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Roughly 90 percent of currently signed NFL halfbacks are not yet 28 years old.

I'm counting one, Fred Jackson, older than 30. (He is 31.) Willis McGahee and Michael Turner are 30. The rest are younger.

Teams will add a few older backs as the draft and training camps approach, but the NFL is a young man's game, particularly at halfback (as opposed to fullback).

The San Francisco 49ers' agreement with Brandon Jacobs, 29, gives the NFC West four of the 11 oldest halfbacks in the NFL. Leon Washington is also 29. Frank Gore and Steven Jackson turn 29 this year.

I touched on that issue, the Arizona Cardinals' young backs and the 49ers' potential thinking on Jacobs -- all in the video above.

Welcome to the blog for the only NFL division with a second-round playoff representative every season since realignment in 2002.

We are under no illusions here. The NFC West has not always produced formidable teams top to bottom. Three other divisions have produced more divisional-round playoff appearances under the current format.

It's just that the NFC West has produced more than a few playoff success stories, and the 2011 San Francisco 49ers can write their own chapter by defeating the New Orleans Saints on Saturday. The matchup is going to dominate conversation on the blog this week even as the St. Louis Rams move to hire a head coach.

This season marks the fourth since realignment with every NFL division still playing in the divisional round. New England (seven), Indianapolis (6), Pittsburgh (5), Philadelphia (5) and Baltimore (5) lead the league in divisional-round appearances over the past 10 seasons, counting this one. Seattle is one of four teams with four. Every other NFC West team has made it twice, starting with the 49ers nearly a decade ago.

The football-related aspects of the Saints-49ers matchup interest me the most. I offered some early thoughts after the Saints' victory over Detroit secured New Orleans' trip to Candlestick Park. There will be more.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com outlined quite a few keys to the game. A couple regarding the Saints' defense stood out: "The Saints must scheme up their pass rush because they're lacking in individuals who can get to the quarterback. Strong safety Roman Harper led the Saints with 7.5 sacks. As a team, the Saints recorded 33 sacks -- spread out among 15 -- that's right, 15 -- different players. ... The Saints defense does not have a lot of playmakers. This is not like the team in 2009 that won the Super Bowl. On that team, safety Darren Sharper had nine of the team's 26 interceptions. During this regular season, the Saints recorded only nine interceptions." Noted: The matchup between San Francisco's defense and New Orleans' offense should not obscure other matchups pivotal to the outcome.

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers will play the Saints differently than the Lions did. Lynch: "Lions middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch had a horrible game. He was constantly manipulated by Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Tulloch was also late covering the middle in the Lions two-deep defense. That won’t happen with 49ers linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, who have more speed and hopefully, more awareness than Tulloch."

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat lists reasons the 49ers can beat the Saints. Cohn: "The Niners have a top-notch home red-zone defense (allowing TDs just 25 percent of the time), while the Saints scored touchdowns only seven times out of 22 chances on grass this season in the red zone. The Saints will move the ball, but the Niners defense should be able to hold them to field goals."

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee runs through the longest plays San Francisco allowed this season. Noted: Four of the five longest ones occurred during the first four weeks of the season.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says the 49ers' offensive line has improved dramatically.

Also from Inman: 49ers center Jonathan Goodwin on facing his former team, the Saints.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch updates the Rams' coaching search, noting that Jeff Fisher is expected to make a decision by Tuesday or Wednesday. Thomas: "The only possible hangup, according to two sources, is the potential of a possible move by the franchise to Los Angeles. The move from Houston to Tennessee was grueling for Fisher during his 17 seasons with that franchise. It's something Fisher doesn't want to go through again. Even with those concerns, it's not known if that's a deal breaker with St. Louis." Noted: On the other hand, Fisher went to USC and was said to have some interest in the San Diego job had it come open under the right circumstances. The possibility of a move years from now wouldn't seem to be a deal breaker, in my view.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says former Rams offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is already working for the Patriots as an offensive assistant, and his role will change to offensive coordinator next season.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks need to re-sign several key players before free agency. Boling: "Seahawks fans might trigger a seismic event from outrage if running back Marshawn Lynch takes his beastly style elsewhere. And Red Bryant has likewise become an exemplar of spirited toughness for the Seahawks on defense. These two are at the top of the list of 18 unrestricted free agents with whom the Seahawks may exclusively negotiate."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune hands out grades for the 2011 Seahawks, including a "C" for special teams. Williams: "Leon Washington was solid, but not as explosive as last season. Punter Jon Ryan had another good season, and kicker Steven Hauschka made people forget about Olindo Mare. The usually solid coverage units gave up three return touchdowns and were one of the most penalized groups in the NFL this season."

