ESPN NFL

A few notes after participating in a conference call featuring new St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer:

• QB coach on way: The Rams did not have one last season. Then-coordinator Josh McDaniels handled that role. Schottenheimer plans to hire one and said the subject was one of the first things he discussed with new coach Jeff Fisher. Schottenheimer: "Because there are so many things that come across your plate as a play caller and coordinator, you need someone for Sam (Bradford) or any of the quarterbacks to go to and be hearing the same voice."
• Two backs: Schottenheimer believes in supplementing the starting back with a change-of-pace runner. He emphasized the need for depth everywhere, including that position.
• Clemens fan: Look for the Rams to re-sign backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, who was with Schottenheimer on the New York Jets. Schottenheimer described himself as a "big fan" of Clemens and someone who supported the drafting of him.
• Philosophy: The offense St. Louis will run has roots in the Don Coryell digit system, though Schottenheimer said his offense would be more concept-based than reliant upon actual numbers. Schottenheimer learned the game from his famous father, Marty, but he initially thought he would fall under the West Coast tree. He pointed to Mike McCarthy, Jimmy Raye and Steve Spurrier as coaches he had borrowed from over the years. He learned the Coryell-based offense from Jerry Rhome in St. Louis during the 1997 season, when Dick Vermeil was coach. Schottenheimer said he likes the way "the formations flow" and the flexibility afforded coaches on game days.
• Sam Bradford: Schottenheimer met with Bradford recently and plans to streamline the transition by making sure the terminology associated with a new system isn't a stumbling block. Schottenheimer: "The most important thing is not getting caught up in terminology. That will not be a problem. I understand how smart he is."
• On his Jets departure: Schottenheimer had only good things to say about his six seasons with the Jets. He said he was ready for a change and does not think he would have remained in New York even if the Jets had finished the season strong.

The Rams' new defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, is also scheduled to be available Tuesday. I'm also about to speak with Bernie Miklasz for our weekly spot on 101ESPN St. Louis. Back in a bit.

Those unsightly, overly tight shorts seen on football coaches over the years should have a new name: amicus briefs.

Unfortunately for the rest of us, coaches did not reject those violators of style as strongly as they have attacked a legal document purportedly filed on their behalf.

The NFL Coaches Association and its executive director, Larry Kennan, are taking shot after shot over the amicus brief they filed supporting the players' position against the lockout. The St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals have let it be known that their staffs, like a growing list of others, did not know about or support the filing. And as DiLune2 pointed out in the comments section of this item, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll tweeted that he didn't know of it, either.

The brief argues that the lockout inflicts "irreparable harm" on coaches, primarily assistants new to their teams, by preventing them from preparing for the upcoming season. The brief points to high turnover rates for coaches and claims that assistants are increasingly vulnerable to firing when their teams fail.

The NFLCA also filed an amicus brief against NFL owners in the landmark American Needle case, but the lockout has made this a far more sensitive time for coaches to speak up. My take and a few notes on the situation after speaking with Kennan, assistant coaches and team executives:

• Coaches are ultimately more loyal to their employers than to the NFLCA, which is not a union. Many fear for their jobs and are not comfortable speaking up at this time, or any time. Some resent the fact that the NFLCA filed this brief without soliciting more input from coaches or at least getting ahead of the story through better public relations. Kennan said he followed standard procedure, going through his executive committee and emailing all coaches, including head coaches, with the necessary info. But quite a few have been on vacation, and some felt this was a bad time to make waves.
• The brief struck a nerve with owners. Teams continue to release statements saying their coaches oppose the filing. Coaches would not be making these statements without pressure from their owners, in my view. The league doesn't want to fight the labor battle on more than one front. Teams think the lockout will help the league reach a more favorable agreement. In turn, they think a more favorable agreement would benefit assistant coaches by growing the NFL's portion of the revenue pie.
• Kennan and the NFLCA have expressed fear in the past that resounding NFL victories on the antitrust front would allow owners to continue taking away some of the victories coaches have scored on the benefits front. As Kennan sees it, the league has already reached into coaches' pockets by threatening pensions and writing lockout clauses into contracts.
• The Washington Redskins were the first team to release a statement repudiating the filing. Kennan: "Once the Redskins did this, the owners have gotten to their guys and said, 'We need this, too.' What are the coaches going to do, say no?"
• I suspect Kennan underestimated the response this filing has generated. In retrospect, he should have finessed this story from the front end, better informing his membership. Kennan sounds undeterred, saying, "There is no reason a coach ought to come out and say he is publicly not for this because it can only be good for coaches. Ownership would like to see us go away because we have raised salaries and we create problems for them because I can speak for coaches when they can’t speak for themselves. I exist so the coaches don’t have to be heroes and fight the owner one on one. They can deny they agree with anything I have said, and it’s OK."
• Kennan says the coaches would come out against the players if the players were striking. He says they took that stance during the 1987 strike. But it's also true that the NFLCA works out of the NFLPA offices and uses NFLPA resources. Why? Kennan says the league never offered to assist.
• In my experience, older coaches better appreciate the significant strides assistants in particular have made in commanding bigger salaries. Veteran coaches such as Jimmy Raye, who heads the executive committee, and Howard Mudd, also an NFC West coaching alum, are among the coaches who have been most strongly aligned with the NFLCA. Younger coaches are also involved, but some of them are more likely to envision themselves rising quickly through the ranks without NFLCA support.

The fallout from this amicus brief filing will presumably diminish over time. Owners can have long memories, however, and if their emotions come into play on this issue, coaches could still pay. While it's true that a larger NFL revenue pie could benefit coaches, unbridled league power on the antitrust front could give teams more power to act unilaterally toward coaches -- for better or worse.

The usual NFL offseason narratives aren't so alluring now that the league has locked out players and banned roster transactions. That is bad for the NFL and a downer for those dependent upon the hope each offseason sells.

Quite a bit of that hope turns out to be misplaced, however.

Free agency no longer commands widespread appeal as a primary route to improvement. The two most recent Super Bowl teams, Green Bay and Pittsburgh, have had little use for the unrestricted market. Both have built largely through the draft.

The draft is part of the offseason, of course, but relatively few choices make significant contributions right away. Most enter the league as long-term investments.

