The San Francisco 49ers appeared to have all of the pieces in place for a high-scoring offense in 2014. The returning starters included running back Frank Gore, who steadily churned out 1,000-yard rushing seasons despite his ever-increasing age; Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis, who had 850 receiving yards and a whopping 13 touchdowns in 2013; immensely-talented wide receiver Michael Crabtree, fully healthy after missing several games last year due to injury; and at the forefront, quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whose rocket-arm and ability to run from the pocket made him one of the most dynamic players in the National Football League.

However, just like the team, the offense has struggled with inconsistency and ineptitude, and the team will not make the postseason for the first time in four years under head coach Jim Harbaugh’s watch. Kaepernick in particular has struggled this season, as turnovers and taking sacks have become rampant. So perhaps it is no surprise that two offensive-minded coaches have been rumored to become potential replacements for Harbaugh, who will most likely not be returning as the team’s coach in 2015.

Citing reports by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wrote that the 49ers are expected to look for a young offensive specialist to take over the helm. Most specifically mentioned was Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels and Gase help to oversee two of the most prolific offenses in all of football. Through week 15, the Patriots and Broncos are first and fifth in points scored per game. Last year, the Patriots were tied with the Chicago Bears as the second-highest scoring offense in the league. The highest-scoring offense in 2013 would be Gase’s Denver Broncos, which set an NFL record with 606 points scored, or a whopping 37.9 points per game (also a league record).

Skeptics might ask how much credit do the Patriots’ McDaniels and the Broncos’ Gase really deserve for their teams’ offensive prowess. After all, the quarterbacks for the Patriots and Broncos are surefire Hall of Famers-to-be Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and Brady and Manning are the ones who do the heavy lifting.

Obviously, those two signal callers are among the game’s smartest quarterbacks, and are still regarded as two of the best in the league. But credit McDaniels and Gase for helping Brady and Manning stay elite, as both quarterbacks are over the age of 35. Despite not having the arm strength of younger quarterbacks (such as Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford), Brady and Manning have thrived in systems designed by McDaniels and Gase. While Brady and Manning certainly possess “NFL-quality” arms, their physical shortcomings are masked by clever scheming and timing routes utilized to play to their strengths.

No matter who takes the reigns as head coach of the 49ers next year, the team’s offense needs a jolt. Once so exciting, young, and promising, the San Francisco offense of 2014 seems conservative, out-of-sync, and in need of new blood. Perhaps McDaniels or Gase will be the offensive guru that the team needs to right the ship in 2015.