ESPN NFC West Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

CHICAGO -- With the Cardinals-Bears game approaching, NFC North alderman Kevin Seifert joined me over a Giordano's pizza for a divisional summit Saturday night.

We almost forgot to talk about football.

There will be plenty of time for that Sunday.

Kevin and I did talk some about left tackles. The Bears are getting by with Orlando Pace. The Cardinals' Mike Gandy is in a contract year. Other teams in the divisions we cover also face issues at the position.

Good luck finding one in free agency. As an NFL scout reminded me earlier in the day, left tackles are so scarce that the Steelers twice used their franchise tag on Max Starks, who wasn't even a full-time starter some of that time.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Rams quarterback Marc Bulger misses injured receiver Laurent Robinson, particularly as a go-to option on third down.

The charts, produced by Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, break down Bulger's passer ratings by receiver and situation. The first chart isolates first and second downs, where Keenan Burton is evolving into a more reliable target. Burton played well against the Lions in particular.

Marc Bulger's passer rating differential by receiver on first and second downs Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Billy Bajema 1 118.8 74.7 +44.1 Keenan Burton 17 100.9 71.4 +29.4 Danny Amendola 9 95.4 73.3 +22.1 Laurent Robinson 13 91.2 73.8 +17.4 Donnie Avery 21 85.6 73.6 +12.0 Mike Karney 3 75.7 75.8 -0.1 Randy McMichael 18 75.5 75.8 -0.3 Steven Jackson 16 74.2 76.0 -1.8 Kenneth Darby 2 58.3 76.1 -17.7 Daniel Fells 6 57.6 76.7 -19.1 Tim Carter 2 56.3 76.1 -19.8 Brandon Gibson 1 39.6 76.4 -36.8

The second chart isolates third down. Bulger's rating when throwing to Robinson was 110.7 in those situations, compared to 55.3 for other receiving options.

Marc Bulger's passer rating differential by receiver on third down Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Billy Bajema 1 118.8 62.4 +56.4 Laurent Robinson 7 110.7 55.3 +55.4 Mike Karney 1 87.5 63.3 +24.2 Danny Amendola 5 80.4 62.4 +18.1 Randy McMichael 6 78.5 62.2 +16.3 Keenan Burton 7 67.6 63.6 +3.9 Donnie Avery 7 67.0 63.7 +3.3 Daniel Fells 3 42.4 65.7 -23.4 Kenneth Darby 1 39.6 65.4 -25.9 Tim Carter 3 39.6 68.1 -28.5 Steven Jackson 9 26.5 73.9 -47.5

Bulger played well against Detriot, in my view. It was only Detroit, of course, but these are only the Rams. Bulger was the least of their problems in that game.

Programming note: I'm about to board a plane for Chicago. Will check back here late tonight.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The rapport between Matt Hasselbeck and T.J. Houshmandzadeh spans first and second down, apparently.

The charts, produced by Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, break down Hasselbeck's passer ratings by receiver and situation. The first chart isolates first and second downs, where targeting Houshmandzadeh -- and quite a few others -- has paid off nicely for the veteran quarterback.

Matt Hasselbeck's passer rating differential by receiver on first and second downs Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential T.J. Houshmandzadeh 26 108.3 91.0 +17.3 Justin Forsett 2 110.4 94.4 +16.0 John Carlson 20 106.0 92.7 +13.4 Nate Burleson 27 104.6 92.0 +12.5 Justin Griffith 5 104.2 93.4 +10.7 Edgerrin James 1 95.8 94.9 +0.9 Julius Jones 7 95.2 94.6 +0.6 Seneca Wallace 2 93.8 95.1 -1.3 Owen Schmitt 1 79.2 95.0 -15.9 Deion Branch 10 60.4 98.5 -38.1 Deon Butler 3 50.7 96.3 -45.6 John Owens 3 39.6 97.6 -58.1

The second chart isolates third down. Hasselbeck's rating when throwing to Houshmandzadeh drops from 108.3 on early downs to 39.6 on third down. His rating when throwing to Houshmandzadeh on third down also lags dramatically relative to his third-down rating when targeting other Seattle players. Perhaps defenses pay special attention to Houshmandzadeh on third down. The pass Arizona's Antrel Rolle picked off against Hasselbeck -- the one when Houshmandzadeh waved at the ball as it sailed too long -- came on third down.

