Strengthen the Core

The "football is won in the trenches" cliche is a cliche for a reason. After 8 straight losses and 2 unimpressive wins, we have MASSIVE problems on both sides of the ball. But

The last three weeks, the Niners have been unable to convert pivotal short-yardage plays. While Hostler's an idiot for running the same damn play in each situation, the execution is also a problem. A decent O-line can line up, tell the D what play is coming, and laugh while pancaking LBs into the turf. Instead the middle of the Niners' O-line - Allen, Heitmann, and Smiley - gets blown up off the ball on every single play. By the time Gore (or Robinson or Norris) has the ball in his hands, the line is already moving backwards into his lap. For a north/south runner like Gore, this is death. The biggest tragedy is that the middle of the O-line was the strength of the team last year, and is now its biggest liability. On pass-protection, these three clowns have blown so many blocking assignments that I've lost count. There is no excuse since they are veterans that have played together for at least two full seasons now. This line needs wholesale changes up front.

A similar issue exists on the D-line. Sopoaga and Franklin are not going to cut it. These guys create no push up the middle and are routinely handled 1-on-1 allowing opposing guards to get to our LBs without any trouble. We have switched back to a hybrid 4-3 since this was such an issue for several weeks, but that's not the long-term solution.

This offseason, this team needs to shore up the middle to being solving its problems. Time for York to open that checkbook again...