"We were in front 10-9 in the fourth quarter, had them third-and-20 and a defense called just for him," Nolan recalled. "He caught about a 4-yard pass, broke five tackles and ran 54 yards for a touchdown."

Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals' dynamic receiving tandem, have been a big part of Arizona's four-game winning streak against Nolan and the 49ers, who host the Cardinals in tomorrow night's opener at Monster Park.

They also figured, in part, in the 49ers' free-agent spending spree last spring that included signing cornerback Nate Clements to an $80 million contract, making him the game's highest-paid defensive player.

"Arizona's group was part of my thought process," Nolan said. "But our whole division has very good receivers. I not only wanted to get better in the secondary but I wanted some physical players in the secondary. Not only Nate, but Michael Lewis is a big part of that."

Clements said he is approaching the opener as merely the first of many tests.

"I'm not here just for one team," he said. "I was brought on board to help throughout the season and in the years to come. But we definitely have a challenge on our hands."

Clements' skill in coverage put him at the forefront of the 49ers' efforts to clamp down on Boldin and Fitzgerald, who fueled the Cardinals' 10th-ranked passing attack last season.

"Nowadays, every team has multiple star receivers, and they're definitely up there," Clements said of the Cardinals' twosome. "They're big, physical, and they're very good at going up for the jump ball."

Clements will team with fellow cornerback Walt Harris in a bid to contain a duo that in the past four meetings with San Francisco has combined for 55 catches for 852 yards and five touchdowns.

"Obviously, they've had an edge, but those are just numbers and stats," Harris said. "We dictate what we're going to do this year."

The presence of Clements, a former Pro Bowl player who spent his first six seasons in Buffalo, figures to help the 49ers defense set a different tone this season, Harris said.

"Sometimes, that's what you need to kind of get over the hump," said Harris, who went to the Pro Bowl last season. "He generates an attitude among us where we just expect him to make plays. Any time you can bring that type of energy to the defense or to the team, it can be a domino effect and lift everybody's confidence."

Clements, 27, is one of five new starters on a revamped defense that features a newly implemented 3-4 scheme and is being overseen by first-year NFL coordinator Greg Manusky.

Other newcomers are strong safety Lewis, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain and rookie inside linebacker Patrick Willis. Speed, athleticism, aggressive, physical play and suitability to the 3-4 scheme stood out as the common thread among the incoming players.

"I would hope when we play them we'll match up better on the defensive side than we have," said Nolan, who's looking for his first win against Arizona since becoming 49ers coach in 2005. "But more importantly, the thing that I think will make the biggest difference is the maturity of the group that collectively will give us a way to play better than we have in the past."

Clements said he can sense the defense starting to come together.

"There's definitely a lot of potential," he said. "We have the talent and we have the players to win. Now we've just got to put it together, and our first test will be Monday."