Foggy outlook in San Francisco


Playoff roster


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The 49ers, who haven't won a Super Bowl since the 1994 season, remain a high-powered offensive team, but they have question marks everywhere else.

	Steve Young directs an offense that leads the NFL with an average of more than 425 yards per game.

The biggest one: Can they beat the Packers? The 49ers have been bounced from the playoffs by the Packers for three consecutive years and are 0-5 against Green Bay in the last 36 months. Home or away, the 49ers can't get over the Packers hurdle. They'll try again in the first round of the playoffs.

The only problem on offense for coach Steve Mariucci is that he can't satisfy the many offensive coordinators in the Bay Area. If the 49ers run well, they're neglecting the pass. If they pass well, they're neglecting the run. Mariucci can go a long way toward silencing the critics by finally beating Green Bay.

Offense
While the Vikings offense has grabbed all the headlines, the 49ers offense has gained more yards and has been just as consistent. ... Quarterback Steve Young is having his best season since winning the MVP in 1994. Unlike last year, when he played conservatively because of concussions, Young is converting big third downs by running.

Garrison Hearst has emerged as one of the NFL's premier running backs, having rushed for 1,570 yards in the best season of his career. He can get the tough yards inside or he can go the distance. ... The 49ers played wide receivers Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and J.J. Stokes together extensively early in the season with great success. With the emergence of Hearst, however, they are now grouped together only on passing downs.

The return of tackle Kirk Scrafford from retirement solidified the line at midseason, although Young is still getting hit far too often.

Defense
The run defense has been inconsistent ever since Pro Bowl tackle Bryant Young broke his leg. ... The pass defense, on the other hand, has been very consistent. Consistently poor, that is. It ranks 28th in the NFL. Neither Darnell Walker nor rookie R.W. McQuarters was expected to start at cornerback this year, but free-agent Antonio Langham flopped and Marquez Pope is always hurt.

Without Young, the pass rush has been left up to ends Chris Doleman and Roy Barker, who are battling age and injury, respectively. Often, the 49ers have to resort to blitzing safety Tim McDonald in order to get to the quarterback.

Special teams
Kicker Wade Richey was off and on before he was injured. Now, he's playing hurt and his lack of accuracy is a major worry. ... Punter Reggie Roby has seen better days. ... McQuarters was supposed to upgrade the kickoff and punt returns, but both units rank right near the bottom of the league.

Tom Oates, who covers the Packers for the Wisconsin State Journal, writes a weekly NFC column that appears every Thursday on ESPN.com.