NFC WEST Although 49ers are 1-4, they see improvement

Coach Mike Nolan believes his vision for the 49ers is creeping closer to reality.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The standings and statistics don't reflect it, and fans might not see it in the latest round of spiraling losses. Still, coach Mike Nolan knows improvement is imminent for the San Francisco 49ers.
Five weeks into a debut season already featuring tragedy, turmoil and one unlikely triumph, Nolan unflaggingly believes his vision for the 49ers is creeping closer to reality.
"It's hard to see it sometimes, but we're closer to getting it together," Nolan said. "Every day, we get closer. We talk all the time about the way we want this team to look, and we're starting to look that way."
The NFL's worst team this season is an early candidate to repeat after four straight losses of declining quality. Yet the 49ers remain downright optimistic about an injury-plagued 1-4 club playing in front of a disenchanted fan base with one of the league's least-talented rosters.
The 49ers had their bye Sunday.
Smith sees improvement
"We're so close, and sometimes the scores may not reflect that, but we're so close to being competitive in this league," rookie quarterback Alex Smith said. "There's a lot of things we're doing better now that we weren't doing at all earlier in the year. Coach always says it's a marathon, not a sprint, but that's the truth."
This marathon could take years to complete, with several false starts along the way. But optimism still runs high at the 49ers' training complex, where the banners carrying emphatic statements of Nolan's goal to win the NFC West still hang from the walls.
And it's easy to distinguish this fall's optimism as genuine: The locker room mood bears no resemblance to the cautious hopes and quiet frustrations of the club that went 2-14 last season.
Barlow senses turnaround
"You can't even compare the two seasons," said running back Kevan Barlow, who's averaging 4.1 yards per carry. "Last year was a lot tougher. We're still losing a few games, but we all know it's going to turn around soon. You can feel it."
Nolan and his energetic coaching staff are responsible for that good vibe. With assistant head coach Mike Singletary as a motivational guru, the staff's determination drives extra workouts and countless extra hours of film study.
But even Nolan can't deny the early results haven't been pretty. The 49ers have been overmatched in three of their five games, and they blew a fourth-quarter lead in a disheartening loss to Dallas.