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Back-to-back seasons with a 7-9 record felt like progress for the Seattle Seahawks under coach Pete Carroll.

Another season with that record would feel like stagnation.

That is one reason the Seahawks would be best off, at least in theory, using their early draft choices for immediate contributors. Selecting a quarterback in the first round Thursday would qualify as more of a long-term move -- and perhaps as a redundant one, given Matt Flynn's addition through free agency.

Art Thiel of Sports Press Northwest says there's no way the Seahawks should select Ryan Tannehill in the first round. Thiel: "Carroll had so many good quarterbacks at USC that he tends to see the world behind center in Trojan colors. But as has been pointed out to him numerous times, relative to their respective empires, the Seahawks aren’t the Trojans. Tannehill isn’t the next Matt Leinart. Actually, maybe he is, which is even worse." Noted: Carroll and general manager John Schneider continue to speak glowingly of Tannehill. The team could be interested in Tannehill and/or trading back in the draft with a team eager to land him.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com has this to say about the team's needs: "An edge pass-rusher is high on Carroll's list, but he’d also like to add to competitive aspect of the roster by adding a touchdown-maker on offense, a young quarterback and depth and unique qualities at linebacker. Carroll said he’s even open to adding to the already large pile on the offensive line and the talented collection in the secondary, if the right player is there."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times likes what he sees from Carroll and Schneider. Carroll on going young: "One of my favorite coaches ever, Bud Grant, said one time, 'For every young guy you start, you lose a game.' That was classic, traditional thinking. I was of that mindset in classic fashion until I had to be in charge of calling all the shots, and then it just flipped in me that we don't know where we're going unless we find these guys out."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along notes from the Seahawks' pre-draft news conference Monday, including this one: "Barrett Ruud, Seattle's projected starting middle linebacker, is not healthy. Carroll said he’s still recovering from groin, knee and shoulder injuries that landed him on the injured reserve while he was with Tennessee last year." Noted: Seattle will presumably find a starting linebacker in the draft. Ruud is veteran insurance, but not a player to count on at this stage.

Draft analyst Rob Rang considers wide receivers and running backs Seattle could consider, one per round in the upcoming draft.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams ran top receivers Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright through last-minute pre-draft workouts. Thomas: "A six-person Rams contingent traveled from site to site via private jet, a contingent that included coach Jeff Fisher, general manager Les Snead, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president for football operations, joined the others for the Blackmon workout."

Also from Thomas: Gil Brandt thinks the Rams strongly need to consider selecting Blackmon. Thomas: "Former Rams general manager Billy Devaney was known to say that you could always find a receiver. Thus, it is not a surprise that the team has not used any of its 14 first-round picks since 2000 on the position. The only second-round receiver was Donnie Avery. Instead, the Rams have hoped that lesser-known names would produce. Since drafting Holt they have picked 13 receivers, who have averaged 1 1/2 years with the team each and produced a combined 450 catches, 5,420 yards and 26 touchdowns."

More from Thomas: The Rams need help at linebacker. Thomas: "There are some legitimate options for the Rams in rounds 2-4, including Mychal Kendricks of California and Sean Spence of Miami, who paid pre-draft visits to Rams Park. Kendricks was named Pacific-12 Conference defensive player of the year last season after racking up 107 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Under defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, Cal ran a complex scheme, and Kendricks was used in a variety of ways -- playing inside, outside and used as a blitzer. (He had 8.5 sacks in 2010.)"

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic asks whether the Cardinals would select receiver Floyd even if offensive tackle Riley Reiff were available to them with the 13th overall choice.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Floyd-Reiff dilemma is a tough one. Somers: "And depending upon the day, I've taken both players. I guess I have myself covered. My thinking today is that the Cardinals will take Reiff, figuring that they are good enough at receiver with Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Roberts, Early Doucet and whomever emerges from the rest of the pack. They haven't taken an offensive lineman above the fifth round since 2007, so it's time."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals have become more apt to trade draft choices since Ken Whisenhunt succeeded Dennis Green as head coach, with mixed results. Somers: "Green, who coached the team from 2004-06, preferred to stay rooted in the team's original draft slot. His mantra was to never fall in love with players. But since 2007, coincidentally the year Ken Whisenhunt became coach, the Cardinals have been more active during draft week. That year, they made two trades on draft week. In 2010, they made three during the draft in addition to two others that came before. The results have been mixed, but the Cardinals have shown they won't always sit still during the three days of the draft."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers will address guard, running back and wide receiver in the 2012 draft. Barrows: "While the need for an offensive tackle in 2010 and a quarterback last year helped narrow the list of draft candidates, San Francisco's stacked roster this year means it can go in many directions."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com picks one player per round for the 49ers. On first-round projection Kevin Zeitler: "Right guard might be the only starting job on the team that's up for grabs, and Zeitler would enter that competition against Alex Boone and Daniel Kilgore. Zeitler fits the 49ers' style. He started three seasons and won the Badger Power Award for he weight-room dedication. At the combine, he bench-pressed 225 pounds 32 times -- 14 more than his former Wisconsin teammate Peter Konz."

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid made an interesting comparison Wednesday when asked about Kevin Kolb's rough transition as the Arizona Cardinals' starting quarterback.

"Things take time, so you come in and you learn," Reid told reporters covering the Cardinals. "You had one of the all-time great ones there with Kurt Warner and that was up and down initially, and then he came in and got it all figured out and it was lights out. That’s how those things work."

Reid coached Kolb for four seasons before trading him to the Cardinals for a 2012 second-round pick and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Kolb has a 1-6 starting record with Arizona to go with a turf-toe injury that could keep him from playing against the Eagles in Week 10.

Any suggestion that Warner flourished in Arizona after experiencing a Kolb-like transition invites a closer look. Reid, having already talked up Kolb to teams before trading the quarterback, could have been in coach-speak mode Wednesday. Or, he could have been providing needed perspective only seven starts into what could wind up being a long, successful run for Kolb in Arizona.

Warner did suffer through some inconsistencies upon signing with the Cardinals in 2005, posting a 3-12 starting record in two seasons under Dennis Green. The struggles Warner experienced once Ken Whisenhunt took over in 2007 are easily forgotten for a couple reasons. One, Warner eventually took the Cardinals to the Super Bowl, for which he'll always be remembered. Two, even though he struggled some during that first season under Whisenhunt, his overall numbers were good.

Warner, like Kolb, made his first start under Whisenhunt against Carolina. Warner lasted long enough to attempt two passes before a dislocated left elbow forced him from the game. Arizona lost, 25-10.

Warner started against Tampa Bay two weeks later and completed only 10 of 30 attempts for 172 yards. He tossed two interceptions and finished with a 26.0 NFL passer rating as Arizona lost, 17-10. Afterward, Warner said he was "embarrassed" and "disgusted" by the overall offensive performance.

Warner then put together three exceptional games. But a five-pick performance in defeat at Seattle soon followed. After that game, which ended Arizona's chances for an NFC West title, Warner lamented having "cost my team the win" by forcing throws.

Warner then closed out the season with three more strong games, giving him 27 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. The Cardinals were 5-6 in games he started.

There are obvious differences between then and now. Warner had already been a Super Bowl quarterback. He had vast starting experience and was playing under a modest contract. Expectations were low. The rich contract Kolb signed brought expectations for immediate results.

I thought Kolb's backup, John Skelton, appeared more comfortable with the offense Sunday. He appeared more comfortable in the pocket. He avoided turnovers and posted a 53.9 QBR score that was higher than any Kolb has posted in a game this season. More on that in the NFC 411 video Thursday.

