Stubborn Singletary goes with the flow

Alex Smith: Providing the 49ers with balance.The 49ers abandoned the run and passed their way to victory. Alex Smith threw for two touchdowns as the Niners got the 20-3 win over the tough Jacksonville Jaguars. At the beginning of the season Singletary announced he was going to run, run , run the ball with Frank Gore. The Niners traditionally have been a team that used all facets of an offense to move the ball, and to win five Super Bowls.

When Singletary announced the run plan 49er teams of the past ran through my head. Tight Ends like Brent Jones, Wide Receievers like Rice, Owens, Taylor come to mind. Great backs like Roger Craig, Ricky Waters and Tom Rathman also helped balance teams in the past. Even the defenses were solid.

At this point to ride Gore is foolish and Singletary saw it this week and allowed a more balanced air attack to stretch a Jacksonville defense. Crabtree and Morgan could turn out to be the next pair of elite wideouts for the Niners, complimenting a solid backfield and a great defense. Perhaps had Singletary had Crabtree from day 1 he would have realized the potential of running a balanced offense, yet all we saw was Gore.

When Crabtree finally suited up and Shaun Hill got benched it opened the door to a new 49er offense. Perhaps we now have a mold for next season. Two young wideouts, a solid running back in Gore, a quarterback with potential in Smith and a defense that is already proven. Many Niner faithful were hoping this was the season of the return to franchise standards, but Singletary’s stubbornness stood in the way, and a few pieces fell into place to enlighten the man. His approach is very Chicago circa 1985, but this ain’t Chicago and it ain’t 1985. It takes a well rounded offense to win today.