For all those marveling in the transformation of the San Francisco 49ers this season under Jim Harbaugh, there is a very real possibility that evidence of such surfaced at the end of last season.

            After a dismal 5-10 record in 15 games under Mike Singletary, the 49ers not only played hard in their season-finale for interim coach Jim Tomsula, they were downright dominant, trouncing the Cardinals 38-7. An impotent offense that had averaged 17.8 points per game under Singletary erupted for 38 against Arizona in Tomsula’s 15 minutes of fame.

            Overall yardage and first down totals did not jump off the page, but a formula for success was discovered, even in the absence of Frank Gore. In a sneak preview of things to come in 2011, Alex Smith, in Singletary and the fans’ doghouses all year, threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception.

            A defense playing without star linebacker Patrick Willis notched a pair of interceptions and forced two fumbles (though Arizona recovered) while Brian Westbrook paced the rushing attack with 79 yards on 13 carries.

            There is no doubt the 49ers responded to Tomsula and his fiery personality in a way that Singletary could have only dreamed of. In the week prior to his dismissal, Singletary engaged in a heated sideline argument with quarterback Troy Smith during the team’s 25-17 loss to the Rams.

            A season that started with high expectations had officially reached its boiling point, as San Francisco appeared to have all but quit on its coach. To further throw salt in the wounds, at 6-10, the 49ers still finished only a game out of first in the NFC West. In 2011, there would be no such foolishness.

            Enter Harbaugh, the much celebrated architect of Stanford’s drastic turnaround, to take over the reins and try and fix things with an abbreviated offseason due to the lockout.

            His first order of business was maintaining Alex Smith, who had extended beyond draft-bust status into downright infamy in the Bay Area. But to Smith’s credit, the quarterback resigned and gave a working relationship with Harbaugh a shot.

            The former Colts and Ravens QB worked wonders on Smith and a defense that always had the potential to be great but never came close to reaching it under Singletary. More disappointing was the fact that Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker who came highly recommended from coaching the position in Baltimore, could not even get players on that side of the ball to buy into his approach.

            Tomsula, the defensive line coach who retained that post in 2011, took his mastery to a whole new level this season in morphing the front four from an above-average group to a frighteningly good one.

            As the talent level of the 49ers did not undergo much of a change in large part because of the shortened offseason and free-agency period, the biggest adjustment was in the attitude department.

            Sure, the addition of Aldon Smith through the draft and David Akers and his NFL-record 44 field goals through free agency were key components. But the players in the locker room, the same ones that appeared to turn their backs on Singletary, developed a mean streak and gave the 49ers a mental makeover.

            As Harbaugh preps his team for the biggest game of their lives (to this point, anyway) there is no question that he has the undivided attention and respect of his entire roster. In a position no one could have envisioned under Singletary, the 49ers are now saying, to quote coach Harbaugh, “Who’s got it better than us? Nooooo-body!”

            With two more wins, that statement will be as true as ever.