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There's little sense in taking the bait when San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh tells a radio program Michael Crabtree "has the best hands I've ever seen on a wide receiver."

Anyone with a strong grasp of NFL history would place Cris Carter, Raymond Berry and Steve Largent on a short list for receivers with the surest hands.

Hall of Famer Ken Houston, speaking for a 2008 piece on all-time great wideouts, stood up for AFL stars Otis Taylor and Lionel Taylor.

"Lionel Taylor, I mean, he would catch a BB," Houston said.

Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson, speaking for the same piece, said Randy Moss, then with New England, had the best hands in the NFL at that time (2008).

"A lot of guys can catch," Thompson said then. "He can catch on any platform, as we say in scouting. He can adjust and catch it over the top of somebody's head, catch it falling down, and it doesn't matter if he is covered."

With Moss now on the 49ers, it is possible Crabtree does not possess the best hands among wide receivers on his own team.

Oops. I wasn't going to take the bait on this one, but now it's too late. Time to regroup.

Bottom line, I suspect Crabtree has impressed Harbaugh this offseason, and Harbaugh would like that to continue for as long as possible. By offering such strong public praise for Crabtree, Harbaugh is setting a standard for Crabtree to meet this season. He realizes Crabtree has the ability to meet that standard, or else he wouldn't make the statement.

We should all recall Harbaugh's calling quarterback Alex Smith "elite" and promoting him for the Pro Bowl last season. Then as now, Harbaugh was standing up for his guy. Smith enjoyed the finest season of his career and even outplayed the truly elite Drew Brees at times during the 49ers' playoff victory over New Orleans. The way Harbaugh backed Smith played a role in that performance, in my view.

Back to Crabtree. He has the ability to rank among the most sure-handed receivers in the game. He has not yet earned that status, but now he has little choice, right?

As the chart shows, Crabtree finished the 2011 season with 12.2 receptions per drop, which ranked 28th in the NFL among players targeted at least 100 times. Larry Fitzgerald led the NFL with 80 receptions and only one drop. Those numbers are according to ESPN Stats & Information, which defines drops as "incomplete passes where the receiver should have caught the pass with ordinary effort."

Crabtree suffered six drops last season by that standard, a few too many for the player with the best hands his head coach has ever seen on a wide receiver.

Eight of John Clayton's 10 best tight ends have one thing in common: a Pro Bowl quarterback.

Vernon Davis, ranked fifth, was an exception.

We hear quite a bit about tight ends taking pressure off quarterbacks, but it's tough for any tight end to produce at an elite level without a high-producing quarterback. Zach Miller might have landed on this list a year ago, but his production fell sharply with Seattle last season -- more a reflection of quarterbacks and the offense than of Miller.

Davis' 26 touchdown receptions since 2009 rank second only to Rob Gronkowski (27) among NFL tight ends. He has always had a strong rapport with Alex Smith.

Davis' playoff production sets him apart from most tight ends. He had 10 receptions for 292 yards and four touchdowns in two postseason games.

John Clayton's piece on NFL trends singles out the Seattle Seahawks' big cornerbacks for their ability to match up against tight ends on occasion.

I do recall noticing Seattle's 6-foot-4 Brandon Browner shadowing San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis at times this season, including when the teams played in Week 1.

While Seattle has led the way toward big corners in the NFC West, the Seahawks are not alone in valuing size at the position. Arizona's Patrick Peterson stands just over 6 feet tall. He weighs 219 pounds. That height-weight combination led some to project him as a safety down the line. But that type of projecting might reflect increasingly outdated perceptions about ideal cornerbacks.

A decade ago, I remember faulting the Seahawks for putting too much emphasis on size at the position. Ike Charlton was among the bigger cornerbacks failing to pan out for the team. But with Browner earning Pro Bowl honors and 6-3 rookie teammate Richard Sherman playing even better late in the season, by most accounts, Seattle is clearly onto something.

Browner led the NFL in penalties this season, but the Seahawks were OK with some of those infractions as a consequence of aggressive play. He and Sherman could not stop Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald in Week 17, but their size allowed them to hold their own physically to a degree the Seahawks' cornerbacks could not in previous seasons.

The chart ranks notable NFC West cornerbacks by height. I excluded the retiring Al Harris, among several others figuring less prominently into their teams' plans.

Gregg Williams, the new defensive coordinator in St. Louis, finished the 2011 regular season with Jabari Greer (5-10), Tracy Porter (5-11), Leigh Torrence (6-0) and Patrick Robinson (5-11) on the roster.

