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The Arizona Cardinals addressed primary needs at receiver and offensive tackle in the NFL draft last month.

They did not address every need, however. Arizona was the only team not to use at least one draft choice for a defensive lineman or linebacker, one reason Vonnie Holliday and Clark Haggans are expected to return for another season.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says there's no rush to bring back either player. Somers: "Haggans, 35, started all 16 games last season but, if he returns, it will be as a backup. Holliday, 36, backed up Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett last season. He played in all 16 games and finished with 16 tackles, 15 of them solo. The coaches were pleased with his production and think he could provide a similar level of play this season." Noted: Re-signing Haggans in particular would buy time for the Cardinals at outside linebacker, a position where the team has promising young players, but few established options.

Also from Somers: catching up with Matt Ware.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com revisits defensive coordinator Ray Horton's philosophy on cornerbacks. Horton: "Covering is the main job, but you want the physicality, get guys out of their game and let them know they will get it every play. As a defense, you have to have the tough guy mentality regardless. We don’t want an offense pushing us around, and if they get some calls, we have to live with that sometimes."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com sizes up the team's wide receivers and says competition is running high. Farnsworth: "In fact, Ben Obomanu, Doug Baldwin and Ricardo Lockette were so hungry during the players’ extended break following the season that they traveled to Alabama to work out with Tarvaris Jackson."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune takes a position-by-position look at the Seahawks' roster and has this to say about letting linebacker David Hawthorne leave in free agency: "Even with a nasty front that does a nice job of keeping the linebackers clean, someone has to scrape, fill the right gap and make the tackles. Along with doing that the past three seasons, Hawthorne was considered one of the more cerebral players on the team. And he also made game-changing plays, evidenced by his seven interceptions and six sacks in three years as a starter. Second-round draft choice Bobby Wagner has some big shoes to fill." Noted: Hawthorne's health had to be a key variable. The injury he played through last season affected his ability to move effectively.

Roger Hensley of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asks colleagues what Rams coach Jeff Fisher will be watching most closely during the upcoming rookie camp. Jim Thomas: "About two-thirds of the players on the field will be undrafted rookies, but Fisher obviously will have his eyes on the 10 draft picks, particularly cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. Are both capable of competing for a starting job right away? That seems to be the expectation. Ditto for wide receivers Brian Quick and Chris Givens. The sooner they get the playbook down, the sooner they help QB Sam Bradford. This will be their first taste of NFL football, albeit in a minicamp setting."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch supports Kurt Warner's recent comments about player safety.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says Frank Gore is anxious to see new 49ers running back LaMichael James in action. Maiocco on Gore: "Gore, who turns 29 on Monday, enters his eighth professional season. He has 7,625 rushing yards -- the most for any 49ers player since the club became a member of the NFL in 1950. And he is just 33 rushing attempts behind the club's all-time leader Roger Craig."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee checks in with 49ers archivist Jerry Walker, who is collecting memorabilia for display in the team's Hall of Fame, set to open at the new stadium in Santa Clara. Barrows: "The hall of fame will be at least 15,000 square feet, and the team wants items from ticket stubs all the way up to big-ticket items like a trolley car or even perhaps a portion of the 'Niner Liner' aircraft that flew Montana and teammates to their first Super Bowl in Pontiac, Mich. The hall of fame is sure to be popular on game days. But, like recent hall of fames built in Green Bay, Foxboro, Ma. and elsewhere, the intent is to make a year-round destination, especially one for school field trips."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says safety Donte Whitner expects the defense to play faster this season. Whitner: "This year you can expect guys to fly around a lot faster without hesitation and really understand what the scheme is and what we’re trying to do to offensive football teams. And I believe that we’re going to be the No. 1 defense in the National Football League this year. The guys believe it and we just have to go out there, work and prove it."

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says Alex Smith and the 49ers' offense are trying to close the gap with the team's defense.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle takes a closer look at 49ers first-round draft choice A.J. Jenkins. Branch: "Jenkins had 90 catches as a senior. The Illini’s second-leading receiver had 26. The disparity had something to do with the trust quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase had in Jenkins, an exacting route-runner."

The protocol becomes the same for nearly every freshly minted NFL draft choice, from first-round quarterbacks to seventh-round punters.

Not long after their selections, their new employers will connect them to local NFL reporters via conference call.

A surprise awaited the Arizona Cardinals after the team made Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd the 13th overall choice in the 2012 draft.

Floyd's college coach, Brian Kelly, made an unsolicited call to the Cardinals, availing himself to media questions regarding his former player.

Kelly has vouched for other players, including Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Harrison Smith. A college head coach certainly has a recruiting interest in getting his name out there in association with prominent draft choices.

But in publicly testifying for Floyd, whose draft file includes three three alcohol-related incidents and a resulting team suspension, Kelly extended himself to an extent that wasn't necessary. It was a notable early marker for the Cardinals, who have never drafted a player with such significant baggage since Ken Whisenhunt arrived as head coach in 2007.

Floyd could not have scripted Kelly's testimonial more favorably:

• On Floyd in general: "Well, a kid who got his degree in three-and-a-half years from Notre Dame. Probably in my 23 years now as a head coach, the best practice player that I've ever had. He just has a passion and a love for the football."
• On Floyd as a teammate: "Whether he is getting the football or not, he is a guy who has never complained. He certainly always wants the ball in critical situations. He has never been a diva, if you will, in terms of not getting his catches. If we're successful and we're making plays, he's on the other end making blocks. That's why it was such a pleasure to coach the kid."
• On what changed in Floyd following a suspension: "To have an opportunity to come back and play at Notre Dame and get a degree and be successful in the NFL, he had to make some choices. And he made some great choices. Now, you've got a young man who had been through some adversity, has handled it, has been humbled because of it and the best is in front of him now."

Authorities cited Floyd for underage drinking in 2009 and 2010. A DUI conviction last year made for three alcohol-related incidents in three years, raising obvious questions about judgment and the potential for a more serious problem.

College programs can become enablers for troubled star athletes. Handing millions to those troubled athletes usually doesn't help.

Those are generalities. Floyd's situation stands on its own. Whether he has a problem or carries a heightened risk cannot be known for certain.

The Cardinals' decision to draft Floyd was an organizational one, with team owner Michael Bidwill, a former federal prosecutor, participating directly in the vetting process.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team asked tough questions, thought Floyd provided honest answers and felt Floyd made a positive statement by returning to Notre Dame for his senior season amid quarterback uncertainty that could have hurt Floyd's status.

"I just basically told them it was a bad decision," Floyd told reporters following his selection. "I learned from it and I moved on. I know I can't be like every other college student, just doing what a college student does, because the spotlight is on me. They wanted to see if I had improvements since that time, and I have."

