FOXBORO — As it turns out, it’s a question without much of an answer.

At least not one that members of the New England Patriots are willing to share.

The question: What’s the best way to combat the multiple defensive fronts and personnel the San Francisco 49ers use?

“It’s hard (to answer) without giving anything away,” Russ Hochstein said, looking a bit sheepish.

“Well, I guess block your assignment,” fellow guard Billy Yates said.

They may not have been willing to spill the state secrets, but members of the Patriots know that they need to be on guard against the 49ers, who like to bring pressure from every which way and with different players.

Regardless, keeping Matt Cassel upright and opening holes for the Pats’ running backs will be key to kick-start New England’s offense, which seemed to stall against Miami.

San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan has generally used a base 3-4 defense, as New England does, but Bill Belichick has noted some new wrinkles shown by the Niners this season.

“I would say this year they are based primarily out of a four-man front with Justin Smith, which is understandable because he’s a good player for them,” Belichick said this week, likening the front to what Nolan did as defensive coordinator in Baltimore, when outside linebacker Terrell Suggs spent a lot of time on the line.

“They game-plan things up and change things from week to week depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the team they’re playing. I think that (Nolan) is a very creative coach and they have good players,” said Belichick. “They have a veteran, experienced group of players on defense; I’m sure that gives them the ability to make some adjustments and do some different things.”

Among the varied looks San Francisco gives, according to Belichick, are using four rushers, but “definitely not the same four guys.” Sometimes it’s two linemen and two linebackers, sometimes three lineman and one linebacker; not always using the same group of defensive backs in nickel and dime packages; and having players play specialized roles.

So, in essence, they’re a tougher team to prepare for. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to do it.

“It’s just about familiarity,” fullback Heath Evans said. “We preach here and we’re coached: preparation, preparation, preparation. The film’s there. You know, the saying is, ‘The eye in the sky doesn’t lie,’ so if you’re willing to study and put the time in, you can get familiar with them like we can get familiar with the Jets or anybody else.”

There might be a lot to look for, but with enough study, the Pats players will be able to look at down-and-distance situations and have a pretty good idea of which personnel will be on the field at certain times and in certain packages.

“Obviously, every week you can get a curveball, but that’s what good coaching and good playing is about: being able to adjust, so hopefully we’ll be able to do that,” Evans said.

As Belichick and Evans noted, New England is familiar with individual players on the 49ers’ defense. Corner Nate Clements began his career in Buffalo, linebacker Takeo Spikes played for the Bengals, Bills and Eagles, corner Michael Lewis was in Philadelphia, tackle Aubrayo Franklin began his career with the Ravens, and corner Donald Strickland was with the Colts.

“Obviously, it’s a team we don’t know, (but) a lot of players we’ve played against, so the individual players we have a better grasp on,” Evans said. “But putting it together as the San Francisco defense, that’s where the next four days are really going to be crucial, jut kind of feeling extremely comfortable about what they do and how they do it.”

San Francisco has eight sacks this season. Parys Haralson has three, Smith and Roderick Green have two, and Lewis has one, plus 16 quarterback hits. Cassel has been sacked nine times in three games.

“San Francisco plays extremely well together on defense, and they do a little of everything, and it seems like they give a lot of people problems,” Hochstein said. “So, like any time, we’ll be ready for about anything this Sunday. It’s four games into the season, they’re another opponent, and we need to play really well and handle anything that they can throw at us.”

You can ask how the Pats will try to beat the Niners’ pressure, but you won’t get an answer until Sunday.

smanza@projo.com