Size in the secondary increasingly matters against teams with dynamic tight ends such as Davis, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and others.

Back and forth the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints went until finally time ran out with the 49ers leading, 36-32.

One of the more memorable games in NFL playoff history produced four lead changes in the final minutes. It also produced the five largest one-play swings in win probability during the divisional round, according to Alok Pattani of ESPN's analytics team.

We've been charting the most pivotal plays from NFC West games all season. Pattani calculates a percentage shift based on how similar plays have impacted games in similar situations over the years. The chart puts numbers to the wild emotional swings felt during the final minutes.

"You're going to live or die in these games -- we lived," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said after the game. "We move on, and we move on in spectacular fashion."

The 49ers and Saints combined for the five most pivotal plays from the divisional round. The top two plays -- Alex Smith's winning 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis and the 66-yarder New Orleans scored a bit earlier -- created the largest one-play swings in the playoffs this season.

Smith's 28-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown also shows up on the list. The 49ers trailed by one point with 2:18 remaining at the time. They were already in field-goal range. As a result, the team might have been better off, strictly from a win-percentage standpoint, had Smith fallen to the ground inbounds short of the goal line.

The Saints had only one timeout remaining. The 49ers could have run down the clock before kicking a field goal with less than a minute left. I wouldn't fault Smith for taking the touchdown, however. He was playing aggressively. The 49ers are strong on defense. Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats took a closer look at the tradeoffs.

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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.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Aldon Smith, the San Francisco 49ers' 14-sack rookie pass-rusher, expects his playing time to increase Saturday against the New Orleans Saints' record-setting offense.

This makes sense on the surface because the Saints are such a prolific passing team. Smith plays on passing downs.

Case closed, right? Not quite.

The Saints' ground game is also strong. New Orleans uses quite a few tighter formations featuring fewer than three wide receivers. And so I wondered whether the Saints might limit Smith's snaps by playing with fewer than three wide receivers on the field at a time. For a team with strong receiving options at running back and tight end, this can be a good way to keep the ground game viable without sacrificing much in the passing game.

Smith played not quite half of the 49ers' snaps this season, coming onto the field against pass-oriented personnel. He'll be on the field automatically if the Saints play three or more wideouts. He generally would not play as much against heavier personnel.

New Orleans, armed with a dynamic receiving tight end in Jimmy Graham, used fewer than three wide receivers on 57 percent of offensive snaps this season. That was the eighth-highest percentage in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The 49ers rarely strayed from base personnel when opponents played with fewer than three wide receivers this season. They did so only 25 of 422 times outside short-yardage situations. That included nine of 46 times against Dallas in Week 2.

The Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are the only 49ers opponents to date showing up on the chart ranking teams by highest percentage of plays featuring fewer than three wideouts. Smith hit season lows for snaps (16) and playing time (27.1 percent) against Baltimore. He played 25 snaps (35.7 percent) against the Cowboys, before he had established himself as a pass-rushing force.

The Saints rushed for 2,041 yards during the regular season, the sixth-highest total in the NFL. They gained 1,489 of that with fewer than three wide receivers on the field and about 80 percent of the 1,489 against base defenses.

It's impossible to know in advance what wrinkles these teams will unveil Saturday. The 49ers will want to pressure Drew Brees up the middle whether or not Smith is on the field. As defensive lineman Justin Smith put it Wednesday, the Saints quarterback loves stepping up in the pocket after outside pass-rushers have flown past him.

How frequently might Aldon Smith be one of them?

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Reporters outnumbered players in the San Francisco 49ers' locker room before practice Tuesday.

That was the obvious marker suggesting a playoff game awaited the 49ers for the first time since Alex Smith was an 18-year-old at the University of Utah.

Smith and the other 49ers available during the 49ers' media session projected calm and confidence. There was an instance of glibness from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, steady resolve from linebacker Patrick Willis and hints of the Jim Harbaugh-inspired defiance that has crept into Smith's demeanor at times.

If the 49ers aren't yet weary of hearing about the Saints' sizzling offense, they soon will be. The Saints-related questions have been nearly as prolific as Drew Brees himself. Smith had this to say when asked about matching Brees yard for yard: "I'm looking to outscore him. He can throw for as many yards as he wants to."

