S A N   F R A N C I S C O   4 9 E R S
Go-To Guy | Weakest Link | Burning Question | Offseason Movement

Glance Head coach: Steve Mariucci 2001: Results 2002: Draft picks Training camp: July 20 at Univ. of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif.  2002 Schedule Date  Vs.  Time  Sept. 5  at NYG  8:30 p.m.  Sept. 15  DEN.  4:15 p.m.  Sept. 22  WAS.  4:15 p.m.  Sept. 29  Open     Oct. 6  STL.  4:15 p.m.  Oct. 14  at Sea.  9 p.m.  Oct. 20  at N.O.  1 p.m.  Oct. 27  ARI.  4:05 p.m.  Nov. 3  at Oak.  4:15 p.m.  Nov. 10  K.C.  4:15 p.m.  Nov. 17  at S.D.  4:05 p.m.  Nov. 25  PHI.  9 p.m.  Dec. 1  SEA.  4:15 p.m.  Dec. 8  at Dal.  1 p.m.  Dec. 15  G.B.  4:15 p.m.  Dec. 21  at Ari.  5 p.m.  Dec. 30  at StL.  9 p.m.

By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com

Despite losing two of its offensive cogs -- Jerry Rice and Charlie Garner -- last season, San Francisco still managed to finish second in the NFL in third-down percentage, second in red zone percentage and third in scoring.

This offseason, there were no major personnel losses, and a good draft and deft free-agent signings have the 49ers on the verge of looking St. Louis eye-to-eye for the NFC West top spot.

"We are very cognizant of looking at both the short-term and long-term health of this team," GM Terry Donahue said, noting the team's previous salary-cap troubles. "We have been very careful that what we do won't cripple or hamstring our organization in the future. And we've added a great group of players without putting the organization in harms way."

Defensively, if San Francisco is to keep pace with the Rams the defensive secondary will have to shut down the airwaves. To that end, the 49ers used their first-round draft choice on cornerback Mike Rumph, drafted two other DBs -- Kevin Curtis and Teddy Gaines -- and signed free-agent safety Tony Parrish.

"This is a different type of corner than we have here," Donahue said of Rumph. "He's bigger than our two starters and he presses at the line of scrimmage. We felt all along that we wanted a physical corner and we got him. Needless to say we were very excited that he was available for us."

The 49ers' offensive line returned all five starters last year and the results were a 12-4 record, the fourth-ranked offense and two Pro Bowl performers. However, the team capitalized on the opportunity to upgrade this year, signing free agent Ron Stone in place of 16-year veteran Ray Brown.

Jeff Garcia, Garrison Hearst and Terrell Owens -- San Francisco's top offensive skill players -- all return, as do defensive leaders Derek Smith, Andre Carter and Zack Bronson. But maybe more importantly, so does head coach Steve Mariucci, who had a brief flirtation with Tampa Bay.

"What weighed heaviest on my mind was, ‘How do I do this with my family?' I don't get the time back with my family. Leaving my family here and having a lot of money in your wallet, when I weighed it, my family is more important," Mariucci said.

"I've made professional decisions throughout my career and sometimes those were selfish decisions. When you're an upward mobile coach, you sometimes make decisions to pick up and leave. And that's never easy on a family."

Mariucci, who has two years remaining on his contract, has a 47-36 record with the Niners, including a 2-3 mark in the postseason.

Garcia, coming off his second consecutive Pro Bowl season, said Mooch's decision to remain in the Bay Area was paramount to the team's continued success. "Coach Mariucci listened [to the Buccaneers] and decided to stay with the 49ers, which is important for us. We again have the stability of a head coach that helps us to work and focus on becoming a Super Bowl-type team."

Fact Currently fifth on the 49ers' all-time receptions list, Terrell Owens (412) can move past Brent Jones (417), Dwight Clark (506) and Roger Craig (508) this season. Jerry Rice holds the franchise (and NFL) record with 1,281.

Terrell Owens, WR -- With Mariucci remaining in San Francisco, the rift between the head coach and Owens becomes a chemistry factor.

