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Durable veterans have helped the San Francisco 49ers field one of the NFL's toughest defenses.

Losing outside lienbacker Darius Fleming, a fifth-round choice in 2012, to a potentially season-ending injury will not affect their plans for the coming season. The injury stunts efforts to develop young depth for the future. One of the team's long-time starters at the position, Parys Haralson, was a fifth-round choice in 2006.

Fleming suffered a torn ACL during the 49ers' recent rookie minicamp, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who cited Fleming's agent as a source. Fleming had signed his contract and would have been assured compensation even if he had been practicing while unsigned. He would receive his salary and rehabilitate the injury at the 49ers' facility if the team placed him on injured reserve, standard practice for players suffering similar injuries. Update: Some players do sign what are called "split" contracts, and in those cases, they earn less when injured.

Teams running 3-4 defenses drafted 12 outside linebackers this year, selecting four from the 18th and 35th overall choices. The 49ers made Fleming the 10th one selected (165th overall). They made seventh-rounder Cam Johnson the last one picked (237th).

Tigre from "South of the Border" asks about new provisions allowing NFL teams to carry over unused salary-cap space to future years. He wonders why a team would ever decide against carrying over some of the unused allotment.

Mike Sando: NFL teams have, for years, tried to push unused cap space into future seasons. They previously did this by writing into players' contracts "likely to be earned" incentives that were, despite the label, very unlikely to be achieved. John Clayton explained the practice in detail back in 2004.

The new labor agreement legitimizes how teams carry over unused cap space. Teams simply tell the league how much unused cap space they would like to carry over.

Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt recently explained some of the particulars. Clayton provided numbers as they pertain to the 2012 season in this update.

Any team failing to carry over unused space might appear cheap, but carrying over the maximum would not necessarily make a team less cheap. It would not affect spending, only the amount a team could spend.

Salary-cap machinations are not always straightforward. A team could conceivably decide against carrying over unused room to accommodate late-hitting incentives, a contract option or the acceleration of guaranteed money.

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Charlie from St. Louis asks whether the Rams might be wise to "secretly" make Sam Bradford available to teams intending to draft Griffin. "Don't get me wrong," Charlie writes, "I think Bradford will be a good player. But given how expensive he is, the new regime in St. Louis could make a shrewd move by starting over with Robert Griffin III."

Mike Sando: The Rams are on the record saying they will not trade Bradford. The rest of us are free to debate the merits of that stance, so here goes.

First, would such a move even be doable? I think it would be.

The Browns might logically prefer Bradford to RG3. Browns coach Pat Shurmur already has a strong background with Bradford from Shurmur's time as the Rams' offensive coordinator. As impressive as RG3 has been to this point in the process, the Browns would know with greater confidence what they were getting with Bradford, a player they know well. Bradford also has a verifiable track record in the West Coast offense Cleveland is running, a selling point for Shurmur and also for Browns president Mike Holmgren.

There would be risks. The Rams have already said Bradford is off-limits. Dangling him as trade bait would damage the new regime's relationship with Bradford if such a trade fell through. Also, Bradford's traded contract would count nearly as much against the Rams' salary cap as it counts right now.

What could the Rams get for Bradford? Could they get the fourth overall pick from Cleveland, or would they have to settle for a package worth less? That is tough to know, and pivotal to any imaginary deal.

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Craig from Knoxville has a theory as to why the Cardinals did not offer more power to Todd Haley, letting Haley go to Pittsburgh. He thinks adding Haley would have made it tougher for the team to bring on another strong personality in Peyton Manning. "I know Haley and Kurt Warner were a good mix," Craig writes, "but that was because they grew together. If we signed Haley, I think that would have been negative toward Manning."

Mike Sando: Interesting point. Ultimately, I think coach Ken Whisenhunt wasn't comfortable rearranging his offensive staff and essentially demoting the current coordinator, Mike Miller. It would have been a bit awkward. The team did make a Manning-friendly move by adding Manning's former position coach, Frank Reich, as receivers coach.

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Ryan from Atlanta wants to know what Ahmad Brooks' new contract with the San Francisco 49ers means for teammate and fellow outside linebacker Parys Haralson.

Mike Sando: Haralson and Brooks played on opposite sides. The plan was for Aldon Smith to take Haralson's starting job no matter what happened with Brooks. Haralson is scheduled to earn $2.45 million in base salary and $300,000 in offseason bonuses. The combined number is not prohibitive for a part-time player or backup. We can safely say Haralson's playing time will decline and his future with the team is in some question.