There is less uncertainty over the Cardinals' on-field plans for Floyd. They anticipate him becoming their flanker opposite split end Larry Fitzgerald, who had been the most recent first-round wideout chosen by Arizona. With Floyd projecting as a starter, Andre Roberts becomes a candidate for additional playing time from the slot, where Early Doucet was already a factor for the team.

Fitzgerald and Floyd present matchup problems with their size alone. Both are nearly 6-foot-3. Floyd weighed 220 pounds at the scouting combine. Fitzgerald weighed 225 upon entering the league in 2004. He has preferred playing at a lighter weight recently.

Size matters for receivers in the NFC West, a division featuring punishing safeties and Pro Bowl credentials in the secondary. Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Brandon Browner, Richard Sherman, Adrian Wilson, Patrick Peterson, Carlos Rogers, Dashon Goldson, Donte Whitner, Cortland Finnegan and Quintin Mikell come to mind immediately.

"You could consider Mike to be still a raw receiver in that he can get better in all the technical elements in route running and things of that nature," Kelly said of Floyd. "He is certainly a guy that attacks the football and attacks defenders and blocking -- he is an outstanding blocker."

Any rookie open to input from veteran players stands to benefit from joining a team with strong leadership at the player's position. Fitzgerald sets an impeccable standard for the Cardinals' receivers and the team in general. From that standpoint, Floyd couldn't have found a better working environment.

The Arizona Cardinals paid $12 million to quarterback Kevin Kolb last season.

They wound up paying him another $7 million this offseason, but only after failing to land Peyton Manning.

Did they also owe Kolb an explanation for their plans at the position? It's easy in retrospect to say they should have apprised Kolb of their plans, but showing sensitivity to Manning became the top priority for teams hoping to sign the four-time MVP quarterback.

The Cardinals didn't want to mess up their chances.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers reached out to Alex Smith late in the process, and Smith later denied reports that the 49ers' handling of the Manning pursuit had upset him at the time. These were sensitive situations.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Kolb did eventually get an explanation from coach Ken Whisenhunt. Kolb: "They didn't deny anything. They didn't lie. They didn't apologize for anything, like they shouldn't. It's kind of hard to 'if and but' around the situation, but without getting into too much detail about the situation, I just said, 'In the future, you can just communicate with me. I can take it, if this is the route you're going.' I'd just rather hear from him than the ticker or something. He agreed and that's how relationships grow and that's where we're headed."

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals tackle Levi Brown.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says a smaller window for offseason conditioning means additional work.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team's voluntary offseason conditioning program began with baseline strength and flexibility testing. Trainer Sam Ramsden: "Basically what we're looking for is pain with movement, so we can pick something up and treat it. We're looking for imbalance, whether they do better with left versus right, so we know that's a predisposed factor to injury. So we're using it as a proactive, preventative tool to assess our players prior to beginning their offseason conditioning program."

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle passes along recent comments from Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson regarding the value Paul McQuistan provides as a utility offensive lineman. Robinson: "Paul McQuistan, he was all over the line. I called him my MVP in midseason. He would laugh about it, but I think he definitely was. Without a guy like that being able to just step in, and without production dropping off, it made things very easy, especially for a fullback and a runner -- he opened lanes for us."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coaches are allowed on the field with players Tuesday for the first time this offseason. The Rams are two weeks ahead of their division rivals, having been allowed to begin their voluntary offseason conditioning program April 2, when teams with new head coaches began. Coach Jeff Fisher: "Tuesday is our first opportunity to join the players on the field. Coaches have been prohibited from observing and participating up until this week. So we've got two days to introduce our offense and defense, some aspects of special teams, and get the players moving around a little bit."

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams have too many needs to justify moving up for any one player near the top of the 2012 NFL draft.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com outlines the San Francisco 49ers' needs on defense, as he sees them. Maiocco: "With the departures of reserve safeties Reggie Smith and Madieu Williams, the 49ers must add a young player to compete with C.J. Spillman for the top backup spot behind starters Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner. Also, the 49ers would like to create more competition for the cornerback jobs."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Larry Grant's return gives the 49ers one player remaining from their 2008 draft class.

Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News is back with the second part of his interview with 49ers CEO Jed York, who has this to say about NFL reaction to the team securing a new stadium: "I think the league is ecstatic. This is the first stadium built just for pro football in the history of California. If you look at the other ones, Qualcomm Stadium (in San Diego) was for baseball, Candlestick Park was for baseball, the Coliseum in Oakland was built for baseball and mixed use. In Southern California, the Coliseum and Rose Bowl, those were for the Olympics and college sports. This is the first building just for pro football, and it speaks volumes for the amount of work that went into it. California has been such a great market, and we just haven't had the venues to host the great American sporting event (the Super Bowl)."

Stephanie M. Lee of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers' eventual relocation to Santa Clara for games will cost San Francisco money.

Gregg Williams isn't getting much sympathy these days.

That isn't going to change following the release of an audio tape featuring the former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator imploring his players to injure specific San Francisco 49ers -- with cash from Williams as the reward in at least one instance.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides balance to the criticism by challenging the Saints' suggestion that Williams, now defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, acted as a "rogue" coach during his days with New Orleans. Burwell: "How can this tape be the thing that forces Roger Goodell to heap a lifetime ban on Williams? Unless I'm missing something, didn't the tape simply confirm every crime that Goodell already said he already knew Williams had perpetrated? The tape adds no new revelations, only additional confirmation. The only thing the tape does is conveniently provide the Saints coaches and general manager with an excuse to throw Williams under the bus as they attempt to receive some leniency from Goodell in their appeals hearing." Noted: The audio tape provides emphatic confirmation. It amplifies and corroborates in a manner that further damages/cements Williams' reputation. Also, the NFL's bounty announcement referred to other games and other opponents, but not this game against the 49ers. It also demonstrated that the Saints continued the bounty program shortly after learning that the NFL had reopened its investigation.

Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com says the NFL never would have punished the Saints to this degree had New Orleans defeated San Francisco and won the Super Bowl. Ratto: "Sean Payton would have skated again, because the league would never tolerate a two-time Super Bowl winner and supergenius being publicly rebuked for something they were trying to keep on the down-low. In short, the 49ers did the league a huge favor. Alex Smith is owed a huge solid, and here’s hoping now that he’s been given the back of the business’ hand in his latest contract that someone sees fit to take care of him. Those two late scores took out New Orleans, freeing Roger Goodell to muster enough owner support to drop a bag of hammers on Tom Benson and his perpetually defiant football staff."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News thinks Williams is finished as an NFL coach, but he offers this: "I understand the public outrage over this tape, but folks, did you think Williams (or any intense defensive coordinator) regularly tells his players to be nice out there? No, this is an incredibly violent sport. And usually the more violent team, if it stays within the rules, is the one that wins. By the way, the 49ers were the more violent team on the field in the playoff game. THEY WON THE GAME."