Matt Hasselbeck's passer rating differential by receiver on third down Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Deion Branch 4 112.5 55.3 +57.2 Ben Obomanu 1 112.5 63.5 +49.0 John Carlson 6 97.2 59.7 +37.5 Nate Burleson 12 91.0 54.5 +36.4 Edgerrin James 1 91.7 64.1 +27.6 Deon Butler 2 58.3 65.5 -7.2 Justin Forsett 3 52.1 66.2 -14.1 Justin Griffith 1 39.6 66.8 -27.2 T.J. Houshmandzadeh 9 39.6 88.2 -51.6

Deion Branch probably hasn't played enough to analyze across these situations, but if Hasselbeck or anyone else needs to know where to find him, Branch has proved willing to help.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Kurt Warner has had much more success finding Larry Fitzgerald on early downs, with Anquan Boldin emerging on third down and Steve Breaston's effectiveness transcending all downs.

The charts, produced by Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, break down Warner's passer ratings by receiver and situation. The first chart isolates first and second downs.

Kurt Warner's passer rating differential by receiver on first and second downs Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Jason Wright 3 128.5 85.6 +42.9 Larry Fitzgerald 53 109.5 82.2 +27.3 Ben Patrick 5 100.8 88.8 +12.0 Steve Breaston 31 99.1 87.4 +11.7 Tim Hightower 28 96.0 87.0 +9.0 Anthony Becht 6 85.4 89.3 -3.8 Stephen Spach 4 81.3 89.3 -8.0 Jerheme Urban 16 77.6 89.8 -12.2 Anquan Boldin 43 74.2 93.0 -18.9 LaRod Stephens-Howling 4 66.7 89.6 -22.9 Dan Kreider 3 42.4 89.9 -47.6 Chris Wells 5 41.3 91.3 -50.1

The second chart isolates third down. Warner's rating when throwing to Boldin jumps from 74.2 on early downs to 103.0 on third down. His rating when throwing to Fitzgerald drops from 109.5 on early downs to 32.7 on third down.

Kurt Warner's passer rating differential by receiver on third down Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Steve Breaston 7 108.3 61.0 +47.3 Anquan Boldin 13 103.0 58.1 +44.9 Ben Patrick 2 95.8 62.1 +33.7 Anthony Becht 1 95.8 65.7 +30.2 LaRod Stephens-Howling 3 88.9 62.2 +26.7 Tim Hightower 18 84.0 60.3 +23.7 Sean Morey 1 39.6 67.3 -27.7 Lance Long 1 39.6 67.3 -27.7 Larry Fitzgerald 14 32.7 74.6 -41.9 Jerheme Urban 9 4.6 76.3 -71.6 Stephen Spach 2 0.0 74.2 -74.2

Breaston's role in the offense probably deserves more scrutiny. Warner probably throws to Breaston mostly when Fitzgerald and Boldin do not present superior options. I think that explains why Breaston catches a higher percentage of the passes thrown his way. Perhaps he needs to be a higher-percentage play for Warner to consider throwing to him.

The difficulties Warner has had finding Fitzgerald in obvious passing situations -- analyzed here, here and here -- would be most apparent on third down.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Alex Smith had success throwing to rookie Michael Crabtree on third down when the 49ers rallied in the second half of their 24-21 defeat to the Texans.

Smith's success throwing to tight end Vernon Davis, the NFL's leader in touchdown receptions, had come on early downs.

The charts, produced by Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, break down Smith's passer ratings by receiver and situation. The first chart isolates first and second downs.

Alex Smith's passer rating differential by receiver on first and second downs Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Vernon Davis 10 142.1 72.1 +70.0 Josh Morgan 4 116.7 106.7 +10.0 Frank Gore 6 96.5 110.5 -14.0 Isaac Bruce 9 91.9 113.8 -21.9 Michael Crabtree 9 57.9 124.2 -66.4 Moran Norris 1 39.6 111.8 -72.2 Glen Coffee 1 39.6 111.8 -72.2

The second chart isolates third down. The information will become more useful the longer Smith plays. The third-down information in particular is quite limited, but it does line up with the overall impressions I've had, specifically in relation to Crabtree's potential on third down.