Will Brinson of CBSSports.com quotes CBS analyst Charley Casserly as saying the the Arizona Cardinals could provide a landing spot for Peyton Manning if the Colts part with the quarterback. Casserly: "Jim Irsay in interviewing general manager candidates has told them he will make the decision whether Peyton Manning is back. He will not put that on the new general manager. Right now there have been absolutely no discussions according to the Manning camp between Manning and Irsay about extending that deadline. In fact, it would make no sense to me for Manning to agree to that. Why give up the opportunity to talk to other teams? One team to watch? The Arizona Cardinals. They can get out of the Kevin Kolb contract and also Ken Whisenhunt's been down this road before. A veteran quarterback coming in at the end of his career? Kurt Warner." Noted: The Cardinals could get out of the Kolb deal by declining to pay a $7 million bonus in March. If Manning were available, however, he would have more than one team interested in him. I'll have more on this in a bit.

The facts: The Seattle Seahawks finished the season with a 7-9 record following a 23-20 overtime defeat to the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.

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

• The defeat improved Seattle's draft status by 4-6 spots. The Seahawks will pick 11th or 12th in the order pending a coin flip with the Kansas City Chiefs. Those extra spots could make the difference in landing a quarterback to develop.
• Rookie receiver Ricardo Lockette followed his 44-yard reception against San Francisco in Week 16 with a juggling 61-yard scoring reception against the Cardinals. Lockette now has two catches for 105 yards through his first two NFL games.
• Seattle made all-world receiver Larry Fitzgerald work for most of what he got. Fitzgerald turned in a heroic performance, dominating in the second half. But he did not dominate physically the way he did in years past when the Seahawks lacked size in their secondary. Brandon Browner, Richard Sherman and the team's safeties roughed up Fitzgerald, leaving him with a bruised lung.
• Sherman picked off a pass deep in Cardinals territory, his fourth pick in the team's final 10 games.
• Leon Washington's 48-yard touchdown run tied the game after Seattle fell behind early. Washington also had a 47-yard kickoff return and a 17-yard punt return.
• Marshawn Lynch rushed for 86 yards, moving past 1,200 for the season despite missing one game. Seattle finished with 178 yards on 34 carries. The Seahawks averaged 134 yards rushing per game over their final nine games, up from 77.7 over the first seven and 89.0 last season.
• Receiver Golden Tate caught five passes without a drop. He had zero drops all season.
• Linebacker David Hawthorne had 13 tackles and one sack. One big hit on Andre Roberts sent the receiver's helmet flying off.
• Defensive tackle Alan Branch had a sack against his former team.
• Earl Thomas forced a fumble that K.J. Wright recovered.

Looking ahead: The Seahawks head toward the draft with the 11th or 12th overall choice.

The Arizona Cardinals matched an NFL record with four overtime victories this season.

Their latest overtime success story, a 23-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, featured more of the game-changing plays that typified Arizona's up-and-down season.

The 61-yard touchdown reception Arizona allowed to Seattle's Ricardo Lockette narrowly beat out Larry Fitzgerald's 26-yard grab in overtime for the top spot on our weekly list of most pivotal plays from NFC West games.

The chart breaks them out, ranked by how much each play influenced win probability, according to Alok Pattani of ESPN's analytics team. All five plays came from the Seattle-Arizona game even though the St. Louis Rams rallied to make the San Francisco 49ers work for a 34-27 victory at the Edward Jones Dome.

Win probability reflects how similar plays in similar situations have affected a team's chances. Some of the nine catches Fitzgerald made seemed to swing momentum beyond what a mathematical model can quantify. The way Fitzgerald kept coming back from big hits, including one that left him with a bruised lung, had to provide inspiration.

Lockette, signed before the season as an undrafted rookie free agent, has one catch in each of his first two games. Those receptions covered 44 and 61 yards. Fitzgerald's 26-yard grab was his 25th of the season covering at least 20 yards, his highest total since he had 27 in 2005. He averaged 17.6 yards per attempt, a career high by 2.7 yards.

The Seattle Seahawks signed rookie receiver Ricardo Lockette off their practice squad and promptly completed a 44-yard pass to him against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16.

Lockette, an undrafted free agent from Fort Valley State, shined light on a path the 49ers themselves might follow after releasing veteran wideout Braylon Edwards.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com points to practice-squad wideout Joe Hastings, undrafted rookie free agent from Washburn, as the player most likely to fill the roster spot created with Edwards' departure. Maiocco: "Hastings has been studying the 49ers playbook and practicing with the squad for 22 weeks. He's healthy. And he can contribute on special teams, if needed. Those factors, along with good hands and a 4.42 time in the 40-yard dash, are apparently the reasons the 49ers believe his addition and Braylon Edwards' subtraction strengthens the team's 53-man roster." Noted: Hastings, like Lockette, would be replacing an injured, struggling reclamation project from the 2005 draft. Edwards was the third player chosen that year. The receiver Lockette replaced, Mike Williams, was chosen seven spots later. He was also struggling to produce this season.