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News passes along comments from 49ers safety Donte Whitner describing Williams' pregame directives as "really disgusting."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers' next draft class faces an uphill fight in some cases.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says James Sanders' signing to a one-year contract gives the Cardinals depth at safety behind starters Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes. Somers: "Sean Considine left for the Ravens, and Hamza Abdullah is not under contract. Rashad Johnson, a restricted free agent, has not yet signed his tender offer of $1.26 million."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com has this to say about Sanders: "This is a veteran who should serve well in the locker room. A scouting report from someone who covered Sanders acknowledged his age -- he doesn’t run as well as he used to -- but that the veteran is a good person, good with teammates and is intelligent, the kind of player who makes sure everyone is on the same page defensively. In some ways, it sure sounds a lot like Richard Marshall (and like Marshall, Stewart is from Fresno State. He’s actually a one-time college teammate of Marshall’s.)"

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team held its annual workout for locally produced college talent. Farnsworth: "At best, the Seahawks can find a player or two from the group -- as was the case last year with Jesse Hoffman, a defensive back from Eastern Washington University and Shorecrest High School; and Dorson Boyce, a fullback from the University of Washington. Each was invited to training camp and Hoffman was signed to a future contract for this year in January. Last year’s group also included two players who were drafted by other teams –- UW quarterback Jake Locker, the eighth pick overall by the Titans; and Shiloh Keo, a defensive back from the University of Idaho and Woodinville High School who went to the Texans in the fifth round."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune passes along Evan Silva's contention that John Carlson, formerly of the Seahawks, was the most overpaid player in free agency this offseason.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle dismisses the notion of Kam Chancellor moving to outside linebacker for the Seahawks.

The evidence against Gregg Williams continues to mount, renewing questions about whether the indefinitely suspended defensive coordinator can credibly resume his career in the NFL.

The latest revelations -- profanity-laced recorded comments Williams made to New Orleans Saints players before their playoff game at San Francisco -- are chilling in their specificity. Time and again, Williams encouraged players to injure specific opponents, from Michael Crabtree to Frank Gore to Alex Smith to Kyle Williams.

Given these recordings, it's for the best that Williams, now with the St. Louis Rams, declined to appeal his suspension relating to the Saints' bounty scandal. There can be no defending what he said.

Pro Football Talk has transcribed some of the comments. Yahoo! Sports' Mike Silver also has a column on the matter. I listened to the comments and transcribed them for this item.

"Every single one of you, before you get off the pile, affect the head," Williams told Saints players one day before the 49ers defeated New Orleans in the wild-card round. "Early, affect the head. Continue, touch and hit the head."

There was more. Much more.

"We need to find out in the first two series of the game, the little wide receiver, No. 10, about his concussion," Williams said, referring to Kyle Williams. "We need to [expletive] put a lick on him right now."

Williams also indicated the Saints should take out Crabtree's knee.

"We need to decide whether Crabtree wants to be a fake ass prima donna or he wants to be a tough guy," Williams told players. "We need to find it out. He becomes human when we [expletive] take out that outside ACL."

On and on it went.

Williams encouraged players to hit Smith under the chin, referring back to the "big eyes" Smith got when the Saints hit him repeatedly during the exhibition opener. He wanted the Saints to take out all the 49ers' key players, noting repeatedly that his team should not apologize for how it plays the game.

"We need to decide on how many times we can beat Frank Gore's head," Williams said.

Williams allegedly punctuated some of his comments with a hand gesture indicating he would pay cash for injuring the 49ers. These are damning tapes further cementing Williams' reputation for crossing the line.

Looks like we'll have even more than anticipated to discuss on the blog Thursday.

Elsewhere in the division ...

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News offers thoughts on the 49ers not facing the Raiders in the preseason.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Reggie Smith's departure from the 49ers in free agency further guts what remains of the team's 2008 draft class. Barrows: "According to a source, Smith, an unrestricted free agent, told the 49ers in his exit interview in January that he was not interested in returning to the team, presumably because he knew his chances of starting were slim with Dashon Goldson on the roster. The 49ers made Goldson their franchise player, although he has yet to sign the tender. The top three safeties for 2012 appear to be Goldson, strong safety Donte Whitner and C.J. Spillman. Madieu Williams, who also is a free agent, could return."

Taylor Price of 49ers.com says players are working out informally at team headquarters in advance of the voluntary offseason workout program.

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis quotes new Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan saying he wanted to play for Williams. Finnegan: "Every player you talk to says what a great coach he is. I was so excited to have a chance to play for him. He has a great defense and players love playing in that defense."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says recently retired former Rams receiver Torry Holt downplayed talk about the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Holt: "Shoot, we've got to get Cris Carter in the Hall, we have to get Andre Reed in the Hall, we've got to get Tim Brown in the Hall before we even start mentioning anything about Torry Holt being in the Hall."

Also from Thomas: notes from Holt's retirement news conference. Holt on whether signing a one-day contract would let him suit up: "I was speaking to Carla, my wife, and said, 'You know what? It would probably be cool if I called (equipment manager) Jimmy Lake and I had him set up my locker and get my cleats, and get my gloves, get my baggy shorts, and let me run one more deep seven (route). Shoot it out of the JUGS machine and I could catch it for a touchdown.' ... You know what? That'd be too much. Let's act like an adult here, I guess."

More from Thomas: The Rams have interest in free agent receiver Jerome Simpson.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune makes available draft analyst Rob Rang for a discussion focusing mostly on the Seahawks. Rang: "I believe Coby Fleener is going to wind up as a top 20 pick. There are few teams with obvious needs at TE to warrant such a pick, but coming off a 2011 season in which Gronk, Graham, etc. demonstrated just how effective these matchup nightmares can be, I believe some team is going to shock everyone. That team could be Seattle. If you're going to build a team around a relatively weak-armed QB, he'd damn well better have some weapons."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle explains why he thinks the Seahawks' were true to form in letting David Hawthorne sign with New Orleans.

Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times says the Seahawks met with Patriots free agent defensive back Antwaun Molden.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic has this to say about the Cardinals' preseason schedule: "It will be the eighth time in the past nine seasons that the Cardinals have played the Broncos in the final preseason game."

Also from Somers: Levi Brown re-signed with the Cardinals shortly after the team visited with free-agent tackle Demetress Bell. Somers: "Coincidence? Maybe. The Cardinals paid Brown a $7 million signing bonus. Earlier in free agency they signed guard/tackle Adam Snyder to a five-year deal that included a $5 million signing bonus. The Cardinals remained interested in Bell, but it was questionable if they were going to write another big check for an offensive lineman."

More from Somers: The Cardinals have their key specialists under contract.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com looks at options for Arizona on the offensive line. He quotes line coach Russ Grimm on Adam Snyder: "He was tops on our free agent list as far as offensive line was concerned. He’s a big physical guy, he's smart, he has played a number of positions. Right now we have him penciled in at right guard but if we have to move it around before camp we’ll move it around."

