Caution: Niners' offense on field

<p>SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers' recent problems are really nothing new.</p><p>The team has struggled moving the football since Mike Nolan took over as head coach in 2005. Wednesday, Nolan admitted for the first time the 49ers' offense has lacked aggressiveness.</p><p>"The criticism of myself and ourselves would be at times we get a little too careful," Nolan said. "In no other area do we do that -- special teams or defense.</p><p>"We need to get out of that framework, whatever's causing that. And that's a lot of what we did last week. We identified some things, and we need to utilize our personnel better because there are players who dictate whether you're a careful-or-not type of an offense."</p><p>Nolan said he and his staff examined the team's shortcomings during the bye week and hope to enact changes in their approach for Sunday's game at the New York Giants.</p><p>It's unclear whether quarterback Alex Smith will be able to play against the Giants. He sustained a separated throwing shoulder on Sept. 30. But Smith agrees the 49ers have been too tentative on offense.</p><p>"You can't play great that way," Smith said. "We have to play fast, play confident and cut it loose."</p><p>In the three games he played, Smith threw just one touchdown and one interception. The one interception was a result of since-released receiver Taylor Jacobs running the wrong route.</p><p>Whether it's the play-calling or Smith's reluctance to take chances, the 49ers' offense has been decidedly bland. Smith has not made many mistakes, but he also has not created many big plays. Nolan said he does not believe Smith's nature is to be overly cautious.</p><p>"Sometimes it's a guy's personality," Nolan said. "I've been around some quarterbacks who just can't break that. They're just careful. I don't think that's Alex, though we've played that way at times."</p><p>Certainly, Smith is not the only person to blame. The 49ers' offense has proceeded with caution the past three seasons, regardless of the quarterback.</p><p>The 49ers currently rank last in the NFL in total offense. The passing attack ranked 32nd and 29th the past two years.</p><p>The offense has even gone backward from Dennis Erickson's final season as coach. In 2004, the 49ers ranked 20th in the NFL in passing with Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey at quarterback.</p><p>The 49ers finished with a 2-14 record that year. Playing their first season without Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens, they still managed to score 25 or more points five times.</p><p>In the first 37 games under Nolan, the 49ers have eclipsed 25 points just six times, including their 26-23 victory over the Denver Broncos last season that came in overtime.</p><p>Moreover, the 49ers have been held under 200 yards of net passing in an inconceivable 18 consecutive games. They have gone 48 games -- three full seasons -- since having a 300-yard passer.</p><p>"The objective is to be aggressive and attack your opponent and win the game, not to keep from losing," Nolan said. "Because I think when you keep from losing, you lose more than you should. That's not our philosophy. But I think we've shown tendency on offense of being a little like that."</p><p>The 49ers have been held to fewer than 200 total yards in four of their five games this season. But that does not come as a relief to the Giants, who carry a four-game win streak into the game.</p><p>"I'm paranoid," Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said in a conference call with Bay Area reporters. "That scares the hell out of me. They have one of the best running backs in the league in Frank Gore. They've had some injuries. The talent in this league is too close to underestimate anybody. We can't get too confident or cocky that we're that great."</p><p>You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at 521-5492 or matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.</p>