Rookies were not going to shape the 2011 season, either, lockout or no lockout.

What are we really missing as a sleepy May sets up what could be a comatose June? Well, the prevailing NFC West storylines from last offseason stand as cautionary tales:

Arizona Cardinals

Delusional 2010 storyline: Matt Leinart's time had come. As the thinking went, Kurt Warner's retirement cleared the way for Leinart to realize the potential Arizona had seen in him when the Cardinals drafted him 10th overall in 2006. I wasn't entirely sold on the idea, but neither was it reasonable to think the Cardinals would demote Leinart during the exhibition season and then cut him when making the mandatory reduction to 53 players. Leinart signed with Houston, but did not attempt a regular-season pass in 2010. He can become an unrestricted free agent once the lockout ends, provided players with five accrued seasons qualify. It's doubtful any team would sign him as a starter. So much for the thought that Leinart would blossom once freed from Warner's shadow.

Post-lockout storyline to resist: A new quarterback fixes everything. The Cardinals will presumably move aggressively to upgrade at quarterback once the signing period opens. The move will restore hope. While even moderate improvement at quarterback could get Arizona back into NFC West contention, it will be premature to recast the Cardinals as Super Bowl contenders again. Warner was a special player. He covered for weaknesses elsewhere on the roster. His stellar record in postseason play made the Cardinals viable in ways the team's next quarterback likely will not.

San Francisco 49ers

Delusional 2010 storyline: Having the same offensive coordinator in back-to-back seasons will be key. Quarterback Alex Smith and his offensive teammates were working from the same playbook in consecutive years for the first time. The 49ers loved the way Smith was "taking ownership" of the offense during camps. There were reasons to expect improvement upon the 8-8 record San Francisco posted in 2009. Instead, Smith and the 49ers fell apart during the season opener against a Seattle team with none of the continuity San Francisco spent all offseason talking about. The 49ers' offense was worse against Kansas City a couple weeks later, leading coach Mike Singletary to obliterate continuity as a viable offseason storyline by firing coordinator Jimmy Raye.

Post-lockout storyline to resist: Smith will suddenly shine now that he's finally working under a sharp offensive-minded head coach. New coach Jim Harbaugh has repeatedly praised Smith this offseason, making it clear the 49ers want Smith to return. Smith has said he expects to return, and I understand the 49ers' thinking. They need a veteran quarterback to get them by while rookie Colin Kaepernick develops, and Smith will handle the situation with grace. Harbaugh's feel for quarterbacks does make his pairing with Smith more appealing, but if Smith had the "it" factor, we would have seen more evidence by now.

Seattle Seahawks

Delusional 2010 storyline: Alex Gibbs' addition as offensive line coach will help Seattle build an identity through the running game. The thinking had some merit because Gibbs had been the master of zone-blocking schemes for years, helping teams get solid production without investing heavily in linemen through free agency or with high draft choices. The plan blew up, though, when Gibbs abruptly retired just before the regular season. Guard Ben Hamilton later indicated Gibbs had clashed with management over personnel moves. In retrospect, the pairing of two headstrong offensive assistants -- Gibbs and offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, who was subsequently fired -- might not have been the best fit.

Post-lockout storyline to resist: The return of Red Bryant from injury will fix the run defense. No doubt, the season-ending knee injury Bryant suffered against Oakland dealt a significant blow to the Seahawks' run defense. Still, we're talking about Red Bryant here, not Reggie White. Seattle's issues against the run went beyond a single player. Having middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu hobbling through the season on two injured knees also hurt. And without more support from the offense, Seattle became more vulnerable to opponents' rushing attacks.

St. Louis Rams

Delusional 2010 storyline: Sam Bradford is brittle and will not hold up physically. Bradford missed time at Oklahoma, so injuries were a legitimate concern. But anyone who saw Bradford in person at the NFL combine and thereafter realized he was built solidly. And when Bradford stood up to big hits during the exhibition season, the Rams were reasonably confident he could last a full season. Bradford did better than that. He joined Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and David Carr as the only rookie quarterbacks to take every snap during a 16-game NFL season.

Post-lockout storyline to resist: The lockout and a coordinator change will threaten to send Bradford down the same path Smith's career took with the 49ers. Ideally, Bradford would have continued in the same offensive system he learned as a rookie, spending this offseason working on the finer points of that scheme. Bradford does face additional challenges this offseason, but that does not justify comparisons to Smith. Bradford finished his rookie season with 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, while Smith finished his first year with one touchdown and 11 interceptions. Both inherited bad teams, but Bradford walked into a tougher situation: the Rams were 1-15 the year before he arrived.

Ciscokid questioned during the latest NFC West chat whether or not Michael Crabtree would fit in the San Francisco 49ers' new offense. I promised to investigate.

"I do like how his skill set translates to the new offense," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "They'll run a lot of quick-hitting routes where he can be big and physical, fight for the football and run after the catch with power."

Crabtree is coming off a 55-catch second season in which his numbers almost exactly matched established averages for wideouts in Jimmy Raye-coordinated offenses. The 49ers fired Raye after three games, but they ran essentially the same offense. San Francisco, like some of Raye's teams in Kansas City, had a prolific receiving tight end, which affected opportunities for wide receivers.

But there's still an expectation, I would think, for Crabtree's production to improve under new coach Jim Harbaugh. Crabtree has at times looked like a season pro, but I emerged from last season wondering what to expect from him.

"It will be a test for Harbaugh for sure from a coaching standpoint," Williamson said, "but besides developing a quarterback -- Colin Kaepernick will be great, by the way -- getting the most out of Crabtree has to be extremely high on Harbaugh's to-do list. I would like to see them add one more speed guy to the receiving corps."

The San Francisco 49ers' changes at offensive coordinator have become an annual storyline.

The team has gone from Mike McCarthy to Norv Turner to Jim Hostler to Mike Martz to Jimmy Raye to Michael Johnson to Greg Roman since January 2006.

The effect on quarterback Alex Smith cannot be quantified, but that much change cannot be a good thing.