Also from Maiocco: Patrick Willis should be available Sunday, should the 49ers choose to play him.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa-Press Democrat checks in with 49ers special-teams ace Blake Costanzo, who took out loans to pay his way through college at Lafayette. Landing a job in the NFL has helped Costanzo pay off those loans quickly, though there were no guarantees. Costanzo has been cut four times. Costanzo on what it's like: "It's at the end of camp and you've given your all -- your heart, your mind, your body, your soul. And you get a call, 'So-and-so wants to see you. Can you bring your playbook?' Pretty much, you know you're dead. I remember a lot of us were just waiting in line, waiting until our turn. When you get in there, they give you a little spiel about they appreciate the way you worked blah blah blah but they're going to have to let you go. You get in your car and you go home or wherever you want to go. I drove back to New Jersey. The first time I was so upset I didn't want to tell my parents. And that's it. You go from being an NFL football player for all those weeks to just nothing. It's a tough thing to deal with, especially when I was younger. I always had the feeling I could play in this league. After that, I made it my goal, 'You want to waive me, then go ahead. I'm just going to try the next team.' "

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams quarterback Sam Bradford hasn't been able to fight back from the high-ankle sprain he aggravated. Bradford: "It's been very frustrating. Especially the fact that I was able to come back and play three or four games and it was getting better. It was starting to feel better, it was starting to feel like it getting closer to normal. And then after the second time I re-injured it, I never overcame that. ... It's important for me to play in every game. This is my last opportunity to play with this team this year, so it's very important for me to get out there this Sunday and just finish the season strong with my guys."

Also from Thomas: Al Harris is retiring from the NFL as a player, but not from the league overall. He wants to coach.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com expects to see Kevin Kolb back as the team's starting quarterback next season. Urban: "The Cardinals still believe in the idea of Kolb. They don’t believe Kolb’s concussion means such an injury will be a greater concern going forward, Ken Whisenhunt said, and the chance to have him in an offseason will be cherished after the ups-and-downs of this season. That goes for the coaches and players like wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who noted that Kolb and the offense were hurt when Kolb couldn’t be a part of training camp the first week because of lockout rules and his signing of a new contract. Add in the reality that Kolb couldn’t even get a playbook until his trade July 28 -- rookies like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton got their playbooks after the April draft and were able to start studying -- and Fitzgerald said the chemistry was undercut from the beginning."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals rookie Patrick Peterson has impressed veterans with his maturity and professionalism. Adrian Wilson: "He's a professional at a very young age. He's eager to listen and he's eager to learn. For me, for a veteran, to have a young guy like that, I think that's just a testament to not only what the organization saw in him, drafting him that high, but just how he wants to get better every day and doesn't accept anything other than that."

Also from Somers: Kolb is likely out this week, again.

Joshua Myers of the Seattle Times checks in with Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, who says he feels as though he became a professional this season. Myers: "The California product credits his backfield mates, fullback Michael Robinson and running backs Leon Washington and Justin Forsett, for helping in that development."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks have the makings of a top secondary with one Pro Bowl starter (free safety Earl Thomas) and two first-alternates (strong safety Kam Chancellor and cornerback Brandon Browner). The other starter, Richard Sherman, hasn't been in the lineup as long, but he has arguably been better than Browner. Williams: "Seattle’s statistical turnaround on pass defense in one season was impressive. With one game remaining, Seattle has 21 interceptions. The Seahawks had 12 interceptions last season.Seattle gave up 31 passing touchdowns in 2010, tied for third-worst in the league. The Seahawks have given up 17 passing touchdowns this season, seventh in the NFL.And through 15 games, Seattle has allowed only 45 plays of 20 yards or more, tied with Baltimore for second in the league. Last year, the Seahawks gave up 76 plays of 20 yards or more, second-to-last in the league." Noted: The transformation in the secondary has been striking. None of the four current starters was on the roster before Pete Carroll and John Schneider arrived in 2010. Sherman wasn't even a projected starter this season. Browner arrived from the CFL.

Thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks during their 38-14 victory over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Week 15:

What it means: The Seahawks (7-7) kept themselves alive in the NFC playoff picture through a mix of big-play defense and special teams, backed by continued efficient play from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. The team has matched its victory total from last season and can finish with a winning record by beating San Francisco (home) and Arizona (road) in the final two weeks.

What I liked: Strong safety Kam Chancellor forced an early turnover. Also in the first half, free safety Earl Thomas picked off a pass deep in Seahawks territory. Defensive tackle Red Bryant scored on an interception return set up by K.J. Wright's quarterback pressure. Cornerback Brandon Browner scored on an interception return. Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown for the 10th consecutive game in which he has played. Lynch ran more effectively than the raw stats indicated. His average suffered from a 2-yard scoring run and some unfortunate early play calling in the red zone. Jon Ryan and the punt coverage team pinned the Bears deep in their own territory to give Seattle an early edge in field position. Jackson got hot early in the second half, finding Golden Tate and Ben Obomanu for long gains, setting up another Lynch TD, this one to tie the game. Jackson completed 19 of 31 passes for 227 yards, one touchdown and a 94.4 NFL passer rating.