Smith and Brees share the same agent and work out together in San Diego on occasion. They're friends. Smith said the Saints' offense is something others can aspire to. But he also made it clear he's focused on what the 49ers need to do, nothing more. Others can worry about finding the right adjectives to describe the Saints' artistry.

Willis, one of the great defensive players of his era, faced questions about the challenges associated with defending second-year Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. These were fair questions. Graham is coming off a 99-catch season. But Willis hasn't done too poorly for himself either, earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors five times in five seasons.

"Jimmy Graham is a good tight end," Willis said. "All this year, we've faced some good tight ends with the teams we have played. He is certainly one of their offensive threats and we have to make sure we know where he is at all times. At the end of the day, we just have to play defense."

Over in a back corner of the locker room, tight end Delanie Walker spoke clearly but without animation while reflecting on the broken jaw that will keep him from playing Saturday. It would have been easy to cast Walker as subdued and melancholy for his unfortunate timing, but his injury discouraged facial movement.

The 49ers hope Walker might return in time to help the team if San Francisco advances deeper into the playoffs. Walker has been cleared to eat solids and said his jaw no longer hurts.

On a lighter note, Fangio drew laughter by dropping a Chris Paul reference when suggesting the Saints' versatile running back, Darren Sproles, should have remained with San Diego.

"I can't believe they got him for the cheap price that they got him for to replace Reggie Bush," Fangio said. "If it was the NBA, the commissioner might have stepped in and stopped that move."

Receiver Michael Crabtree said little of substance — Harbaugh doesn't want players or coaches providing anything an opponent might find substantive — but he did confirm a purchase for his sometimes unfashionable head coach.

"That was his birthday gift, a Jordan sweatsuit," Crabtree said. "Our receivers walk around in our hoodies. He was looking at me and he was like, 'Man, you've got to get me a hoody.' It took me about 4-5 weeks, but I got him one."

The 49ers are beginning practice momentarily. I'll be here all week. That's the initial feel.

There will be no first-round playoff bye for the NFC West chat.

Hope to see you there at 1 p.m. ET.

All NFC West subjects are on the table.

Here's one I ran across Thursday morning: Vernon Davis ranks tied for 79th in red zone targets this season. He has nine, well below the totals for some of the leading tight ends in the playoffs. Jimmy Graham has 28, Rob Gronkowski has 26 and Aaron Hernandez has 24. Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Gonzalez have 21.

Davis ranks eighth in touchdowns per red zone target among players with at least nine targets, however. He has four red zone TDs.

Get him the ball.

The Arizona Cardinals' Adrian Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks' Kam Chancellor tower over the other strong safeties in the NFC this season.

That is true not only in their accomplishments -- Wilson is a Pro Bowl starter, Chancellor a first alternate -- but in their physical dimensions.

They are the biggest starting strong safeties in the NFL at a time when the prevailing NFL trends have led teams in another direction at the position. Wilson stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds. Chancellor goes 6-3 and 232. The other 30 starting strong safeties average 6 feet and 207 pounds.

The Cardinals' and Seahawks' offensive players should be on alert Sunday when the teams close out the regular season against one another at University of Phoenix Stadium. Chancellor has incurred $60,000 in fines for hits the NFL deemed illegal this season. Wilson, fined $25,000 for a memorable 2008 hit on Trent Edwards, was slapped with a $10,000 fine last season and one for $7,500 in 2011.

"It's tough to be an enforcer safety the way the rules are, where every receiver is defenseless," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "But the beauty is, they can be a linebacker in your sub packages. They can make a lot of plays for you with 4-5 guys behind them -- stop the run, pick up a Matt Forte out of the backfield, those things. And the quarterback doesn't know what they are going to do."

Offenses, enabled by rules changes favoring the pass, have forced defenses to counter with players better suited for coverage than patrolling near the line of scrimmage. But purely from a size standpoint, the top two strong safeties from the NFC are more Steve Atwater than Steve Gregory. They aren't bad in coverage, but opponents must contend first with their physical nature.

"I picked Chancellor slightly over Wilson, but clearly they were the guys to choose from," Williamson said.

The best offenses this season are making frequent use of athletic tight ends. Green Bay's Jermichael Finley, New Orleans' Jimmy Graham and the New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez come to mind. Teams could increasingly value bigger safeties in coverage, although so many of the athletes with the necessary qualifications seem to be playing offense.