The St. Louis Rams almost certainly will not go through as many changes while bringing along their franchise quarterback, Sam Bradford. Still, the change from Pat Shurmur to Josh McDaniels after one season has raised concerns for the short term, particularly with McDaniels looking to re-emerge as a head-coaching candidate -- as was the case with Smith's second coordinator, Turner.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo isn't buying the idea that a transition from Shurmur to McDaniels during an NFL lockout will significantly hinder Bradford in 2011.

"This may be some naïve thinking, but I coached two years in NFL Europe and we would go down to Florida with 60 guys, and in three-and-a-half weeks, you cut down to 35 and you play a 10-game season," Spagnuolo said from the NFL owners meeting last week. "That part of it, I have been through it. I certainly don't think that is going to happen. There is a confidence on that side of the ball in our building that if you are smart about how you implement it, go at the pace the players absorb it, I think we'll be fine. It still comes back to throwing it, catching it, running it, tackling."

The Rams' confidence in Bradford lets them feel that way. The coordinator change and ongoing lockout would affect a lesser quarterback to a greater degree.

Injuries prevented Bradford from working extensively with some of his receivers last season. The Rams can feel good about how quickly Bradford developed a rapport with Mark Clayton, even though Bradford was a rookie and Clayton had not run the Rams' offense.

The 49ers' Smith, despite not meeting expectations, improved dramatically in his second season following a coordinator change. He went from tossing one touchdown pass with 11 interceptions as a rookie to finishing his second season with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Bradford finished his rookie season with 18 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and 3,512 yards.

NFC West teams have had 14 coaches serving in offensive coordinator roles over the last three-plus seasons.

That's a lot of turnover.

Seattle and San Francisco each will have had four coordinators in four seasons, with the 49ers' Mike Johnson having taken over for Jimmy Raye during the 2010 season.

Darrell Bevell is the favorite for the Seahawks' job after the team offered him the position.

All four teams turned over offensive coordinators from the 2008 to 2009 seasons.

Arizona's Russ Grimm (running game) and Mike Miller (passing game) share responsibilities, with head coach Ken Whisenhunt usually calling the plays.

Thoughts while St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur remains a candidate to land in Cleveland as the Browns' head coach:

• If that happens, the Rams will want to have quarterback Sam Bradford's best interests in mind as they consider a successor for Shurmur;
• Keeping Bradford in the same system for a long time should be the goal;
• Name the best quarterbacks in the league and you'll find that just about all of them own multiple years in the same system;
• Bradford has only one year in Shurmur's offense, so a scheme change at this point would not require throwing out years of accumulated knowledge, and it's possible Shurmur's offense isn't the best fit for Bradford anyway;
• Hiring former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress to succeed Shurmur would allow for basic scheme carryover;
• Childress has never been known as a master play-caller, a reminder that the Rams should not hire for the sake of continuity alone;
• Hiring former Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels as coordinator could send the Rams down a path of coordinator instability similar to the one San Francisco followed (against its will) after drafting Alex Smith first overall in 2005;
• Bradford is better than Smith, so let's not get carried away with comparisons if the Rams do change systems early in Bradford's career;
• Bradford might play well enough in 2011 to launch his next coordinator -- whether Shurmur or a McDaniels type -- into consideration for a head-coaching job;
• The Rams need a better succession plan than they one they brought into this season;
• Hiring a quarterbacks coach who projects as a future coordinator could protect the Rams from instability issues in the future, even if it requires promising the job to him should the coordinator depart;
• McDaniels' offense might fit Bradford quite well; picture Tom Brady working from the shotgun with three-plus wideouts at his disposal;
• Agent Bob LaMonte represents Shurmur, McDaniels, Childress, Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo and Browns president Mike Holmgren, among others; taking away Shurmur from Spagnuolo makes more sense for LaMonte, in theory, if he can deliver a high-profile coordinator to Spagnuolo in return.

I've put together a chart showing the 49ers' coordinators since 2005.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 25
Preseason Power Ranking: 13

Biggest surprise: The 49ers named third-stringer Troy Smith their starting quarterback at midseason even when Alex Smith returned to health and backup David Carr was available. Troy Smith wasn't even on the roster until one week before the regular-season opener. He had two regular-season starts on his NFL résumé and none since 2007. The 49ers had spent the previous five seasons trying to develop Alex Smith, but with coach Mike Singletary's job on the line, they rode a quarterback with 89 regular-season pass attempts to his name before this season. Another surprise: Glen Coffee's retirement at age 23.

Biggest disappointment: Continuity, the primary theme San Francisco hit upon all offseason and through training camp, was vastly overrated. This was supposed to be the season when keeping the same offensive coordinator and scheme allowed Alex Smith and the offense to flourish. Instead, the offense opened the season with a horrible performance at Seattle. The offense was worse at Kansas City two weeks later. Singletary fired coordinator Jimmy Raye after the third game, obliterating the continuity angle once and for all. Not even Singletary would last the full season.

Biggest need: Quarterback, and the right head coach or coordinator to maximize the investment. The 49ers possess talented young players on both sides of the ball. Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati, Joe Staley, Anthony Davis and Patrick Willis are among them. They might have run away with the NFC West this season if they had gotten more consistent play from their quarterbacks. The Alex Smith experiment has run its course. The 49ers need to draft or acquire a young quarterback, sign a veteran and move forward.

Team MVP: Patrick Willis. The 49ers' front seven played effectively against the run. Willis dominated even with a cast on his broken hand. Willis collected a career-high six sacks, earning a Pro Bowl berth for the fourth time in four NFL seasons. He has Hall of Fame potential and lived up to expectations once again this season. Veteran linebacker Takeo Spikes played well next to him.

Talk is cheap: The 49ers' bark was worse than their bite this season. Singletary thanked Seahawks coach Pete Carroll for beating the 49ers in Week 1. He vowed to shut down Drew Brees in Week 2. Team president Jed York guaranteed the 49ers would rebound from an 0-5 start to win the NFC West title. Once Seattle won the West, Vernon Davis said the 49ers were more deserving. York told reporters his team would have won the division, if only he had fired Singletary earlier. Niners fans would be more impressed if the team backed up its talk for a change.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com offers details on Mike Singletary's firing as 49ers head coach. He says the team could interview Ted Sundquist, Randy Mueller, Rick Muellier and Tom Donahoe as it searches for a general manager. York: "One source said that Singletary had vowed early in the season that he would stepped down if the team didn't show improvement this season. However, he declined to resign Sunday night, forcing the 49ers to fire him." Resigning would have made no sense from a financial standpoint. Getting fired instead should net Singletary about $5 million in compensation remaining from his contract, which runs two more seasons. Getting a GM in place sooner rather than later would put the 49ers in better position to strike quickly on a head coach after the season.