The NFC West weekend began with St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams apologizing for his role in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal.

It ended with the NFL summoning Williams to New York amid lingering questions.

What could happen to Williams as evidence against him accumulates? John Clayton and I discussed the possibilities Saturday.

Albert Breer of NFL.com says the league would like to hand down punishment before its league meetings in late March, allowing affected teams to adjust accordingly. Noted: The Rams appear to be in strong position to carry on without Williams, should that be necessary. Their head coach, Jeff Fisher, and assistant head coach, Dave McGinnis, have both worked as defensive coordinators.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers Rams fans temporary relief from all things relating to bounties, sizing up the team's prospects for trading the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. Noted: This is a good piece and a subject I'll analyze on the blog later Monday. One question would be whether the Redskins might be the only team drafting among the top six with serious interest in Robert Griffin III.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com revisits hits the Saints put on Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner during a playoff game after the 2009 season. Urban: "There were other times in that game, though, when it did look like the Saints were going after Warner and specifically, his head (Warner had suffered through a concussion earlier that season.) Warner got hit a few times up high, but the Saints were only flagged for one personal foul, a roughing-the-passer by linebacker Scott Shanle. Warner at the time wasn’t thrilled about the hits, either. Warner said the (Bobby) McCray hit was clean, even if it didn’t feel that good."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the punishment New Orleans' defense unleashed on the 49ers' quarterbacks in the 2011 exhibition opener "makes a little more sense" in light of the bounty investigation. Maiocco: "The 49ers also faced the Saints twice in the regular season and one more time in the playoffs during the time frame in which the bounty system was in place. The 49ers sustained no known significant injuries due to any illegal hits. Coincidentally, 49ers safety Donte Whitner knocked running back Pierre Thomas from the game with a legal helmet-to-helmet hit that caused a fumble early in the 49ers' 36-32 victory in an NFC divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park."

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News offers thoughts on the Saints' bounties in relation to the 49ers, including this one: "Did the Saints’ bounties come at any 49ers’ expense? Obviously the most concerning injury among the 49ers this past postseason was to Ted Ginn Jr., who left their divisional playoff game with a knee injury, an injury that kept him out of the NFC final that saw the New York Giants capitalize on mistakes by Ginn’s replacement as the punt returner, Kyle Williams. Ginn, after aggravating an ankle injury, appeared to hurt his knee on a collision with a Saints player on a play in which Ginn drew a pass-interference penalty. Ginn tried lining up for the next play but went down and was done for the season. I have no reason to think his injury was a result of any Saints misconduct."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times does not expect the Seahawks to use the franchise tag for defensive end Red Bryant because the cost would be more than $10 million for one season. Noted: Bryant has played a big part in the Seahawks' run defense over the past couple seasons. He also showed an ability to block field goal attempts last season. Seattle values his presence in the locker room as well. Those things make Bryant valuable to Seattle. The role Seahawks coaches have created for Bryant makes him a better fit in Seattle than he would be elsewhere. Re-signing gives Bryant his best chance at sustained success. Seems like the sides should be able to work out something. Both sides should value one another more than they value the alternatives.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com revisits comments fullback Michael Robinson made regarding the newly re-signed Marshawn Lynch last season. Farnsworth: "During the season, and on several occasions, Pro Bowl fullback Michael Robinson marveled at what Lynch was able to accomplish – especially the way he accomplished it. At one point, Robinson said he never had seen a back generate as much power on one leg as Lynch – which explains his ability to emerge from piles of would-be tacklers and gain yards that just don’t seem to be there."

Also from Farnsworth: The Seahawks have a new FieldTurf Revolution Fiber playing surface. They're also replacing scoreboards.

Certain former San Francisco 49ers coaches thought Ahmad Brooks the linebacker could not learn their defense.

"A few coaches said that and told me that personally," Brooks said Tuesday. "That has always been a lie."

Brooks would not name the coaches Tuesday, and the story was not about them, anyway. The story was about the 49ers' new staff liking Brooks enough to sign him through 2017.

"I feel like this is where I should be," Brooks said. "These are the people that gave me a chance to go out there and get this contract."

Brooks had been a situational pass-rusher under the previous staff. He grew into that role and performed it well, but it was not clear whether Brooks would remain effective if asked to become an every-down player. The current staff, led by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, was obviously happy with the results after Brooks collected seven sacks in 16 starts.

"I just feel comfortable playing in this system," Brooks said. "(Fangio) doesn't ask for a lot. It is just easy to me."

That is a sign of good coaching. To suggest that Brooks hasn't changed would be unfair to his previous coaches, however. If Brooks is like most people, he's more mature now, at age 27, than he was in his early 20s. Still, there is some risk in handing millions to a player with Brooks' history. He was kicked off the team at Virginia after two failed drug tests, entered the supplemental draft and lasted only two seasons with Cincinnati.

The Bengals released Brooks in 2008.

"I felt like a girl broke up with me and broke my heart," he said. "It can also be a blessing in disguise. I didn't see it at the time. It paid off. I continued to work, came in here and worked hard."

The 49ers claimed Brooks off waivers, released him when they needed room on the roster for a receiver, then brought him back. Brooks made an immediate impact as a situational pass-rusher, tackling Minnesota's Percy Harvin for an 8-yard loss in Brooks' first game with the 49ers. He had a three-sack game against Arizona on "Monday Night Football" later in that 2009 season. He became a full-time starter for the first time last season.

Playing with some of the most talented defensive players in the NFL has helped, of course. Brooks took note of that.

"When you are (with) guys like Ray McDonald, I can roam around," Brooks said. "I can mess up, but Ray can make me look good, like I didn't mess up. That lets me do things I could not do if with another team."

Brooks' deal, announced by the team, firms up the left side of the 49ers' defense. It comes about seven months after the 49ers signed McDonald to a five-year deal that signaled McDonald's ascension into the starting lineup at left defensive end.

Brooks and McDonald will be playing together for some time, it appears.

"Me and Ray communicate on every play, especially when it is third down," Brooks said.

The San Francisco 49ers signed David Akers, Carlos Rogers, Donte Whitner, Jonathan Goodwin and Braylon Edwards as unrestricted free agents from other teams last offseason.

None signed for more than $4.25 million per season.