What I didn't like: The Seahawks, by pitching the ball outside to Leon Washington instead of hammering straight ahead with Lynch, conceded the conventional running game on their first possession in the red zone. Seattle also left its backup left tackle, Paul McQuistan, alone against Bears defensive end Julius Peppers on a third-and-13 play from deep in Seattle territory. That unsurprisingly led to a sack, forced fumble and Bears touchdown to erase a 7-0 Seahawks lead. Center Max Unger, though enjoying a strong season overall, remained inconsistent with his shotgun snap placement. He was too high against St. Louis last week and too low this week, resulting in fumbled snaps both times.

What's next: The Seahawks are home against the 49ers in Week 16.

Doug Baldwin has gone from undrafted free agent to the verge of making NFL history.

The NFL, in naming Baldwin its special-teams player of the week from the NFC, noted that the receiver can become the first undrafted NFL rookie since 1960 to lead a team in both receptions and receiving yardage.


Baldwin's 45 receptions and 718 yards lead the Seahawks through 13 games. He's on pace for 883 yards and would need to average 94 per game over the final three weeks to become the first Seattle player since Bobby Engram in 2007 to reach 1,000 yards.

Baldwin had 93 yards and a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams on Monday night, but his contributions on special teams stood out at least as much. He gained 37 yards on a kickoff return to open the game, taking a handoff from Leon Washington. He blocked a punt, leading to Michael Robinson's touchdown return. Baldwin also downed a Seahawks punt at the St. Louis 6-yard line.

NFC West players have now won five of the 14 weekly NFC honors for special-teams contributions. Arizona's Patrick Peterson won twice. The Rams' Robert Quinn and the San Francisco 49ers' Ted Ginn Jr. won once apiece. Peterson and Quinn are rookies.

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald (offense), San Francisco's Patrick Willis (defense) and Seattle's Chris Clemons and David Hawthorne (both defense) have also won weekly NFC honors this season. The chart breaks down winners by division and category.
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The facts: The Seattle Seahawks fell to 4-7 with a 23-17 home defeat to the Washington Redskins.

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

• Marshawn Lynch reached 100 yards rushing for the third time in his last four games.
• Starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner picked off passes.
• Strong safety Kam Chancellor delivered a big hit early in the game, an indication recent fines have not diminished his aggressiveness.
• Lynch and second-year receiver Golden Tate caught touchdown passes.
• Seattle's offensive line generally played well, helping to limit the Redskins' Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan to a half-sack between them.
• Leon Washington had 51- and 35-yard kickoff returns.
• Seattle held the Redskins to 30 percent conversions on third down and one touchdown in three red zone possessions.
• Red Bryant blocked a field goal attempt and an extra point attempt.
• Seattle did not fumble and won the turnover battle.
• The Seahawks, though held to one sack, finished the game with nine quarterback hits, two apiece from Brandon Mebane and Clinton McDonald.

Looking ahead: The Seahawks face the Philadelphia Eagles at home on Thursday night.

SEATTLE -- Long-term plans are a tough sell for sports fans shelling out thousands to buy tickets right now.

The Seattle Seahawks, owners of the NFL's third-youngest roster entering Week 12, have sought to tide over their faithful with a hard-hitting defense and physical running game. They were doing a decent job of it, too, until a fourth-quarter implosion Sunday reminded them how far away they remain in the process.

"The lessons are hard, really hard," coach Pete Carroll said.

Losing 23-17 at home to Rex Grossman, Roy Helu and a Washington Redskins team riding a six-game losing streak made this one of the least satisfying performances of the season for 4-7 Seattle. The defense gave up 400-plus yards for the fifth time in eight games outside the NFC West, and the overall play was sloppy.

A month ago, Carroll took the blame for going "hormonal" during a 34-12 home defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. The wild swings trickled down to Carroll's players this time. Let us count the ways:

• Pregame coin-toss tiff: Seattle seemed off its game right from the start. Smack talk during the coin toss led Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson to lose his cool. What should have been a mundane pregame ritual turned into a shouting match, for which Robinson later apologized.
• Inattentiveness: The Seahawks, locked in a 7-7 tie early in the third quarter, had to burn a timeout after only nine players ran onto the field for a field-goal try. Tight ends Anthony McCoy and Zach Miller mistakenly thought the Seahawks were punting, so they stayed on the sideline. Kicker Steven Hauschka, sufficiently iced, missed wide right from 51 yards.
• Excessive celebration: Golden Tate went to the ground while celebrating a 15-yard scoring reception, leading Carroll to say Tate, a disappointment to this point in his career, hadn't found the end zone often enough to know how to act. A youthful indiscretion? Sure. But also an undisciplined one. Carroll might call it hormonal.
• Thirteen accepted and declined penalties: That would be three for cornerback Brandon Browner, the league leader in penalties this season. There were three more against right tackle Breno Giacomini, including one for a chop block that also cut down teammate Russell Okung and left Okung limping around the field. Tate and K.J. Wright had two apiece. Ten of the penalties were pinned on players with limited NFL experience.
• Biting on play-action fakes: Grossman entered the game ranked eighth in total QB rating for play-action passing. He had averaged 9.9 yards per attempt on these throws, taking only two sacks in 60 dropbacks. The Seahawks fell victim to his play fakes early, one reason they allowed 172 yards in the first quarter alone.

