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Our ongoing discussion on tight ends raised questions about which ones possess the best -- and worst -- hands.

"Any way you can add in 'thrown to' and 'drops' in this stat?" Furfanam asked in one comments section.

Consider it done.

Jason Vida of ESPN Stats & Information produced the information. I've broken it out in four charts. A few notes on the findings:

• Jason Witten, who edged Antonio Gates for the top spot in our rankings, dropped only two of the 126 passes thrown his way last season. That gave him easily the lowest drop rate -- 1.6 percent -- among tight ends with at least 50 receptions.
• Heath Miller had the most receptions (42) without a drop. Green Bay's Jermichael Finley (21), Jacksonville's Zach Miller (20) and Jim Kleinsasser (17) were next.
• Brandon Pettigrew, Dustin Keller and Kevin Boss had the most drops with nine apiece. Chris Cooley, Tony Gonzalez, Aaron Hernandez and Owen Daniels were next with six each.
• The St. Louis Rams' Daniel Fells ranked 13th in lowest drop percentage among players with at least 20 targets. Teammate Billy Bajema, with three drops in 21 targets, had the highest drop percentage in the same category.

The first chart ranks NFL tight ends by most receptions. It also shows number of targets, drops and drop percentage. Witten, Jacob Tamme and Gates were the only tight ends with at least 50 receptions and no more than two dropped passes.



The second chart shows lowest drop percentages among tight ends targeted at least 20 times last season. Miller's standing atop the list backs up James Walker's contention that the Pittsburgh Steelers tight end was underrated in our power rankings.



The third chart ranks NFL tight ends with at least 20 targets by the highest percentage of dropped passes.

ESPN Stats & Information's totals on Bajema matched my charting. I had Bajema dropping passes against Tennessee, Denver and Arizona.



The final chart focuses only on NFC West tight ends, ranking them by lowest percentage of dropped passes.

Shawn from Atlanta writes: Hey Mike, love the site and the commentary over the years! My question is: why is everybody considering Blaine Gabbert as a Top 10 prospect with a high floor, but his stats haven't shown him to be an NFL sure thing? He regressed in his junior year and only won one big game (Oklahoma in 2010) during his career. On the flip side, he has been bad in the two bowl games he has played in (and the pick against Iowa was one of the worst plays I have ever seen). Help me out Mike. What am I missing? From a concerned 49ers fan.

Mike Sando: I know people in the NFL who think Gabbert will be the first quarterback selected, so he must be doing something right. Others have suggested they don't even consider him to be a first-round talent. Teams value quarterbacks highly in the draft. If Gabbert is one of the top few quarterbacks, he'll very likely be a first-round choice. We've had at least two first-round quarterbacks in each of the past nine drafts. Twelve of the 26 first-rounders since 2002 went among the top five. It's no shock if Gabbert's gone before the 49ers select at No. 7.

Supporters say Gabbert has an appealing mix of accuracy, size and athleticism. He was an all-academic selection in the Big 12. He appears likely to grasp offenses at the NFL level. He doesn't have an obvious weakness, other than playing in a spread passing offense. He also makes a positive impression in the intangibles department. That can put teams at ease as they try to minimize risk at the position.

Gabbert's 2010 stats were indeed underwhelming by major prospect standards. He finished the season completing 63.4 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He averaged 6.7 yards per attempt, not very impressive for top prospects. Teams are going to value the whole package -- smarts, accuracy, overall makeup -- more than they are going to value raw stats.

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Seth from Newport News, Va., writes: I am sad to see Oshiomogho Atogwe go. I am excited though, that Darian Stewart can make a big step this year. With Atogwe signing with the Redskins, I feel he is more worried about money and personal stats. I understand Jim Haslett is one reason he went there, but does anyone really see the Redskins competing for a championship anytime soon? The Rams are closer than them. You are telling me no teams that are considered contenders were interested? I wish Atogwe well and hope the best for him, but I think he should have gone to a contender.

Mike Sando: At a certain point, Atogwe needed to look out for himself. He needed to take a lucrative offer when he had the opportunity. He had made good money to this point in his career, but poor timing had prevented him from maxing out. The Redskins made him feel wanted at a time when teams are playing it safe. I can't fault Atogwe at all.

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Ray from Corona, Calif., writes: The 49ers' most pressing need is cornerback and if they don't get at least two, they are doomed to continuing mediocrity. They should aggressively pursue and pay top dollar for Nnamdi Asomugha. It would allow them to release Nate Clements and his inflated salary, then maybe renegotiate and re-sign him. It gives them more options in the draft if Patrick Peterson doesn't fall to them. Prince Amukamara is very good, but doesn't merit a No. 7 overall first-round pick. If Peterson is gone already, the 49ers should draft one of the great pass-rushers such as Robert Quinn, Da'Quan Bowers or Von Miller, and go for a quarterback in the second or third round with Andy Dalton or Colin Kaepernick at picks 45 or 76. The cornerback, DeMarcus Von Dyke of Miami, might be available in the second round, also.

Mike Sando: The cornerback situation in San Francisco does need addressing, but I wouldn't necessarily make it the focus of so many offseason resources. The 49ers are not two cornerbacks away from contending. The big-money cornerback additions over the years -- Clements, Asante Samuel, Dunta Robinson and Champ Bailey come to mind -- haven't always put their teams over the top.

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Joshua from Nebraska writes: What are the chances the Rams go after Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray in the third or fourth round to be a change-of-pace back to play behind Steven Jackson? Would his ties to Sam Bradford make this more likely?

Mike Sando: Murray has had durability concerns, but he's known for excelling as a receiver out of the backfield. He would also provide value as a kickoff returner. That means Murray could contribute right away, a plus for any rookie.

The Rams do need to bolster the position behind Jackson, and even start thinking about a long-term alternative. I couldn't argue against Murray if he lasted into that third-round range, but he could be gone by then. His history with Bradford at Oklahoma would be a small plus, but it likely would not influence the Rams unless Bradford offered a strong negative opinion, which would seem unlikely.

On a side note, Josh McDaniels, the Rams' new offensive coordinator, has been with teams that drafted the following running backs: Knowshon Moreno, Justise Hairston, Laurence Maroney, Cedric Cobbs, Spencer Nead and Antwoine Womack.

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Joe from Fort Collins, Colo., writes: Hello, Mike, just a comment about the Arizona Cardinals' defense. The offense had so many three-and-outs, which led to the defense being on the field so long. I really think if the offense can get turned around, then the defense would really shine and build off that No. 1 red zone ranking. Also, didn't Derek Anderson remind you of Kent Graham? Strong arm but horrible accuracy.

Mike Sando: The Cardinals did, improbably, lead the NFL in touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone this past season. They were at 39 percent. The rest of the league was at greater than 50 percent. Holding Seattle's struggling red zone offense to three touchdowns in 15 qualifying possessions helped the percentage a great deal. Arizona's other opponents scored touchdowns 24 times in 54 chances (.444).