Also from Maiocco: Team president Jed York says the 49ers need a quarterback, too. There's no time quite like Week 16 for a team to discuss such things. York: "We can't get a quarterback until the draft. Is that a need? Yeah, absolutely."

Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle says York waited too long before deciding to hire a strong GM. The timing of former GM Scot McCloughan's departure made it tougher for the organization to hire a strong leader without undercutting Singletary.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee quotes York as criticizing the 49ers' coaching during a 25-17 road defeat to St. Louis in Week 16. York: "I mean, we come into a game like this and we look inept on offense in the first half. We didn't get anything done except for two plays that, really, players made. We aren't where we need to be."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat sums up Singletary's season this way: "During the Niners' 0-5 start, he had a testy interview with KPIX host Dennis O'Donnell, fired his handpicked offensive coordinator, Jimmy Raye, didn't shake hands with Falcons coach Mike Smith after a loss in Atlanta and shouted at quarterback Alex Smith on the sidelines during a loss to the Eagles."

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says Singletary deserved to be fired. Cohn: "Most of us live small, dedicated lives. We guide ourselves by values of humility and modesty, and Singletary burst upon the scene with a voice too loud and unsupportable bragging. He had no humility, not for a moment. He was going to be an all-time great coach. He wanted winners. He shouted down people who disagreed with him. As a coach he was not a winner. He was a loser if you go by the record, and he got the treatment loser coaches get. He got fired."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says York needs to hire a strong GM. Kawakami: "If York does this right, he will invest the next general manager with more power than any 49ers executive has had in the York ownership tenure. Not coincidentally, if York does this right, he will hire someone who will tell the York family that almost everything they have done has been all wrong. Can York go on a search to find someone to tell him exactly how foolish his family has been? A poor owner -- such as Jed's predecessor, his father, John -- would never do that. An immature heir -- like Jed was in his first few years as an executive -- would avoid that at all costs. A mature executive would know he has to do it this way."

The San Jose Mercury News offers a Singletary slide show.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News gives the 49ers an "F" for coaching on his postgame report card.

Power Rankings: Preseason: 12. This week: 28.

2010 schedule/results

Where they stand: The 49ers are last in the NFC West with a 2-6 record. They preached offensive continuity all offseason, only to fire coordinator Jimmy Raye after three games. Quarterback Alex Smith hasn't played to expectations and neither has his restocked line. A weak and unsettled division does give the 49ers hope, however. San Francisco still has five division games remaining. The 49ers were 5-1 in the NFC West last season and it's not as if any other team is going to run away with the division title. The 49ers have gone 2-1 since president Jed York guaranteed a division title following an 0-5 start.

Falling: Coach Mike Singletary has talked a big game without delivering. He praised Smith as a leader in naming the quarterback a team captain before the season, only to complain about leadership on offense. He thanked the Seattle Seahawks for providing a wake-up call in the opener, only to suffer four more defeats in a row. He vowed that the 49ers would shut down Drew Brees, only to watch the Saints' quarterback lead the winning drive days later. He suggested the 49ers had taken a critical next step in their development by playing New Orleans tough in Week 2, only to watch his team get blown out in Kansas City the next week. He said Raye would remain coordinator, only to fire him the next day. He told David Carr to replace Smith against Philadelphia, only to back down when players urged him to stick with Smith. See the pattern?

Rising: First-round draft choices Manny Lawson (2006) and Michael Crabtree (2009) have gained momentum in the last month. Lawson has two sacks and two forced fumbles in his past four games. He's playing for a new contract and improving his stock. Crabtree has three touchdowns in his past four games, more than he caught as a rookie in 2009. The offensive direction remains difficult to predict while the 49ers consider giving Troy Smith a more extended look at quarterback. Crabtree caught only three passes against Denver, for example, as the 49ers leaned hard on the ground game. But one of those receptions went for a critical 28-yard touchdown.

Midseason MVP: Frank Gore is on pace for 1,382 yards rushing, which would stand as the second-highest total of his career. Gore is also on pace for a career-high 76 receptions. He has stayed healthier this season and carried the offense, for better and for worse. Two lost fumbles against Philadelphia are the only blotches on his record.

Outlook: It's important for the 49ers to beat St. Louis and Tampa Bay at Candlestick Park in their next two games. That would get them to 4-6 and firmly back in the division race before playing four road games during a five-week period. Nothing about how the 49ers have played this season suggests this team has the poise, maturity, coaching or quarterback talent to match their 8-8 record from last season. The 49ers appear headed for a coaching change even if they somehow win the NFC West title in a down year for the division.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals outside linebacker Joey Porter expects to start getting more sacks. Porter: "I haven't been able to cash in on my opportunities all the way yet, but I've got 11 games left and I will have double-digit sacks before it's over. I don't even stress about that issue. That will happen. I know people are out there goin', 'Dang, we got Joey Porter in the off-season and he's only got one sack.' But listen, you can't judge somebody at the beginning of the season. You've got to judge them when the season is over and when I'm sitting here with 12 sacks, well, then it's time to talk." Porter has reached double-digit sacks three times in 11 previous seasons. In each of those seasons, Porter had more than one sack following his first five games. He had only two after five games in 2000, then collected three sacks the next week on his way to 10.5 for the season. Porter has had at least one game with three or more sacks in six separate seasons (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008). He had a game with 2.5 sacks last season, helping him reach 9.0 sacks for the season.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic thinks Tim Hightower's recent issues in pass protection could lead the Cardinals to give more playing time to Beanie Wells. He also expects the Cardinals to take a conservative approach offensively early in the game against Seattle.