Earlier: Kolb and Matt Cassel.

The St. Louis Rams' 0-6 start has left that team with a 13-57 record since 2007.

The record is 8-30 since Steve Spagnuolo became head coach in 2009.

A 34-7 defeat at Dallas in Week 7 left Spagnuolo on a short list of head coaches on the hot seat. He's one of five with a record at least 22 games below .500 and fewer than eight career victories, according to Pro Football Reference.

Spagnuolo, who won a championship with the New York Giants following the 2007 season, has company on the Rams' staff. First-year offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels went 83-19 during his final eight seasons with New England and first six games as Denver's head coach in 2009. His teams have gone 5-24 since that time.

I've been getting more questions about Spagnuolo's job security as the losses mount. How the team loses will be important. Getting trampled on the ground by opposing running games becomes demoralizing.

Overall, Spagnuolo's inability to keep the defense competitive this season works against him. Yes, the Rams have suffered significant injuries at cornerback, but their defense was having problems anyway. The free agents they added haven't upgraded the defense.

Some Arizona Cardinals fans are also getting restless. Their coach, Ken Whisenhunt, has gone 3-14 over his last 17 games. The Cardinals were 5-12 in their final 17 games under Dennis Green. The obvious progress Whisenhunt made posting three consecutive non-losing records, complete with a Super Bowl appearance and 4-2 postseason record, fades with each defeat.

In Arizona, as in St. Louis, I think it's important for the franchise quarterbacks to finish the season better than they have started it. Without quarterback progress, it's tougher for anyone -- fans, owners, players -- to feel as though an organization is moving in the right direction. It's also much tougher to win, of course.

The chart shows head coaches who are at least 22 games below .500 and possessing no more than nine career victories. I've updated the Pro Football Reference numbers to reflect Week 7 results, and have recalculated winning percentages to account for ties.

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The San Francisco 49ers took another step toward the NFC West title Sunday without even playing.

We might be one week away from asking Dennis Green whether it's OK to crown 'em.

For while the 49ers are home against a weak Cleveland team in Week 8, every other NFC West team faces an opponent with a winning record.

Seattle figures to have a good shot at home against 4-2 Cincinnati, but not if the Seahawks' offense plays the way it played during a 6-3 defeat to Cleveland on Sunday.

The 1-5 Arizona Cardinals cannot be taken seriously heading to 4-1 Baltimore.

Same goes for the 0-6 St. Louis Rams against a soon-to-be 5-2 New Orleans team that built a 34-7 halftime lead against Indianapolis on Sunday night.

Yes, it's a little early to start talking about such things. Just a little.
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Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree remains limited after aggravating a foot injury during a June 6 workout session. Maiocco: "Crabtree attended the Alex Smith-led classroom session Tuesday morning at San Jose State. He joined his teammates on the field at Spartan Stadium, and caught some warm-up passes from the team's three quarterbacks. But Crabtree did not run any full-speed pass routes. Instead, he remained close to the 49ers' quarterbacks and referred repeatedly to a copy of the practice script he held in his hands." That level of engagement beats the alternative. Crabtree previously appeared somewhat indifferent to the 49ers' practice sessions when he continued working out on his own, missing a chance to learn more about the offense while engaging his teammates. The stress fracture Crabtree brought into the NFL wasn't considered serious. What to make of his current foot trouble? It's tough to say without information coming from the 49ers' team doctors.

Also from Maiocco: play-by-play coverage from the 49ers' practice session Tuesday.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers players, led by Alex Smith, are checking out video from previous versions of West Coast offenses. Barrows: "Smith's classroom work includes film cups of an array of West Coast offenses, including college (Stanford) and pro clubs. The NFL clips include Steve Young and the 49ers, Rich Gannon and the Raiders and recent Philadelphia Eagles footage. Players said it was helpful to get a bird's eye view of the plays they are running on the practice field."

Also from Barrows: Colin Kaepernick can get the football to its target in a hurry. Left tackle Joe Staley: "He doesn't have that rookie, deer-in-the-headlights mentality. I think he's going to be a good quarterback. The ball comes off his arm pretty fast. He's a real, real intelligent kid. I think he'll pick up this offense pretty quickly."

The 49ers' website catches up with former coach George Seifert, who has this to say about his fondest fan-related recollections: "I was there when San Francisco lost to Detroit in 1957, when it appeared they were going to win the game and go on to the championship. That was certainly a downturn, but to be there when Dwight Clark made 'The Catch' and Eric Wright made the tackle to help us beat Dallas to put us in the Super Bowl was such a high. Having had my background, I’ve been very fortunate to appreciate those moments like our fans."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' receivers will have to adjust the velocity Kaepernick puts on his throws. Branch: "The bad news for Niners receivers is they might need to place their hands in ice baths this week. But the good news for Kaepernick is that he was able to participate fully in the first day of the four-day camp at San Jose State. Kaepernick was limited at the first camp -- only tossing warm-up throws -- in early June after undergoing a minor surgical procedure on his lower left leg following the NFL draft."

Also from Branch: One pass from Kaepernick seemed to knock down receiver Lance Long.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider says 49ers tackle Alex Boone has been working with former NFL center LeCharles Bentley in Ohio.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says 49ers players have bonded during their offseason camps.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com considers whether Joey Galloway had the most impressive rookie season in franchise history. I might go with Galloway or Curt Warner. Farnsworth on Warner: "Coach Chuck Knox traded the team’s first-, second- and third-round draft choices to move into the third spot so he could select the back needed for his Ground Chuck offense. Warner did not disappoint, rushing for 1,449 yards (on 335 carries), catching 42 passes and scoring 14 touchdowns to earn AFC offensive player of the year honors."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune takes a closer look at the Seahawks on third down last season. Williams: "Seattle might be looking to take more chances on third down this year after drafting players like linebackers K.J. Wright and Malcolm Smith, corners Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell and safety Mark LeGree, in addition to Kam Chancellor, Walter Thurmond and Roy Lewis -- all fast, explosive players who can tackle and cover. Specifically, the Seahawks will look to free up safety Earl Thomas more and allow him to use his play-making ability, as they did against St. Louis in the final game of the year."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com traces the roots of Dennis Green's famous they-are-who-we-thought-they-were outburst back to training camp that season. Urban: "Bears coach Lovie Smith was asked about Leinart’s good game in the preseason and talked about that game meaning nothing, as a 'glorified practice.' Green, hearing this, clearly didn’t agree and said as much, although it wasn’t exactly 'who takes the third game of the preseason like it’s bull.' At least, not yet. Then came the game. The Cards dominated, and they lost. Green calmly answered most of the questions and then the one hit him the wrong way, especially with the leftover irritation with Smith’s comments percolating all week and the frustration of the season building (for instance, kicker Neil Rackers missing what should have been a game-winning field goal that night)."

Guerin Emig of the Tulsa World says Rams receiver Mark Clayton is eager to resume contract negotiations with the team. Clayton: "I would love to stay. I love playing with Sam [Bradford]. The organization is great. Coach 'Spags' [Steve Spagnuolo], I love him. I love his passion. He's a real fiery dude. He's a defensive guy and I play offense. Opposites attract, I guess." Getting a deal done with Clayton shouldn't be too difficult. The team has improved its depth at the position, but with Clayton and several other receivers coming off injuries, the Rams need numbers. Clayton developed an instant rapport with Bradford last season. He's coming off surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon suffered at Detroit in Week 6 last season.