Alex Smith's passer rating differential by receiver on third down Receiver Times targeted Passer Rating Rating to other receivers Differential Michael Crabtree 3 106.9 59.7 +47.2 Josh Morgan 2 79.2 82.4 -3.3 Vernon Davis 3 70.1 89.6 -19.4 Frank Gore 1 39.6 91.7 -52.1

I'd appreciate feedback on the methodology here, specifically as to what tweaks might make this type of information more useful or reliable. Davis and Morgan were also the early-down leaders for Shaun Hill. Hill's third-down rating was best throwing to Frank Gore and worst -- by 60.5 rating points -- when throwing to Davis.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Team NFC West Player Pos. Penalties Penalty Yards ARI Levi Brown OL 8 56 STL Alex Barron OL 7 45 STL Richie Incognito OL 5 45 ARI Mike Gandy OL 5 40 ARI Adrian Wilson DB 5 35 SF Josh Morgan WR 5 45 STL Ron Bartell DB 4 56 STL Daniel Fells TE 4 30 SF Vernon Davis TE 4 26 STL Jacob Bell OL 4 25 SF Shaun Hill QB 4 33 SF Parys Haralson LB 4 25 SEA Aaron Curry LB 4 15

A false-start penalty against Levi Brown in Week 8 kept the Cardinals' tackle atop our weekly list of NFC West offenders.

Brown has five false-start penalties this season. His other penalties were for a chop block, holding and illegal touching of a forward pass.

Rams tackle Alex Barron went without a penalty in Week 8, only the third time in eight games officials did not flag Barron.

The chart shows NFC West penalty "leaders" through Week 8. The figures, provided by ESPN Stats & Information, count declined penalties.

The NFL makes available stats for accepted penalties (Seattle has the fewest this season). Counting declined penalties, the Seahawks have the fewest (36) among all NFL teams. The 49ers (52) and Cardinals (53) are right around the league average (51.75). The Rams have 64. Only the Bills (69) have more.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Injured starting tackle Sean Locklear worked some with the Seahawks' first-team offense Friday.

I would still expect Damion McIntosh to start, but this is progress for Locklear. The Seahawks have missed him, to say the least, but McIntosh did provide some stability in Week 8.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:

Cardinals subplots abound. Several years ago, the Bears told free-agent quarterback Kurt Warner he could sign with the team if he agreed to start out as the third quarterback behind Rex Grossman and "some other quarterback" Warner couldn't recall during a recent interview. Warner grew up watching the Bears. He played for the Rams when current Bears coach Lovie Smith was an assistant there. But it never worked out with Chicago. Warner visits Soldier Field in Week 9 for the Cardinals' first game against the Bears since the unforgettable 2006 meltdown game that launched then-Cardinals coach Dennis Green into Coors Light commercial stardom. If the Bears were who Green thought they were, who are the current Cardinals? They're 3-0 on the road, 1-3 at home and badly needing to get their passing game back on track.

	Don McPeak/US Presswire
	Titans quarterback Vince Young will be facing a tough 49ers defense on Sunday.

Niners rough on quarterbacks. I'm not sure what Titans owner Bud Adams sees in Vince Young beyond an expensive investment, but I'm pretty sure I know what the 49ers see when they study Tennessee's newly restored starting quarterback: an opportunity to dominate. The 49ers have faced a steady stream of dynamic quarterbacks this season. Warner, Matt Hasselbeck, Brett Favre, Matt Schaub and Peyton Manning have combined to throw five touchdown passes in five total games against the 49ers this season. Any defense in the league would be thrilled with those results. Young's mobility presents different challenges, but the 49ers' pass defense should fare very well in this matchup.

Big-play running backs. The 49ers' Frank Gore and the Titans' Chris Johnson should combine for a couple of long runs when their teams meet at Candlestick Park. Gore is tied with Adrian Peterson for the most touchdown runs of at least 60 yards since the 2005 season. The Titans have allowed three scoring and non-scoring runs of at least 40 yards this season, tied for most in the league. They have allowed 410 yards rushing in their past two games. The 49ers have allowed zero 40-plus runs this season. They are one of nine teams to allow three or fewer total runs of 20 yards or longer. Johnson remains a threat to their defense anyway. The 49ers could miss injured cornerback Nate Clements more in the running game than against the pass. Clements is one of the NFL's elite corners in run support.