Atlanta, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Kansas City combined to score 12 touchdowns in 18 red zone possessions against Arizona.

You're right about the Cardinals' defense needing more help from the offense. Kurt Warner masked weakneses throughout the roster. That's what top quarterbacks do.

The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos battled hard over Patrick Kerney and Daniel Graham during the 2007 free-agent signing period.

When the Seahawks landed Kerney, the Broncos made sure they signed Graham, a powerful blocking tight end coming off a successful run with New England.

Kerney has since retired and Graham reached a point this offseason where his contract became untenable for a Broncos team with cash concerns and a new coaching staff seeking to start over. Denver released him.

Graham could resurface as a candidate for Seattle once the NFL and its players have a new collective bargaining agreement in place. The Seahawks' new assistant head coach/offensive line, Tom Cable, was on the staff at Colorado when Graham played for the Buffaloes. That connection could help now.

Seattle needs to upgrade its running game. Graham, 31, started 16 games last season, but the Seahawks wouldn't need him to do much more than blocking. They'll be looking to upgrade their running game through an improved offensive line, and Graham would serve as an extension of that line.

Seattle released veteran tight end Chris Baker on Thursday before his contract called for a $500,000 bonus.

The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs also have ties to Graham -- and to Baker, for that matter. Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was with Baker and Graham in New England, and with Graham in Denver. Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was with both in New England.

McDaniels' immediate ties to Graham and the Rams' stable quarterback situation could make St. Louis an attractive landing spot for him, should the Rams decide they want to shake up their situation at tight end. Billy Bajema has played well for them, and Mike Hoomanawanui looks like a keeper.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have a big hole at safety now that Oshiomogho Atogwe has agreed to terms with the Redskins. Thomas: "In the end, Atogwe chose a coach he is familiar with in Jim Haslett, but just as important is the fact that Haslett's system probably is a better match with Atogwe's skills. He didn't have as much freedom to roam the field and maximize his playmaking skills under Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, playing more in the box -- like a strong safety would -- and being used more as a blitzer." Craig Dahl, James Butler and Darian Stewart become the Rams' top three safeties minus Atogwe. The team clearly has a need at the position now.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says a lockout would hurt the Rams in particular. Miklasz: "Yes, all 32 teams have roster issues that can't be tackled right now. But how many have a second-year QB who must learn a new playbook, get on the same page with a new coordinator and connect with a new wide receiver? Things are awfully quiet at Rams Park. Some NFL teams have spent money this offseason by re-signing their own players or players released by other franchises. But the Rams haven't signed anyone. Just the opposite; they released fullback Mike Karney and made safety and team leader O.J. Atogwe a free agent by declining to pay an optional roster bonus. There's more work to do in St. Louis than most places."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at how a lockout would hurt the 49ers. Maiocco: "There can be no player movement until there is a new CBA in place. Free agency will begin only when there's a labor agreement. The 49ers are prohibited from pursuing trades for a quarterback, such as Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb or Cincinnati's Carson Palmer, until there's a new CBA. It's possible the first opportunity the 49ers -- or any other team -- will have to add players will come April 28-30 during the NFL draft. The 49ers own 10 draft picks." It's looking more like labor talks could avert a lockout.

Sam Good of 49ers.com profiles former 49ers safety Eason Ramson, who has battled through substance abuse and other problems since retiring from football. Good: "The pain started when he was a little kid and was the driving force behind everything Ramson did. From becoming a star athlete in Sacramento, to earning his scholarship to Washington State, to becoming an NFL player, and even his drug addiction. It all stemmed from the pain. Ramson isn’t sure if his father ever loved him; he never heard him say it, and it’s a question that still lingers. If he did love his son, the elder Ramson never showed it. He was a provider – food, clothes, shelter – but that was it. No bonding, no hugs, not even an occasional pat on the back. Instead of fatherly advice, Ramson’s dad told his son, 'You’re never gonna be nothing.' "

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers have incentive to get a labor deal done.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat has this to say about a lockout in relation to the 49ers: "Consider that seven other teams also have new head coaches, but, unlike Harbaugh, those coaches were NFL head coaches or coordinators last year. In addition, those seven teams all have more stable quarterback situations than San Francisco, which only has journeyman David Carr under contract."

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider checks in with tackle Joe Staley for thoughts on the labor situation.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says the recently released Chris Baker, 31, was the oldest of four tight ends on the Seahawks' roster. The team also released quarterback Nate Davis in a move that begs for some explanation. Davis was a project and it was unclear whether he would fit with the Seahawks' offense, but there was no obvious advantage to the timing of his release.

Brian McIntyre of Mac's Football Blog notes that Baker was due to receive a $500,000 bonus on the seventh day of the new league year. That helps explain why the Seahawks released Baker now. Baker finished the 2010 season on injured reserve. Fellow tight ends Cameron Morrah and John Carlson made key contributions in the playoffs.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle says Matt Hasselbeck will have suitors in free agency.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals players have honored safety Matt Ware with the Ed Block Courage Award after Ware continued playing following a diagnosis showing he has Type I diabetes. Note: "Ware's return to the football field in 2010 was remarkable on multiple fronts. He has overcome Type I Diabetes and arthroscopy on his right knee following the 2008 season. His 2009 season was shortened by a knee injury that ended December 16, 2009, when he sprained his right knee ACL and MCL ligaments. Ware was first diagnosed in March of 2009 with Type I Diabetes. He had suffered from fatigue, an increase in thirst and a 15-pound weight loss during a three-week period. It was during the rehabilitation phase of his knee injury he began to experience the diabetic symptoms that slowed his workouts. His appetite had increased and his thirst mechanism was insatiable. Matt was referred to an endocrinologist for screening."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com lists Arizona players with expiring contracts.

Also from Urban: Larry Fitzgerald discusses the Cardinals' quarterback situation with Mike & Mike on ESPN Radio. Fitzgerald on landing a veteran or drafting a quarterback: "You can see it on both sides. You see veteran guys having success, and then you see the Matt Ryans and guys like that who come right in, Mark Sanchez, guys who can do it. I’m just about winning. We want to have success, and I know my coaches and teammates feel the same way. Whatever the way it is, I am for it."

Greg from Novato, Calif., writes: Hey Sando, I post as allenjr16 on espn.com, and I was wondering in terms of the 49ers, they need a QB and some other stuff as well.

Cornerback is one of those other things. Since the biggest name in the draft at that position is likely out of the 49ers' reach, how likely do you think the 49ers are to pay Nnamdi Asomugha? My thinking is that he is from the Bay Area originally and the pickup would allow the 49ers to move Nate Clements to free safety (since Dashon Goldson is going to expect a big unearned payday).

Also, do you think with the new defensive coordinator that the 49ers will change back to a 4-3 in which they are best suited, with Isaac Sopoaga, Aubrayo Franklin and Ricky Jean-Francois in rotation in the middle, and Ray McDonald, Justin Smith and Parys Haralson in rotation on the outside?