Vittorio Tafur and Dwight Chapin of the San Francisco Chronicle pass along remembrances for John Henry Johnson, famed member of the San Francisco 49ers' Million Dollar Backfield of the 1950s. Johnson died Friday. Tafur and Chapin: "In a 1955 exhibition game, Mr. Johnson smashed into Chicago Cardinals star Charley Trippi so hard that Trippi sustained multiple face fractures. That blow -- and other hard hits -- gained Mr. Johnson a reputation in some quarters as a dirty player, and might have delayed his being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But Mr. Johnson always maintained that he had only a 'do unto others' philosophy, noting his own lasting football injuries."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com thinks 49ers quarterback Alex Smith could benefit from reaching out to former quarterback Steve Young during the lockout. Maiocco: "I'm not sure how much Young could have assisted Smith. After all, the playbook authored by new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman might look and sound completely different than the one Young used more than a decade ago. But it's a question worth asking." I'd be interested in knowing what dynamics exist between the players. Have they spent much time together? Do they have much of a rapport? I've never heard Young take shots at Smith when providing commentary during his radio show on KNBR.

Steve Corkran of Bay Area News Group puts into perspective Johnson's impact on the San Francisco sports scene. Johnson, who passed away Friday at age 81, was part of the 49ers' Million Dollar Backfield of the 1950s.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat profiles 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, whose status as an overachiever makes him a good fit for Harbaugh. Branch: "Roman’s rugged ethos was born out of his childhood in Ventnor, N.J. The youngest of three brothers, Roman’s parents divorced before he was born and he never had a relationship with his father, who is deceased. His mom, Carol, was a reading specialist who worked baby-sitting jobs after school to support the family."

Also from Branch: Roman and the Rams' Josh McDaniels both hail from John Carroll University.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee expects most of the 49ers' rookie draft choices to participate in upcoming player-organized workouts.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with Seahawks quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who steered clear of making strong comments regarding his standing with the team. Whitehurst: "Well, luckily I'm not going through the free-agent stuff like some guys are going through. I know I'm the only quarterback that's on the roster right now, and I'm sure that will change eventually when we get it figured. I look at it like I'm going to get the chance to be the starter, and I think I can do it. That's what I plan to do. Whenever we figure it out, I'll compete as hard as I can to make that happen."

Christian Caple of seattlepi.com says the strength coach at the University of Washington has been writing offseason workout plans for Seattle players during the lockout. The coach formerly worked under Pete Carroll at USC. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: "He wrote a workout for the offensive line, for the quarterbacks, for all the different guys. It’s just been real good. We’re creatures of habit that way. We’re used to getting world class coaching in the weight room and we don’t get that right now because we’re not allowed to talk to our coaches, so Ivan has really come through and really saved the day for us that way."

Liz Mathews of 710ESPN Seattle offers highlights from Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson's recent appearance on John Clayton's radio show. Robinson says players should qualify for unrestricted free agency earlier in their careers based on relatively short average career lengths. Robinson: "I don't know if many fans understand the average playing career is 2.2 years. I've beat the odds by going into year six and personally believe that that rule needs to be changed. After four years you should be able to go anywhere you want to and be a free agent. But like I said, I'm in limbo, and if we go back to the 2010 rules, I'll be tendered with the Seahawks. I love playing for the Seahawks. Love being out there. Love playing in front of the 12th Man. Love Pete Carroll and the whole system he has going out there. But at the same time, you want to be compensated for what you do and I think a tendered offer is some dollars less than what I even made last year. So I'm kinda stuck and just waiting to see what comes out of these court proceedings and what come out of this mediation and hopefully we have a new deal." The NFL has said careers last longer on average. The discrepancy could reflect which careers are taken into account, those for all players or just those who earn spots on 53-man rosters.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' coaches weren't aware of the NFL Coaches Association's legal filing against the lockout. Somers: "Unlike some teams, such as the Jets, the Cardinals haven't issued any public statements about it. But I'm told Coach Ken Whisenhunt and his assistants knew nothing about the brief prior to its filing. Coaches are sensitive to any perception that they are siding with the players in the dispute. Most assistants that I've talked to just want to stay out of the whole affair. Like most of us, they just want to know when football will be played."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com understands why Football Outsiders ranked Jim Hart over Kurt Warner as the top quarterback in franchise history. Urban: "Interesting that Hart would be above Warner, but their reasoning is a longer resume for Hart, and that’s not unfair. Kurt was great in 2008 and 2009. In 2007, he had good stats, but I would tend to agree with FO, it didn’t always seem to totally translate that season, at least not as well as the next two years. And pre-Whiz, Warner’s years under Denny Green were like everything else under Green -- all over the map (plus, in 2006, Warner played poorly and was benched most of the season)."

Also from Urban: How play designs come to be.

Reid Laymance of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch catches up with former Dolphins coach Don Shula for thoughts on how the lockout is affecting the Rams and other teams. Laymance: "It really puts coaches in a tough spot. On the one hand, they are your players and you want to be with them, but it's the owner who signs your check."

D'Marco Farr of 101ESPN St. Louis expects McDaniels, the Rams' new offensive coordinator, to value players differently than former coordinator Pat Shurmur valued them. Farr: "Most former head coaches-turned-offensive coordinators usually are seeking a temporary opportunity somewhere to regain credibility for another shot at a head coaching job somewhere else. I don't see why McDaniels would be any different. Historically speaking, new coordinators aren't really all that concerned about ruffling the feathers of key players from someone else's offensive strategy, from the season prior to their hiring. So, in the Rams' case, what may have been acceptable for Pat Shurmur may not even come close to what McDaniels will demand of his guys."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams tight end Daniel Fells faces an uncertain future with the team thanks to the lockout and an expiring contract. Thomas on the Rams in general: "After practicing at Lindenwood University Monday through Wednesday, the venue was switched to Lutheran South High School, where former Rams strength coach Chuck Faucette is now head football coach. About three dozen Rams have participated in this week's practices at one time or another. But heavy rains canceled Thursday's session. Instead, quarterback Sam Bradford and about eight to 10 receivers spent 30 minutes doing classroom work and then worked for about 45 minutes in the gym at Lutheran South. Afterward, many of them stayed around and played a little basketball. Many Rams players will reconvene June 8 in the Phoenix area for another series of workouts organized by cornerback Ron Bartell, linebacker James Laurinaitis and Bradford." Bradford has been teaching the playbook to his offensive teammates. It'll be interesting to see once camp starts whether players retain the information and if Bradford knew enough to teach concepts the way new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will teach them.

Casey Pearce of stlouisrams.com provides details from coach Steve Spagnuolo's recent practice involving members of the business staff as players. Pearce: "The day followed the same schedule Spagnuolo uses for OTAs. It started with a team meeting during which staffers were assigned positions. Special-teams coordinator Tom McMahon then turned on the video projector and taught the group two punt protection calls. Following the special teams meeting, the offense and defense went into separate meeting rooms and then individual position meetings. With the meetings in the books, the staff headed to the training room where head athletic trainer Reggie Scott and his staff taped each staff member’s ankles in preparation for the on-field portion of the day."