Mariucci flew to Atlanta in April to clear the air with his Pro Bowl receiver. At the team's minicamp later that month, all looked rosy. "At the moment, I'm content. I'm happy," Owens said.

"I told him that even if we hadn't had the meeting, I was going to come into camp open-minded. ... We're comfortable, and hopefully that's the way we're going to be the whole season."

Garcia openly embraced the feud's de-escalation. "We could only take it so long," he said. Had the strain continued, "it probably would have created some tension in the locker room. Hopefully, it's something we won't even need to discuss much longer."

Then came May.

Owens joined the Adirondack Wildcats, a U.S. Basketball League team in Glens Falls, N.Y., despite objections from Donahue and team director John York.

"I'm mad at myself," Owens said, "because I think I should have done this two, three years back. I didn't want to get to be 40 years old and look back and say, ‘Man, I should've tried.'"

Owens' stat line: five games, 10 of 19 from the floor, 0-for-5 from the free-throw line, 4.2 points per game, 1.2 rebounds per game.

Luckily for the Niners, Owens is sticking with his day job.

Fact In three of the five seasons that San Francisco won the Super Bowl, the 49ers swept the Rams (1981, '84 and '94). In its other title seasons, San Francisco beat L.A. two of three times in '89, including a playoff game; and the teams split in '88.

Oct. 6, Dec. 30 -- While the deed hasn't officially been filed with Marin County officials, St. Louis owns San Francisco; the Rams have won six consecutive games against the 49ers.

OK, it's true that before this three-year run that St. Louis had lost 19 of 20 (including 17 in a row), but we're just saying that to be the best, you gotta beat the best, which is what St. Louis began doing in 1999.

San Francisco will have three games and a bye week to prepare for the season's first meeting with its NFC West rival. Then, the rematch is the season-ender for both teams, possibly with the division title at stake, or at the least postseason seeding.

Last season, the Niners lead 16-12 at halftime of the teams' first meeting, but lost 30-26. The second game was more of the same, a 27-14 loss after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter.

Following realignment, St. Louis remains San Francisco's Achilles' heel. Goodbye New Orleans and Atlanta (44-85 combined vs. S.F.). Hello Seattle and Arizona.

While the division newcomers are 11-16 all-time against the 49ers, the Rams are 54-29-2. In fact, of teams San Francisco has played more than 20 times, St. Louis, Green Bay and Indianapolis are the only teams the 49ers have losing marks against.

Of course, the even darker side to that is that the Rams and Packers (8-2 vs. S.F. in last 10) are perennial playoff contenders, hence stumbling blocks on the road to another Super Bowl.

How much longer will the Mooch-Niners marriage last?

Fact San Francisco started a double-digit win streak in 1983 that lasted 16 years -- the longest 10-win string in league history. The longest current streaks: St. Louis with three; Baltimore, Miami, Oakland and Philadelphia with two.

After five seasons, Mariucci stands with a .566 winning percentage, fourth-best in franchise history among coaches with five or more seasons. But throw everything else out the window. The bottom line: He won 12 games last season with a team that most pundits believed would be lucky to break even, much less advance to the postseason.

Still, is he truly appreciated within the organization?

Reports during the 2001 season spoke of strained relations between Donahue and Mariucci, who felt slighted by management's lack of recognition for his role in the team's success. And since Donahue began his tenure with the 49ers personnel department in 1999, reports have mounted about his want or desire to have a dual role as head coach and GM.

"I made it very clear to Steve from the very beginning," Donahue said, "when I first got here, that I had no designs or intentions to take his job."

Said York, the team's top executive: "When the three of us are together, we work well together," York said. "I think I have a good relationship with Terry, and I think I have a good relationship with Steve. And to be very honest, I have never seen any problems between Steve and Terry."

When the Bucs came calling in February, Donahue said, "Steve has done an outstanding job with us and I would like him to stay on as our coach. I think that Steve's success is going to cause this kind of reaction and interest from other people, both now and in the future."

If you're a Niners fan, it's the "in the future" part that makes you wonder when, not if.