Regardless of those personnel changes, can you please comment on how the most successful coaches alter their schemes to match their players and not the other way around? I am sure there is information out there proving just that.

Mike Sando: Good questions, Greg. The 49ers did spend in free agency several years ago as they sought to upgrade their roster. The team has more recently focused on re-signing its own players. That philosophy will probably continue with Trent Baalke as general manager.

Team president Jed York has been unwavering in saying the 49ers have enough talent in general, if not at quarterback. The 49ers are not a high-revenue team, they are playing in a dumpy stadium and they will be paying two head coaches with a lockout looming.

Put together those factors, throw in the fact that Oakland or another team might covet Asomugha and I'm thinking it's unlikely the 49ers go that route. I'm going to address Asomugha's situation in relation to the entire division at some point here. I'd be a little surprised if Al Davis let the NFL's best cornerback get away. Davis loves corners.

If Davis were willing to overpay Asomugha a couple years ago, why not again? Asomugha has held up his end. Letting Asomugha leave as a free agent would help return a compensatory draft choice to Oakland this offseason, perhaps, but that is no reason for a team to let its best player get away. If Asomugha wanted out, he would have tried to leave a couple years ago. The Raiders have only improved since then.

Oakland will have some tough financial choices. Richard Seymour's contract is also up. That could help Asomugha pop free. It's just not a slam dunk at this point.

As for the defensive scheme, yes, good coaches adapt. I tend to think most coaches adapt within their system, however. They generally do not scrap what they know best. You would not see Ken Whisenhunt suddenly adopting a West Coast offense. Jim Harbaugh would not suddenly switch to the Mike Martz offense.

Martz is a good example. The Bears have changed their style and some of their approach on offense, but they are still running Martz's system.

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Mike from Seattle writes: I know the Seahawks had to pass, but what happened to Marshawn Lynch in the second half? Never saw him again.

Mike Sando: The situation at tight end and the Bears' stout run defense combined with the scoreboard to take Lynch out of the Seattle offense.

Justin Forsett is often the preferred back from pass-oriented personnel groupings because he's quicker. Lynch is the power runner, but it's tough to play the power game with Chris Baker on injured reserve, John Carlson headed to the hospital and Cameron Morrah battling a turf-toe injury.

Seattle ran 13 snaps from 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends) when the Seahawks and Bears played in Week 6. I counted none Sunday. The Seahawks ran nine snaps from 22 personnel in Week 6. I counted one Sunday, but only with an extra offensive lineman as the second tight end. In Week 6, Lynch scored on a 1-yard touchdown run from 23 personnel. That wasn't even an option against the Bears in the rematch.

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Brandon from Pullman, Wash., writes: After watching the Seahawks game then the Jets-Patriots game, one thing immediately stood out to me -- the conditions of the fields. In Chicago, the field looked a sickly yellowish green that was clearly frozen solid.Yet in New England, a similarly northerly cold location, the field was a lush green that looked like a beautiful playing surface. Do the Bears need to fire their groundskeeping crew or what?

Mike Sando: The Bears, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, share their field with local high schools. In a best-case scenario, they would change to FieldTurf or another surface better suited to for heavy use. My understanding, however, is that the Bears do not control every aspect of the playing surface.

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Kevin from Maryland writes: Who would you think is a better fit as the new offensive coordinator in St. Louis -- Josh McDaniels, Brad Childress or someone else?

Mike Sando: I started out thinking the Rams should lean more toward maintaining continuity of scheme, which would favor Childress. I am increasingly leaning toward McDaniels as the more exciting hire. His offense might suit Sam Bradford at least as well.

One key, I think, would be making sure the Rams had a successor on staff in case a team gave McDaniels another shot at a head-coaching job. That might seem like a stretch given how things ended in Denver, but McDaniels struggled more with personnel decisions than with the tactical side, it seemed.

That's it for now. There were no new questions on the Cardinals this time. To clarify earlier items, however, note that Larry Fitzgerald's no-trade clause remains in place for the 2011 season. His deal with Arizona voids before the 2012 season. That negotiation will have significant ramifications for the Cardinals and the NFL.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers, having hired Trent Baalke as their general manager, might be favorites to land Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh. Kawakami: "The 49ers absolutely want him, and a high-ranking NFL source said Tuesday that team president Jed York remains more than willing to pay a premium price to get him. Now the 49ers have to finish the deal."

Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers president Jed York was fibbing when he said he wanted to hire a strong general manager to run the team. Ratto: "Lies are like money, you see. When you spend one, it better be for something valuable, and making people think you want to divorce yourself from the football side without actually doing so is a wasted lie. A good lie is feigning non-interest in Jim Harbaugh if he wants that news kept quiet. That’s a tactical lie with known benefits. This was not. This was a smokescreen for Jed York’s benefit, so he could look for a moment like someone who understood the magnitude of the problem while all the time deciding he was the solution to it."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers fell short when they hired Baalke. Cohn: "Jed rushed through this process just as he rushed through the disastrous hiring Mike Singletary, the joke head coach Jed subsequently needed to fire for not comprehending how to be a head coach. An owner who knows how to act like an owner interviews multiple candidates from winning teams. The operative phrase is “winning teams.” People from winning teams have a lot to offer."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Baalke and Mike Lombardi were finalists for the GM job.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains why he thinks the Rams should have given Steven Jackson more carries against Seattle. Miklasz: "Jim Hanifan and Rick Venturi also pointed out that when the Rams put the tight end in motion to attack Seattle's smaller defensive end (Chris Clemons), Jackson had two runs that picked up nearly 20 yards. Seattle likes to flip Clemons to the open side, away from the tight end. So the answer to that is to motion your tight end over to Clemons' side and ram him. Makes sense to me. Look, you can dismiss my questioning of this as the worthless whining of an idiot sportswriter. But I believe Coach Hanifan has established credibility. His evaluations of an NFL running game should be taken seriously."

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com says the Rams need to work on their inside run game.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines Pat Shurmur's candidacy for the Browns' head coaching job. Thomas: "Shurmur has never worked directly with Holmgren, but he got to know him as an assistant coach at Michigan State while his uncle, the late Fritz Shurmur, was on Mike Holmgren's Green Bay Packers staff in the mid 1990s. In addition, Pat Shurmur was on Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia from 1999 through 2008. There's even more familiarity with the Browns, because Shurmur, Holmgren, Reid and Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo all are represented by the same agent -- Bob LaMonte. Another LaMonte client is Browns general manager Tom Heckert, who was in the Philadelphia front office during eight of Shurmur's 10 seasons with the Eagles."

Also from Thomas: a look at Sam Bradford's rookie season.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coaches deserve scrutiny.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Cardinals players are bracing for a different offseason, one in which they could be locked out by team owners. Center Lyle Sendlein: "I just think everyone will have to have a backup plan for working out. It’s our job. If you’re not going to be working out you might as well not come to camp. If you’re not doing something, somebody else is. That’s how I think of it."