Tony Softli of 101ESPN St. Louis offers thoughts on the Rams' recently concluded player-organized workout sessions. Also: "Mardy Gilyard was a no-show. It is my understanding from a source he had a close friend pass away and decided to attend the services."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says some 49ers players downplay the significance of other teams drawing more players to their player-organized workouts. Maiocco: "The 49ers players had been getting together in relative obscurity. The group of 49ers keeps showing up to lift weights and condition for about two hours in the middle of the day, four days a week. Some of the veterans viewed the publicity generated by the Saints' workouts as a made-for-TV event -- nothing more than a public-relations tool."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says 49ers rookie Rashad Johnson is leaning on his more financially established teammates for air fare and a place to stay during player-organized workouts. Johnson, a sixth-round pick, stayed with safety Taylor Mays, a former teammate at USC. Quarterback Alex Smith paid for Johnson's flight. Barrows: "Johnson has a bit of an advantage on his rookie counterparts in that he is already familiar with the routes he will be asked to run. His college position coach, John Morton, has the same job with the 49ers. Indeed, Morton was the one who lobbied the 49ers to take Johnson with the 182nd overall pick. Johnson said the 49ers routes are similar to the ones he ran with the Trojans. But they're called different names and the overall concepts are a little different. And that's what he's trying to master every night while he and the rest of the rookies wait out the lockout."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com profiles 49ers assistant Geep Chryst, whose father coached against Jim Harbaugh's father in the Big Ten. Chryst worked for the Bears when Harbaugh played for them. Price: "Poise under pressure is what Chryst recalled most vividly of his current boss. Though he had held out of camp for a short period, Harbaugh came to the Chicago Bears full of confidence. Chryst recalls Harbaugh nearly crashing his moped into William 'The Refrigerator' Perry’s gold Mercedes. But the rookie quarterback made up for it when he displayed veteran moxie at the team’s rookie talent show. When his partner bowed out of their scheduled embarrassing performance, Harbaugh was left to entertain the veterans all by himself." Harbaugh went solo during a Blues Brothers routine.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the 2006 season ranks among the more disappointing in franchise history even though Seattle went 9-7 and won a third consecutive NFC West title. Farnsworth: "Injuries played a part, as Matt Hasselbeck missed four starts with a bruised knee and leading rusher Shaun Alexander sat out six because of a broken foot. So did ineffectiveness and inconsistency. Even more telling was the fact that the team’s best players who had their best seasons in the run to the Super Bowl in ’05 did not match those efforts. Not even close."

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic assesses where the Cardinals and other Phoenix-area professional sports franchises stand now compared to five years ago. Boivin: "Has the organization shown vision? Its struggles finding a quarterback after Kurt Warner's retirement shouldn't be ignored but considering where it was under Dennis Green's guidance in 2006, the team is definitely in a better place."

Where the NFC West stands in Flash Points balloting, which continues into Wednesday afternoon and seeks to identify key events in franchise history:

Votes so far: 125,896

Votes by team: San Francisco 49ers 42,066; Seattle Seahawks 29,750; St. Louis Rams 28,232; Arizona Cardinals 25,848.

Closest race: Eleven percentage point separate the top three Seahawks moments. Thirty-six percent pointed to Paul Allen purchasing the team and keeping it in Seattle. Twenty-eight percent singled out the victory against Carolina to reach Super Bowl XL. Twenty-five percent pointed to the team's decision to select Dan McGwire in the first round of the 1991 draft, even though coach Chuck Knox preferred Brett Favre.

Flashiest Flash Point: The 49ers' hiring of Bill Walsh has commanded more than 22,000 votes, easily the most among all NFC West options.

Biggest blowout: The Arizona Cardinals' victory against Philadelphia to reach Super Bowl XLIII has drawn the highest percentage of any team's votes (68 percent). Getting a new stadium in Glendale ranks a distant second with 16 percent. That is easily the widest gap between first- and second-place options.

Weakest Flash Point: With all due respect to 49ers legend R.C. Owens, his alley-oop reception to beat the Detroit Lions in 1957 hasn't measured up among voters, drawing only 1 percent. The top two options -- Walsh's hiring and "The Catch" -- combined for 90 percent, with 6 percent selecting Eddie DeBartolo Jr.'s forced exit as owner.

My favorite suggestions: For the Rams, their 30-3 defeat to the 49ers in the NFC title game following the 1989 season. EmsDucks offered that one, noting that the Rams went into quick decline and wound up moving the franchise. That game also negatively impacted perceptions of quarterback Jim Everett. ...

For the 49ers, the hit Cardinals cornerback Aeneas Williams put on quarterback Steve Young in 1999, precipitating Young's retirement. ...

For the Seahawks, hiring Mike Holmgren away from Green Bay. We can informally roll this one into Allen's purchasing of the team, which cleared the way for the hiring. ...

For the Cardinals, there were a few, but none more entertaining than visions of coaches past. Buddy Ryan's proclamation about there being a winner in town was up there with Dennis Green's memorable postgame meltdown.

Scheduling note: NFL West polls close Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. I'll break out winners and single out one for elaboration in a piece scheduled for Thursday.

Closing question: What about Walsh's hiring with the 49ers stands out to you all these years later? The success San Francisco enjoyed thereafter speaks for itself. In retrospect, it's easy to say the 49ers made a no-brainer hiring. In truth, however, Walsh was the team's fifth head coach in less than two years, and the organization was floundering at that time.

Colleague Kevin Seifert showed some daring by sending TCU quarterback Andy Dalton to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 12 in a recent ESPN.com mock draft.

He wasn't arguing for Dalton's value so much as saying the Vikings' need for a quarterback might compel them to take one there.

"To me," Seifert later wrote with first-year Vikings coach Leslie Frazier in mind, "there is no better time to jump to the other side than in a coach's first year, giving him a building block for the rest of his program."

The key, of course, is not mistaking anchors for building blocks.

Steve Mariucci was the San Francisco 49ers' first-year coach when the team used a 1997 first-rounder for Jim Druckenmiller, a blunder softened only by Steve Young's presence on the roster. That experience should not directly influence the 49ers' thinking as they consider first-round quarterbacks for new coach Jim Harbaugh, but it's a reference point.

With Harbaugh and the 49ers in mind, I went through recent drafts to see which teams with first-year head coaches used first-round selections for quarterbacks. More precisely, I looked at all first-round quarterbacks since 2000 to see which ones had first-year head coaches.

Six of the last eight first-round quarterbacks -- Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco and JaMarcus Russell -- joined teams with first-year head coaches. All but Russell remain franchise quarterbacks in their teams' eyes. All but Russell are still playing for their original head coaches. Four of the six had winning records in 2010.

For most of those franchises, value and need lined up pretty well, and first-year coaches benefited.

"If you don't have a quarterback, you're drafting maybe a different kind of running back, maybe a different kind of offensive lineman, than if you have somebody," Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters at the scouting combine. "We had Calvin Johnson, but our ability to get Jahvid Best, Nate Burleson in free agency, to draft Brandon Pettigrew -- those pieces were because of the quarterback that we have."

We could also argue that the St. Louis Rams were better off building their offensive line and other areas of their roster before making Sam Bradford the first overall choice in 2010. They could have drafted Sanchez or Freeman instead of defensive end Chris Long in 2009, then spent subsequent selections on players to build around one of those quarterbacks.

Bradford and Denver's Tim Tebow were the "other" first-round quarterbacks in the eight-man group featuring Stafford, Sanchez, Freeman, Ryan, Flacco and Russell.

In general, getting the right quarterback for a first-year head coach puts a franchise in strong position for the long term. There's no sense forcing the issue, however, because the wrong quarterback can drag down any coach, regardless of tenure.

A coach such as the Vikings' Frazier might have a harder time waiting. His contract runs only three seasons and ownership expects quick results. Harbaugh has a five-year deal with the 49ers. Expectations are high, but there's less urgency for immediate results.

The first chart shows the 14 first-round quarterbacks since 2000 that landed with returning head coaches.

