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| Carroll, left, and Harbaugh renew their PAC-10 rivalry in the NFC West. |
1) Rivalry renewed: Might not be a Saturday PAC-10 game, but Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh are facing off yet again on the gridiron. This time the players are more talented, the stage much bigger and the stakes that much higher. Yes, it's just game one of a 16-game season but what better way for these two head coaches to make their mark than to beat a bitter rival?
2) Same QB, same story(?): Could this be the year that Alex Smith finally figures it all out and becomes more than just a punching bag for Niner fans? Or, does this year solidify him as one of the all-time busts? He should show signs of improvement under Harbaugh, but his O-line might not give him time to show he's gotten better.
3) Frank the Tank back to form: Frank Gore, who is the 49ers' best offensive weapon, is coming back from a disappointing 2010 season that ended due to a fractured hip. After an off-season squabble with the front office that got him a 3-year, $21 million extension, will Gore have comeback season? Although he did have some stellar runs this preseason, it is time to see if he can still be the workhorse he was prior to injury.
4) Rookie coaching staff: A majority of Harbaugh's coaching staff has little to no NFL coaching experience, including Harbaugh himself. All week they've talked about not showing too much during the preseason and now being able to open up their play-books. It will be interesting to see if this staff is all talk or are they really able to give their players the tools to succeed.
5) Willis still a mainstay: With so many of his counterparts gone, Patrick Willis will be leaned on more heavily to lead the defense. Willis is one of the best LBers in the NFL and one of the more feared competitors in the league, but with Takeo Spikes gone the pressure is on him to be a leader on and off the field.
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