Also from Urban: a look at the Cardinals' roster by position, with contract status and other details. Urban: "The problem is that the labor deal might not be done for a few months. The free agency period might have to be a very quick (Three weeks? Four weeks?) time frame late in the summer. There is no question until that CBA is figured out (and when), it is a complicated offseason."

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Charlie Whitehurst and Matt Hasselbeck split reps in practice Tuesday as the Seahawks prepared to face New Orleans.

Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle updates Seahawks-related roster moves. Mathews: "Both guard Chester Pitts (head) and tight end Chris Baker (hip) have been placed on season-ending injured reserve."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says it's easy for the Seahawks to adopt an us-against-the-world mentality as they head into the playoffs with a 7-9 record.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with Marshawn Lynch, who played a leading role in the Seahawks' playoff-clinching victory Sunday. O'Neil: "Lynch led Seattle with 573 yards rushing, marking the fifth consecutive season the Seahawks didn't have anyone gain 1,000 yards. Detroit is the only other team in the league that has gone that long without a millennium man. But on Sunday night, Lynch helped Seattle find its stride at precisely the moment the Seahawks needed to run the ball more than anything. Held to 22 yards rushing in the first half, Seattle racked up 119 in the second as Lynch didn't put the game on his back so much as he tucked it under his arm and refused to let go."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Raheem Brock's father played for the Seahawks in the mid-1980s and was in attendance when Brock collected 2.5 sacks against the Rams. Brock: "It felt great to play in front of my dad. For my dad and my whole family to see this atmosphere and the 12th Man, and for us to go out there and play like we did, it’s a great feeling. Having my dad here just gets my adrenalin pumping even more. Just to know that he was going to be in the building and I was going to get to play in front of him, it had me pumped all week."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo expects the team to be hungrier next season after getting a taste of success. Spagnuolo on allegations the team didn't get the ball to Steven Jackson enough: "It's amazing … had we run the ball too much, we'd be asking, how come we didn't throw it? Here's the bottom line: You're doing what you can on offense to score points, to move the football. Sometimes you're in a situation where you think you need to throw it, loosen a team up. Run it, they take away the run and you've got to throw. What we tried to do was score as many points as we could. We didn't get very many, but that was the intent. You don't go in and say, 'We're going to do it this way.' You don't know what the defenses are going to decide to do." Most defenses are going to take away Jackson. The Rams needed to make the Seahawks prove they could take away Jackson. Instead, the Rams seemed to conceded the running game early.

Also from Coats: a Rams report card with an "F" grade for coaching in Week 17.

Roger Hensley of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asks colleagues how long they think Jackson can play at a high level. Three more seasons seems to be the consensus.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch outlines keys for the Rams to build on their improvement. Miklasz: "You can't count on a natural progression in this league. You have to push to supplement the talent on hand. And if there's stagnation in the coaching ranks, then you have to freshen up your staff. If you aren't advancing in the NFL, then you're going into reverse. From a franchise-building standpoint, 2010 was a good year. But if nothing else, the mess in Seattle was valuable in that it reminded the Rams of how far they have to go to join the winner's circle to stand with the NFL elite."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' schedule makes it clear the team could play better next season and still finish with a lesser record.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Jackson plans to play in the Pro Bowl.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams drew strong TV rating Sunday night.

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com offers Rams-related notes, including this one: "The Rams will draft 14th in this year’s NFL Draft. You probably already know what the needs are: WR, OLB, DB, DT, more help on the interior of the offensive line. But the Rams are a long way from locking in on anything and, as always, general manager Billy Devaney will explore all options and look for the best player available when the Rams time comes."

Also from Wagoner: The Rams raised expectations this season.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says coach Pete Carroll hasn't named a starting quarterback for the wild-card playoff game against New Orleans. Carroll on Matt Hasselbeck: "It’s just how functional can he be, is really the issue that we have. He looked terrific in pregame, way ahead of where we probably would have pictured him to be. But everything was controlled. I just felt like he could be vulnerable, and if he didn’t need to play, it would be best for us to see if we could make it through it and fortunately we did. Now we have better options than we did last week at this time."

Also from Farnsworth: Only New England, Philadelphia and Indianapolis have more playoff appearances than Seattle over the past 12 seasons.

More from Farnsworth: Mike Williams surprised even himself and his friends by earning a roster spot and new three-year contract in Seattle. Williams: "I was talking with some friends, and they were saying they didn’t even expect me to be here. They thought I would come here and get released and then maybe make it somewhere else. So no, I didn’t expect things to go like they have at all."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times looks at the Seahawks' choice at quarterback. Also: Tight end Chris Baker and guard Chester Pitts will not play Saturday after incurring injuries.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks' losing record takes nothing away from Williams' accomplishments.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along Brian McIntyre's weekly personnel notes on Seattle. Lofa Tatupu was the only player outside the secondary to play every defensive snap against the Rams in Week 17.

Art Thiel of Sportspress Northwest says the Seahawks have little choice but to start Hasselbeck against New Orleans. Thiel: "The game’s only touchdown was set up on a 61-yard pass from Whitehurst to wide receiver Ruvell Martin, who was so alone the Coast Guard was alerted for a possible rescue. But Whitehurst, operating in the shotgun, was looking the wrong way. Thanks to great protection, he eventually spotted Martin and flung a ball that was well underthrown, forcing Martin to come back for the catch. The play’s design was to simulate a screen pass that included Martin blocking on a cornerback, then releasing downfield. The Rams were well fooled, and it should have gone for a touchdown. But Whitehurst misplayed it, and knew it right away."

Doug Farrar of Sportspress Northwest says the Seahawks' offensive game plan helped them beat the Rams. Farrar: "By tailoring the game plan to Whitehurst’s relatively limited skill set and option-based background as a quarterback at Clemson (which was the last time Whitehurst threw meaningful passes at any level before this season), offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates gave his backup quarterback a window to NFL success he’s never had before. Instead of a full NFL playbook, Whitehurst went with a play sheet very much like the one Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur designed for rookie quarterback Sam Bradford."

John Morgan of Field Gulls says Hasselbeck's big game against New Orleans during the regular season came after Seattle established the deep ball against an aggressive Saints defense.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic explains why Cardinals offensive lineman Deuce Lutui hasn't opened a paycheck in weeks. Lutui: "Those checks will cash, but the commitment and pride I have for this team is way beyond what anybody knows about Deuce Lutui. You could ask my wife. I opened the first check just to see what it was going to be like, but after that, it didn't matter to me. It was like, 'Put them all away and let's just play football.'" Direct deposit?

Also from McManaman: John Skelton thinks he should be in position to compete for the starting job next season.

More from McManaman: Cardinals assistant coach Russ Grimm could have opportunities elsewhere.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic takes a closer look at the Cardinals' performance in Week 17. Somers: "The Cardinals showed they can run the ball competently when they stayed in manageable down and distance situations. When they didn't, the 49ers came after Skelton with a variety of blitzes that the line, backs and tight ends had trouble picking up."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at potential plays of the year for Arizona.

