Patriots aim to stop 49ers' Frank Gore

FOXBOROUGH - Vince Wilfork and Frank Gore are friends, former University of Miami teammates now playing at a high level in the NFL.

Wilfork said there will be no conversation between the two during this week, what with Wilfork's New England Patriots and Gore's San Francisco 49ers set to meet Sunday on the West Coast.

Wilfork will certainly see his share of Gore come Sunday. But the more significant question is will the nose tackle and his teammates simply catch glimpses of the running back or will they be able to wrap him up - in bear hugs, if you will - more times than not?

The 5-foot-9, 217-pound Gore is averaging 19 carries per game and 4.9 yards per carry for the 49ers, and he also is tied for the team lead with 15 receptions. He has surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in each of the last two seasons.

The fourth-year pro is an incredibly helpful weapon for young quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan not only because he can produce big plays on his own but also because he can help his QB open up the downfield passing game which has been the trademark of offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

"We just need to make sure we wrap him up," Wilfork said. "There are times (on film) when you think they have him, but he pops out. We've just got to be really good about wrapping up people, especially him.

"It starts with stopping the run," he added, "that puts you in good situations."

The Patriots are coming off a dismal defensive performance against the Miami Dolphins, a 38-13 loss. Opponents are converting at a crisp 48 percent on third down, and they are averaging 140 rushing yards per game.

At this point, the 2-1 Patriots are simply a defensive unit coming off a bad performance. If the 49ers are able to find holes and those numbers on third down and in the run game persist another week, however, then the Patriots could start to look like a team with more signficant flaws.

Gore has much more of a track record than O'Sullivan, so the Patriots will undoubtedly try to attack a quarterback who has been sacked 19 times through a 2-2 start.

New England coach Bill Belichick pointed out that O'Sullivan, who spent a short time on the Patriots' practice squad in 2006, is more mobile but less experienced than other quarterbacks such as Kurt Warner and Jon Kitna who have directed offenses for Martz in the past. The former UC Davis QB has completed 61 percent of his passes this season with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

"Athletic, good arm, live arm, can make all the throws, quick feet, can stay alive in the pocket, improvise, make some plays scrambling around," Belichick said when asked about the 6-foot-2, 227-pound O'Sullivan.

"I don't think it was a question of talent or anything else. For us, it was more about opportunity and reps and how many quarterbacks you can work with. He got into a good competitive situation in San Francisco and made the most of it. I think he deserves credit for perseverance."

O'Sullivan, a sixth-year pro with no starts prior to this season, does not look forward to facing a 3-4 defense - three down linemen and four linebackers - and this is one which has stifled many a young quarterback. A 3-4 means there is an extra linebacker in the game, a defender who might rush or might drop into coverage.

"Most quarterbacks will tell you that they don't love the 3-4 because there is extra guy standing up," O'Sullivan said. "Once you've seen it, you understand they are trying to do certain things with their front. We're trying to stuff with our routes and protections. You get a little more comfortable with it, but I think you would rather see seven guys standing up than eight."

(masslive.com)