"The great strength of Wilson or Chancellor is not to cover an Aaron Hernandez, it is to knock their teeth out," Williamson said. "But that is coming. Those big safeties are the only ones athletic enough to hang with them. You can see much more of a premium on having a defensive back who is 6-3 and 220 and can hit and will bang with a Gronkowski."

Chancellor has 12 passes defensed, four interceptions, three tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a sack this season, according to ESPN.com figures. Wilson has 14 passes defensed, seven tackles for loss, one interception and one forced fumble. He is one of 11 NFL players with at least 20 career sacks and 20 interceptions.

"They are muscle-bound guys and that is certainly not a bad thing," Williamson said. "You have to use them properly. They are a thing of the past, but also the wave of the future."

Doug Baldwin's 46 receptions for the Seattle Seahawks include 21 for successful conversions on third down, the third-highest total in the NFL.

I touched on that and the information in the chart below for the NFC 411 videos we produced this week. The setting is a little different for my segment this week. I remained in California following San Francisco's game Monday night and am celebrating Christmas with family here before returning for the 49ers-Seahawks game Saturday.
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The St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford and Arizona Cardinals' Kevin Kolb were supposed to give their teams an edge in the NFC West this season.

They were the only quarterbacks in the division earning legitimate starter money.

Both have struggled. Both have taken too many sacks. Both are dealing with injuries.

But with the Rams set to visit the Cardinals in Week 9, Bradford is getting healthier. He has a chance to return from the high-ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the past two games. Kolb's status is suddenly in question after he suffered a turf-toe injury against Baltimore in Week 8. Bradford is shedding a walking boot just as Kolb getting accustomed to one.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Bradford has been doing strengthening exercises, but the team is not yet sure whether he'll practice Wednesday or play against the Cardinals. Coach Steve Spagnuolo said the team planned to "slowly work him in there" as Bradford's ankle allows. Noted: Spagnuolo projects the right view. It's tough to predict how high-ankle sprains will respond once the player begins practicing. Bradford is not a wide receiver or running back, however. The team doesn't need him to be 100 percent.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Spagnuolo is warning against reading too much into the schedule, but there's no denying it gets easier for the Rams. Thomas: "The Rams open and close November with 1-6 Arizona. In between is a Nov. 12 game at Cleveland (3-4), followed by a Nov. 29 contest at home against Seattle (2-5). Those three teams have a combined record of 6-15; the combined record of the Rams' first seven opponents is 31-19."

D'Marco Farr of 101ESPN St. Louis sheds light on how the Rams beat the Saints. Farr: "The Rams made some excellent coverage adjustments toward the middle of the field and between the hash marks. The Rams took away Brees' favorite target in skyscraper tight end Jimmy Graham and theoretically broke the tip off of the spear in the Saints passing attack. Graham was targeted eight times but could only bring in four catches for just 39 yards and he had to work very hard just to get those. No Graham equaled limited production in Sean Payton's pass first game plan. In fact the plan became a little obvious from when I was sitting. When Sproles was in the game the Saints were throwing the football. With RBs Chris Ivory or Pierre Thomas in the game the Saints tried to establish a running game. Even their must vaunted screen game was rendered useless due the excellent recognition and pursuit by linebackers Chris Chamberlain and James Laurinaitis."

Howard Balzer of 101ESPN St. Louis says a few of the Rams' younger players, notably Robert Quinn and Greg Salas, made key contributions Sunday. Noted: The team needs a youth infusion on defense overall.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals are considering changes to their offensive line as they look for ways to help protect Kolb. Noted: The Cardinals' veteran line gave them an edge early in the season, particularly coming out of a lockout. But as a season slips away, teams like to evaluate younger players. The Cardinals lack many young line prospects to develop because they haven't drafted enough of them. Kolb could help out the line by doing a better job anticipating throws. He takes too many sacks and doesn't appear comfortable hanging in the pocket.

Also from McManaman: Kolb says his turf-toe injury affected his ability to plant more than it affected his scrambling. As a result, some of his throws might have lacked velocity.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the 1-6 records for Arizona and St. Louis could threaten the team's sellout streak at University of Phoenix Stadium. Coach Ken Whisenhunt: "It’s obviously something that’s important to our team. We’re working hard to try to make sure we’re taking care of business, and we haven’t done that. It’s been a tough stretch for our fans, I understand that, and we’re working hard to try to get that fixed. Hopefully, they'll continue to support us. We've had a number of exciting games [at UoP] and they’ve been a big part of that. All I can tell you is that we’re going to have more [exciting games] there, and we sure would appreciate the support."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com looks at the long list of personnel groupings the 49ers used on offense against the Browns. Maiocco: "The team ran 64 offensive plays on Sunday, and they used 33 different combination of players at the five eligible positions. In the first half alone, the 49ers used 26 different combinations for the 36 plays they ran. For the first time this season, the 49ers used formations that did not involve a running back." Noted: That volume puts pressure on defenses when they prepare for the 49ers.