Also from Urban: Cardinals running back Jason Wright said labor uncertainty has affected contract negotiations. Wright: "They talked to fewer guys than they normally would have at this point because they don’t really know how to negotiate the contract [because of the CBA]. I think they have approached guys these last couple weeks and said, ‘Hey, we want to talk to you, we just don’t know at this point.’ The guys upstairs do a great job … and there will be good communication here the next few days."

More from Urban: Adrian Wilson offers thoughts as the Cardinals disperse for the offseason.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers tight end Vernon Davis thought the team played "tight" under former coach Mike Singletary. Davis said Singletary was good for his career, but not always good for the entire team.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers are expected to be among several teams pursuing Jim Harbaugh as head coach. The team said it would hire a general manager before hiring a coach, however, and that could complicate the team's ability to land coaches without ties to whichever GM the team hires. One potential GM candidate, Mike Lombardi, said the team was not considering him. Maiocco: "There is a feeling within the 49ers that Lombardi would be able to land Harbaugh, said one source. (Of course, every NFL team must also adhere to the Rooney Rule and interview at least one minority candidate.)"

More from Maiocco: Trent Baalke handled the 49ers' exit interviews.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers receivers coach Jerry Sullivan will not return to the team, most likely. Sullivan could retire.

Also from Barrows: Lombardi still thinks Baalke is the GM favorite.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers had a hard time watching Seattle claim the NFC West crown. Davis: "We really deserved that. We had the better team. We were better than anybody -- anybody we played. We were just as good, if not better. But we just couldn't pull it off."

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers left tackle Joe Staley also had a tough time watching Seattle win the NFC West after getting blown out at Candlestick Park.

Also from White: He calls Baalke the "clear" front-runner for the GM job.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

1. Calling all quarterbacks. NFC West starting quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck, Sam Bradford, Alex Smith and John Skelton combined for two touchdown passes, eight interceptions and an 0-4 record in Week 15. All but Smith will be back in the lineup for his team in Week 16. Which one, if any, will rise to the occasion? Arizona faces a Dallas defense that has allowed 31 scoring passes, tied with Houston for most in the league. But the Cardinals have only eight touchdown passes all season. No team has finished a season with fewer since Oakland had seven during the 2006 season. Something has to give when Dallas visits Arizona on Saturday.

2. Watch out for the tight ends. The San Francisco 49ers' Vernon Davis scored on a 73-yard reception the last time he played a game in the Edward Jones Dome. Davis isn't the only tight end to watch during NFC West games this weekend. The Cardinals will presumably be keeping close watch on the Dallas Cowboys' Jason Witten, who has four touchdowns over the team's past three games. Arizona has surrendered scoring passes to five tight ends this season: San Diego's Antonio Gates, Carolina's Jeff King, Oakland's Zach Miller, Minnesota's Visanthe Shiancoe and New Orleans' Jeremy Shockey. Seattle's Chris Baker had a 44-yard reception against the Cardinals, although he did not score on the play.

3. Troy Smith and the deep ball. The Rams have had increasing problems defending the deep ball. Opponents' passer ratings have risen from 32.8 in the first eight games to 100.0 in the past six games on passes traveling at least 15 yards in the air, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The 49ers' Troy Smith completed 6 of 10 such passes for 193 yards and a touchdown against the Rams earlier this season.

4. End of the road for Alex Smith? The 49ers' decision to start Troy Smith instead of Alex Smith does not prevent the latter from getting on the field Sunday or even in Week 17. But with Alex Smith's contract set to expire and the team already assured of a losing record, the 49ers appear closer to cutting their losses with the 2005 first-round draft choice. A year ago at this time, the 49ers were going out of their way to make sure Alex Smith got as much playing time as possible. "I want Alex to get all the playing time he can," coach Mike Singletary said then. "It's important for us and him. Every situation he can possibly be in, I want him to learn every lesson he possibly can. I want to see every drop of everything he has." This December? Not so much.

5. Keep those playoff scenarios handy. Remember, the Seahawks' game at Tampa Bay means nothing in the division race if the Rams defeat the 49ers earlier Sunday. In that case, the 49ers would be out and the Week 17 winner between Seattle and St. Louis would advance to the playoffs. The 49ers will win the division if they win their final two and Seattle fails to reach 8-8. If the Rams lose to the 49ers, they'll need a victory at Seattle and a 49ers home loss to Arizona for a playoff berth. Got it?

Brock Huard of 101ESPN Seattle says the Seahawks are regressing on multiple levels after showing promise earlier in the season. Huard: "Outside of Mike Williams, David Hawthorne and Ben Obomanu, who has really flourished and grown as this season has progressed?" Huard raises questions about Aaron Curry, Earl Thomas, John Carlson, Kelly Jennings, Marcus Trufant, Marshawn Lynch, Golden Tate, Lofa Tatupu and Matt Hasselbeck. Setting the right expectations for Seattle can be more difficult because the team improbably finds itself competing for a division title. The Seahawks need building-block players on both lines. They increasingly need an ascending quarterback. Hasselbeck ranks 27th among NFL passing leaders (minimum 14 attempts per game). He has a passer rating of 76.0 or lower in four of his last five seasons, counting this one.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says coach Pete Carroll isn't seeing the steady improvement he wants. Carroll: "I think we’re going back and forth. I don’t feel the consistency of growth that I wish we were -- particularly here at the end of the season, where everybody’s working hard, everybody is the recipient of playing together for so long. If you get your stuff right you should be playing better, better, better as you go along if you’re doing things right. And it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like we’ve gone back and forth."

Also from Farnsworth: a look at three positives and three negatives from the Seahawks' 40-21 defeat at San Francisco in Week 14.

More from Farnsworth: Deon Butler did not suffer a compound fracture of his right leg, but the injury was serious nonetheless. Carroll: "It was able to go right back together nicely. It’s a real intricate surgery, of course, but they were really pleased with the results of it."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times raises questions about the Seahawks, including one asking whether Carlson fits into the team's plans. O'Neil: "Seattle started the game with two tight ends on the field in San Francisco, and Carlson was not one of them. Chris Baker and Cameron Morrah were the top two alternatives, and not only did Carlson not catch a pass Sunday, but he didn't have a ball thrown to him in a game in which 10 different players caught passes for the Seahawks." Morrah is increasingly the tight end Seattle lines up as a receiver in its two-tight end packages.

Also from O'Neil: Carroll wrestles with the Seahawks' problems.

Christian Caple of seattlepi.com says Carroll used the word "disappoint" or a variation six times during his news conference Monday.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along Brian McIntyre's latest Seahawks personnel report. McIntyre: "Seattle’s six- and seven-defensive back packages did not fare well on Sunday. Aaron Curry’s sack came as a defensive tackle in 'dime', but on the other five snaps, Alex Smith went 5-for-5 for 131 yards and a touchdown. When Seattle was in 'Bandit', Smith completed two passes for 43 yards."