Timing right for Seattle. The Lions have lost 15 consecutive regular-season road games, making Week 9 the perfect time for Seahawks coach Jim Mora to challenge his players, as Mora did following a 38-17 defeat to the Cowboys. All signs points to Seattle responding favorably against an overmatched opponent. Losing at home to the Lions is not an option for the increasingly desperate and frustrated Seahawks. For all their struggles, the Seahawks have shown an ability to dominate bad teams at Qwest Field. They pulled away from the Rams for a 28-0 victory. They hammered the Jaguars, 41-0. The Lions lost by 18, 24, and 26 points in their previous road games this season. For Detroit, losing at home to the Rams last week had to be humiliating. Anything less than a convincing Seattle victory would be troubling for the Seahawks.

Swing game for 49ers. San Francisco has played quite well over its last six quarters, but the team has still lost three in a row. Losing at home to the Titans might prove devastating for a team that has openly talked about qualifying for the playoffs in Mike Singletary's first full season as head coach. This is a potentially dangerous game for the 49ers. Tennessee possesses three things the 49ers do not: nothing to lose, lots of players left over from a 13-3 team and momentum following a victory. The pressure is on San Francisco.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Receiver Anquan Boldin's health remains a concern for the Cardinals even after he returned to practice Friday.

The question here is whether Boldin is too tough for his own long-term good. He played last week despite a high-ankle sprain. He practiced Friday despite aggravating that injury.

Players generally miss games, plural, with those types of injuries. Boldin clearly was not full strength against the Giants two weeks ago. He looked better against the Panthers before aggravating the injury and leaving the game for good.

Should the Cardinals hold out Boldin for a couple weeks to make sure he's healthier later in the season? Can they afford to take that tack with the 49ers right behind them in the division race? The answer should be easy. If Boldin is close to full strength, let him play. If he's limping, hold him out.

Don't let Boldin prove what everyone already knows: He's going to play if it's humanly possible, even when it's not in his interests or even the team's interests. He is that tough.

Win Chance Visitor Home Win Chance .080 Panthers Saints .920 .140 Texans Colts .860 .170 Dolphins Patriots .830 .170 Chiefs Jaguars .830 .190 Lions Seahawks .810 .260 Redskins Falcons .740 .330 Titans 49ers .670 .340 Cardinals Bears .660 .380 Steelers Broncos .620 .410 Ravens Bengals .590 .460 Cowboys Eagles .540 .510 Chargers Giants .490 .880 Packers Bucs .120

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Brian Burke' probability model expects the 49ers to pull even with the Cardinals at 4-4 through Week 9.

The chart shows how Burke's model sees win probabilities in Week 9. For that and more, check out his latest entry.

I've been following the projections for several weeks and enjoy seeing how they measure against results.

Several outcomes ran counter to the model in Week 8, a departure from most weeks this season.

The Cardinals are 3-0 on the road this season. I think they've got a decent chance against the Bears.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Steve from Ukiah, Calif., writes: Mike, love the blog. Best source of info on the NFC West that's out there. The loss of Joe Staley seriously hurts the 49ers' [chances] for even modest success. In fact, losing any starting lineman for a team could have that impact and it seems as if the guys in the trenches are always getting hurt. If you watch most college games, the entire o offensive line is on the field with braces on each knee. Seems to me like this is a preventative measure to avoid injuries and seems like a great idea. If the league and the teams are concerned with player safety, why not require lineman to wear braces and try and prevent some of these serious knee injuries?

Mike Sando: Thanks for the support, Steve. I think there's conflicting information about how much knee braces help as a preventative measure, particularly for players who have not suffered knee injuries previously. I asked Jason Smith of the Rams about the subject when I spoke with him at Rams training camp. He was wearing braces on both knees. He said it was something he did in college and wanted to continue in the pros, just to be safe. He then missed time with a sprained knee this season. Did the brace prevent more serious injury? Tough to say.

