edging the yardage on the ground with 125 yards to Chicago's 123.

Interestingly, even this early into the '81 season, the 49ers were using a 'running-back by committee' approach to their run game.  

Ricky Patton and Earl Cooper were both handed the ball 14 times during the game, with Patton being slightly more successful, gaining 67 yards to Cooper's 56.

During 1981, San Francisco had five players who had 60 or more rushing attempts and would be without a true leading rusher until the 1983 draft brought Roger Craig to the team.

For Chicago, Payton finished with 97 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

 

The real difference maker was Joe Montana.

Despite having virtually identical passing attempt and completion stats to Bears signal-caller Vince Evans, Montana threw for over 70 yards more.  

'Joe Cool' also threw three touchdowns with no interceptions, compared to one score and one pick for Evans.

 

As the old saying goes, 'a win is a win' and this week 2 win was the first of 13 victories for the 49ers as they went all the way to Super Bowl glory in 1981.

 

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Paul Kadwill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cowboys crushed, now Niners look to open Levi's with a bang

The San Francisco 49ers sent a big message with their emphatic win over the Dallas Cowboys, silencing those who had written off the team's Super Bowl chances.

With four turnovers forced in the first half, the defense proved that they could perform without the considerable talents of Aldon Smith and NaVorro Bowman, although the abysmal performance of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo certainly helped their cause.

Colin Kaepernick and the offense duly took advantage of Romo and the Cowboys' poor play as the 49ers threw two touchdowns to tight end Vernon Davis and rookie running-back Carlos Hyde scored his first NFL touchdown. 

After Hyde's score put San Francisco 28-3 to the good at half-time, the 49ers were able to coast to victory in the second half despite failing to add any points in the final two quarters.

There were many positives to take from the 49ers' display, Kaepernick was composed throughout and appeared to have little problem picking apart the Dallas defense, while his favourite targets Davis and Anquan Boldin once again demonstrated an impressive rapport with the San Francisco signal-caller.

On defense Justin Smith showed no signs of slowing down, recording two sacks, and a young secondary - despite suffering injuries to Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver and Jimmie Ward - excelled in keeping one of the NFL's best receivers, Dez Bryant, at bay.

Doubts over certain areas of the 49ers' team did emerge, though, despite the comfortable nature of the success against Dallas.

Cowboys running-back DeMarco Murray was able to put a 100-yard game on the Niners' normally stout run defense, and on the offensive side of the trenches guard Joe Looney appeared to struggle as he was selected to start ahead of Alex Boone.

Boone, who ended his long contract holdout in the week leading up to the trip to Dallas, will likely step in for this Sunday's meeting with the Chicago Bears.

The Bears were stunned 23-20 in overtime by the Buffalo Bills in their season opener and, with Chicago possessing one of the worst defenses in the league, the return of the aggressive Boone should be a huge boost for Kaepernick and Gore and Hyde in their bid to replicate on their respective showings versus the Cowboys.

Kaepernick will be facing the team he made an extremely successful first start against back in 2012 but, in a game that will mark the first regular season clash at Levi's Stadium, it is the defense that will perhaps determine whether the 49ers are able to mark the opening of their new home with a victory.

With Chicago possessing one of the better tailbacks in the league in Matt Forte, the Niners need to improve up front in order to avoid being gashed on the ground again.

Meanwhile, the secondary, which could be without Brock due to a sprained toe, has the opportunity to build on its strong outing against a quarterback in Jay Cutler that threw two picks versus Buffalo and could yet be without both of his top receivers in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, who are each struggling with injuries.

In his first start two years ago Kaepernick threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns in an easy 32-7 San Francisco win over the Bears.

Now he has the responsibility and the pressure of ensuring Levi's is opened in the right manner.

Against a team that gave up 360 yards to a mediocre Bills club, 49er fans will expect their star man to deliver.

This week in the 49ers history: Week 1 -1994

Post by new columnist Paul Kadwill

This is the first instalment of a weekly article that will pick an historical 49ers game from the corresponding week that the team is currently playing.

I aim to give an accurate account of the chosen game, including memorable occurrences, players and other interesting facts. It is our hope that the article will help older fans remember games from the past, and newer fans to get a taste of the rich history of our beloved gridiron team.

This week in 49ers history......Week 1: 1994

Twenty years ago this week, the 49ers found themselves in a similar situation to the team that we follow today: Ripe with talent at all positions with arguably the best and most complete coaching staff in the league, and yet haunted by bitter play-off losses in recent previous seasons.