John Morgan of Field Gulls wonders to what degree Lynch is personally responsible for his struggles on the ground. I think Lynch does offer something of value, but as a role player. There's nothing particularly dynamic about how he runs. He runs with attitude and would be much more effective running behind a strong line.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic quotes Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt this way on quarterback John Skelton: "He did a lot of things rookie quarterbacks do as far as mistakes, play calls in the huddle that were incorrect and had to be changed. All those things are what you expect. We had a plan that was scaled down for him, but what I really liked was his demeanor and how he handled himself. They brought a lot of pressure and he was able to handle that and make some throws. There's potential there to grow into that position. That's an exciting part of it." Whisenhunt has appeared focused on that aspect of the quarterback position. He preferred Derek Anderson and Max Hall to Matt Leinart largely because he liked the way teammates responded to them.

Also from McManaman: Whisenhunt would not bite when asked about possibly playing for draft position. Every coach wants to win, of course. Also: Whisenhunt credits Beanie Wells for toughing it out Sunday despite a pretty severe illness.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic passes along a telling quote from Whisenhunt: "Our defense played the way we all hoped it would play earlier in the year, and that allowed us to work through some things offensively until we could get it rolling." The Cardinals knew their offense would face growing pains amid a transition to a new quarterback. They expected their defense to help them remain competitive. Instead, the defense worsened, compounding the problems on offense.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at how Arizona is getting Skelton ready for another start. Urban: "It’s about making sure the quarterback can handle as much of the playbook as possible without overloading. Having a defense that can compensate helps – it’s no coincidence Skelton won on a day when the Cardinals’ defense dominated, allowing early offensive hiccups to pass without costing the Cardinals. That’s a big reason Roethlisberger was so good when he started out, because the Steelers’ defense could carry the team. Whisenhunt said the decision the last couple months to have Skelton meet one-on-one with quarterbacks coach Chris Miller or passing game coordinator Mike Miller has helped. Skelton stands at the dry-erase boards and is put through the paces, making reads, doing calls, explaining progressions."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is getting fired up as meaningful Rams football approaches. Miklasz: "I can't wait for Sunday's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Rams at The Edward Jones Dome. The atmosphere should be lively, fueled by playoff hopes, Christmas Week spirit, the KC-STL rivalry, and perhaps by the consumption of cold adult beverages in the urban tailgate settings around The Ed. And then the San Francisco 49ers come to town on Christmas weekend, with the 49ers and Rams clashing on Dec. 26." For weeks, the focus has been on a potentially pivotal Week 17 game between the Rams and Seahawks. That game could still prove decisive, but the next couple weeks are critical to the division as well.

Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' local TV ratings fell when the team fell behind against New Orleans. The Rams have helped the ratings by playing so many close games this season.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo isn't willing to talk about playoff possibilities. Spagnuolo: "What I have a hard time with is it's like we haven't lost any ground, but we want to gain some ground. That's where we're at. I think the team feels that way, too."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says the team hasn't started quickly of late. Wagoner: "One area that must improve used to be a strength. In the past three games, the Rams have been outscored 30-0 in the first quarter. This team built a reputation for starting fast early in the year and must reclaim that in the coming weeks."

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says Spagnuolo acknowledges that the game against Kansas City is "huge" for the Rams' hopes this season.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says it was clear Mike Singletary's mind was elsewhere during his news conference Monday. That was understandable given the short week.

Also from Maiocco: a player-by-player look at the 49ers against Seattle. On outside linebacker Travis LaBoy: "Entered at right outside linebacker for the second drive of the game, and he was credited with four tackles in the game. . . . Did a good job of outside contain, forcing Deon Butler back inside on first-quarter reverse. . . . Had some problems in coverage on back-to-back 15-yard passes on Seahawks' first-quarter TD drive. . . . Beat left tackle Russell Okung to the outside to sack Matt Hasselbeck, force fumble and recover it. The takeaway led to a 49ers touchdown."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' blowout victory against Seattle allowed them to rest some players in anticipation of playing San Diego on Thursday night.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com looks ahead to the 49ers' game against San Diego. Singletary: "You’re just trying to make sure that you have everything where it needs to be, making sure that your players are at that mental state of mind, and trying to figure out practice, trying to look at some of the injuries, even though they are day-to-day, trying to figure out how to manage those things, and at the same time, putting a game plan together. So that’s where my mind is."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat is among those noticing Singletary's more subdued demeanor in recent weeks, including Monday. Cohn: "Singletary was saying, I believe, the team was green and so was he. He had a lot to learn and, truth be told, he was unprepared for the start of the season and was overwhelmed by the five straight losses and the turmoil on his staff and the passionately negative reaction from the fans and media. He was admitting all that."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says it appears as though Singletary realizes it takes more than sheer willpower to win NFL games.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says the 49ers are doing a better job anticipating what is coming from opponents. Lynch: "Now, it seems that the 49ers are no longer living on Singletary's wide-eyed emotion, but rather on a more sustainable calm."

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' blowout victory against the Seattle Seahawks at Candlestick Park in Week 14:

What it means: The 49ers pulled within one game of NFC West division leaders Seattle and St. Louis, keeping alive their hopes for a division title. Alex Smith reemerged as a viable quarterback for the 49ers, at least for this game. The 49ers (5-8) could pull into a first-place tie by beating San Diego on Thursday night, but only if the Seahawks and Rams lose in Week 15. Both fell to 6-7 Sunday. Seattle faces a tough game at home against Atlanta. St. Louis faces a tough game at home against Kansas City.

What I liked: Alex Smith and tight end Vernon Davis picked up where they left off before a shoulder injury sidelined Smith against Carolina. Davis had caught a touchdown pass in four consecutive games before Smith's injury. Davis caught only one scoring pass while Troy Smith was the quarterback. But with Alex Smith back in the lineup Sunday, Davis caught a 42-yard scoring pass on the 49ers' opening drive. He sustained the drive with a 22-yard reception on third-and-10. Smith has thrown a high percentage of his career scoring passes to Davis. They work well together.

What I didn't like: Seattle's defense missed far too many tackles in the open field. Rookie safety Earl Thomas missed one at the Seattle 47 during Brian Westbrook's 62-yard touchdown reception on a short pass. Cornerback Marcus Trufant missed one that would have prevented 49ers receiver Josh Morgan from reaching the end zone for another touchdown. Speaking of missed tackles, was that 49ers Pro Bowler Patrick Willis on the wrong end of a collision with Marshawn Lynch? Yes, it was, but I had to watch the replay to make sure. I do not recall seeing Willis get crumpled like that. Lynch also dismissed 49ers cornerback Shawntae Spencer with a casually delivered -- but brutally effective -- stiffarm near the 49ers' sideline.

Hero: Alex Smith. He rode to the rescue after the 49ers had lost two of three games.