The second chart shows the 14 first-round quarterbacks since 2000 that landed with first-year head coaches.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says there's much to like about Seahawks rookie safety Earl Thomas. Veteran safety Lawyer Milloy: "I’m very happy with his progress, starting with draft day. He’s got that frame of mind; he wants to be great. He’s a perfectionist, and he gets mad when he doesn’t do it the right way. A lot of what separates the great ones from the average is the mental approach, and he’s doing everything the right way." I've been struck by Thomas' willingness as a hitter. He's not big by safety standards. He's been shaken up several times this season, but he hasn't missed much time.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald looks at the Seahawks' recently improved ground game.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com offers notes from practice Wednesday, including one showing camaraderie among running backs.

Also from Farnsworth: a look at what Colin Cole's return could mean for the Seattle defense. The team has missed Cole and defensive end Red Bryant. Farnsworth: "Junior Siavii (for Cole) and Kentwan Balmer (for Bryant) have done admirable jobs filling in, but they’re lighter and a lot less experienced in the nuances of the Seahawks’ defense – since Balmer was acquired in a mid-August trade with the 49ers and Siavii was signed in early September. With Cole’s return, Siavii can slide out and help Balmer man the five-technique end spot, as well as rotate with Cole at nose tackle."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times checks in with Cole, who explains how he suffered an ankle injury against Oakland. Cole: "You want me to go into detail? All right. I was moving to my right, 3 minutes left in the game. They were on their goal line. Really a needless thing to happen. I was going to my right, and a guy basically to my left -- their right guard -- kind of jumped on the side of my leg. I'll say he jumped on the side of my leg. There's a proper way of cut blocks, and he just took it upon himself to kind of jump on the side of my leg. But there's nothing I can do about that now. The only thing I can do is concentrate on moving forward and trying to help the team with the next few games."

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says Lofa Tatupu is relishing the Seahawks' playoff relevance and exciting developments in his personal life. Tatupu: "It's everything you dream of. Not to sound cliché, but it is. It's magical. In the NFL, when you're in the hunt this time of year, every little thing matters — every practice, every game, every day. It's football at its most intense. I love it. I know it hasn't looked pretty for us this year. But, really, it doesn't matter. We're right there."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt sounds much happier with Dan Williams than with Calais Campbell. Whisenhunt offered specific reasons why he thought Williams was performing well. Here is what he said regarding Campbell: "First of all, I don't like to evaluate players in-season. I don't believe in doing that. I think that, right now, there are a lot of guys on this team who haven't played the way we all thought or expected. Probably a lot of coaches haven't coaches the way we expected. That's something we'll look at after the season and evaluate. The only thing I'll say is I'm not questioning anyone's effort."

Also from Somers: New Cardinals quarterback Richard Bartel was hunting wild hogs as recently as one week ago.

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic offers thoughts on John Skelton's emergence as the Cardinals' likely starting quarterback. Boivin: "What can Skelton do? How does Larry Fitzgerald feel? Leaving Derek Anderson in, if he's healthy, feels a little bit like pushing Fitzgerald toward the door. His contract expires after the 2011 season and the team would like to begin talks on a new deal no later than the spring. Why not Skelton? His 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame screams NFL prototype. At the combine, he ran a 4.85 40, seventh-best among all quarterbacks. His vertical jump was fourth best. The Cardinals liked him enough to trade cornerback Bryant McFadden and a sixth-round pick to move to the fifth round. We just don't know enough."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team appears on the verge of starting three quarterbacks in a season for the sixth time since the franchise moved to Arizona. Urban: "Assuming Anderson doesn’t start, the Cardinals will use a third starting quarterback in a season for the sixth time since the franchise moved to Arizona in 1988, although it has only happened once since the Cards’ playoff year of 1998. That’s when Denny Green, in his first season of 2004, briefly derailed the Josh McCown experiment with two starts for Shaun King and then one for rookie John Navarre before going back to McCown. The other four times were 1989 (Gary Hogeboom 13 starts, Tom Tupa 2; Timm Rosenbach 1), 1991 (Tupa 11, Stan Gelbaugh 3, Chris Chandler 2), 1994 (Steve Beuerlein 7, Jim McMahon 1, Jay Schroeder 8) and 1997 (Kent Graham 6, Stoney Case 1, Jake Plummer 9)."

Doug Farrar of Football Outsiders offers thoughts on Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Analyst Greg Cosell: "Because of his accuracy, he will always make his receivers better in the long run. Because he's very compact, and he's very accurate. Believe me, I'm not comparing him to Tom Brady at this point in time, but I think he has attributes like that. Brady had Moss for a few years, and Moss was a certain type of player, but for the most part, Brady has not has what you would call elite receivers. And Bradford is the kind of guy -- because he's so compact and accurate, and he's exhibited such great timing and anticipation -- who can make receivers that you would not say are Top 10, better."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are scrambling at linebacker after losing Na'il Diggs for the remainder of the season. Thomas: "Rams coaches have two more practice days to sort through their options at the strongside and weakside positions. But at face value, the most logical starting combination would be David Vobora at strongside linebacker — where he started 10 times in '09 — and either Chris Chamberlain or Larry Grant at the weakside position. Chamberlain has better coverage skills than Grant, so he makes more sense against a pass-happy team such as the Saints. But complicating matters is the fact that Chamberlain suffered a right hand injury against Arizona."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams linebacker David Nixon. Coats: "A former Eagle Scout, Nixon's road to the NFL was interrupted by a two-year Mormon mission to Quito, Ecuador, after his freshman season at BYU."

Also from Coats: Bradford got advice from Drew Brees regarding shoulder surgery. Bradford said Brees' shoulder injury was far worse, however.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says rookie left tackle Rodger Saffold has been playing well for the Rams. Saffold and the line face their toughest test of the season to this point when they visit the Superdome in Week 14. Miklasz: "How good is Saffold? Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian, one of the best talent evaluators in NFL history, volunteered on his radio show Monday night that he made a mistake in not drafting Saffold at the end of the first round. The Rams picked Saffold at the top of the second round. Polian doesn't toss out compliments like that unless he's very, very, impressed. And it takes a lot to impress Polian."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com has this to say about the Rams' linebacker situation: "It appears that David Vobora will get the first shot at replacing Diggs at SLB and Chris Chamberlain will work at WIL. Chamberlain is wearing a small cast on his wrist but says no surgery will be required on small fracture. He practiced fully on Wednesday."

Brian Stull of 101ESPN St. Louis says the Rams' secondary is dealing with quite a few injuries.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers and Seahawks took differing approaches to working new running backs into their offenses. One key difference: The 49ers already had Frank Gore, so there was less incentive to work Brian Westbrook into the offense initially. Seattle did not have a physical running back. Lynch: "Running back is one of those positions where you can come in and make an impact almost immediately. Basically, the protections and the running plays are the same, just worded differently. Just change up the terminology and you have the same playbook."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Alex Smith knows he needs to be more aggressive. One limiting factor: Smith is not aggressive by nature.

Also from Barrows: answering questions about the 49ers' quarterback situation.

More from Barrows: Mike Singletary says the 49ers' offense was limited with Troy Smith at quarterback.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says it's fitting the 49ers' top two quarterbacks have the same last name. Cohn: "Tweedle Alex allegedly gives the Niners the best opportunity to win because he knows the playbook better than Tweedle Troy, and it's always helpful in the NFL to know the playbook. Of course, Tweedle Alex also knew the playbook better when the 49ers and Tweedle Troy got run out of Green Bay. Why didn't Singletary start Tweedle Alex then? You tell me." Not that the 49ers' floundering ways have invited cynicism.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the departure of longtime assistant coach Johnnie Lynn heading into Week 14 counts as par for the course in San Francisco.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says Alex Smith feels as though he's a good quarterback. Smith: "Absolutely. I have the ability to make all the throws on the field. [I'm] athletic enough that I think I can make plays with my feet when I need to. I can handle I think any playbook out there, [any] adjustments you have to make. I think I can. Have I done that consistently? To be honest, no. That's what I need to do."