Also from McManaman and Somers: Hightower says the Seahawks' second-ranked run defense is good but "not invincible" heading into the Cardinals' game at Qwest Field.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn't worried about incurring fines for illegal hits. Urban: "This is DRC we were talking about, with remnants of nail polish visible on his toes during the interview. DRC has played Pro Bowl football and is a good cornerback -- but no one is ever going to confuse him with Adrian Wilson or Rodney Harrison."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers' third-down conversion rate has improved dramatically in three games with Mike Johnson as offensive coordinator. Venue could have something to do with those conversion rates. The team played two of three games in extremely hostile environments under Raye. The third-down numbers were horrendous under Raye in games at Seattle and at Kansas City, but the team converted 5 of 9 chances while amassing a season-high 417 yards against New Orleans in the lone home game under Raye. The 49ers have played two of three games at home since Johnson took over. They did convert a higher percentage against Atlanta in the lone road game during that stretch. The Falcons held Arizona without a third-down conversion in their only other home game this season.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News passes along comments from 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky regarding Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, a player Manusky once coached. Manusky: "His attitude, his intensity and his desire as a football player were outstanding when I had him. I loved everything about the kid." The Chargers retain rights to Merriman for the time being.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Frank Gore has never asked the 49ers to give him rest during a game.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the 49ers haven't had a top pass-rusher since Andre Carter was on the team. Also, the 49ers view Gore as a security blanket on passing downs because he handles blitzes so well.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com expects the 49ers to take a low-risk approach to offense against Carolina in Week 7. Also: "When the 49ers leave for Charlotte, N.C., on Friday, they'll be packing for that trip, as well as a week in London, where they play the Denver Broncos on Oct. 31. The 49ers will also be taking along eight players on the practice squad. Players on the practice squad do not typically travel with the team. But because the 49ers will hold their week's worth of work in London, the services of the practice squad players is required."

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had no idea South Park creators were going to include him randomly in a recent episode. Hasselbeck: "My phone started blowing up at around 7:14 p.m. last night and again at like 9:14 p.m., Pacific time. ... That’s all I’ve been hearing about today. People have outed themselves. People that I thought were real professionals -- marketing people, finance people, accounting, some media people -- have kind of surprised me."

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Seahawks rookie cornerback Walter Thurmond is bracing for his first game against Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald. O'Neil: "In Fitzgerald's first four seasons in the league, he surpassed 100 yards receiving in just one of eight games against Seattle. The Cardinals have won back-to-back division titles and beaten Seattle four consecutive times. Fitzgerald has surpassed 100 yards in three of those four games and totaled four touchdowns."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune quotes Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry as saying he is "enjoying" his role and coach Pete Carroll as saying things are "going great" with Curry so far this season. A couple of tweets from Curry following the Chicago game -- this one and this one -- left another impression. Curry naturally wants to be on the field more. He also likes to hit people. Neither happened as much as he would have liked against the Bears even though Curry collected his first sack of the season.

John Boyle of the Everett Herald explains how Seattle running back Justin Forsett wound up pushing around teammate Marshawn Lynch (Lynch's car ran out of gas).

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with Rams running back Steven Jackson, who reflects on his time in St. Louis while approaching the franchise rushing record. Jackson: "I've just always prided myself on looking long-term. I knew coming into this organization that to ever be remembered, I had to be a special person and not just a special football player. Because I was replacing a living legend (Marshall Faulk). And in the numbers I wanted to break -- Eric Dickerson -- he's another legend. So I've always had a chance to look at the big picture, and not the day-to-day things that I was going through. It was very tough times. I learned a lot about myself. I found out that I was a stronger individual than I was giving myself credit for. I wouldn't have known that if I didn't go through these trials."

Also from Thomas: A bet between Sam Bradford and Danario Alexander requires the loser to wear the winner's college colors pending the outcome of the Oklahoma-Missouri game. Alexander: "He might look pretty good in black and gold. You know, he's gonna have to look good in it." Alexander feels much better about Missouri's chances now that Bradford isn't playing for Oklahoma.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says 32 yards separate Jackson from Dickerson's record.

Nick Wagoner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams cornerback Ron Bartell intends to play Sunday despite missing recent practices. Bartell says his injury is "nothing like" one that slowed him last season, and he expects to be on the practice field Friday.

Charlie from Auburn, Calif., writes: I've seriously had it with the play calling Mike Singletary seems to have imposed first on Jimmy Raye and now Mike Johnson.

As evidenced by the two-minute drill last week and against Indy last year, and a few other times, the 49ers, and Alex Smith, can move the ball fairly effectively when in the spread, using 3-4 wide receivers, Smith in the shotgun and running a hurry-up style offense.

Given that Singletary never plays a game aggressively on offense until the 49ers fall behind by three scores, at which point they then fight to come back using the spread, how effective do you think Smith would be as a quarterback in a system that actually was built around his strengths?

Most people I talk to think he's a pretty bad QB, but I think he would at least be in the top 10 given a shot playing in a system like Indy's offense, one where he's in the gun about 70 percent of the time and has 3-4 wide receivers to hit quickly.

Frankly, the 49ers as a whole are built to be a more aggressive offense. Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis should be getting a lot more passes, and they have shown they can run effectively from spread formations, as they did vs New Orleans.

Mike Sando: I understand your frustrations with the offense. Two-minute situations do not necessarily apply over the course of a full game. Defenses play differently when protecting leads late in games. Offenses have an easier time completing passes, dictating tempo and those sorts of things. The 49ers would not necessarily be able to do that at will. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady might make it look easy, but Smith and other lesser quarterbacks couldn't duplicate the results.

Sure, Smith could be better than this if he were in a better situation. He needs to be better in this situation, however. It's not like he's so good in spread situations that the 49ers should abandon plans for a power running game with Frank Gore.

If Smith were struggling in a pass-happy offense, we would probably be asking why the 49ers weren't taking pressure off him by building around Gore.

---

Tim from Jackson, Wyo., writes: Hey Mike, I attended the Chicago game and saw the hit laid on Jon Ryan. Crowd went nuts. I notice that ESPN has been showing that hit with regularity, and in a jocular fashion. Why is this hit not being used as an example of a hit on a defenseless player? Hines Ward seems to come to mind when one thinks of hits of this sort, and I seem to remember Warren Sapp laying out a Green Bay player, injuring said player pretty severely. Any thoughts?

