For the 49ers’ Mike Singletary, this is the first home opener as official head
coach, a situation that usually prompts serious puppet-string pulling by a
home coaching staff. As a first-season offensive and defensive transition
team, the traveling Broncos figure to make plenty of boo-boos as they
worry about drive-blocking instead of zone-blocking, and making stops
from a 3-4 vs. the old 4-3. Most of the Denver personnel who might be suit-
able for the new systems, from a long, long list of new free-agents, won’t
be in there long enough to develop continuity and comfort with their new
buddies. That includes new Denver QBs Kyle Orton, and Chris Simms, and
rookie college game-manager Tom Brandstater