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Singletary was vague when discussing Lynn's departure. Singletary: "I visited with Johnnie before he left. All I'm going to say about that is that is something I will not comment on. But Johnnie and his family will deal with it, and I lose a good friend."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals keep losing even though they're not playing elite teams. On a side note: "Receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Chiefs coach Todd Haley were engaged in intense conversation in the hallway outside the Cardinals locker room after the game. The two are good friends and Haley appeared to be going over some technical things with Fitz." Separately, Fitzgerald's long-term future with the team will increasingly become a storyline as he approaches the final year of a four-year contract. The deal prevents the Cardinals from trading him or naming him their franchise player. Arizona might have one season to fix its quarterback situation and get the team headed in the right direction again. Otherwise, why would Fitzgerald stay?

Also from Somers: making sense of Adrian Wilson's curious postgame comments. Wilson on what the Cardinals need to do: "I don't know, I'm not the coach. I can just worry about myself and get myself ready to play. Everybody is going to be their own judge. Everybody is going to make their own decisions. Regardless of what people say, sooner or later, it falls on deaf ears. ... What's the point of doing that if they're not going to listen? It will just fall on deaf ears, and you'll be right back to square one. Guys have to be their own motivator. You can't motivate somebody else to play and to not make a mistake." The Cardinals have built their defense around Darnell Dockett and Wilson. Those are the players Arizona has paid on defense. Those are the players the team needs to be playing at a Pro Bowl level.

More from Somers: The Cardinals have hit a new low, Steve Breaston says.

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic gives Haley the edge against Ken Whisenhunt in a coaching matchup between former co-workers. Bickley: "The Cardinals have lost five consecutive games and, for the first time since Whisenhunt arrived in Arizona, an emasculated team feels just like it did under Denny Green: impotent offense, a rash of stupid penalties and a sense of fatalism engulfing the room. ... Even worse, many fans believe Whisenhunt has been exposed without Haley and former quarterback Kurt Warner. It's a ridiculous notion, but the tide of perception is growing more powerful with each loss."

Also from Bickley: a look at the key play in Arizona's defeat Sunday.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Whisenhunt appeared "about as weary" as he had seen him following a defeat. Urban: "Whisenhunt said there wouldn’t be any personnel changes, but rookie tight end Jim Dray was in there extensively Sunday ahead of Ben Patrick. Dray struggled, but as we get deeper in the season, those are the kinds of developmental moves we may see going forward. (No, I don’t think John Skelton is playing next week)."

Also from Urban: Not much changed for Arizona after Week 11.

More from Urban: Arizona's running game did have some success Sunday. Tim Hightower carried 12 times for 62 yards. Beanie Wells carried eight times for 39 yards.

More yet from Urban: Avoiding turnovers isn't enough for the Cardinals to win games. Whisenhunt: "This was a very disappointing day."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals might not have Beanie Wells for the regular-season opener at St. Louis. Somers: "(Ken) Whisenhunt said he has three quality backs in addition to Wells and has no qualms about going with Tim Hightower, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Wright. Whisenhunt said this summer that he sees an increased role for Stephens-Howling this season." The Cardinals do have good depth at running back, but for the second time in two NFL seasons, missed practice time before the season is putting Wells at a competitive disadvantage.

Also from Somers: The Cardinals rebuilt their defense. Kerry Rhodes: "This year, I think people are sleeping on us a little bit. We're under the radar, and under the radar is fine for us right now. It doesn't count what anybody says right now. The Jets look good on paper. Baltimore looks good on paper, but at the end of the day, it's going to be the team that jells the best and can get it done when it counts."

Dan Bickley and Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic debate the Cardinals' likely fortunes in 2010.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Whisenhunt has learned his lesson about overthinking heading into an opener. The coach thought he had too many ideas heading into a 2007 opener at San Francisco.

Also from Urban: Hightower has two 100-yard rushing games in his career and both were at St. Louis. Holding off Wells for the starting job has been easier with Wells missing practice time. Hightower seems to understand why Wells was expected to win the job this year after leading the team in rushing as a backup in 2009. Hightower: "This is a results-driven business. You can say what you want about being a complete back, but at the end of the day, people look at stats. They look for results, and that’s one thing I haven’t had. I haven’t rushed for 1,000 yards, I haven’t been to a Pro Bowl. From an outside perspective, you’re not looking for, 'Oh, this guy blocks well on third downs.' Or. 'He does the intangibles,' or 'He does the things that help the team win.' You’re looking for stats. You understand where they are coming from. But from my perspective, I know what I have to do."

Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports looks at Max Hall's outlook heading into his first NFL season. Farrar: "Hall had two advantages to draw from when he did get to the NFL level -- his uncle is former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White, and the West Coast Offense he ran at BYU gave him an impressive ability to read more complex defenses quickly. While he's been talking to and getting help from White since his high school days, Hall said that the real football education came in college. Unlike many spread-happy quarterbacks, Hall played exclusively under center in high school and only started running shotgun snaps after a semester at Arizona State, his two-year mission, and his eventual transfer to BYU."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says James Laurinaitis is the leader of the Rams' defense even though teammates did not vote him as captain. Laurinaitis makes the defensive calls. Laurinaitis: "I like the role of being in control, because I think it holds you to a higher level of accountability. And when you have that accountability, knowing that you're the guy making the checks and the calls, you can't blame anybody else. It's on you."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with A.J. Feeley, who has recovered from a thumb injury well enough to back up Sam Bradford in Week 1. Thomas: "Feeley has been working with the scout team in practice and has not been listed on the team's official injury report. Feeley can only wonder what might have been had he not suffered the thumb injury. Remember, Bradford struggled in the Browns' game, generating only one first down (via penalty) in seven series. But Feeley isn't dwelling on that; he always knew he was keeping the seat warm for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are 4-26 in NFC West games since the start of the 2005 season. Scott Linehan, Mike Holmgren, Mike Nolan and Dennis Green were the NFC West head coaches when the Rams last won an NFC West game (in 2007).

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says the Rams and Steven Jackson in particular expect to see plenty of blitzes from the Cardinals on Sunday.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Crabtree appears baffled by the "diva" label applied to him in recent years.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says linebacker Aaron Curry is getting work with the defensive linemen at times because the team wants to use him as a pass-rusher.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times profiles Seahawks rookie safety Earl Thomas. Thomas was born after doctors told his mother she had six months to live and could not get pregnant.

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says there's no shame in saying the Seahawks are rebuilding. Teams don't like to use the word because the rebuilding message isn't helpful when motivating players in the short term.

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the 49ers can expect to see Tyler Polumbus lining up at left tackle for the Seahawks in Week 1.

Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune says Art Valero is the Seahawks' new offensive line coach, with Pat Ruel taking over as assistant offensive line coach. The official team release on Ruel's hiring called Ruel the primary line coach. However, coach Pete Carroll subsequently said Ruel would be working in a support role while learning the offense and terminology. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates: "Yeah, Art Valero is now the offensive line coach, and he's going to have some different eyes, everyone has different ideas. You can't be someone else so we're going to go in without Alex and Art's got the job now. ... Art has been at Tampa, he has been at St. Louis. He has learned some football that has been different than Alex. You have to be comfortable with the style of the way you're coaching and your philosophy. I think the toughest position would be if we made him do exactly what Alex did. There's going to be a lot of carryover, but at the same time you've got to be yourself."