The final five games of the season should help us figure out to what degree such issues reflect youthful aggression. Carroll's occasional lapses in game management -- lapses even Carroll anticipated -- suggest coaching is also playing a role. There is room for improvement all the way around.

Watching Grossman ultimately outplay Seattle's Tarvaris Jackson brought to mind strong comparisons between the Seahawks and Redskins, teams with older coaches, journeyman quarterbacks and, in some ways, similar approaches.

Carroll, like Washington's Mike Shanahan, took his current job in 2010. Neither man has drafted a quarterback. Both have used top-six draft choices for left tackles. Both have used top-15 choices to bolster their defenses. Both have sought to build their offenses around zone running schemes. And both will presumably be looking for QBs in the 2012 draft.

Which brings us to draft order, a primary concern for those Seattle fans fearful the team might finish just strong enough to miss selecting one of the top college prospects.

The Redskins would pick seventh and the Seahawks would pick 11th or 12th if the current draft order held.

Jeremy Mills of ESPN Stats & Information passed along the order through the top 11, noting that a Pittsburgh victory over Kansas City in the late game Sunday would drop the Rams to third and the Seahawks to 12th. The order for NFC West teams would remain unchanged if the Chiefs won. Pending the Chiefs-Steelers outcome, the order reads this way:

• 1. Indianapolis: Peyton Manning's age and injury situation would compel the Colts to strongly consider drafting a QB.
• 2. St. Louis: The Rams' current leadership loves Sam Bradford. Question is, will the Rams' current leadership survive the season?
• 3. Minnesota: The Vikings selected Christian Ponder with the 12th overall choice in 2011.
• 4. Jacksonville: Blaine Gabbert is just getting started.
• 5. Carolina: Suffice to say, the Panthers are pleased with Cam Newton.
• 6. Miami: The Dolphins have needed a franchise quarterback for years.
• 7. Washington: Shanahan has young pass rushers and a young left tackle. He needs a quarterback.
• 8. Arizona: The Cardinals made a huge financial commitment to Kevin Kolb.
• 9. Philadelphia: Michael Vick's contract and presence would steer the Eagles toward other positions.
• 10. Cleveland: Colt McCoy hasn't done enough to deter the Browns from considering a QB early.
• 11. Seattle: The Seahawks haven't drafted a QB since using a 2009 sixth-rounder for Mike Teel.

There was some thought entering Sunday that Seattle, having won two in a row, could extend that streak to five by winning three consecutive home games against teams with losing records.

Watching Grossman complete 16 of his first 19 passes on his way to a 314-yard passing performance -- the fourth-highest total for his career-- changed perceptions. So did watching Helu rush for a career-high 108 yards and the first rushing touchdown against Seattle since Week 4. Seattle, after building a 17-7 lead with 10 minutes remaining, surrendered Helu's 28-yard touchdown run on third-and-3 and Grossman's 50-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Armstrong on third-and-19. Elapsed time: less than four minutes.

It's now easier to envision this team suffering through more of the hard lessons Carroll lamented Sunday night.

There were also positive signs for the Seahawks. They got another 100-yard game from Marshawn Lynch. Both starting corners, Browner and Richard Sherman, picked off passes. Leon Washington changed field position with 51- and 35-yard kickoff returns.

But the Seahawks still lost at home to Rex Grossman. That's harsh on the eyes, even when one of them remains focused on the horizon.

SAN FRANCISCO -- The frustration Alex Smith expressed for the San Francisco 49ers' offensive skill players was genuine and appropriate Sunday.

Most of them were just OK. Some, including Smith, struggled through one of their least satisfying performances of the season.

They will have to settle for a 9-1 record and the organization's first winning season since the 2002 team went 10-6 with Jeff Garcia, Garrison Hearst and Terrell Owens. Their 23-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park felt as inevitable as any since ... when? This was certainly the least satisfying 49ers victory in a while.

Smith summed up the mindset thusly: "Yeah, we got the win, but definitely frustrated. You don't expect to hit everything [on offense], but we missed too many today."

This game was high in fat, low in fiber, overly spiced (thanks to Dashon Goldson's ejection after one of several skirmishes) and lacking in nutritional value. It will have to tide over the 49ers until their Thursday night game at Baltimore, but they already were getting hungry Sunday night. They acknowledged the significance of 9-1 without reveling in it.

"We don't talk about the simple fact that we're a winning team now," tight end Vernon Davis said. "We kind of just go with the flow now. We expect to win now. It's a blessing. It feels great to be in this situation."

A look at what else we learned and confirmed around the division after the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks coasted to victories over NFC West rivals:

1. The NFC West carrot could dangle a little longer.

San Francisco must step outside the division to measure itself. The 49ers lead second-place Seattle (4-6) by five games with six to play. But with the Seahawks playing their next three games at home against losing teams, the 49ers might have to wait a couple weeks before clinching. Their magic number is down to two.

A San Francisco loss at Baltimore, coupled with a Seattle victory over Washington, would further prolong the inevitable. But a reverse of those results would make the 49ers division champs in Week 12.

