49ers try to spur rebuilding project at St. Louis' expense

~ San Francisco swept the Rams last year in a 4-12 campaign under first-year coach Nolan.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Coach Mike Nolan's first season with the San Francisco 49ers was undeniably rough, yet it would have been twice as bad without two wins over the St. Louis Rams.

Those victories in the season opener and the final road game doubled San Francisco's win total for the season. They also hastened Mike Martz's departure from St. Louis and allowed Nolan to show his goal of winning the NFC West with his downtrodden team wasn't just a fantasy.

"We enjoyed some success last year, and I think our players remember that," said Nolan, who already has beaten the Rams as many times as his father, Dick, did when he coached the Niners from 1968 to 1975. "When you have a difficult year like that ... it's good to have a positive like that in our own division. That's something to build on."

But when the old rivals meet again in San Francisco's home opener today, both coaching staffs hope they'll bear little resemblance to the clubs that stumbled through 2005.

The Rams' high-flying passing offense has been replaced by new coach Scott Linehan's balanced attack, and St. Louis' new emphasis on defense fueled an impressive debut last week against Denver. Meanwhile, the 49ers have new offensive coordinator Norv Turner -- and a defense hoping to prove it isn't as bad as everyone suspects.

The 49ers have spent years chasing St. Louis' fleet receivers, and that won't change today at Candlestick Park. But the rivalry's recent history is just that -- history.

"We haven't even said anything about the 'Greatest Show on Turf,'" Rams receiver Torry Holt said. "We've let that go. That's something of the past. It's a new era. It's a new coaching staff. It's a new philosophy. While that was going, it was great, but we've set that aside. We're playing a different style of football."

St. Louis upset the Denver Broncos in its opener, but got all of its offense from six field goals. New coordinator Jim Haslett's defense forced five turnovers and frustrated the Denver offense with multiple formations and stunts, including plenty of stuff the Rams never showed in the preseason.

Nolan noticed.

"His defenses have always been aggressive," Nolan, a former defensive coordinator for four teams, said of Haslett. "Sometimes, they are better than others, as is the case for all of us. But he's always been aggressive. He hasn't changed."

The 49ers also have undergone changes since Nolan arrived to rebuild a barren roster. Turner, Nolan's second offensive coordinator after Mike McCarthy's offseason departure to run the Packers, has installed his respected offense for quarterback Alex Smith, who now has a much larger selection of playmakers than last season.

The Arizona Cardinals beat San Francisco 34-27 last week, but Smith was 23-of-40 for 288 yards and a touchdown pass to rookie tight end Vernon Davis. Second-year running back Frank Gore also had a strong game, but the Niners' running game could suffer this week without left guard Larry Allen (out with a knee injury) and left tackle Jonas Jennings, who's expected to sit with a sprained ankle.

"I have a much-improved impression than I had of them a year ago," said Linehan, a former offensive coordinator with Miami and Minnesota. "They really could have won that game on the road, which is scary. They have a bunch of new players that have made that team so much better."

The Rams' last visit to San Francisco was the high point in the Niners' season. San Francisco won Nolan's fanfare-filled debut despite a pronounced disadvantage in total yardage and time of possession, holding on when safety Mike Adams intercepted Marc Bulger's pass in the final minute.

The Niners improbably did it again on Christmas Eve, winning 24-20 at St. Louis with key touchdown runs from Gore and Maurice Hicks.

"They just came out and they outplayed us in all facets of the game," said Holt, who had 10 catches for 125 yards in last season's opener. "They wanted it more than us. Hats off to San Francisco, the way they played and dominated us last year. This year we've got to reiterate to guys that we've got to be ready for San Francisco."