Mike Sando: I thought the hit was clean. Ryan was charging forward toward Devin Hester and within about 7 yards of him when Earl Bennett blocked Ryan cleanly. Ryan was actively trying to make the tackle. He was not trotting across the field away from the action. It was a brutal and devastating hit, but I couldn't see anything about it in violation of the rules.

---

Erick from California writes: Who is the best rookie offensive lineman in the NFC West -- Rodger Saffold, Mike Iupati, Anthony Davis or Russell Okung?

Mike Sando: Okung hasn't played enough to say for sure, but the way he played in a hostile environment Sunday was impressive. No penalties. No sacks allowed. Drove Brian Urlacher into the end zone on Justin Forsett's 9-yard touchdown run.

Of the other three, Saffold plays the toughest position, left tackle. He's probably been the best to this point based on what the Rams are asking him to do. I'd probably go with Davis next, then Iupati, if we're talking about how the rookies have played to this point. Davis has a tougher job because he's playing tackle. Iupati has more help playing guard.

We're only five or six games into the evaluation, though. I've seen good things from every one of them.

---

Michael from parts unknown writes: Sando, after browsing through the NFC West roided-out rosters, I am wondering where the teams in the division rank in age by position. Have you done something like that before? Looking at the 49ers' offensive line got me to thinking about it. Their average age on the offensive line is 24.8. That is insanely young for an offensive line, isn't it? Oh and by the way, I read your blog daily. Thanks, Mike.

Mike Sando: Yes, I can easily slice and dice ages by position. It's just a matter of dragging the the position category into an Excel pivot table window and watching the numbers come up. I plan to update rosters Thursday night. I'll come back with an item breaking down roster ages by position.

---

Jimmy from San Diego writes: Hey Mike, looking at your MVP Watch, just wanted to comment on defensive players. No defensive players come close to Osi Umenyiora based on his performance this season. Eight sacks, seven forced fumbles (two shy of the NFL record in only six games). I am sorry, Troy Polamalu and Julius Peppers do not stack up. Clay Matthews is having a helluva season, too.

Mike Sando: Yeah, I do not necessary disagree. Part of the challenge in putting together MVP Watch lies in making sure some of the best teams are represented. There's a balancing act between recognizing winners and including a few players having great individual seasons without as much team success.

Philip Rivers made the list, possibly for the last time unless the Chargers start winning again. Ben Roethlisberger could be representing the Steelers on the list relatively soon. Sometimes it feels as though only three or four candidates are truly worthy of strong consideration, making it tough to fill the remaining six or seven spots.

---

Brian from Scottsdale, Ariz., writes: Is it too early to begin questioning the Cardinals' first-round draft choice, Dan Williams? I know he plays a position that doesn't yield great statistics, and I've read about his deactivation for a game for weight issues. I can't help but think a team should be getting more out of a player drafted this high.Your thoughts?

Mike Sando: Let's see where he's trending a month from now.

My thought was that Williams would take over as the starting nose tackle sometime this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Casey Hampton with the 19th pick in 2001, moving him into the starting lineup for Week 7. Hampton started the final 11 regular-season games and developed into the anchor of the Steelers' 3-4 defense for the next decade (and counting).

Williams hasn't shown much to this point. Missing weight raised questions about him. If he hasn't shown anything a month from now, harder questions would be more appropriate. The team has played only five games to this point.

---

Nick from Portland, Ore., writes: If you were the Seattle front office (or Pete Carroll), how would you solve your long-term QB questions?

If the Seahawks stay competitive and Matt Hasselbeck stays (mostly) mistake free, conventional wisdom would then suggest Charlie Whitehurst never sees significant playing time this season.

If that happens (and I hope it does), Whitehurst will remain the untested and unproven backup he's always been. Let's say Hasselbeck plays well enough to earn an extension this offseason. Are the Seahawks really going to pay Whitehurst $10 million and never use him in the regular season?

Mike Sando: Whitehurst gets $4 million this season and $4 million next season, with another $1 million available via incentives in each year of the deal. Seems to me Seattle can pay that price to keep Whitehurst as the backup if Hasselbeck plays well enough to command a contract extension.

The biggest question I have is whether the Seahawks would commit to Hasselbeck beyond this season when the rest of the roster figures to get younger. What if Hasselbeck plays just well enough for the Seahawks to post an 8-8 record, win the NFC West title and then lose in the wild-card round? Those parameters could create a dilemma.

I don't think the Seahawks know what they're going to do. They need to see the season play out. Sometimes these questions answer themselves through injury or other means. Ten games remain. There's still time to get some answers.

---

Kristof from Gainesville, Fla., writes: I'm excited about the Rams' win, but with Laurent Robinson and Mardy Gilyard hurt and with Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton out for the year, can the Rams keep the passing game going? Danario Alexander was great but he, Brandon Gibson and Danny Amendola aren't going to scare defenses.

Mike Sando: Robinson, Gilyard and Clayton were not scaring defenses and I say that will all due respect. Clayton in particular was highly productive, but he was not a rare physical talent commanding extra attention from defensive coordinators. The Rams' depth at receiver is thinning. I don't think they've quite reached the breaking point. Losing Amendola might do it, though. They need to get the tight ends going now that Mike Hoomanawanui is healthier.

The Rams are better on defense this season. They're better at quarterback. They have a top running back. Their offensive system has succeeded elsewhere without elite talent at wide receiver. Sam Bradford needs receivers he can trust. Clayton was that type of receiver. Amendola is that type of receiver. Gibson has made some strides.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith came through when needed Sunday, tossing two touchdown passes without an interception during a 17-9 victory over Oakland.

Smith also came through Monday during an excellent interview with Sirius' Rich Gannon and Adam Schein.

Smith continues to sound confident and comfortable. He's also calm. Smith stands as the emotional opposite of head coach Mike Singletary.