That track record could remove the 49ers from serious consideration for the big-name wide receivers scheduled to hit the market next month. Those options could be diminishing anyway.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says Kansas City's decision to sign former Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt could indicate the Chiefs will use the franchise tag on receiver Dwayne Bowe, winnowing down the list of free agents San Francisco might consider this offseason. Maiocco: "Bowe is another significant wide receiver who will probably not be on the open market for the 49ers to explore. And without Bowe available, it might drive up the prices for the other receivers, most notably Vincent Jackson. Also, it could make it more difficult for any team wishing to make a run at restricted free agent Mike Wallace, as his price could be rising, too." Noted: I would not expect the 49ers to sign a high-profile wideout from another team to a lucrative deal. Last offseason, the 49ers bowed out of the Nnamdi Asomugha sweepstakes and came out ahead by signing Rogers to a one-year deal. That course seems likely at receiver as well.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Williams' rehab from a broken arm is progressing slowly and steadily, with Williams recently passing the 100-pound mark in the bench press, a weight just about anyone in relatively good health could press without much trouble. Urban: "Williams actually believes his weight has been one of the easiest things to handle since he got hurt that miserable day against the 49ers, when the helmet of teammate Stewart Bradley slammed into his arm, shattering the bone to the point he needed two rods to be inserted. His foray into the bench press has been important, a 'sign of encouragement' for a man who normally benches more than 300 pounds. Right after the surgery, Williams said he was told he could only pick up things like a bottle of water, 'and only the 16-ounce bottle, not the 20-ounce one.' Living everyday life and doing things like getting dressed was difficult."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says former St. Louis Cardinals running back Stump Mitchell interviewed to coach running backs on Jeff Fisher's staff amid questions about whether Mitchell will return as head coach at Southern University. Thomas: "A versatile player, Mitchell was an accomplished receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner, finishing with nearly 11,000 all-purpose yards and scoring 42 touchdowns. He even threw a 15-yard TD pass in 1986. At the conclusion of his playing career, Mitchell was a head coach at the high school and college (Morgan State) levels in the 1990s before joining Mike Holmgren's inaugural staff in Seattle as running backs coach in 1999. He was with the Seahawks for eight seasons then joined Washington's staff as assistant head coach/running backs coach in 2008."

The Associated Press says former Seahawks guard Steve Hutchinson could become a salary-cap casualty for Minnesota as the Vikings implement a youth movement. Hutchinson says he played "great" last season after an injury rehabilitation slowed him in 2010. Hutchinson has one year remaining on the controversial contract he signed with Minnesota after the Seahawks named him their transition player following their 2005 Super Bowl season. Noted: Hutchinson would upgrade Seattle's line if he returned to the Seahawks, but with Robert Gallery under contract and familiar with the team's blocking scheme, the team does not have an immediate need at left guard. Second-year right tackle James Carpenter is a candidate to play there after Seattle re-signed Breno Giacomini amid expectations Giacomini will remain at right tackle.

Brady Henderson of 710ESPN Seattle suggests recent comments from Seahawks general manager John Schneider could indicate an unwillingness to draft Ryan Tannehill or another quarterback with the 11th or 12th overall choice. ESPN's Todd McShay had this to say about Tannehill: "He still has a lot to learn in an offense that struggled this year at times and was very inconsistent in terms of the supporting cast, but I think with his athleticism, his arm, his ability to make throws on the run and create after the initial play breaks down, there's a lot of potential there. And certainly if you have time to develop him properly he has a chance to be a really good starter in the NFL."

INDIANAPOLIS -- On the field, the best NFL cornerbacks are often no match for Larry Fitzgerald.

Keeping up with the Arizona Cardinals' Pro Bowl receiver off the field can be a challenge, too.

Fans and media pulled at Fitzgerald from every direction Thursday while he navigated ESPN's various media platforms before heading over to the Super Bowl's Radio Row.

"Larry, I came all the way from Pittsburgh!" one fan shouted, pleading for an autograph.

"You said you would sign when you came out," another yelled.

Fitzgerald stopped to sign, but the media wave carrying him along wasn't as patient. Fitzgerald joined "Mike & Mike in the Morning" before answering chat questions and fulfilling obligations related to his promotional contract with Visa. The gig required trading his cutting-edge wardrobe for a black golf shirt with a corporate logo.

A short drive from ESPN's Super Bowl headquarters to the main NFL hotel provided an opportunity to speak with Fitzgerald about his team and the changing NFC West.

The Cardinals went from 1-6 to 8-8. What was your takeaway from the season?

Larry Fitzgerald: We didn't do a good job focusing in. The attention to detail wasn't there early on. Too many turnovers. A lot of those mistakes caused us to lose a lot of games early. The coaches and the players did a good job staying the course, understanding the formula wasn't broken. We can get it turned around.

Is there a danger of assuming a carryover from the fast finish?

LF: No. We're not naive like that. We'll have some confidence going into this year, but all in all, teams are going to get better and we need to address some needs and get better ourselves.

What did you learn about the quarterback situation in Arizona?

LF: I think we've got two good quarterbacks on the roster. That is a good problem to have. A lot of teams don't have that. Kevin (Kolb) is capable of good things. He has the ability to make it happen. John (Skelton) got good experience, got better and was able to perform for us. We know we have two quarterbacks that can win for us.

How do you think the Seattle Seahawks have changed the most under Pete Carroll?

LF: They are much more physical, much more physical. At the Pro Bowl last week, they had three guys from their secondary, Brandon Browner and Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. When you look at Chancellor, Chancellor is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds and a phenomenal athlete with good ball skills, good range. Earl Thomas is like a young Troy Polamalu, flying around and making plays. And Brandon Browner is the biggest cornerback I've ever seen in my life. He can play, too. He can cover. I really like the young rookie they have, (Richard) Sherman from Stanford. He is going to be a good player. Obviously, when they get Marcus Trufant back, that will only make them deeper. They challenge you at the point of attack. They want to pressure you and make things uncomfortable for you at the line of scrimmage, and their whole philosophy has changed. It's fun to play against them.

What about the San Francisco 49ers under Jim Harbaugh?

LF: They just, defensively, they don't do a lot of tricky things. They're not going to give you a lot of different coverages. What they do is they play with their coach very well. Their safeties are much improved. Donte Whitner had a phenomenal season, probably his best season as a pro. (Dashon) Goldson is playing at an All-Pro level. Carlos Rogers was a great addition. Hopefully, he goes and gets the money in the free agent market.

Somewhere else?

LF, laughing: Somewhere else. Tarell Brown is playing a lot better. (Chris) Culliver, the rookie, played well for them. And you don't even have to mention Patrick Willis. He is their bell cow, he is their leader and the person who makes that whole thing go. NaVorro Bowman, he had an All-Pro season. Justin Smith played lights-out for them, and then their rookie, Aldon Smith, is going to be a force to be reckoned with for many, many years. They are only getting better. We have got to match that firepower.

And then the St. Louis Rams will be different with Jeff Fisher.

LF: They have the infrastructure there. They have the quarterback already in place. Steven Jackson is one of the best. Sam Bradford is a phenomenal talent. Defenisvely, they are getting better over there as well. With coach Fisher coming in, the coach from the New Orleans Saints (Gregg Williams, new defensive coordinator), defensively, you know what that is going to be about. They are going to be bringing a lot of pressure. They are going to cause some turnovers.