I've found a couple of studies online -- one here and an earlier one here -- discussing this matter. The former link included this statement regarding knee braces worn at the amateur level: "There has been controversy regarding whether knee braces prevent injury. Some researchers have found that knee braces can prevent injury, while others have not or have found increased injuries with knee braces. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) reports that although prophylactic knee braces have not been shown to be effective in preventing injury, rehabilitative knee braces for individuals who have already had knee injuries have been proven effective. The AAOS further recommended that muscle strengthening and conditioning programs and well-groomed grass athletic fields are better prevention measures for knee injuries than prophylactic braces."

This might be a subject to investigate further. Staley had never missed a snap until this season. I'll ask around.

---

Jeff from Ellensburg, Wash., writes: Sando, what is your take on the Seahawks in the long term? During the Mike Holmgren era, the Seahawks were an above average team. They consistently made the playoffs but were never able to attain elite status. As that era has come to an end, we are left with many aging players who are injury prone. I just don't see how a few drafts could remedy what ails the Seahawks. Despite the doom and gloom tone here, I know the Hawks do have potential in their young starters. I just wonder if it is going to be a long road back to top of the NFC West. Your thoughts?

Mike Sando: The Seahawks can compete for the NFC West title quickly if they can fix their offensive line and find ways to replace what Patrick Kerney provided a couple of years ago. Matt Hasselbeck seems to have conquered the back issues that bothered him last season. Those can come and go, so there's always a risk for recurrence, but that part of him has held up better than I would have anticipated. He could conceivably have a couple of more good seasons left -- if only Seattle could protect him. Fixing the offensive line would also help the running game and take pressure off the defense.


(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Quarterback Kurt Warner offered excellent insights into new challenges the Cardinals' offense is facing this season. XTRA 910 has the audio here.

"We overcame a lot last year in certain situations where things did not go right," Warner said. "Somehow, we made those plays work last year, which we haven't done nearly as well this year."

The conversation is related to the one I initiated Sunday and continued with Trent Dilfer on Wednesday.

Warner on injuries: We're a little banged up and it has hurt us a little bit. Steve (Breaston) has been banged up most of the year since training camp. Anquan (Boldin) has been banged up, which obviously affects things. And teams are playing us a little bit differently. With those guys banged up and Larry (Fitzgerald) on the back side, everbody knowing and him getting all the notoriety after last year, they are able to double-team him a little bit more and we haven't been able to take advantage of that as much as we would like to. And we have just had some things go against us. We just have to play better. That is the bottom line. We are all disappointed right now in the way that we have played offense and how difficult it has been for us this year after what seemed like pretty easy going last year."

Warner on coverages: "When you are in long-yardage situations, teams are more apt to play that Cover 2. What we are seeing a lot of times is when we are getting into our four-wide sets, teams are playing what we call a P-22, which is a Cover 2 coverage, but they will only rush three guys and they will leave one extra guy kind of roaming the middle of the field, kind of a rover-type player, which Carolina did last week. It makes it tough. When youy get down and you have to throw the ball, there are just a lot of guys in the mix."

That second point could explain why more tipped balls seem to be getting intercepted. More players in coverage means more tipped balls and more defenders in position to make interceptions. On the first point, there's no doubt Breaston's last-minute deactivation in Week 1 affected Arizona. If Breaston and Boldin are diminished, teams will have an easier time defending them, leaving more resources to focus on Fitzgerald.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Concerns about the Cardinals' passing game are relative ones, the chart reminds us.

Kurt Warner is on pace for the fourth 4,000-yard passing season of his career.

The other NFC West starters have combined for one -- by Marc Bulger, in 2006 -- during their careers. The 49ers' Alex Smith has 5,083 yards for his career. Warner had 4,830 in 2001.