John Morgan of Field Gulls compares Mike Williams to Brandon Marshall and Deion Branch to Eddie Royal when examining similarities between Seattle's offensive scheme and the one Bates ran at Denver.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Carroll wants to show that it's possible to win in the NFL without being so serious all the time. Carroll: "Only that you can't have fun coaching football at this level and still compete like crazy and win. If there's anything that people don't understand, it's how you can enjoy it in the way that we do and still work really hard and be really disciplined."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers' Travis LaBoy will try to exploit any issues on the Seahawks' offensive line. Barrows: "Last year in Seattle, Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson and Ahmad Brooks each had a sack. (The 49ers had five total). This year the triumvirate will be Lawson, Haralson and newcomer Travis LaBoy. As was the case with Brooks last year, the concern this offseason was making sure LaBoy, who began his career as a defensive end, was up to speed on playing linebacker on first and second downs."

Also from Barrows: Vernon Davis came up behind Michael Crabtree and hugged the receiver during Crabtree's first media session in an extended period. Said Crabtree, whose sideline dispute with Davis during practice made headlines during preseason: "Ah, man. That's just something inside, you know? It's something I don't really want to talk about. Because it's not a problem. And by me talking about it, it's going to make it a problem, so ... It's nothing."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com identifies Taylor Mays' primary Week 1 role -- as a special-teamer, not on defense.

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' rookie offensive linemen are gearing up for their first visit to Qwest Field. Branch: "Sure, the team has pumped in crowd noise during practice this week. But no one is kidding themselves. They know it can't replicate the din they'll discover when they open the season against the Seahawks at 67,000-seat Qwest Field, the place where eardrums go to burst."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat examines Mike Singletary's direct, honest style.

Dan Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers anticipate a limited role for Brian Westbrook in the opener. It's tough taking Frank Gore off the field.

Also from Brown: Davis' comment to Crabtree upon hugging him for reporters to see: "Michael, good to see you, buddy."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers hadn't named a quarterback as captain since Trent Dilfer was on the team. Alex Smith broke the streak this week. Frank Gore: "He's grown, especially in the huddle. He talks a lot and tells us what to do. Even when we don't do something right, [he] comes to us and tells us we should've done this or that. That's a big part for this team." It's impossible to fool veteran players by forcing a leadership role onto an undeserving player. Vernon Davis did seem to grow into the role after Singletary named him a captain. Smith is not naturally an outspoken leader. His position lends itself to leadership and Smith does seem to have earned respect from teammates through his approach. Can he lead them?

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Nate Davis returned to the 49ers as a member of their practice squad.

Also from Barrows: 49ers-related notes, including this one from Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck regarding any advantage Seattle might have with former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan onboard. Hasselbeck: "Scot, I think I've seen him one time in the cafeteria." So true. Anyone with visions of McCloughan hunkering down with coaches should know this: I drove through the Seahawks' parking lot at their facility Wednesday and couldn't immediately find one. I finally spotted an available space and drove toward it, only to discover a name plate noting it was reserved for, you guessed it, McCloughan. I'm sure McCloughan's insights on the 49ers have been welcome, but he's working as a college scout for the team and he continues to live in the Bay Area.

Sam Good of 49ers.com offers audio links to conference calls featuring Pete Carroll and Hasselbeck.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says McCloughan isn't the only ex-49er working for the Seahawks these days.

Also from Brown: Dilfer, now with ESPN, will hold Smith to a higher standard this season. Dilfer: "If they don’t (make the postseason), then Alex is going to be criticized very harshly, and I think that’s probably fair. Now, saying all that, I believe he will meet the expectations. I believe he’s a different man after watching him the last couple of years grow up. He’s playing with a harder edge. He definitely has more command to his personality and he has complete ownership of this offense. I would argue he has more ownership of this offense than the people calling it. He knows where everyone is supposed to be at all times, all the nuances of it. He is ready for the moment. He feels like it’s his time to run the show and get things done in San Francisco like they haven’t been done. I think that’s going to happen. I think they’re an 11-5 football team that can get in the playoffs and win a game in the playoffs. If it doesn’t happen, it’ll probably be (Smith’s) last year in San Francisco."

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle looks at what the 49ers might do if something happened to Patrick Willis.

Kevin Lynch of Niner Insider examines the 49ers' status as a division favorite.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says Jordan Babineaux is going back to the role that helped him earn some acclaim as "Big Play Babs" during the Seahawks' run of division titles. Babineaux: "I kind of go back to being that plug-in guy, the guy who comes in on third down and is a nickel and dime guy; the guy who is the first to go in in emergency situations. Really, I’m back to being that move-around guy, which is good for me because I’m eager to accept the situation because I missed playing inside. That’s where I was able to make most of my plays and kind of earn a name a little bit. You know the name …"

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times sizes up the Seahawks' makeshift offensive line, noting that coach Pete Carroll called his potential starting left tackle, Tyler Polumbus, by the wrong first name four times during his news conference Wednesday. Seattle acquired Polumbus from Detroit during the latter stages of the exhibition season.

Also from O'Neill: Carroll sees the glass half-full.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks' new starting running back, Justin Forsett, knows he has much to prove.

Also from Brewer: This season will test Carroll's patience.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along comments from Seahawks offensive line coach Art Valero, noting that offensive linemen Ben Hamilton and Chester Pitts heckled Valero while the assistant fulfilled media obligations. Hamilton and guard Mike Gibson acted similarly toward quarterback Matt Hasselbeck while he chatted with reporters. I understand the need for offensive linemen to create their own little world to help build camaraderie, and I know former line coach Alex Gibbs tried to foster that by telling his players to skip their league-mandated media obligations, but courtesy and professionalism are appreciated from this end.

Also from Williams: Seahawks owner Paul Allen showed up for practice Wednesday.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune offers highlights from Carroll's news conference Wednesday. Boling: "Pitts got most of the work Monday but was limping around a little. They're already familiar working on a weakness at left tackle because they had to shape a game plan in the preseason against Minnesota with Mansfield Wrotto starting over there when Russell Okung went down."

John Morgan of Field Gulls runs through potential scenarios for Seattle this season.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Derek Anderson eagerly awaits his first start as Cardinals quarterback. Somers: "It's not a coincidence that Anderson's best season, 2007, came when he was surrounded by the most talent. He had three excellent receiving targets in Joe Jurevicius, Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards. He handed the ball off to running back Jamal Lewis, who gained 1,304 yards that season. Then, the Browns disintegrated. Jurevicius missed the 2008 season after knee surgery and a staph infection. He was released in 2009. Winslow and Edwards were later traded. Meanwhile, Anderson was battling (Brady) Quinn for a job, and neither one was making an impression."

Also from Somers: Ken Whisenhunt remains vague on Beanie Well's injury situation.

More from Somers: a chat transcript featuring his thoughts on which player not named Kurt Warner the team will miss most in 2010. Somers: "Karlos Dansby, no question. He was so versatile. I think Kerry Rhodes could be better than Antrel Rolle, who blew some coverages and missed tackles. Anquan Boldin is one of the all-time Cardinal greats, but we didn't see the great Q runs last year."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says receiver Larry Fitzgerald had nothing to do with the quarterback change from Matt Leinart to Anderson, according to Fitzgerald. Have any Cardinals players said anything publicly that would count as supporting Leinart? I wouldn't expect strong statements, but for a player who had been with the team since the Dennis Green years, Leinart didn't seem to get much support publicly.

Also from Urban: Darnell Dockett is no longer openly using the term "fresh meat" to describe new Rams quarterback Sam Bradford.