The games between San Francisco, Seattle and Arizona became bloodbaths at times late last season.

LF: The divisoin is getting better. Two years ago, people looked at the NFC West as the armpit of the league, so to speak. Now, teams are playing much better. The games are physical now. That is good because you want the competition, you want to have great division rivalries. That is a lot of fun, like the NFC East. I don't care if Washington is playing at New York, you can get beat. We want to build it up that way, too.

Your Week 17 game against Seattle comes to mind. You had nine catches for 149 yards, but it wasn't easy.

LF: I was pretty banged up going into the week and banged up coming out of it. It was a meaningless game for both of us, but that showed the competition. Going out and competing is still a lot of fun.

Drafting a tight end sixth overall bucked convention when the San Francisco 49ers tried it with Vernon Davis in 2006.

The move worked out. Davis' four scoring receptions in two recent playoff games matched the combined regular-season scoring production for tight ends in Arizona (four), Seattle (zero) and St. Louis (zero).

With 26 touchdown receptions over the last three regular seasons, Davis has fared well enough to remain a top-10 pick in the 2006 re-draft Mel Kiper Jr. put together for Insider subscribers. The other NFC West first-rounders that year -- Matt Leinart, Tye Hill, Manny Lawson and Kelly Jennings -- did not project among the top 32 choices in the do-over version.

Lawson did become a starter, giving the 49ers easily the best first-round haul among division teams that year. Kiper wound up giving the 49ers guard Jahri Evans at No. 6, two spots before he sent Davis to Buffalo, where the Bills actually took current 49ers safety Donte Whitner.

A look back at what Scouts Inc. said about the NFC West teams' choices on draft day in 2006, edited down to a couple snippets per player:

• On Davis at No. 6: "Davis is a rare specimen. He has the speed to stretch the field, the burst to consistently separate from man coverage and the athletic ability to produce after the catch. His big-play ability will make teams think twice about stacking the line of scrimmage in an effort to slow down the 49ers' running game, and he should develop into QB Alex Smith's go-to-guy. That's important, because there isn't great depth or talent at receiver."
• On Leinart at No. 10: "Few experts thought Leinart would slip this far, and although Arizona has more urgent needs, incumbent QB Kurt Warner has had problems staying healthy and isn't getting any younger. Improving the depth behind Warner and drafting an heir apparent makes sense. Leinart doesn't have elite arm strength or mobility, but he has the poise, smarts and accuracy to develop into an excellent starter."
• On Hill at No. 15: "Jerametrius Butler missed the entire 2005 season with a knee injury, 2005 second-round pick Ronald Bartell hasn't developed as quickly as hoped, and Travis Fisher can't stay healthy, so it comes as no surprise the Rams took a cornerback with their first pick."
• On Lawson at No. 22: "San Francisco needed to have a strong draft, and with a second excellent first-round choice is off to an incredible start. Lawson will move to outside linebacker in the 49ers' 3-4 scheme and should be an excellent fit."
• On Jennings at No. 31: "Once the Seahawks made Andre Dyson a salary cap casualty, they knew they needed a corner who can start opposite Marcus Trufant. With that in mind, this is a great pick for the Seahawks."

Davis did become Smith's go-to target. The 49ers still have depth issues a wide receiver, then as now. The Cardinals still are not sure whether they've found Warner's replacement. The Rams still have major injury concerns at corner. And the 49ers have finally found the first-round outside linebacker they wanted -- 2011 pick Aldon Smith, not Lawson. The Seahawks did fix their cornerback issues, but only this season.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Notes and observations from San Francisco 49ers headquarters one day after the season ended with a 20-17 overtime defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game:

• That was Jim Harbaugh, not the 16th century privateer Sir Andrew Barton, assessing the state of his team this way: "Hurt but not slain, I'll lay down and bleed a while, then rise and fight again." Battle language appeals to Harbaugh. He also said the "football gods" had a different ending in mind than the one his 49ers envisioned.
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Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesJim Harbaugh disagreed with the penalty called following Vernon Davis' touchdown celebration in the first quarter of Sunday's game.
• Looks like Harbaugh and the Ed Hochuli-led all-star officiating crew for the NFC title game have some issues relating to the fumble that was not. Officials ruled that the New York Giants' Ahmad Bradshaw was down -- specifically, that his forward progress had stopped -- before NaVorro Bowman forced out the ball. Harbaugh: "In my opinion, that was a fumble. The play was continuing. There was still struggling by Bradshaw."
• Harbaugh, who spent the 2002-03 seasons with Oakland, said the forward-progress ruling was "analogous to the tuck rule" against the Raiders in the AFC title game. Harbaugh also referenced a forward-progress ruling from the Giants-49ers game in Week 10. The 49ers thought they forced a Victor Cruz fumble, but Tony Corrente and crew ruled forward progress was stopped. Harbaugh tried to challenge that call, but the play was not open to review.
• Harbaugh also took issue with the penalty against tight end Vernon Davis for using a prop during a touchdown celebration. Davis climbed a camera stand to celebrate his 73-yard touchdown. Harbaugh, perhaps unaware or overlooking special allowances the NFL makes for the Lambeau Leap, compared Davis' act with the one that is a signature celebration in Green Bay. He also said Davis was using a structure, not a prop. The rulebook makes only one mention of a prop, under rules for taunting: "Possession or use of foreign or extraneous object(s) that are not part of the uniform during the game on the field or the sideline, or using the ball as a prop."
• Strong safety Donte Whitner said the Giants' receivers smartly got to the ground before contact to avoid risking turnovers in sloppy conditions. The approach prevented the 49ers' hard-hitting secondary from putting a physical stamp on the game, as it had against New Orleans a week earlier. Two of the bigger collisions involved 49ers safety Dashon Goldson colliding with teammates as they tried to pick off passes. One of those collisions knocked out cornerback Tarell Brown for the remainder of the game. Brown said he did not suffer a concussion, but team doctors prohibited him from returning to the game as a precaution.
• The shoulder injury Kyle Williams suffered before his late fumble did not include a separation, according to Harbaugh. But Williams was very sore Monday.
• Alex Smith joined Harbaugh in putting off talk regarding a new contract. There should be very little drama associated with re-signing Smith. Both parties want to get a deal done. Harbaugh seemed bored by obligatory questions about a new contract for his quarterback.
• Frank Gore said he did not know if he would play in the Pro Bowl. He planned to meet with team doctors first. Gore said he felt good Sunday, brushing off suggestions that he was playing hurt late in the season. Harbaugh said one 49ers player told him about plans to skip the Pro Bowl. Harbaugh would not say which one it was. Seattle's Marshawn Lynch would be next in line as an alternate if Gore withdrew from the game.
• The 49ers punted three times on possessions after deciding not to go for it on fourth-and-1. I was thinking of the one in overtime when I asked Harbaugh about his thought process. He answered in reference to the two previous ones, noting that pinning a team inside its own 10 is generally worth about three points. The 49ers wound up getting no points from any of their fourth-and-1 punts (one came after a delay penalty set up fourth-and-6). The Giants were the next team to score after all three of them. That doesn't necessarily mean San Francisco made poor decisions. They can be interesting to debate.
• Two Pro Bowl players in the secondary area are heading toward free agency. Cornerback Carlos Rogers said he'll make re-signing with the 49ers his top priority over seeking paydays elsewhere. Rogers: "From the owner to the general manager to everyone in this organization, I like everything about this organization, all the players, the trainers. This ain't about me coming and saying now I'm free, let's get the check. I'm thinking about this team. This is where I want to be, first of all." Goldson can also become a free agent. I did not speak with him.
• Harbaugh joked his way out of answering a question about how he spent Sunday evening following the game. He called it a California thing when people want to know how he feels, what he was doing at a certain time, etc. He cited his status as a Midwesterner in declining to provide specifics. He did confirm where he planned to watch the Super Bowl: "On TV."