Quarterbacks On Pace For 4,000 Yards Player Team Games Yards Yards/Game Projection Peyton Manning Indianapolis 7 2,227 318.1 5,090 Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh 7 2,062 294.6 4,713 Matt Schaub Houston 8 2,342 292.8 4,684 Philip Rivers San Diego 7 2,036 290.9 4,654 Tom Brady New England 7 2,032 290.3 4,645 Drew Brees New Orleans 7 2,006 286.5 4,585 Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 7 1,989 284.1 4,546 Kurt Warner Arizona 7 1,914 273.4 4,375 Tony Romo Dallas 7 1,908 272.6 4,361 Joe Flacco Baltimore 7 1,849 264.1 4,226

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch sits down with Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo for an interview during the bye week. Spagnuolo keeps an inflatable bed in his office and stays overnight regularly. Spagnuolo: "Usually Monday and Tuesday. Every once in a while Wednesday, but I try not to do that because I like seeing my wife. I try every week to get home on Monday. Tuesday's a given that I'm sleeping here."

Also from Thomas: Steven Jackson has no issues with former Rams coach Scott Linehan.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at highs and lows for the Rams through Week 8. He lists the following players as disappointments: Tim Carter (since released), Marc Bulger, Randy McMichael, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Ron Bartell, Donnie Avery and Chris Long. On the positive side, Danny Amendola has been a surprise.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the locals have finally come to appreciate Jackson. That's what happens when a player excels, plays hard and says the right things in public. Jackson: "I think (the public) has had a chance to get to know me and I have had a chance to get to know them. Some of the things I may say now might not take them aback as much as it would have in the past. I'm growing up too."

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis takes a position-by-position look at the Rams' offense. On the offensive line: "Perhaps the deepest area of this Rams team -- as evidenced by the team not missing a beat with both Jacob Bell and Richie Incognito out of the lineup against Detroit. Adam Goldberg, Mark Setterstrom, and John Greco are all more than capable of stepping in to more than one position and not allowing a drop off in performance. Jason Brown has lived up to the expectation of his free agent signing, both in his play and leadership. The fifteen first downs the Rams have run up the middle leads the team and is ninth best in the NFL."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have additional options at tight end now that Steven Spach is healthier. Somers: "Spach was rusty in practice this week, coach Ken Whisenhunt said, but improved Thursday and is healthy enough to be activated for Sunday's game against the Bears. Whisenhunt said he hasn't decided which tight ends will play against the Bears."

Also from Somers: Weather forecasts for Chicago could play in the Cardinals' favor.

More from Somers: Anquan Boldin continues to miss practice.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team is happy with fourth receiver Jerheme Urban. Whisenhunt: "It is hard when you’re not getting a tremendous amount of reps or when you have the other receivers we have on this team. It is easy to look at Jerheme after that weird play when it bounced up in the air and there was the interception. But he has done some good things for us. He brings us speed as far as stretching the field. I am pleased with the way Jerheme has worked for us."

Also from Urban: Darnell Dockett professes to having a different outlook this season.

Pete McElroy of azcardinals.com says the Cardinals' run defense is looking for redeption against Chicago.

Revenge of the Birds' andrew602 breaks down the Cardinals and Bears heading into their game Sunday.

Tom Kowalski of mlive.com says Lions linebacker Julian Peterson has been looking forward to his Week 9 date with his former teammates in Seattle.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com quotes quarterback Matt Hasselbeck as saying he came back from injury ahead of schedule, delaying a full recovery.

Also from Farnsworth: David Hawthorne is making a strong impression at linebacker for Seattle. Lofa Tatupu: "Dave has taken that next step, and I think the only thing left for him is just experience. I’m not happy he’s getting it, because that means I’m on the shelf. But I’m very proud of the linebacker he has become. He's made the transition from just being a big hitter to being a linebacker."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times wonders what's in Hawthorne's future with the Seahawks.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks expect Marcus Trufant to start against the Lions. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley: "He’s had a good week this week, and that’s what we thought. We’d give him 30 or 40 reps last week, give him a feel for the game. And the big thing is not his ability, it’s his wind. And being out there for seven, eight plays in a row and being able to perform at a high level."

Also from Williams: Hasselbeck took notice when the Seahawks made several roster moves early in the week. Hasselbeck: "Those of us who have been around, you know roster moves are going to happen after you start like we started. He (coach Jim Mora) had said it plain out, that we were going to make some changes, we’re going to do some evaluating, and they did it. His words weren’t hollow. They definitely did it. They backed it up." None of the moves was significant, however.

