San Francisco 49ers "Learning to Win" Commentary

Let's get one thing straight. Even though the San Francisco 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings last weekend, the talent level of the team has not improved. That much is clear when you watch tape of the game. A few personnel changes did make a difference in last week's game, but at the end of the day, the Niners still have holes on both sides of the ball, though those weaknesses may have shifted with the different depth chart.So what accounts for the win? In one word, "confidence". The team managed to keep pace with the Vikings in the early stages of 4 Brett Favre White jersey
the game, something it hasn't done in most of its battles this season. As the clock ticked down, the 49ers began to realize that they could not only "play" with the Vikings, they could win, too.As the 49ers' confidence in themselves grew, they began making a few key plays. The team played harder and executed with precision, all the while tasting victory. So it wasn't a change in talent level, it wasn't brilliant coaching - it was simply doing the little things needed to earn a victory. And though this was not the first win of the season, it may have been the first time Mike Nolan's club elevated its play in this way.The Vikings had something to do with the victory, too. Dropped passes, mistakes and other miscues gave San Francisco an opportunity to win, but all of those things had happened in prior contests. What set this game apart was the 49ers taking their play up a notch - and it paid off. As the team prepares for the Lions game this weekend, it needs to ride this momentum, and channel the confidence from its last victory toward beating 6 Super Bowl Champions jersey
the Lions.Learning how to win in the NFL is a tall task for losing teams. San Francisco took a large leap up the learning curve with last Sunday's victory. Taking that lesson on the road to Detroit, and applying it, would show great progress for Nolan's club, and could restore belief in the players that they can get the job done.All the latest 49ers news, gameday chat, and resources- you can also contact Bryan Hersh from there.