davidonmi":3kjouhop said:
Clayton and Sando have both made points about this, SF's defense doesn't rotate, I mean that can't help but age players quicker then they normally would. Also I don't know how healthy Justin Smith will be and Aldon (who just had surgery btw) hasn't proven he can play without him. I think the 9ers have a declining defense, however their offense will still be great don't get me wrong
Frank Gore, born May 14 1983. There's their offensive juggernaut and Kaepernick without him will be Aldon Smith without Justin Smith 2.0.
If you haven't done the math. Gore will be 30 years old in less than 2 months and if you follow the careers of RB's and the age barrier that 30 years old represents, it is just as likely we will see a significant drop off from Gore soon as well and with it Kaepernick will be exposed.
If I were a Niner fan I would very very worried. They can pull the wool over their eye's all they want but way to many things are adding up.
Loss of multiple key players in FA? Check.
Existing elite players (the best two on the team) hitting massive age barriers? Check.
Harbaugh over playing his veterans and not giving younger players playing time? Check.
A very powerful division rival who looked like the better team at the end of last season making key moves in FA to only get better? Check
Right now there are two facts (paper facts but facts none the less) The Niners are weaker then they were at the end of last season due to age and loss of key personnel and the Seahawks are stronger than they were at the end of last season for exactly the opposite reasons.
If your an intelligent Niners fan ( I know oxymoron) you are praying that Justin Smith and Frank Gore can last another season. That Balke finds suitable replacements in the draft. That Boldin is what he was in the playoffs and not what he was all season long. That someone steps up and fills the critical need at nose tackle were they lost their starter and backup. That you can find a suitable replacement TE and Safety. That Manningham will be able to play next season. More than probably anything else, they are hoping that the Seahawks moves in FA somehow don't work out but they know as well as we do that the moves we made in FA will only make us better.
The problem is, they need all of that to happen, not just one or two things and the odds of that are near zero. I can't wait to see things unravel for Harbaugh and company. It will be sweet to see him and the Niners organization melt back to mediocrity or worse.