Goat: This wasn't the first time Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck has struggled badly without top receiver Mike Williams available to him. It might have been his ugliest performance of the season, however. Hasselbeck, who finished with four interceptions, mysteriously threw an end-zone pick to a well-covered Brandon Stokley. Other times, it appeared Hasselbeck threw where he wanted receivers to be instead of where they actually were -- at great cost to the offense. One example: Hasselbeck threw behind tight end Chris Baker over the middle, leading to a pick. Baker and Hasselbeck both appeared mystified by the development.

Hindsight: Why did the 49ers switch from Troy Smith to Alex Smith at quarterback? That was the big question all week. Alex Smith provided a convincing answer with three first-half touchdown passes during a dominating performance. San Francisco turned four turnovers into 20 points in building a 40-14 lead through three quarters.

Injurie(s) of note: Seattle's top receiving threats, Williams and Ben Obomanu, did not play. Injuries made both inactive. The team lost receiver Deon Butler to an injury late in the game.

Tomorrow's Talker: Will the 49ers parlay their blowout victory into a division title? If they did, what would it mean for coach Mike Singletary?

Critical Call: Let's address the critical non-call first. Niners cornerback Shawntae Spencer appeared to prevent Seattle's Deon Butler from getting to a deep ball on a fourth-and-4 play late in the second quarter. The 49ers took over and quickly scored a touchdown on Brian Westbrook's 62-yard catch-and-run, stretching their lead to 27-7. Let's address the critical call next. I'm not sure why Seattle would opt for such a high-risk play from the San Francisco 32 when trailing 20-7 with 3:10 left in the first half. This was an all-or-nothing gamble and it backfired, helping the 49ers break open the game.

Trending: When the Seahawks lose, they really lose. Their previous defeats came by the following margins, in order: 17, 17, 30, 34, 15 and 18 points.

What's next: The Seahawks return home to face the 11-2 Atlanta Falcons. The 49ers visit the 7-6 Chargers in San Diego.

The facts: The Seahawks fell to 5-6 with a 42-24 home defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12.

The upside: Even the worst defeats tend to feature a bright spot or two.

• Seattle remains tied atop the NFC West at 5-6 with a chance to take back the tiebreaker from St. Louis in Week 17.
• Veteran defensive lineman Craig Terrill blocked a field goal try for the seventh time in his career, drawing within one of Joe Nash's team record.
• Kennard Cox blocked a Chiefs punt.
• Rookie Earl Thomas returned the blocked punt for a touchdown.
• Seattle trailed by only four points entering the fourth quarter despite struggling on both sides of the ball.
• Receiver Ben Obomanu caught passes for 87 and 52 yards, building on recent strong performances.
• Tight end Chris Baker caught a touchdown pass for the first time as a Seahawk.

Looking ahead: The Seahawks face the Carolina Panthers at Qwest Field in Week 13.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com provides a chat transcript featuring this thought on Troy Smith: "Yes, Troy Smith has a chance to be the starting 49ers' QB in 2011. I've been impressed with his mentality. I like that he keeps his eyes downfield and he's not afraid to let it fly. When I look at the potential free-agent quarterbacks, he might be the best guy out there -- assuming, as everyone would assume, Michael Vick returns to the Eagles. As for what he needs to 'clean up,' I address that in the link I posted at the top. There was one play last week against the Rams in which he threw a pass up for grabs that was a bad decision. I think that's the play that Mike Singletary did not like." Projecting the 49ers' future at quarterback could require knowing how the coaching situation will shake out. The team's thinking on the position could change dramatically with a new head coach.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers' offense has improved with Mike Johnson as its coordinator. Singletary: "There was a reason why Mike Johnson was chosen as the coordinator. I think the best thing about Mike Johnson is his ability to get everybody in that room (involved). All those guys have the opportunity to have input. And when you do that, then you're going to get creativity. You're going to get a different thought process when everybody is involved, so it's definitely going to make a difference and it has so far."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' offensive coordinator leans on assistants.

Also from Barrows: The 49ers need to re-sign center David Baas, among others. On Alex Smith: "Smith bashers can take out their tambourines and snare drums, but don't start banging them quite yet. There's still an X-Wing-fighter-hits-a-small-hole-in-the-Death-Star chance the quarterback will be re-signed. It likely would involve a Troy Smith injury/collapse and a miracle finish by Alex Smith and the 49ers. That or Norv Turner is named the 49ers new head coach in January."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says Patrick Willis has stepped up when needed.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News has this to say about Johnson, the 49ers' offensive coordinator: "Johnson has figured out how to use (Troy) Smith all on his own. Against the Rams, for example, Johnson often used a max-protect scheme that helped buy Smith extra time to take a deep shot down field. That led to a 65-yard completion to Josh Morgan in the first quarter and reminded St. Louis that the 49ers had other players to worry about besides running back Frank Gore. Get used to it, Johnson said. Over the past two games, the 49ers have nine pass plays of at least 25 yards -- with zero interceptions."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat offers this quote from 49ers tight end Delanie Walker: "All my life playing football, it’s the first time the offensive coordinator let the other coaches talk (in meetings)."

Also from Branch: Josh Freeman is the latest rising young quarterback to face the 49ers.

More from Branch: Brett Favre gets a mention in relation to the 49ers.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers want Troy Smith to improvise without losing control.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says tight end John Carlson has had to learn fullback while Michael Robinson recovers from injury. Carlson hasn't fared well enough as a receiver to command a more prominent role in that capacity. Chris Baker was the one catching a deep ball against Arizona.

Also from Farnsworth: Matt Hasselbeck's left wrist is not limiting the quarterback.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers details regarding Raheem Brock's DUI arrest. O'Neil: "Brock declined to submit for voluntary field-sobriety tests. He did consent to a preliminary breath test, which measured his blood-alcohol concentration at .133, according to the report. The legal limit in Washington is 0.08. Brock was then arrested. He was taken to University of Washington Police Department for further tests. According to the police report, the two breath samples were measured at .115 and .111."

Also from O'Neil: Russell Okung appears ready to return from an ankle injury. Seattle needs him, particularly in the running game.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald sizes up the Seahawks' next opponent, New Orleans.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt spoke of his special teams when asked about his offensive line. Whisenhunt: "It's hard for me to sit here at 3-6 and say we're doing anything good. The only thing that I would say is playing well is special teams. They've been pretty consistent the whole year. Like every other area of our team, I've seen them (offensive linemen) play very well, I've seen them play not so well. Sometimes the offensive line is judged by the number of sacks they give up and unfortunately this year, we've been in situations where we've trailed in games. And that makes it even more difficult on your offensive line."

Also from Somers: a Cardinals-Chiefs scouting report. The Chiefs have suffered a league-low seven turnovers. Somers: "The Chiefs have been intercepted four times and lost three fumbles. The Cardinals will need to change that trend Sunday. The offense needs all the field position help it can get, and turnovers will be a key. The Chiefs fumbled three times last week in a loss to the Broncos, but lost only one of them."

