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May 20, 2007

Looking for less conservatism

Question: It's been great to finally be genuinely excited for this Niner team for the first time in years. I think Nolan is doing fantastic building a young, hungry winner. I think the defense has been addressed but I'm concerned as to what the offensive identity is going to be. Are we still a smash-mouth running squad? And if so, is Nolan going to finally start taking a few risks in his play calling? In my opinion it's his greatest weakness.

Mark, Sacramento

Answer: Well, the strength of the defense ought to factor into the offensive play calls. That is, Nolan probably went conservative the last two years because he knew his defense couldn't handle too much pressure. The more confidence he has in the defense, the more audacious he and his coordinator will be on offense.

- Matt Barrows

Posted by Ahmed Ortiz at 5:56 PM | Comments |