Also from Maiocco: a look at 49ers superlatives from their 6-1 start.

More from Maiocco: Michael Crabtree switched from 'X' to 'Z' receiver to accommodate Braylon Edwards.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' defense has the makings to challenge some of the top units of the past two decades, particularly through the front seven. Kawakami: "If an opponent doesn’t have a dynamic offense, with a QB who can laser it through tight windows under pressure, it probably doesn’t have a great chance to beat the 49ers. Bad offenses have no shot vs. this team, unless the 49ers blow it themselves. That’s the way I always felt about the old Eagles, and it wasn’t 100 percent, but that rule mostly held true."

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News notes that the 49ers lead the NFL in fewest points allowed.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Seahawks rookie cornerback Richard Sherman wasn't impressed with Bengals receiver A.J. Green. O'Neil: "I would say he's probably one of the most overrated receivers out there. He wasn't anything special. [Andy] Dalton was a good quarterback. He makes good decisions, but A.J. Green is just a lot of noise talking and bad routes." Noted: Sherman had a very good game Sunday. He wasn't in coverage when Green scored a touchdown. Green has produced this season. He must be doing something right.

Also from O'Neil: Penalties are a problem for Seattle.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team's defense is doing enough to keep Seattle in games. A little help from the offense would make it matter.

Inside the 2011 NFC West Gridiron Challenge after Week 4:

• Leader: mboles52, who overtook two-week leader Billy Shears. His lineup: Aaron Rodgers (47 points), Drew Brees (19), Adrian Peterson (8), Darren McFadden (11), Calvin Johnson (21), Andre Johnson (3), Jimmy Graham (19), Nick Folk (5), Ravens defense (25).
• High score of the week: digitool, with 184 points. Lineup: Rodgers (47), Michael Vick (31), Beanie Wells (31), Maurice Jones-Drew (8), DeSean Jackson (17), Steve Smith (18), Vernon Davis (10), David Akers (6), Green Bay Packers (16).
• My team: tied for 481st place out of 1,508 entries, 68.8 percentile. Down from 418th place and 71.2 percentile last week. Johnson's hamstring injury proved costly, limiting the Houston Texans receiver to three points.
• My wife's team: tied for 164th, 89.5 percentile. Down from 66th place and 95.7 percentile. She got a combined eight points from Mike Wallace and Rob Gronkowski. Sorry to hear about that.
• Dan Graziano's team: tied for 650th, 58.1 percentile. Another shutout at tight end with Antonio Gates in the lineup.
• NFC West matchup to watch: Percy Harvin, Bernard Berrian and the Minnesota Vikings' receivers against the Arizona Cardinals' defense. The Vikings haven't been a big-play passing team. Harvin and Berrian have no receptions longer than 22 yards. The Cardinals' defense has allowed 23 pass plays of at least 20 yards, the second-highest total in the league behind New England's 30. Something figures to give.

Who is your fantasy sleeper play of the week?

To the weary, our Dream Team project smells like an attempt to mask the NFL lockout's foul odor with cologne we wouldn't consider wearing during less malodorous times.

Go ahead and inhale. I've opened a window and sniffed out greater meaning from the ballots showing players deemed most likely to succeed well down the road, beginning in 2014.

The ballots aren't perfect. I'm sure we could justify subbing in a few players into the eight spots set aside for each position. But in looking at the bigger picture, these ballots offer insight into which teams arguably have the most appealing young core players.