2. No quarterback controversy in Arizona

John Skelton or Kevin Kolb? There's no question after Skelton completed 31.6 percent of his passes with three picks before coach Ken Whisenhunt replaced him with Rich Bartel to start the fourth quarter.

Kolb will start against St. Louis in Week 12 if he's healthy enough to do so. The Cardinals can say that was going to be the case anyway, but the game Sunday provided Skelton an opportunity to stay in the lineup a little longer. But the second-year pro failed so miserably that Whisenhunt finished his postgame news conference with a career high for quarterback hits.

"They played well," Whisenhunt said of the 49ers, "but we had wrong reads, bad throws, bad decisions. John played like a rookie today and that was tough."

Whisenhunt said the offense played too poorly "especially at the quarterback position to give us a chance against a good football team." He noted that Skelton "hasn't been the fastest starter" and that the defeat felt worse than the final score suggested.

"The very first pass of the game, he takes an incorrect drop and that throws the timing off and it sails it over the receiver's head," Whisenhunt said. "Those are things you can't do. ... Listen, I'm not trying to blame John, I'm not trying to put it all on John. It was a tough day for a lot of us out there."

The only positive for Skelton: His fourth-quarter passer rating for the season remained unchanged at 101.8.

3. Seahawks showing Rams how to rebuild.

The Rams hired Steve Spagnuolo as coach and promoted Billy Devaney to general manager for the 2009 season. No team in the league has used more top-five draft choices than the Rams since then. The Rams landed their franchise quarterback, invested heavily in their offensive line and should be a least a year ahead of Seattle in the rebuilding process.

That they lost at home to Seattle by a 24-7 score confirmed that the opposite is true.

The Seahawks, now in their second season with coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider, have done a better job building up their roster. They've gotten better at every position but quarterback. They've been better prepared than the Rams for injuries.

In some cases, injuries to established players (think Marcus Trufant) have allowed young talent (think rookie Richard Sherman) to shine, brightening the long-term outlook. Even when Seattle missed on players in the draft (think Golden Tate), others have picked up the slack, and then some (think Doug Baldwin). Two players the team acquired by trade, Leon Washington and Chris Clemons, were impact players Sunday and have been since their arrival. Free-agent addition Sidney Rice completed a pass for 55 yards.

Much work still lies ahead for Seattle, but the Seahawks appear further along than the Rams, who have yet to exceed 16 points in a game this season with Sam Bradford behind center.

4. The Cardinals' defense keeps making strides.

Arizona appeared lost on defense early in the season, allowing 932 yards over the first two games. Execution is improving. Effort remains strong.

The Cardinals should expect a multi-sack game from defensive end Calais Campbell at St. Louis after the Rams lost another tackle to injury. But with nose tackle Dan Williams suffering a season-ending broken arm, coordinator Ray Horton might need to adjust. It's tough running a Pittsburgh-style 3-4 defense without top talent at nose tackle. Is David Carter ready for more snaps at the position?

Even before losing Williams, the Cardinals lacked ideal personnel to run Horton's scheme.

Of course, scheme won't matter much for Arizona on defense without better play from Skelton or Kolb. The Cardinals controlled the ball for only 15:44 against the 49ers, their lowest possession total in a game since at least 1981.

No wonder Whisenhunt seemed so ticked off after the game.

5. The 49ers earned the Cardinals' respect.

The 49ers-Cardinals rivalry has produced harsh words and hurt feelings in recent seasons. There's also healthy respect between the best players on each team. Arizona, having already faced Pittsburgh and Baltimore this season, gave San Francisco its due.

"They up there, they can play, they play smart," Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett said.

Guard Daryn Colledge, who won a championship with Green Bay last season, joined Trent Dilfer and Brian Billick in comparing the 49ers to the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

"They play great team defense, they run the ball well, they control the clock," Colledge said. "That gives you a chance to win."

6. The 49ers need better quarterback play.

Skelton's performance gave the 49ers a low bar to clear Sunday, but for continued success against playoff-caliber teams, the 49ers will need better play from their quarterback.

Smith has defined "elite" quarterback play as consistent performance at a high level. He missed open receivers for touchdown passes that could have blown open this game against Arizona. He also threw a pick in the end zone after scrambling away from a near sack.

"We all understand what we can be when we're rolling and hitting on all cylinders," Smith said. "Definitely frustrating [today]."

Thoughts on Seattle and St. Louis following the Seahawks' victory at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 11:

What it means: The Seahawks improved to 4-6 heading into a three-game homestand against losing teams. Seattle is now in position to approach its 7-9 record from last season. That would be admirable, but also costly for those hoping the team will draft high enough to select the college quarterback it prefers. For the Rams, this defeat drops their record to 2-8 while again revealing their limitations on offense, with or without Sam Bradford at quarterback. Defeats such as this one -- at home, against a losing team, without being competitive -- raise questions about Steve Spagnuolo's job security beyond this season.