My thoughts mixed in among the highlights:

• [+] Enlarge
  Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireAlex Smith finally led the 49ers to a win Sunday after an 0-5 start to the season.
  Smith: "I think, and coach would even say this, we are very different people, especially on game day. Coach is a little more emotional than I am. As a quarterback, I always feel like it's my job to be that steady, calm presence in there. Game day can be emotional and there are a lot of ups and downs throughout a game, but as a quarterback, you have to be able to see the bigger picture, steady that ship, get all the guys focused in on the task at hand and keep the thing moving. For him, he gets fired up sometimes and gets going and that is really the biggest thing I see, that he does get fired up and gets into the emotion of the game. As a quarterback, especially when I come off to the sideline, I am trying to get things corrected, trying to get things figured out and move on to the next series."
• Smith would prefer fewer sideline "conversations" (Gannon's word) with Singletary. When Gannon prefaced a question by saying quarterbacks would rather just play without so much interference from the head coach, Smith interjected with an "exactly" while Gannon was still speaking. Smith: "He's trying to get this ship straightened out. It's something I've gotten used to at this point and I'm ready for, but you're exactly right. As a quarterback, when you do have a three-and-out or things do not go right, you are the first one to know. You know more than anyone out there what went wrong and what needs to be corrected and don't necessarily always need to hear it when you come off to the sideline. It's something I have gotten used to at this point and can deal with." Smith has played better after some of those exchanges, so they apparently are not hurting him. But teams can take on the personalities of their head coaches. They can become as up-and-down or as steady as their coaches. Of course, fiery coaches can win. Jon Gruden has proven so.
• Asked to characterize Singletary as a head coach, Smith said the 49ers respect Singletary for his honesty and character. He used the word "refreshing" to describe Singletary's nature as a straight shooter who never would talk behind players' backs. Former coach Mike Nolan came to mind immediately even though Smith did not mention him. Smith has previously indicated Nolan wasn't always forthright with him. Smith: "It's refreshing to have a guy you can trust with certainty that what he is saying is the truth."
• Smith attributed the 49ers' success in the red zone to having a very good package of plays for that area of the field. Smith credited former coordinator Jimmy Raye for laying the groundwork and current coordinator Mike Johnson for maintaining continuity. Smith: "We run fast down there, we know what we are doing, we turn the ball loose and we play with a confidence down there that we don't necessarily have in other situations. Not to say we're not confident, but I think there is that extra feeling that when we get in the red zone, we know we have great stuff, we know we have great weapons and we are going to find a way to beat you." Perhaps the 49ers are more focused and purposeful in that area of the field. They have enjoyed similar success elsewhere on the field during other situations demanding focus and purpose, such as the final minutes of games against New Orleans and Philadelphia. But they have not done so consistently.
• Playing for a defensive-minded head coach can force quarterbacks to walk a fine line between Turnover Avoidance At All Costs and playing freely. We've seen that to an extent with Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle this season. We've certainly seen it with Smith.

I'll be heading to the airport in Chicago shortly but hope to get more posted as time permits. We had multiple winners in the most recent "You called it" competition after going four weeks without a winner. Fans of NFC West teams tend to pick their teams to win, so having the division post a 3-0 record in Week 6 helped. Games involving NFC West teams also featured some conventional final scores (23-20, 20-17, etc.) and that always helps.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Jed York, 49ers president. Let's go right to the top. It's not Mike Singletary's fault the 49ers hired an inexperienced, apparently one-dimensional head coach. It's not Singletary's fault expectations surged when York promised a playoff appearance last season. It's not Singletary's fault that York came out this week saying the 49ers would win the division despite their 0-5 start. It's not Alex Smith's fault the 49ers committed to an unproven quarterback when Donovan McNabb was available during the offseason. York is the one who enthusiastically hired Singletary, then watched as the organization moved forward without viable fallback options at head coach and quarterback. York appears to have the right intentions, but to say the organization has fallen short on the execution front would be an understatement.

2. Steve Spagnuolo, Rams coach. That failed onside kick to open the Detroit game put the spotlight on Spagnuolo following one of the more discouraging performances of this young NFC West season. The Rams had won two games in a row, beating the Washington Redskins and Seattle Seahawks with strong defensive efforts. They should have been competitive, at least, against a 0-4 Lions team. Losing 44-6 to one of the worst teams in the league will drag down the stock of any head coach.

3. Sam Bradford, Rams QB. Losing top receiver Mark Clayton for the season accounts for Bradford's inclusion on this list. Bradford has played more like a veteran than a rookie for significant stretches this season. That was not the case Sunday and Clayton's early departure from the game obviously hurt. On a side note, I could have named in this spot any number of 49ers players, from Smith to the uncharacteristically fumble-prone Frank Gore, but York served as 49ers catch-all this week. As for Bradford? His long-term stock forecast remains decidedly positive. It's the short-term outlook that took a hit when Clayton's patella tendon gave out.

RISING

1. John Schneider, Seahawks GM. The Seahawks didn't even play in Week 5, but they scored a significant victory by landing a 2011 fourth-round draft choice from New England in the Deion Branch trade. The Patriots hold two fourth-rounders, their own and one from Denver. Seattle gets the highest of those two choices. I wondered whether Seattle could get even a fifth-round choice for the 31-year-old Branch. Getting the better of two fourths allowed Seattle to recoup most of the value lost when Seattle sent its own fourth-rounder to Buffalo for Marshawn Lynch.

2. Kerry Rhodes, Cardinals S. Two fumble recoveries for touchdowns in a two-week period will get any safety noticed. Rhodes made other significant plays during the Arizona Cardinals' 30-20 victory over New Orleans. The Arizona defense played its best game of the season and Rhodes played a key role.

