Definite signs of wear in Frank Gore this season. Due in part to being forced into too many carries, but also from poor offensive line play not giving him the support he needs to be effective. He had to work harder this year than the last couple of seasons because of it. If SF can bring in another true 3 down back to split carries in 2014 and get good production out of Marcus Lattimore, that would be a significant step to remaining viable for a Superbowl run. Kaepernick has the tools to pass from the pocket, but fails in football IQ, not being confident in using that pocket to his advantage. The biggest thing SF needs to address coming into next year to to revitalize their OL back to the level it was at 2-3 years ago. Their OL was by far their weakest unit on the field.
Ted Ginn? How exactly are they missing him? He's mediocre at best...
And the Patriots are in great shape. They're one of the youngest teams in the league at the moment and have really changed their focus to a more run-heavy offense that prioritizes toughness at the LOS on both sides of the ball. They'll be asking less of Brady in the next couple of years than they have in the past, with increased emphasis on protecting him and extending his career. They have time to be patient in drafting their next starting QB and let him develop.