What I liked: The Seahawks won the field-position battle and continued grinding out yards on the ground despite losing right guard John Moffitt and right tackle James Carpenter to season-ending injuries before this game. They exploited matchup advantages against the Rams' injury-depleted secondary, including with receiver pass for a 55-yard gain. They also took advantage of their pass-rush matchups after the Rams, already playing without starting left tackle Rodger Saffold, lost backup Mark LeVoir as well. Chris Clemons dominated and finished with three sacks. Leon Washington enjoyed a strong day on punt returns for Seattle. For the Rams, linebackers Chris Chamberlain and James Laurinaitis were everywhere at times. Chamberlain picked off a pass. Rookie defensive end Robert Quinn got a piece of another punt. He also collected a sack.

What I didn't like: Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, fined $20,000 for an illegal hit last week, drew a personal-foul penalty with a helmet-to-helmet hit on Rams tight end Lance Kendricks. Chancellor could be subject to bigger fine and/or suspension. Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson tossed two early touchdown passes. He also took four sacks and eight quarterback hits, raising questions about his ability to last through the season as he plays with an injured pectoral. The Rams' Mark Clayton dropped a pass. Steven Jackson had his three-game streak of 100-yard rushing games end. He has now played 15 career games against Seattle without reaching 100 yards.

What's next: The Seahawks are home against the Washington Redskins in Week 12. The Rams are home against the Arizona Cardinals.

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FALLING

1. Rams/Seahawks special teams. St. Louis had its game-winning attempt at a field goal blocked as regulation expired against Arizona. The Rams then allowed the second-longest punt return in NFL history. Seattle did a better job on its coverage teams, but Leon Washington muffed a kickoff return, forcing the Seahawks to begin a drive at their own 5-yard line. The Seahawks also had a field goal try blocked. Another attempt barely sailed through after the Cowboys tipped the ball. These teams aren't good enough in other areas to tolerate basic breakdowns on special teams.

2. Tarvaris Jackson, Seahawks quarterback. This was Jackson's most erratic performance of the season and one that validated the criticisms accompanying him from Minnesota to Seattle during the offseason. The Seahawks did not feel comfortable from a protection standpoint using their no-huddle offense extensively against Dallas. That seemed to hurt Jackson, who had been effective using those tactics. Life doesn't appear to get much easier for Jackson in the short term. He's got a game against Baltimore next.

3. Seahawks linebackers. Seattle's run defense entered Week 9 leading the NFL in yards per carry allowed. That ranking fell to third after the team had no answer for Cowboys rookie DeMarco Murray. Linebackers missed tackles and appeared out of position at times. The Cowboys won quite a few blocking battles. They had success running behind fullback Tony Fiammetta. Linebacker K.J. Wright seemed to learn some rookie lessons in this game.

RISING

1. Arizona Cardinals special teams. Patrick Peterson's winning 99-yard punt return followed Calais Campbell's game-saving blocked field goal during a 19-13 victory over the Rams. Cornerback Richard Marshall made a key block during Peterson's return. Peterson gets most of the credit, though. The Cardinals could very well be 0-8 instead of 2-6 without his touchdown returns against Carolina and St. Louis. Meanwhile, Campbell credited teammates Darnell Dockett, Clark Haggans and David Carter for helping him break through to block the field goal try. The Cardinals had to have those plays to break their six-game losing streak.

2. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks running back. Lynch rushed for 135 yards, his highest total since coming to Seattle, during an otherwise forgettable 23-13 defeat at Dallas. Establishing the ground game in the second half of the season probably stands as the Seahawks' top priority. This was a good first step. Lynch ran hard and found wider running lanes. He has now scored a rushing touchdown in each of his past four games, a first for a Seahawks runner since Shaun Alexander in 2005.

3. Bruce Miller, 49ers fullback. The 49ers converted Miller from defense to offense upon drafting him in the seventh round from Central Florida this year. Miller has gotten extensive playing time with an injury sidelining veteran starter Moran Norris. He has improved significantly and broke through as a skill player Sunday with a 30-yard touchdown reception during a 19-11 victory over the Washington Redskins. Most fullbacks go their entire NFL careers without making a play such as that one. Miller needed only eight games.

The facts: The Seattle Seahawks fell to 2-5 with a 34-12 home defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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

• The team gained short-term clarity at quarterback when Tarvaris Jackson came off the bench to throw for 323 yards. He's the starter.
• Seattle finished with two 100-yard receivers even though starter Mike Williams did not play. Sidney Rice caught seven passes for 102 yards. Ben Obomanu caught four passes for 107 yards. Rookie Doug Baldwin came relatively close to joining them, catching five passes for 73 yards. The team has upgraded dramatically at wide receiver.
• The Seahawks held an opponent below 4.0 yards per rushing attempt for a 10th consecutive game. That includes all seven games this season, both playoff games last season and the Week 17 game against St. Louis.
• Rookie cornerback Richard Sherman picked off a deep pass. He tipped another pass, leading to an interception for safety Kam Chancellor. Sherman was making his first start. He played well.
• Punter Jon Ryan caught Bengals return specialist Pacman Jones, preventing a touchdown.
• Leon Washington gained 14, 12 and 12 yards on his punt returns. He had kickoff returns of 34 and 43 yards. He gained 28 yards and six yards on his two rushes.
• The Seahawks had five offensive plays gain at least 28 yards. They allowed one such play.
• Heath Farwell made three tackles on kickoff returns. Those returns averaged 22.7 yards.