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo is spending plenty of time at the office -- enough time, in fact, to justify adding a bed within the bathroom adjoining his office. Miklasz: "Not that a 1-15 rookie coach can sleep peacefully. When I asked Spagnuolo what it was like to go 1-15 last season as a rookie coach, he laughed and pointed to the bathroom."

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says new Rams receiver Mark Clayton is catching on quickly. Bradford: "To see him come out Day 1 and have what seemed to be a great grasp on the offense already, he didn't ask a lot of questions. He just got in the huddle, I called the play, and he knew where to go, knew where to line up and knew what to run."

Also from Coats: The Rams avoided a local television blackout for Week 1.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at the Rams' struggles within the division, specifically against Arizona.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Bradford knows he's going to see new looks from Arizona.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers know training camp is about to get much tougher after a non-contact session Sunday. Linebacker Takeo Spikes: "It gets 200 percent tougher times 200. We know that. No video games tonight. No extra-long conversations with the old lady on Skype." Also, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin has yet to report for practice. He remains unsigned.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com checks in from practice and makes this observation: "Three of the 49ers main free agent acquisitions all found themselves involved on one play on Monday, as cornerback Karl Paymah made a nice pass breakup on backup quarterback David Carr’s deep ball down the left sideline intended for wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr."

Also from 49ers.com: a transcript from coach Mike Singletary's interview.

Phil Barber of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers are not worried about Franklin's conditioning because the veteran nose tackle has set a high standard on that front.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee noticed Taylor Mays working with the second-team defense in 49ers camp, a jump in status for the second-round choice. This is the time to find out how ready Mays might be to step into a more prominent role. Also from Barrows: "A couple of injured players made their returns. Receiver Brandon Jones got a lot of work at receiver as well as punt returner. Cornerback Will James, meanwhile, made his 49ers debut. He played in the third-team defense opposite rookie Phillip Adams. The first four cornerbacks were Nate Clements, Shawntae Spencer, Karl Paymah and Tarell Brown. The 49ers opened camp with zero injuries."

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers eased into training camp. That's no surprise given that the team wasn't originally planning to practice until Monday. The session Sunday sounded like a prelude. Brown: "Even the mighty nutcracker drill was rendered toothless. Offensive-line coach Mike Solari explained the drill in epic detail -- it took 14 minutes -- before players walked away without so much as a shoulder bump. Such was the nature of the first day of training camp — a dress rehearsal on grass. The Sunday session was not on the original schedule. Coach Mike Singletary added it recently after deciding the team needed one final chance to review things in slow motion."

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News expects big things from 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says there's lots of competition among the Cardinals' offensive linemen.

Also from Somers: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie dominated in practice Sunday even though he said he wasn't 100 percent physically. Larry Fitzgerald: "DRC likes to mix it up. Our goal is to motivate each other and to push each other."

More from Somers: Greg Toler will have to earn the starting job at cornerback opposite Rodgers-Cromartie. Somers: "Trumaine McBride continues to run with the first team at right cornerback, ahead of Greg Toler. McBride's edge right now is experience. He's played in 33 NFL games, while Toler played in 13 last season. In athletic ability, coaches compare Toler to DRC. They are similar in other ways, too. Like DRC, Toler needs to learn what it takes to be a successful pro, said coordinator Bill Davis. That means developing consistent study habits and focusing on every single play. Like DRC, Toler's concentration tends to come and go. That's not unusual for a young player, and it doesn't seem as if coaches are down on Toler, a fourth-round pick in 2009. But they do think he has great ability and will be disappointed if he doesn't show it this season."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Arizona is taking things slowly with rookie linebacker Daryl Washington. Urban: "Rookies have to earn their playing time, however, especially with this coaching staff. When (Karlos) Dansby and Darnell Dockett were drafted back in 2004, then-coach Dennis Green immediately dropped them into the starting lineup. Both eventually proved to be very good players, but they never had to prove themselves worthy. Washington does. So he sits as a third-stringer for now, even though the Cardinals are trying to figure out exactly what they are going to do at inside linebacker. On the outside, they are set, with veterans Joey Porter and Clark Haggans entrenched."

Greg Johns of seattlepi.com says the Seahawks held out Aaron Curry from practice after the second-year linebacker suffered from headaches following a collision Sunday. Coach Pete Carroll: "He got dinged a little bit yesterday. We just wanted to make sure he's OK. He should be fine. It's nothing serious, but he had some headaches today so we just wanted to rest him."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Leroy Hill isn't working with the Seahawks' starting defense. O'Neil: "Maybe Seattle is preparing itself for the reality that it will face in the season opener as Hill has already been suspended for that game for violating the league's policy on substance abuse. But maybe, it's also a sign Hill is an afterthought for the Seahawks at this point just one year after the team designated him their franchise player and then subsequently signed him to a long-term contract. Is Hill part of Seattle's plan for the future? His absence for most of this offseason and his place on the depth chart make it a legitimate question." There's a good chance 2010 will be Hill's final season in Seattle.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune offers a few thoughts on the Seahawks as they open training camp.

John Morgan of Field Gulls expects Golden Tate to continue returning punts for the Seahawks, a role Tate has handled in practices so far. On offense, the Seahawks put Tate in motion.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Jacob Bell and Chris Long scuffled during a physical Rams practice that also featured a huge hit. Thomas: "Larry Grant, who has opened camp as a starting outside linebacker, leveled fullback Mike Karney during a live tackling drill, with Karney losing his helmet in the process. (It may have been a little payback because Karney had been throwing bodies around up to that point as a blocker.)"

Also from Thomas: Rams general manager Billy Devaney sounds optimistic. Devaney: "The only way I can say it is the players are (ticked) off still from last year. You want to say forget last year, and last year's over. But let me tell you, this isn't any fun. I know it isn't any fun for our players or anybody in this building to hear all the time: worst team in the NFL, 1-15, lowly St. Louis Rams. If that doesn't (tick) you off, or get you motivated in the offseason, then we have the wrong kind of guy. There's a lot of motivated people here to get this thing going and start winning football games."

Also from Thomas: Sam Bradford's next challenge is living up to a contract that could pay him $86 million.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Danny Amendola and Mardy Gilyard are competing to return punts for the Rams. Amendola was very good in that role last season. Coats: "The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Amendola was signed off Philadelphia's practice squad in Week 3 last season. He wound up leading the NFL in kickoff returns (66), kickoff-return yardage (1,618 yards) and total return yards (1,978). All three of those marks were franchise records, as was his combined kick and punt returns (97). Overall, Amendola averaged 24.5 yards per kickoff return and 11.6 yards per punt return."

Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times says former Rams and 49ers receiver Isaac Bruce has worked closely with the Bears' Devin Hester.

Also from Jensen: Bruce is working with the Bears as a minority coaching intern under Mike Martz, his former coach in St. Louis and San Francisco.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News Democrat says Rams defensive end James Hall remains diligent at age 33, showing up 2 hours early for practice Sunday.

There's always the UFL if the Detroit Lions aren't there to embrace NFC West castoffs.

I counted nine former NFC West players among the 60 chosen in the 2010 UFL draft Wednesday (story here).

Tony Parrish's love for the game might be admirable and it's his business how he wants to earn a living. As someone who admired his contributions to the 49ers years ago, though, I had a hard time picturing the former ball-hawking safety, out of the NFL since 2006, playing out his career with the Las Vegas Locomotives at age 34.

Parrish won a UFL championship with Las Vegas last season.

The chart breaks out UFL choices with NFC West ties. Former Cardinals coach Dennis Green is coaching the Sacramento Mountain Lions. Each team was allowed to protect 20 holdovers from last season heading into the 2010 draft.