San Francisco 49er’s owner Jed York has predicted in a text message to ESPN this morning that the Niners are going to win the division. ESPN took a look at the remaining schedule for the Niners and doesn’t call the remaining 11 games on the schedule especially daunting. Has anyone at ESPN watched the 49er’s play this season? This is a team which invents new ways to lose each week.

The Niners are currently 30th in the league running the pall and while they are 11th in passing offense, the quarterback loves to find inventive ways to turn the ball over. The San Francisco defense is allowing 227 yards per game in the passing game and 111 in the run game.

Let’s look at the remaining schedule-

The Oakland Raiders cannot be considered an easy win for the Niners this coming week after just defeating the San Diego Chargers. The game in Carolina , yes I can understand how people would think the Niners should win that game, Carolina is horrible. A “home” game in London against the Denver Broncos. Anyone notice how Kyle Orton is on pace for 5600 passing yards and 700 attempts this season? A home game against the St. Louis Rams should see the Niners favored. Likewise a home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Bucs are playing pretty solid football this season so far and shouldn’t be thought of as an easy victory. To finish up the month of November, the 49er’s play a Monday Night game against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals just beat the reigning World Champion New Orleans Saints yesterday with a rookie quarterback.

For the final five games of the season, San Francisco faces an away game in Green Bay, a home game against Seattle, two away games at San Diego and St. Louis and finishes up at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

As it stands right now, the Niners should be favored in about 5 of those games, and if the owner thinks the Niners are going to wind up winning the division after starting 0-5, a feat which has never been achieved in the history of the NFL, maybe that is where the root of the problem lies with the 49er’s. The owner is delusional.

Despite Mike Singletary reportedly giving him a vote of confidence, the San Francisco 49er’s have reportedly fired Offensive Coordinator Jimmy Raye. According to NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora on Twitter, the Niners have indeed fired Jimmy Raye.

After the Niner’s were beat down by the Kansas City Chiefs last night, head coach Mike Singletary told the media, “We all have a hand in this, whether it’s play calling or execution. We all could’ve done better”.

Raye was named in a Yahoo!Sports column two weeks ago as being possibly the weak link in the Niners offense as the timing of the plays was called into question along with the actual play calling itself.

San Francisco now finds itself in a precarious position as they are 0-3 in the division, now two games behind Seattle and Arizona and a 3,000 mile road trip to Atlanta to face the 2-1 Atlanta Falcons awaits and the team has no offensive coordinator. The wheels are most definitely falling off the bus for Mike Singletary and his team, such a disappointment after such high expectations heading into this season.

The San Francisco 49er’s signed Troy Smith a few days ago, and to make room for the former Heisman Trophy winner, the released QB Nate Davis. This afternoon according to Adam Schefter of ESPN via Twitter, the former Ball State QB has been re-signed to the Niners practice squad. The addition of Davis to the practice squad does not preclude him from signing with another team in the league, any team can sign any player on a teams practice squad.

In order to make room for Nate Davis, the 49ers have released Jarrett Brown. It was rumored earlier this afternoon that the Seattle Seahawks, who passed on Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart, might put in a waiver claim for Davis. Davis had an up and down preseason for the Niners and came to the team with a grocery bag full of passing records from Ball State and the MAC player of the year award in 2008. Judging from many comments to this writer, Davis was popular with the fans and several fans didn’t want to see the young player released. He is back with the team and fans will have to wait and see if he’ll be able to beat out David Carr for the number three back-up position.

1. Patrick Willis MLB 49ers

Willis might be the best player in the league. During his three seasons in the NFL he has lead the league in tackles twice; in 2008 he was off by 10 tackles. P-Will makes everyone around him better and embodies what Mike Singlertary wants out of his players. The only thing that could hold P-Will back is his bum ankle, but that’s a minor concern.

2. Steven Jackson RB Rams

Jackson managed 1,400 yards on a team that couldn’t even threaten to pass. He does it all, he can catch the ball out of the backfield, get a short yard first down, or take it to the house. If Jackson can get any help this season he will be a monster.

3. Larry Fitzgerald WR Cardinals

Agreeably the best receiver in the game right now, Fitzgerald is a beast. If this were a “Best NFL Players” list Fitzgerald would be ahead of Jackson but because Shawntee Spencer owns him, combine that with the loss of Anquan Bolden and you have the reason for his drop.

4. Vernon Davis TE 49ers

Davis is a match up problem for any team. Last year the tight end had over 900 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns, but his biggest impacts (literally) are his blocks. Davis didn’t have much luck catching the ball his first couple of years but what kept him in the starting lineup was his ability to block.

5. Darnell Dockett DE Cardinals

Dockett is one of the most underrated players in the league. Overshadowed by an amazing offense, Dockett has quietly become one of the better 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL. If you follow him on Twitter you know that’s the only thing Dockett has done quietly.

6. Adrian Wilson S Cardinals

Wilson is in the same boat as Dockett. They are both highly underrated and don’t get the respect they deserve because the Cardinals seem like an offensive team. Any receiver that has met Wilson in the middle of the field would probably beg to differ.

7. Frank Gore RB 49ers

Not unlike Steven Jackson, Frank Gore can do it all. It seems like Gore should be higher than seven on this list but due to the inconsistent offense of the 49ers, Gore hasn’t produced up to his potential since 2006. This year should be different. The 49ers went out and drafted two huge offensive linemen and have had the same offensive coordinator for two consecutive years since Gore has been in the league.

8. Andy Lee P 49ers
A few years ago Andy Lee was the best player on the 49ers. There isn’t too much to say about him except that he can punt the heck out of the ball.

9. O.J Atogwe S Rams

The ball hawking free safety always comes up with interceptions. His ranking on this list takes a hit because the Rams are really bad.

10. Michael Crabtree WR 49ers/ TJ Houshmandzadeh WR Seahawks

I couldn’t leave either of these guys off the list. Houshmandzadeh played well last year but only came out with three touchdowns. Crabtree should jump up this list after he plays a full season.

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