Gore could be center of attention behind center

SANTA CLARA — Frank Gore has lined up behind center in the shotgun formation for one play this season.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick expects to see the 49ers’ running back do it again Sunday at Candlestick Park.

Gore did not have much success when he ran the play against the Detroit Lions two weeks ago, gaining just 3 yards on a third-and-10 play. However, that same formation gave the Patriots fits against the Miami Dolphins.

Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown helped torch the New England defense two weeks ago. Brown took six direct snaps in the Dolphins’ shocking 38-13 victory. Brown ran three times for 69 yards and three touchdowns; he threw a 19-yard TD pass; and he handed off twice to Ricky Williams for 31 yards.

“Oh, I think we definitely have to be ready for it down the road,” Belichick said on a conference call with Bay Area reporters this week. “Gore has done it. A lot of teams have that formation or some element of it, and we obviously didn’t do a very good job of defending it.”

Gore has not played quarterback since his youth football days in Miami. He said he is capable of throwing passes, too. Gore said he compares favorably with teammate Michael Robinson, a running back who played quarterback in college.

“Mike’s got a pretty good arm,” Gore said. “I’m close to him. I told him I could’ve played quarterback at Penn State, too.”

Even if he’s not taking direct snaps Sunday against the Patriots, Gore figures to garner a lot of attention. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz considers Gore the central figure of the offense, much the same way Marshall Faulk was the key offensive player on those explosive St.Louis Rams teams.

When the Rams met the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI, Belichick devised a strategy in which New England defenders tried to punish Faulk physically on every play — whether he touched the ball or not.

Gore said he is ready if the Patriots try a similar tactic on him.

“They might just try to do that,” Gore said.

He said the New Orleans Saints tried to do the same thing in last week’s game. Gore carried 16 times for 82 yards, and caught two passes for 31 yards in the 49ers’ 31-17 loss. Gore leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 525 yards in four games.

“New Orleans tried to do that,” Gore said. “They had two (line)backers follow me all over.”

The Patriots like to create mismatches in which linebacker Adalius Thomas is rushing against a running back. Gore (217 pounds) might have to go one-on-one against Thomas (270 pounds) in pass protection.

“I look forward to that,” Gore said. “I’m in it to win it. Whatever I have to do to win, I’m with it.

“We’ll take care of that. We do different schemes. If I get caught up on him, I got to do the job and try to stop him. (But) we’ll try not to put me on him.”

Belichick and the Patriots are coming off a bye week, so they will have had two weeks to prepare for this game. Niners coach Mike Nolan said he expects Belichick to come up with some new stuff.

“There is no telling with two weeks to prepare for us what they might do,” Nolan said. “There will probably be some wrinkles in there. I’d expect that. Otherwise it would be out of character for what they do.”

Gore said he is confident Martz will outwit Belichick.

“We’ve got a genius, too: coach Martz, man,” Gore said. “I love him. I like this offense a whole lot. It’s all about taking care of the small things. They went at it before. They’ll go at it again. Coach Martz, he’s a great coordinator.”

Gore figures it is unlikely he’ll see anything from the Patriots that he has not seen in the past.

“I know they’ll probably come out, like you say, and try to get to me — hit me around,” Gore said. “But that’s the game, period. I just got to stay mentally into it and go out there and take care of the all the little things. When the opportunity for a big play comes, I have to make it. ... It’ll be great.”

For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at 49ers.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at 521-5492 or matt.maiocco@pressdemocrat.com.