As with the 2014 season, 1994 began with a matchup against one of our major historical rivals, the Los Angeles Raiders.

The Raiders had put together a consistently strong team and had finished there or thereabouts in the AFC for several years. 1994 was to be their final year in LA before heading back to Oakland.

One of our most beloved players, full-back Tom Rathman – now the 49ers' running-backs coach – joined the Raiders that same year to play his final NFL season in silver and black.

Coming off of back-to-back NFC championship game losses to the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers rearmed an already talented team in the offseason, and the pressure was mounting to perform at an even higher level in '94.

And the 49ers were thrust into the spotlight immediately as they went against one of their biggest rivals in the first 'Monday Night Football' game of the season.

Three linebackers were added to the team in the offseason as Rickey Jackson, Ken Norton Jr (who jumped over to the Niners from the Cowboys) and Gary Plummer all signed with the 49ers, with the latter duo going on to become team stalwarts for several years to come. 

Jackson, a four time All-Pro at the start of the '94 season, would retire at the end of 1995.

The 49ers' most high-profile signing of the year would not arrive until after the 49ers and Steve Young were handed a Week 2 loss by franchise legend Joe Montana and the Kansas City Chiefs, with the acquisition of cornerback Deion Sanders really signalling San Francisco's Super Bowl intentions. 

The Game

The 49ers started fast. Young connected with Jerry Rice to open the scoring with a 69-yard touchdown, although that was not to be the last time the two linked up on a night that ended up going down in history.

Before the end of the first quarter, Young found tight end Brent Jones for another score to make it 14-0.

Tim Brown pulled a TD back for LA in the second quarter to bring the Raiders to within seven points of the lead, only for running-back Ricky Watters to re-establish the 49ers' dominance as he bustled in from a yard out, although the subsequent missed extra-point kept the score at 20-7

The Raiders scored a one-yard rushing touchdown to reduce the advantage to 20-14 during the second quarter, but that proved to be the last time LA would have anything to celebrate.

The '94 San Francisco team is generally remembered as an offensive powerhouse with the added bonus of Sanders on defense.

That assessment is unfair to an extremely talented and well coached defense that proved to be just as efficient as the superstars on offense.

The 49er defense all but eradicated the LA running game, holding them to a total of just 34 yards at an average of 1.7 yards per carry.

Los Angeles were just as ineffective through the air, putting up under 200 passing yards with one TD and one interception.

Altogether, the San Francisco defense accumulated five sacks – including one from Jackson - one interception and two fumbles.

After a field goal stretched the San Francisco lead to 23-14 at half-time, the 49ers ran away from LA following the interval, with a second touchdown pass to Jones quickly putting the Niners 30-14 ahead.

This MNF game will always be remembered for the next two scores however, which firmly cemented the greatest player of all time's place in the record books.

With just under a quarter left to play, the 49ers found themselves at the Raider 23-yard line. Proving his game speed yet again, Jerry Rice took a reverse all the way around and through the over-aggressive Raider defense for a rushing touchdown which equalled the all-time TD record held by the legendary Jim Brown.

That score put San Francisco 37-14 ahead and effectively ended the game as a contest.

But the 49ers were not finished yet. This was Monday Night Football, this was Al Davis and the Raiders, and this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Rather than trotting out a team of backups to see out the remaining minutes, the 49ers kept their first-stringers on the field and gained possession of the football deep in opposing territory as Jackson recorded his first San Francisco sack to force the Raiders to concede possession with a failed fourth-down attempt.

With the aggressive playcalling of offensive co-ordinator Mike Shanahan, the 49ers went for broke on their first play. Young, harassed by a Raider defense determined not to be embarrassed on a national stage, threw down the middle and man of the moment Rice found space in-between the defenders to make the catch in the endzone.

The best wide receiver in the league was now enshrined as the GOAT, a moniker he only served to solidify in the rest of his career as Rice scored his 127th touchdown, passing Jim Brown at the top of the all-time list.

San Francisco ended the game as 44-14 victors, a win that began a season that is remembered for a glorious fifth Super Bowl triumph in perfect fashion.

The 1994 season started with a recent history of bitter play-off disappointments, and with a televised game against a major rival.

Let us hope we beat the Dallas Cowboys in week one of a 2014 season that will hopefully end with 49ers fans toasting a Super Bowl win 20 years after our last NFL title.

Roster set, but questions remain for 49ers

There are just four days until 49er football returns, so what better time to revive this blog, which has been dormant for quite some time.

After a long offseason dominated by off-the-field story lines, a training camp blighted by injuries, and four preseason games, the 49ers' 53-man roster is set.