That's a wrap from 49ers headquarters. I'll be boarding a plane and heading home Monday night.

Days like the one San Francisco 49ers fans experienced Saturday make all the pain associated with fandom worth every last tear. Or most of those tears, anyway.

"Vernon Davis going to Coach [Jim] Harbaugh crying made the last nine years worth it," Steven wrote on my Facebook wall.

The 49ers' historic playoff victory over New Orleans meant quite a bit to casual fans, but it meant so much more to those who kept rooting through 21-0 against Tampa Bay (2010), 27-24 at Minnesota (2009), 29-24 at Arizona (2008), 24-0 at Seattle (2007) and all the other defeats that piled up over a lost decade.

"It was not a football game, it was an 80,000-person party," one fan, Kyle, attested.

You want meaning and emotion? The 49ers' two fourth-quarter comebacks and 36-32 victory brought out both.

"Mike, this may sound crazy," Angel wrote, "but my best friend Victor was a hardcore 49er fan and we use to hit up games together; he passed away on Oct. 6 this year. I truly believe that he has been a 12th man on the field."

Winning wasn't everything for the 49ers. How they won, with long-suffering 49ers Alex Smith and Davis repeatedly connecting in the clutch to outscore Drew Brees, added another dimension.

"Alex Smith made a BELIEVER out of me today," GoMy9ers wrote.

The atmosphere in the stadium was as joyous as any I can recall. Fans lingered. They traded high fives with strangers. I experienced it all while walking from the press box through the upper deck, down the ramps, back into the concourse area and then down through the lower deck -- against traffic -- and onto the field.

I shot about four minutes of Blair Witch-quality video on the way down to the field, just to capture the feel (I'll let you know if I upload any of it).

"I sat next to a gentleman who has been a ticket holder since '78 and was there for 'The Catch,'" Benay wrote. "I asked if it was similar vibe. 'Oh, yes.'"

Dwight Clark's 1982 catch -- forever "The Catch" -- might still rank No. 1 in 49ers history because it delivered them to the Super Bowl for the first time. I wasn't at Candlestick that day, but I was there when Terrell Owens' winning catch from Steve Young beat Green Bay in another epic finish 13 years ago.

Saturday outranked Young-to-Owens for its cathartic value and because two go-ahead drives beat one.

What a finish.

The time was 4:41 p.m. PT when colleague Jeff Chadiha and I settled on our likely column angles for what was shaping up to be a memorable 49ers postseason victory, but not necessarily an epic one.

Both of us went into the game expecting the 49ers to win, but we had no idea they would become the first NFL team to score two lead-changing touchdowns in the final three minutes of a playoff game. No idea at all.

Chadiha left the press box for the field in the final five minutes, customary for reporters seeking to position themselves for postgame interviews in the locker rooms. I stayed behind to prepare our Rapid Reaction file.

Meanwhile, editors were looking for column angles to have a feel for how our pieces would play out on the site. I knew better than to bank on anything and considered the jinx factor before sending the email. But I sent it anyway.

The email read: "If 49ers win, we are thinking:

• "Chadiha: talk about offense all you want, but defense travels in the playoffs and 49ers could go all the way.
• "Sando: Harbaugh said all season he trusted Alex Smith and he proved it in this game by throwing so frequently, for better and worse."

Sure enough, a college bowl game broke out. The 49ers lost the lead, got it back, lost it again, then won it with Smith's 14-yard touchdown pass to Davis in the final 10 seconds.

We can debate which moments in 49ers history were the greatest or most significant. I'd hold up this one as among the most satisfying short of Super Bowl victories. Seeing Smith, Davis and so many long-tenured 49ers players combine with key newcomers -- Harbaugh, Donte Whitner and others -- made this one about as perfect as could be.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts after the San Francisco 49ers' 36-32 divisional playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints on Saturday at Candlestick Park:

What it means: The 49ers are headed to the NFC title game against the winner of the New York Giants-Green Bay Packers game Sunday. They will play at home if the Giants win. They will visit Green Bay if the Packers win. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis showed their playoff mettle in leading the 49ers back from fourth-quarter deficits not once, but twice. This will go down as one of the great games in 49ers history and in NFL postseason history.

What I liked: Smith's winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Davis showed the 49ers were playing to win, not for overtime. On the 49ers' previous drive, Smith's 37-yard strike to Davis up the left sideline and 28-yard touchdown run on a beautifully executed keeper put the 49ers ahead with 2:11 remaining. The 49ers played the game on their terms early, delivering punishing hits while hawking the ball. They forced three first-quarter turnovers and built a 17-3 lead. Dashon Goldson outfoxed Drew Brees to pick off one pass. Tarell Brown made an athletic play for another interception. Smith capitalized on the turnovers, finding Davis for a 49-yard touchdown and Michael Crabtree for a 4-yarder that showed San Francisco has indeed made progress in the red zone recently. Donte Whitner in particular roughed up the Saints, knocking out running back Pierre Thomas with a concussion and pounding tight end Jimmy Graham. The defense held firm after the 49ers suffered their first turnover in six games, right before halftime.

What I didn't like: The 49ers' defense, ranked fourth overall in yards allowed per game during the regular season, gave up go-ahead pass plays covering 44 and 66 yards in the final five minutes. The 49ers forced four first-half turnovers and still led by only three. Smith paid for the aggressive offensive plan, taking third-down sacks, including one that led to the 49ers' first turnover since a Week 12 game at Baltimore. Crabtree, after making his scoring grab, had trouble holding onto the ball on contested throws. The 49ers needed him to win those battles. Goldson went for the big hit on Marques Colston, but Brees led Colston away from trouble, producing a 31-yard gain when the 49ers led by only six points in the third quarter. Frank Gore had seven drops during the season and had a hard time throwing in this game, sending one back to Smith on a hop to sap the potential from a trick play. The 49ers' defense cracked with the game on the line, allowing Darren Sproles' go-ahead 44-yard touchdown reception.