A few quick observations:

• Five defensive linemen from the NFC West earned spots on various ballots: Calais Campbell, Aldon Smith, Chris Long, Robert Quinn and Dan Williams. Brandon Mebane will be 29 in 2014, so it's possible he'll be playing at a high level at that time.
• Arizona had the most players listed in the NFC West: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Patrick Peterson, Campbell, Dan Williams, Ryan Williams, Larry Fitzgerald and LaRod Stephens-Howling. Peterson appeared as a cornerback and return specialist. Stephens-Howling appeared as a kick returner, but that is tough duty over an extended period. Fitzgerald, who turns 28 next month, will be only 31 in 2014. That's a scary thought.
• The St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford was the only NFC West quarterback on the ballot. The NFC South had three quarterbacks listed. Two of them, Josh Freeman and Matt Ryan, have shown enough to qualify as more than hopeful projections.
• Long, Quinn, linebacker James Laurinaitis, tackle Jason Smith, tackle Rodger Saffold and Bradford gave the Rams six candidates.
• Safety Earl Thomas and tackle Russell Okung were the only Seattle players listed. Mebane also has star potential in the right scheme, Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. has suggested. But Thomas and Okung possess more frontline talent. Seattle selected them among the first 14 choices of the 2010 draft. Aaron Curry, chosen fourth overall in 2009, was not listed.
• Some of the candidates at safety seemed weak. The San Francisco 49ers' Taylor Mays appeared on the defensive ballot despite an underwhelming rookie season. The 49ers' Vernon Davis and Patrick Willis joined the Cardinals' Fitzgerald and Rodgers-Cromartie as the only NFC West candidates with Pro Bowls already on their resumes.
• The 49ers' seven candidates were: Mays, Aldon Smith, guard Mike Iupati, Willis, tackle Anthony Davis, Vernon Davis and receiver Michael Crabtree. Free safety Dashon Goldson needed a stronger 2010 season to appear on the defensive ballot. He'll turn 30 early in the 2014 season.
• Davis was the only NFC West tight end to earn a place on the offensive ballot. The division invested heavily in the position during the 2011 draft, however. We could see Arizona's Rob Housler and/or St. Louis' Lance Kendricks emerge as strong candidates.
• Eleven of the 180 total candidates remain in college. Green Bay and Buffalo each placed nine players on ballots, most in the league. Kansas City, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Arizona were represented eight times (twice by Peterson in Arizona's case). San Francisco and the New York Giants were next with seven apiece. St. Louis was part of a group with six.
• Some of the Bills' candidates -- Leodis McKelvin, Donte Whitner and Andy Levitre -- are either coming off down years or do not seem to posses star potential.
• Chicago and Indianapolis had only one candidate apiece, fewest in the league. Seattle and Minnesota had two apiece. Jacksonville had three. Five teams had four. Eight had five. The Packers appear far better positioned than the Bears to remain among the NFC North's best, according to these ballots.
• The AFC East was the only division without a tight end on the ballot. That was an upset given New England's strength at the position. The eight tight ends on our ballot: Jermaine Gresham, Marcedes Lewis, Zach Miller, Tony Moeaki, Jason Witten, Jermichael Finley, Jimmy Graham and the 49ers' Davis. Witten will be 32 by 2014, however.

The first chart breaks down NFC West candidates by team and position.

The second chart breaks down candidates by division and position.

Dan Graziano, Pat Yasinskas, James Walker and I offered additional thoughts in the video below.

SEATTLE -- Sweatpants, sweatshirts and ski caps are helping players warm up here at Qwest Field (except for Drew Brees, who is wearing shorts).

The weather is not much of a factor at this point. The flags atop the goal posts are hanging straight down. I noticed a drizzle on the drive to the stadium, but it's not raining.

We're getting close to the point when the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks declare their inactive players. I'm not expecting big news when those lists come out.

The Seahawks will have right tackle Sean Locklear, who missed practice time while tending to family issues. We already know the Saints will be without injured running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas, plus safety Malcolm Jenkins, defensive tackle Anthony Hargove, linebacker Danny Clark and tight end Jimmy Graham.

I spent part of the morning visiting with Dave Wyman, Paul Moyer, Ray Roberts and Dori Monson for the Seahawks' pregame show on 710ESPN Seattle. We spent quite a bit of time talking about the NFC West as a whole and specifically Jim Harbaugh's anticipated impact with the San Francisco 49ers.

Moyer, who was finishing his career as a Seahawks safety when Harbaugh was getting started as a player with the Chicago Bears, said he perceived Harbaugh as on the "nerdier" side by NFL standards. That approach might have fit at Stanford, the thinking went, but how will Harbaugh's style translate to the NFL?

I noted that Harbaugh is strong where predecessor Mike Singletary was weak: on the offensive side, as a tactician, etc. Teams often do seek qualities in their next coach that were lacking in their previous one. Harbaugh fits the 49ers from that standpoint.