In an interview with Pro Football Talk, San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis made it loud and clear that finishing second place is no longer good enough. Under head coach, Jim Harbaugh the 49ers have an outstanding 36 wins and 11 losses in three seasons. In those three seasons, the 49ers have won five playoff games with one Super Bowl appearance. The 49ers have also advanced to the NFC title game the last three consecutive seasons but haven't been able to win the big one.

So close, yet so far.

Davis was quoted in the interview, saying, "We must win a Super Bowl title. You play this game. That's what you play this game for. You play the game to go the Super Bowl, and that's the only reason why we play — to win and make it to the Super Bowl. So anything short of that would not be acceptable, and I think my teammates know that, as well."

The 49ers have struggled to defeat their heated NFC West rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, especially at Century Link Field. Last season, the Seahawks won the division and eliminated the 49ers in dramatic fashion in a playoff game for the ages. If the 49ers are going to win the Lombardi Trophy, they must win the NFC West division and enter the playoffs as a No. 1 or No. 2 seed because this 49ers team has shown again and again they cannot defeat the Seahawks in Seattle.

Davis is one of the best -- if not the best -- tight ends in the NFL. Davis is only 29 years old, but he knows opportunities don't come around like this quite often. You have to take advantage of the moment. The '90s Buffalo Bills lost four Super Bowls, the '80s Denver Broncos lost three Super Bowls, and the '70s Minnesota Vikings lost four. That's a combined 0-11 in Super Bowls, and Davis doesn't want this 49ers team to be listed with one of those teams.

It's going to be a tough road for this 49ers team. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and safety Quinton Patton have been under a sexual assault investigation in Miami. Aldon Smith was recently arrested (again) for falsely reporting a bomb threat. With so many off the field issues, Davis is going to have to step up as the leader and take control. The 49ers also have a tough NFC conference to go through in order to make it to the Super Bowl. Other than the Seahawks, the 49ers will still have to go through the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants or Green Bay Packers.