Play calling raised eyebrows: The 49ers' aggressiveness on offense led them away from the ground game. The early passing helped the 49ers take a 14-0 lead with scoring passes to Davis and Crabtree. Pass plays continued outnumbering runs as the game progressed, however, and the 49ers did not get into a rhythm on the ground. The 49ers had 29 pass attempts and 15 rushes through three quarters. They also had taken four sacks to that point, widening the disparity. The strategy was easy to question because the 49ers' wide receivers were not playing at a high level.

Defensive player of the year: It would be tough to argue against the 49ers' Justin Smith, the team's most consistent and consistently dominant player. Smith's brute power won out when he sacked Brees on third down when the 49ers absolutely needed a stop in the third quarter. Later, with 49ers up only three, Smith drove Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod into Brees for a sack. These were Reggie White-type plays at critical moments.

Injury notes: The 49ers got receiver Ted Ginn Jr. back from injury, but Ginn spent as much time on the exercise bike as on the field, it seemed. His knee was a problem. Ginn had trouble getting much traction in the return game and was called for pass interference late in the third quarter. Officials flagged receiver Kyle Williams for offensive interference on the next play. Both calls appeared straightforward. The Saints declined both.

What's next: The NFC title game.

SAN FRANCISCO -- A few thoughts after watching the San Francisco 49ers take a 17-14 halftime lead against the New Orleans Saints in their divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park:

• The stands are as red as I can recall seeing them. The atmosphere has matched the occasion.
• Forcing three first-quarter turnovers was a dream scenario for the 49ers. The team did a good job converting in the red zone after the second turnover. But with four total first-half turnovers and only a three-point lead, the 49ers are not exactly cruising.
• Coach Jim Harbaugh showed confidence in Alex Smith early, and it paid off. Having Smith throw from his own end zone seemed risky, but Smith converted a short pass to Michael Crabtree. I thought the 49ers played a little too aggressively on the series when Smith took a sack on third down. Mixing in an additional running play would have seemed smarter, and not just in retrospect. But Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman weren't going to play it overly safe. They set an aggressive tone and paid for it when Smith took a sack and lost the ball near midfield in the final seconds of the half. Smith held the ball too long and did not protect it well enough.
• Looked like Harbaugh wanted to call timeout before Smith threw incomplete in the red zone on third down. The 49ers settled for a field goal and a 17-0 lead.
• Vernon Davis should have matchup advantages throughout the game, as expected. He's getting the best of safety Roman Harper. No one on the Saints can cover Davis. The key, of course, is Smith having enough time to set up while Davis gets deeper downfield.
• Fantastic interceptions from Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown. Goldson outfoxed Drew Brees, lurking behind tight end Jimmy Graham before pouncing on the ball. Brown's leaping two-hand snatch appeared more impressive at full speed than in slow motion. That was a big-time play. Goldson, Brown and Carlos Rogers now have 18 interceptions during the regular season and playoffs.
• Adam Snyder is playing center for the 49ers after Jonathan Goodwin suffered an apparent leg injury. Snyder moved from right guard to center, with Chilo Rachal taking over at right guard. Snyder's versatility is key. One more injury on the line would cause big problems, however.
• Smith has taken a couple big hits, including one from Harper that appeared to include helmet-to-helmet contact. Critics call Smith a game manager. It's hard to envision the 49ers managing a victory without him. Rookie Colin Kaepernick has hardly played.
• The 49ers are obviously the more physical team. Donte Whitner and the defense have roughed up Pierre Thomas and tight end Graham. They have separated the Saints from the ball. But with Brees throwing a couple touchdown passes to close the gap, this game is only beginning. I think the 49ers need at least 10 more points to feel good about this one.

That's it for now. Hope you're enjoying the game.

» NFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South » AFC Pro Bowl: East | West | North | South

Perfect sense: Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, Andy Lee, David Akers, Justin Smith and Patrick Willis are past Pro Bowl selections enjoying strong seasons. Their selections made perfect sense. No St. Louis Rams made it. Steven Jackson was worthy of consideration, but the team's 2-13 record made his exclusion understandable.

Patrick Peterson's four touchdowns on punt returns made him an extremely worthy if somewhat surprising choice over Devin Hester, whose reputation figured to count for something.

It was good to see voters recognize the NFC West's talent on special teams and in the secondary. Wilson and Seattle's Earl Thomas are the starting safeties. Carlos Rogers is a starting corner, and Seattle's Brandon Browner, a first alternate, could very well join him in the game itself because at least one of the NFC starters, Charles Woodson, could be playing in the Super Bowl.

Made it on rep: From the NFC West? Are you kidding? This division usually fights for whatever it can get. Wilson made it on reputation last season, but he was very much deserving this time, even though it came at the expense of Seattle's Kam Chancellor, a first alternate. None of the players selected made it on rep, in my view.

We could debate the worthiness of a few, including 49ers free safety Dashon Goldson. But he didn't have much of a rep. He made big plays for a 12-3 team and got noticed despite some inconsistencies in his game. The 49ers' success cleared the way for Goldson and another first-timer, left tackle Joe Staley.

Frank Gore always deserves consideration, and his numbers say he did not make it strictly on reputation, but a case can be made that other backs were producing at a higher level more recently. Gore's dropped passes have been a problem as well.

Got robbed: Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, San Francisco's Aldon Smith, St. Louis' Chris Long and Arizona's Calais Campbell come to mind immediately.

Lynch has arguably run more impressively than any other back in the conference of late. He ended the 49ers' streaks without allowing a 100-yard rusher (36 games) or a rushing touchdown (15 games). Lynch was named a second alternate. He has a chance to earn a spot given that Matt Forte is injured and might not play in the game. I'm not sure which NFC back is first alternate, but Lynch would move up the list if Minnesota's injured Adrian Peterson held that distinction.

Aldon Smith has 14 sacks as a rookie, but he didn't make the Pro Bowl. In fact, Smith did not even show up on a list of 49ers alternates featuring NaVorro Bowman, Ahmad Brooks, Blake Costanzo, Vernon Davis, Ted Ginn Jr., Jonathan Goodwin, Mike Iupati, Ray McDonald, Bruce Miller and Donte Whitner.

Long has 13 sacks for a team that almost never faces favorable pass-rushing situations, but with multiple high-profile sack artists in the NFC, he did not make it. The Cardinals' Campbell gets overlooked playing defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, but he's been a dominant player. At least teammate Darnell Dockett was named an alternate.

Click here for the complete 2012 Pro Bowl roster.