More from Somers: Beanie Wells is eager to get back on the field for Arizona. Quarterback Derek Anderson: "We haven't really had him, so I can't really say that we miss him. We don't know what he can do. I think he's a special back and someone that can help us."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says he will be "shocked" if Wells does not play against the Chiefs.

Also from Urban: a more detailed look at Wells' situation.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have sold enough tickets to avoid a local television blackout for their Week 11 game against Atlanta.

Also from Coats: Rodger Saffold has made a quick recovery from the ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the Rams' game at San Francisco.

More from Coats: Punter Donnie Jones is enjoying another excellent season for the Rams.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have concerns in pass coverage heading into their game against Roddy White and the Falcons. The 49ers repeatedly made big plays in the passing game last week. Rams defensive coordinator Ken Flajole: "If you would've been in our meeting room on Monday watching the tape, I think you would fully appreciate that our guys were bitterly disappointed. Bitterly disappointed on how we performed, bitterly disappointed in the outcome. I appreciate that as a coach, the fact that the guys take a lot of pride. It means something to them. It means something to them that when the game was on the line, and we had a chance on defense to overtake the game, that we didn't get it done."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com says the Rams added Fred Robbins to their injury report with an upper back injury. Robbins was limited in practice. Strong play from Robbins has helped the Rams' defensive ends get to the quarterback against more favorable matchups.

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says the Rams rank first in sacks, sixth in points allowed and among the NFL's best in third-down defense and red zone defense.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Football is a game of talent and strategy, to be sure, but sensory elements influence outcomes, too.

Emotions come into play. Momentum shifts perceptibly.

If the Seattle Seahawks were going to harness Qwest Field's energy against the New York Giants in Week 9, they were going to need something special. Coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates settled on a third-and-1 trick play shortly after the Giants had taken a 7-0 lead with 5:49 left in the first quarter. Everything but the throw went according to plan.

Quarterback Charlie Whitehurst took the snap from center Chris Spencer, pitched the ball to Leon Washington on his right, gathered the ball back from Washington and sized up tight end Chris Baker along the left sideline. Baker was wide, wide open for what should have been at least a 15-yard gain.

Whitehurst missed Baker so high that the tight end didn't even bother raising a hand. The ball overshot Baker by 10 yards, serving as the closest thing to a decisive moment for Seattle in a forgettable 41-7 defeat.

"Baker is wide open to make 20 or 30 yards right there, and we get a little charge out of that and we get moving and we’re probably on the 35- or 40-yard line, or something like that," coach Pete Carroll said. "It didn’t happen. It looked great in practice, and we just missed it in the game. It's one play that was a factor in what’s going on, and we let too many get away from us."

NFL defensive players have complained about cut blocking for years.

Hall of Famer Howie Long once followed Bobb McKittrick, then the San Francisco 49ers' offensive line coach, into a stadium tunnel following a game to confront McKittrick over the controversial tactics.

Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung could have done without one cut block in particular Sunday. Okung was finishing a blocking assignment during a routine running play against the Arizona Cardinals when teammate Chris Baker tried to block defensive end Calais Campbell in the lower legs. When Campbell outran the block, Baker's momentum carried him into the back of Okung's left leg.

The result: a high-ankle sprain for Okung, the second time since August he has suffered one from contact with a teammate. The Seahawks have not ruled out Okung for their game Sunday because they aren't sure how the ankle will respond to treatment.

Okung missed the final two exhibition games and the first three regular-season games following his previous high-ankle sprain. He sprained the other ankle Sunday.

"It's not nearly like the other one," coach Pete Carroll told reporters Monday. "But it’s a legitimate sprain and they’ re calling it a first-degree sprain, so we' ll see what that means."

The injury likely means Tyler Polumbus starts at left tackle against Oakland in Week 8. I've seen the Raiders get pressure against offensive tackles at times this season. Seattle faces Osi Umenyiora and the New York Giants in Week 9. Umenyiora entered the Giants' Monday night game with eight sacks and seven forced fumbles.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle times says the Seahawks should send a thank-you note to the Cardinals even though no apologies were necessary following a victory that left Seattle with a 4-2 record. The rematch in Arizona becomes a pivotal game. If the Cardinals win it, nothing really changes. Each team would have beaten the other at home. But if the Seahawks can win at Arizona, they will have dealt a serious blow to the Cardinals in a division race that figures to remain close.

Also from O'Neil: The Seahawks finished with a season-high 144 yards rushing against Arizona.

More from O'Neil: Mike Williams prefers celebrating with teammates to unveiling fancy touchdown celebrations.

More yet from O'Neil: a quick look at highlights from the Seahawks' 22-10 victory.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says any lingering softness appears gone from the Seahawks. Brewer: "After Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington sacked Matt Hasselbeck in the first quarter, teammate Joey Porter stepped over the quarterback, hit him and knocked Hasselbeck to the turf once more. Hasselbeck rose and screamed at the Cardinals defenders. It triggered trash-talking and physical play between the Seattle offensive line and the Arizona defense that would last until Seahawks coach Pete Carroll admonished his players for going too far in the third quarter. It was just one play, but it declared what the Seahawks would soon prove."

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says Seattle doesn't have to worry about the artistic merits of its latest victory.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times says kicker Olindo Mare has made 30 field-goal tries in a row.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com names Mare his player of the game. Also, coach Pete Carroll said he thought the Seahawks' offense was engaging in too much trash talk. Carroll: "There was too much jawing going on out there. We were wasting a bunch of energy. That’s totally out of the realm of focus. That’s not what we’re dealing with. It’s not how we want to play."

Also from Farnsworth: Hasselbeck calls Williams a hard worker.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com looks at Williams' improbable career revival. Williams can joke about the plays where defenders tackled him at the 1-yard line. Williams: "The quarterback coach called me out last night in our meeting telling me I had to stop getting tackled at the 1. Did I get tackled at the 1 again today? That's OK, I don't mind Marshawn (Lynch) and those guys scoring touchdowns either."

Also from Johns: Hasselbeck explains what the team is getting from new additions. Hasselbeck: "Marshawn is physical. There's no doubt about that. He added a dimension we didn't have necessarily, just in terms of a big, power back. And Mike, there just aren't aren't many (receivers) his size. Arizona has one in Larry Fitzgerald and there are guys like Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson out there. He is that for us."

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune says this about Williams: "Williams had so thoroughly botched his NFL opportunity that when Pete Carroll signed him to a contract after a tryout last April, Seahawks fans figured the coach was doing another favor for one of the seven former USC pupils extended an offseason roster spot. Six months later, Carroll, whose team on Sunday improved to 4-2 with a 22-10 victory over the two-time defending NFC West champs, is a front-running candidate for NFL Coach of the Year -- thanks in part to the rejuvenation of Williams, the early favorite for Comeback Player of the Year."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks lost left tackle Russell Okung when tight end Chris Baker appeared to roll up on the rookie's leg.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahwaks are benefiting from a division without a dominant or even excellent team.