SANTA CLARA, Calif. — What a difference an offensive coordinator makes. The 49ers are off to a 2-1 start for the second consecutive season, but there's a vastly different vibe now that Mike Martz is in town.

That vibe — confidence.

"It just seems so easy now," said running back Frank Gore, who has said that it seemed like a black cloud was hovering over the 49ers in 2007. "Especially coming from last year, we had to struggle just to get across the 50 (yard line). And now, we're just putting 21 points up like nothing."

Whereas last season's 2-1 start was rife with dire warnings, this year there's a sense that the 49ers, who begin a tough five-game stretch Sunday in New Orleans, might actually be as good as their early record indicates.

Passing game

2007 Last year's mentality: Only bad things happen when you throw the ball. Alex Smith, for example, attempted just 17 passes in a narrow Week 2 win over St. Louis. The 49ers never threw for more than 300 yards during the season and barely surpassed 200 yards — 209 against Pittsburgh — in the first three weeks.

2008 — Not only does Martz like to throw the ball, he wants his quarterback to take chances downfield. J.T. O'Sullivan has responded with a 104.6 passer rating — ranking him fourth in the league. In fact, the 49ers' passing offense, which was dead last a year ago, is 11th after three games.

Running game

2007 — With no respect for the 49ers' passing game, defenses focused their attention on the only offensive threat — Frank Gore. After rushing for a team-record 1,695 yards the year before, Gore failed to go over 100 yards in the first three games and averaged 3.4 yards a carry.

2008 — That average is up to 4.8 yards a carry, and Gore also leads the team with 13 receptions. Perhaps most important is the number of times he's touched the ball — 73 vs. 57 at this time last year. Said Gore: "Whatever it takes to win, I'm with it. If we have to throw the ball to win, let's do it, you know. If the running game is getting shut down and I have to catch balls, I'll do it. I just want to win."

Personnel

2007 The team added two big-name receivers in the offseason — Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie — but both were duds and lasted one season. The team also relied heavily on fullback Moran Norris, a 250-pounder who symbolized the 49ers' throwback mentality on offense.

2008 This year's offseason acquisitions Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson have been productive and each has already been in the end zone. The new fullback is Zak Keasey, a dreadlocked 235-pounder who catches the ball as well as blocks.

Coaching

2007 — Fourth downs have been a sore spot since Mike Nolan arrived in San Francisco. A former defensive coordinator, Nolan has tended to go for the conservative call a field goal or a straight-ahead running play in fourth-and short situations.

2008 — Facing fourth-and-goal from the 1 Sunday against Detroit, Nolan passed up a field-goal attempt to go for the touchdown. Martz delivered with an end around to return man Allen Rossum, a player who hadn't had an offensive snap in three years. Said Saints head coach Sean Payton of his Sunday opponent: "The one thing you see when you watch them on tape, much different than I think the last two years, is a team that's playing with confidence."