Heading into Sunday's clash with the Dallas Cowboys, here's how the 49ers' roster has taken shape.

QB: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Josh Johnson
RB: Frank Gore, Carlos Hyde, LaMichael James
FB: Bruce Miller
WR: Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, Steve Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington, Kassim Osgood
TE: Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Derek Carrier
OT: Anthony Davis, Joe Staley, Jonathan Martin
OG: Alex Boone*, Mike Iupati, Joe Looney, Dillon Farrell
C: Daniel Kilgore, Marcus Martin
DT: Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Tony Jerod-Eddie, Demarcus Dobbs, Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial
NT: Ian Williams
OLB: Ahmad Brooks, Corey Lemonier, Dan Skuta, Aaron Lynch
ILB: Patrick Willis, Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody, Chris Borland
CB: Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, Jimmie Ward, Perrish Cox, Chris Cook, Dontae Johnson
S: Eric Reid, Antoine Bethea, Craig Dahl, L.J. McCray
K: Phil Dawson
P: Andy Lee
LS: Kyle Nelson

*The 49ers have applied for a roster exemption for Alex Boone following the end of his holdout

Practice Squad: Carter Bykowski, Chance Casey, Asante Cleveland, John Fullington, Kendall Gaskins, Lance Lewis, Lawrence Okoye, Mike Purcell, Shayne Skov, Chase Thomas
Injured Reserve: Kenneth Acker, Kendall Hunter, Chuck Jacobs, Will Tukuafu
Injured Reserve/Designated for Return List: Glenn Dorsey
Physically Unable to Perform: NaVorro Bowman, Garrett Celek, Kaleb Ramsey
Reserve/Non-Football Injury: Marcus Lattimore, Trey Millard, Keith Reaser, Brandon Thomas
Reserve/Suspended: Aldon Smith

There were a few surprises in the 49ers' final round of roster cuts, which were survived by Josh Johnson as San Francisco unexpectedly decided to go with three quarterbacks on the roster after an impressive preseason campaign from the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd - who returned to the 49ers following a year away from the game - made the team despite barely featuring in preseason, while fellow wideout Steve Johnson will need to show improvement after struggling to build a rapport with quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

On the defensive side of the ball Michael Wilhoite appears to have won the competition to replace NaVorro Bowman at inside linebacker and cornerback Chris Cook, who recorded two interceptions in preseason, impressed enough to make the roster.

L.J McCray - an undrafted free agent out of Catawba - stunned everyone by beating out special teams veterans C.J. Spillman and Bubba Ventrone to earn a place on the 53.

However, long snapper Kevin McDermott was unable to keep his place on the squad, with Kyle Nelson, who can also operate as a tight end, taking the job from him thanks to a two-touchdown performance in the preseason finale with the Houston Texans.

The Niners are still regarded as one of the top contenders for this season's Super Bowl but, while their roster is evidently stacked with talent, they have a fair share of issues to overcome if Jim Harbaugh's men are to make the dream of a sixth NFL title a reality.

Most of those concerns surround a previously much vaunted defense that will be lacking a number of other key components as well as injured All-Pro Bowman.

Indeed, with Aldon Smith sidelined for nine games after being suspended by the league for his various off-the-field indiscretions, the Niners will once again need the likes of Dan Skuta and Corey Lemonier to step up and perform after doing so when Smith missed five games in the 2013 campaign.

The presence of exciting fifth-round pick Aaron Lynch may also help the 49ers cope without Smith's considerable talents as a pass rusher, yet the 49ers' problems recently mounted further with the news that Ray McDonald was arrested on Sunday on domestic violence charges.

San Francisco will allow the legal process to run its course before making a decision on McDonald's long-term future, but they now face a dilemma over whether to play him against Dallas so soon after the reported incident.

Last season in the aftermath of Smith's DUI, the 49ers made the wrong decision in opting to play him.

That call backfired as he produced a sluggish performance in a humbling at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts.

The two situations are not exactly the same but the Niners must think more carefully than they appeared to do with Smith, and decide whether the likes of Tony Jerod-Eddie, Quinton Dial and Tank Carradine are good enough to allow them to bench McDonald and send a message to the team and the NFL about their attitude to such instances of apparent misconduct.

On offense things look much rosier now guard Alex Boone has ended his prolonged holdout.

Boone's presence should shore up an offensive line that looked shaky in preseason, however, with the defense seemingly weakened, it will be interesting to see if the offense can handle the presumed extra pressure on their shoulders and put the points on the board to keep the Niners in the Super Bowl hunt.