More from Williams: Peterson's former teammates will be happy to see him.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye does not envision making a transition to more of a spread offense. Raye: "We can mix that, which we have done and intend to do. But as a steady diet of that ... right now, I don't delight in that prospect. Going forward, if it manifests itself into something that will help us, we will gravitate toward that. But as of now, the answer to that question would be, no."

Also from Barrows: Mike Singletary has reached a critical point in his first full season as the 49ers' head coach.

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat checks in with 49ers rookie Ricky Jean-Francois.

Also from Maiocco: Raye offers one reason the 49ers' passing attack remains in transition. Raye: "It's difficult because we're still, in certain things, trying to get No.15 (Michael Crabtree) to line up in the right place. There are more elements to it than just the physical body of the people we have. So there are a lot of things that go into that before we can say, ‘We're going to switch gears and go in another direction.' "

NFC strength of schedule: Weeks 1 through 8 Team Opp. record Opp. win pct. Atlanta Falcons 30-19 .612 Detroit Lions 30-22 .588 San Francisco 49ers 30-22 .588 Arizona Cardinals 28-23 .549 Tampa Bay Bucs 28-23 .549 Seattle Seahawks 27-23 .540 St. Louis Rams 29-28 .509 Green Bay Packers 26-27 .491 New Orleans Saints 25-27 .481 Carolina Panthers 23-27 .460 New York Giants 26-31 .456 Chicago Bears 22-28 .440 Dallas Cowboys 21-29 .420 Minnesota Vikings 23-35 .397 Philadelphia Eagles 20-31 .392 Washington Redskins 16-35 .314 NFC strength of schedule: Weeks 9 through 17 Team Opp. record Opp. win pct. Washington Redskins 43-22 .662 Carolina Panthers 42-24 .636 New York Giants 36-21 .632 Philadelphia Eagles 38-26 .594 Tampa Bay Bucs 38-26 .594 Dallas Cowboys 36-29 .554 Chicago Bears 36-30 .545 St. Louis Rams 30-27 .526 Detroit Lions 34-31 .523 Minnesota Vikings 28-29 .491 Green Bay Packers 28-35 .444 Atlanta Falcons 29-37 .439 Seattle Seahawks 26-40 ,394 San Francisco 49ers 25-39 .391 Arizona Cardinals 24-42 .364 New Orleans Saints 23-41 .359

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

Dawood asks via Facebook: I was wondering if you can make a chart such as this one, but for NFC West teams.

Mike Sando: I've put together an NFC answer to Tim's AFC chart, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau via ESPN Stats & Information. I also flip-flopped the chart so Weeks 1 through 8 appeared on top, with Weeks 9 through 17 on bottom.

The charts show strength of schedules for NFC teams based on games played (top chart) and games yet to play (bottom chart). NFC West teams have played four of the seven toughest schedules in the NFC to this point.

Looking ahead, however, the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks face relatively easy roads ahead. They play three of the four easiest remaining schedules for NFC teams, based on records to this point in the season. The poor Rams draw an even tougher second-half schedule while contributing to a Saints schedule heretofore known as the Big Easy.

Check out the Redskins. They have struggled against the easiest schedule in the NFC to this point. The toughest remaining schedule in the NFC awaits. Good luck, Jim Zorn. You're going to need it.

The Cardinals appear to be in good position to maintain their one-game lead in the division, but a 49ers victory over Arizona in Week 14 -- at Candlestick -- could make things tougher. I see Arizona winning at least five more games, beating the Seahawks, Rams (twice), Titans and Lions. That would put them at 9-7 even if they lost to the 49ers again.

In that case, the 49ers would also need to win nine games if they were to win the division title. To do that, the 49ers would have to win six of their final nine, including against Arizona. The way I see things, they would probably have to win their next two, both at home, against the Titans and Bears. I would also have them beating the Jaguars, Lions and Rams. Picking up another victory somewhere along the way -- say, at Seattle -- would be huge.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, might have a tough enough time getting from 2-5 to 7-9. They could get to 7-9 by beating the Lions, Rams, 49ers, Bucs and Titans. Contending for the division title might require additional victories over, say, the Cardinals and Texans, both on the road. That will be tough.