3. Michael Crabtree, 49ers WR. Nine catches for 105 yards against Philadelphia showed the 49ers are more committed to getting the ball in Crabtree's hands. Crabtree has 14 receptions for 163 yards in the two games since Mike Johnson replaced Jimmy Raye as offensive coordinator. He had six catches for 81 yards in the 49ers' previous three games.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports says Mike Singletary might need to finish 11-5 and win playoff games to keep his job next season. Cole: "When Singletary took over as head coach of San Francisco in the midst of the 2008 season, much was made of his disciplined, take-no-prisoners attitude. People loved it, but there was one problem behind it all: Singletary doesn’t understand the X’s and O’s that go with the game of football. As several coaches have said over the weeks, when a coach doesn’t know the functional part of the game, he walks a dangerous line with players." And the 49ers did not know this? What did they expect? Everyone knew Singletary's limitations. Jed York, the 49ers' president, explicitly said he hired Singletary to ramp up the 49ers' intensity. Of course, head coaches lose credibility if players know they do not know how to fix problems that arise over the course of a season. And there are too many times when Singletary reverts into linebacker mode, becoming too emotional. Singletary's struggles were predictable if Singletary did not hire the right offensive coordinator in particular. He wasn't going to be in position to help on the offensive side of the ball.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says 49ers quarterback Alex Smith is on a short leash. Maiocco, in reviewing all 53 players' performances against Philadelphia: "When he had a clean pocket, he made some good throws. But when he was under pressure, unable to adjust in the pocket or slow to pull the trigger, disaster happened." Also, Maiocco thought guard Chilo Rachal played his best game of the season.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provides a chat transcript with thoughts on the 49ers' prospects following an 0-5 start. Barrows: "I think the 49ers can turn it around. I think it's possible. Patrick Willis yesterday was citing the Titans team from a year ago that started the season 0-6 and which nearly made the playoffs. I think there are eight decidedly winnable games still on the schedule, beginning with Sunday's against Oakland. However, that scenario means that the other NFC West teams have to cooperate and lose a lot of their games. on Sunday, the Cardinals did not cooperate."

Eric Branch of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers have run Frank Gore (usually up the middle) on the first offensive play of every game this season. Gore also carried the ball on the 49ers' first eight first-down plays against the Eagles. Branch: "OK, this is not to suggest the Niners are 0-5 because they begin every game with a run to Gore. But it does hint at a larger problem. That is, the offense, even under the stewardship of Mike Johnson, still has Mike Singletary's circa-1985 fingerprints on it. On the day Jimmy Raye was fired, Singletary said he anticipated working "hand-in-hand" with Johnson on the offense. And based on what he said Monday, it's clear that it's still a collaborative effort. When asked about the eight straight first-down runs, Singletary said Johnson was carrying out their -- yes, 'their' sounds appropriate -- game plan." The 49ers also operated from fewer personnel groupings than most teams. They are more predictable than most teams.

Monte Poole of Bay Area News Group says David Carr is not the answer for the 49ers.

David White of the San Francisco Chronicle says Smith's nine interceptions are an NFL high.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the team will leave for Chicago on Friday, a day earlier than the team has traveled to previous road games this season. Pete Carroll's appreciation for the challenges of 10 a.m. PT kickoffs will only grow. Fortunately for Seattle, the team will not have another early game until Week 16. Previous Seattle coaches have tried leaving Friday to better acclimate to the time difference. They've tried leaving Saturday as if reluctant to acknowledge any additional challenges. There's just no way around the fact that a 10 a.m. PT kickoff means waking up for a game at 5 in the morning.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says during a chat that he expects the Seahawks' offense to become productive in December. O'Neil: "It's going to start to improve. I just don't know if it's going to start to improve this month. Things have stabilized up front, but you're subtracting a productive receiver from the mix and adding a better running back. I think it's going to be a productive offense in December. Just not sure how much of a struggle this next stretch will be as Seattle plays four of its next six games on the road."

Also from O'Neil: "For a team with Seattle's baggage of road losses, this amounts to a two-month gauntlet as Seattle plays only two homes in the 61 days following their Week 3 victory over San Diego. Seattle is 2-2 because of a potent combination of defense and decibels. The Seahawks have forced seven turnovers in two home victories."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with Seattle receiver Mike Williams, who would like to ramp up his production.

John Morgan of Field Gulls tries to define new Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Morgan: "I don't know that Seattle needed a three-down back, but they have one now. I don't know that Lynch is necessarily built for a zone blocking scheme, whatever he executed in college. I don't know that a player like Lynch has much value above and beyond a committee of complementary backs, but there is no limit to his potential like there is for Justin Forsett. Marshawn Lynch can be great, and finding out if he is will be a hell of a ride."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals' bye week comes as the team prepares to welcome back players from injury-induced layoffs. Steve Breaston, Early Doucet and Gerald Hayes could return against Seattle in Week 7. Somers: "A four-year starter, Hayes plays the strong inside linebacker position and is a key figure in stopping the run, something the Cardinals have had trouble doing. Hayes was ready to start practicing a few weeks ago, but rules made him wait six weeks. He appears to be in good condition, although it's going to take him some time to reacquaint himself to the speed and violence of the game. The club is likely to work him in slow, perhaps as a rotational player. Eventually, he could assume his old role, with Paris Lenon moving to the weak inside spot, replacing rookie Daryl Washington."

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals snapper Mike Leach, who relays a story about the nickname a former teammate bestowed upon him. Leach: "Well, during my years in Denver, I was known as 'Snaps'. Shannon Sharpe started calling me that. Either he didn't know my name or maybe didn't care to learn it or maybe he knew it and just didn't want to call me by it so he just called me 'Snapper'. After a few weeks, 'Snapper' became 'Snaps' and probably a third of the people on the team didn't even know my name. They just called me 'Snaps'."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says during a chat that he's not sure what to expect from Arizona the rest of the season. Urban: "No idea how this season will turn out. Hall could still run off the rails and this team could sputter to a losing record. But if Hall progresses as expected and the defense plays the way it is capable, I expect the Cards to be in the middle of the division title chase. As for the offensive line, it's difficult to get praise when there have been a handful of sacks and some issues running the ball of late. That unit doesn't get a lot of praise when things are good though, and they know that. It kind of comes with the territory."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams are trying to convert high television ratings into better attendance at games. The TV viewing experience has improved exponentially over the years. NFL ticket prices have become prohibitive for some. Hard economic times force people to tighten budgets. In the Rams' case, the team hasn't won much, either. Thomas: "Group sales have picked up following the home victories against Washington and Seattle. But the needle isn't moving on single-game sales. During the preseason, when both Rams home games were blacked out, the team experienced a decent walkup crowd on game day. But that hasn't been the case during the regular season, probably because the three home games so far have been on local television."

Also from Thomas: The Rams signed Danario Alexander and Brit Miller from their practice squad after putting Mark Clayton and Darcy Johnson on injured reserve.

More from Thomas: a chat transcript in which he says a more prominent role for Steven Jackson in the red zone could help the Rams' offense.