Looking ahead: The Seahawks visit the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.

Arizona: Beanie Wells missed practice Wednesday and will have to fight through a knee injury if he does play against Baltimore in Week 8. The fact that the Cardinals initially thought Wells suffered a season-ending injury makes returning only one week later seem like a long shot. The Cardinals have not set a timetable for Wells' return. Whether Wells practices Thursday and Friday should tell us plenty about whether the third-year running back plays Sunday. The Cardinals are a much more physical team in the running game when Wells is available. The Ravens rank among the NFL's top three in rushing yards allowed overall and per carry. Tight end Todd Heap's availability is also in question. A hamstring injury continues to slow him. The Cardinals have better depth at the position this season, though. Wells is the key variable.

St. Louis: Sam Bradford continues to miss practice with a high-ankle sprain, preventing the Rams from making fuller use of new receiver Brandon Lloyd, in my view. I see no reason for the Rams to rush Bradford back onto the field against a New Orleans team known for taking shots at opposing quarterbacks, including their ankles. The assumption here is that Bradford must practice by week's end to have a shot at playing. The Rams have yet to activate receiver Mark Clayton and cornerback Marquis Johnson from the physically unable to perform list. The need is greater at corner than receiver. The Rams, already without their top three corners for the remainder of the season, lost corner Justin King to a groin injury last week. His status remains unclear. Right tackle Jason Smith could be out indefinitely after suffering neck and head injuries at Dallas. Left tackle Rodger Saffold missed practice with an illness Wednesday.

San Francisco: The 49ers are expected to welcome back receiver Braylon Edwards from knee surgery. The timing is perfect for Edwards because the 49ers are facing the Cleveland Browns, who drafted him third overall. Coach Jim Harbaugh suggested his injury-related optimism earlier in the week might have been premature. You can bet Edwards has been pointing toward this game for his return, however. Fullback Moran Norris isn't expected to return. His replacement, Bruce Miller, has shown improvement. The 49ers have used only one back half the time on first and second down to this point in the season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They're obviously comfortable using two tight ends with two wide receivers, diminishing the need for a fullback. They're fine without Norris, in other words. Parys Haralson's expected return from a hamstring injury comes as rookie Aldon Smith is stepping up his game, anyway. How many snaps those players get will be a storyline for the remainder of the season. Smith, it seems, needs to play. Right guard Adam Snyder is expected back from a stinger. The 49ers' ground game has been better since Snyder took over as the starter.

Seattle: The Seahawks should get center Max Unger, running back Marshawn Lynch and/or tight end Zach Miller back from injuries this week. All were limited Wednesday, and coach Pete Carroll said decisions would not be made until later in the week. Seattle needs Lynch because the team doesn't have another big back for its offense. Backups Leon Washington and Justin Forsett are too similar to provide the differentiation Carroll values. Miller's absence played a leading role in the team's defeat at Cleveland, I thought. Backup Anthony McCoy suffered through a rough game. The Seahawks need him back. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is the other big question mark for Seattle this week. His pectoral injury hasn't prevented him from throwing, but he remains limited. It's too early to say whether he's likely to play this week. I would expect a better effort from backup Charlie Whitehurst this week, should he play.

A disputed penalty prevented the Seattle Seahawks' Leon Washington from topping our Week 7 chart for most pivotal play in the NFC West.

Washington's 81-yard punt return would have given the Seahawks a 7-3 lead in a game they lost, 6-3. A penalty against Kennard Cox for an illegal block in the back wiped out the touchdown, creating a huge momentum swing and inviting ridicule.

This was a bad call, replays showed, but Mike Pereira, the NFL's former officiating czar, makes a good point in his column for Fox. What looked like a bad call on replay looked very much like an illegal block in the back when watched at live speed.

Had the return stood, the Seahawks' win probability for the game would have jumped from 37.7 percent to 63.1 percent, according to Alok Pattani of ESPN's analytics team. That 25.4-point difference would have topped our win probability chart. It does not because the official play-by-play sheet counts the penalty as part of the play. There are not separate calculations for penalties. It's assumed the rules violation enabled the play.

That left LaRod Stephens-Howling's 73-yard touchdown reception from Kevin Kolb atop the list this week. The play improved the Arizona Cardinals' win probability from 15.4 percent to 37.6 percent, based on how similar plays have affected outcomes in similar situations previously.

The most pivotal play for any NFL team: D.J. Williams' strip-sack of Miami's Matt Moore for Denver in overtime, which changed the Dolphins' win probability from 75.8 to 23.8.

I asked about the penalty against Seattle's Red Bryant for head-butting the Cleveland Browns' Alex Smith. That one affected win probability less than I would have anticipated. The Browns were already at 98.3 percent before that play.

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