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Fox from San Jose says New Orleans' Marques Colston and Carl Nicks could hit the market if the Saints use their franchise tag for quarterback Drew Brees. Under that scenario, he wonders whether Nicks could fit for the 49ers in free agency.

Mike Sando: Doubtful, in my view. Nicks would cost a lot of money. The 49ers drafted Daniel Kilgore with the thought Kilgore could grow into the starting role at right guard if needed. San Francisco has not been a team that overspends in free agency, at least of late. Signing Nicks would go against their recent approach.

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Joey from Hawaii asks whether Brock Osweiler would be a good second-round choice for the Seahawks. Would he be better than current third-stringer Josh Portis? Or should the Seahawks keep building their roster, then do what it takes to land Matt Barkley in 2013?

Mike Sando: The Seahawks have been 7-9 twice while rebuilding. They probably aren't going to finish with a poor enough record in 2012 to position themselves for Barkley or another top quarterback. They cannot put off the decision simply because Barkley could be an option next year. Osweiler does have the mobility Seattle's Pete Carroll values in quarterbacks. Todd McShay says Osweiler is highly competitive, another must for Carroll. Based on those things, then, Osweiler might be an intriguing prospect.

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Jason from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho thinks Seattle should try to acquire the second overall pick from the Rams, then shop it around. They could always take RG3 in that spot. Jason thinks Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning will go to Miami, leaving Washington and Cleveland desperate. He does not think the Seahawks can "out-Alex Smith" the 49ers with Tarvaris Jackson behind center.

Mike Sando: The Rams most likely will not trade the second overall pick to a division rival. The Seahawks most likely will not give up what it would take to get into that No. 2 spot. Those are my opinions. Why would the Rams arm a division rival with a potential franchise quarterback?

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Nick from Salt Lake City asks whether teams with interest in Robert Griffin III might "call the Rams' bluff" in the 2012 draft. Instead of acquiring the No. 2 overall choice from St. Louis, these teams might trade into the third spot, figuring the Rams weren't going to take a quarterback, anyway. Nick asks whether the Rams might get more value by drafting Robert Griffin III, then trading his rights.

Mike Sando: The question shows why the Rams will want to trade the pick before the draft and possibly before free agency. There's no use taking undue chances when getting value for the choice is the most important thing. The Rams do not need to get a huge bounty in return. They need a fair trade.

Any team trading into the third spot to select Griffin would have to worry about the Rams trading the second pick to another team with the same intentions. But if the Rams wait around, some teams will have addressed their quarterback situations, perhaps in ways that diminished their appetite for Griffin. That could lower the price for the second pick.

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Fabian from Germany asks whether the Rams should trade the second overall choice, plus the first pick of the second round.

Mike Sando: Depends what they could get in return. They would not want to give away too much quality just to acquire additional picks.

Five things I noticed while watching the San Francisco 49ers' final game of the 2011 regular season, a 34-27 victory over the St. Louis Rams in the Edward Jones Dome:

• Justin Smith's hidden impact: Parys Haralson stuffed Rams running back Steven Jackson for no gain on St. Louis' first play of the game. What did Smith have to do with the play? Well, the Rams assigned the left side of their offensive line to block Smith on the play. That left Haralson singled up against tight end Stephen Spach, who had lined up in the backfield. Haralson made a nice play. He gets credit for shedding Spach. Smith made Haralson's job a lot easier. Smith also applied the pressure that forced Jerious Norwood into an errant throw on a trick play. Cornerback Tarell Brown picked off the pass.
• Good trial run for Willis: The fact that Patrick Willis got through this game without aggravating his hamstring injury counts as a victory. Willis was rusty and sometimes not close to his usual self in this game. Better to shake off the rust in Week 17 than in a playoff game. At his sharpest, I suspect Willis would have chased down and punished Rams quarterback Kellen Clemens before Clemens could scramble for an 18-yard touchdown. Clemens was running across the yard-line numbers at the 17 when Willis, also positioned near the numbers, gave chase from the 9. Willis stumbled and fell in pursuit, giving Clemens a path to the end zone.
• Hat tip to Peelle, Gore: Alex Smith rolled right, cut back hard enough to slip, gathered himself and ran for a touchdown on third-and-goal from the 8. Good play by the quarterback? Yes, and also by his teammates. Tight end Justin Peelle and running back Frank Gore made the play possible. They alertly went into blocking mode and escorted Smith to the end zone. Peelle dove and chopped down James Laurinaitis at the 5. Gore took out linebacker Chris Chamberlain at the knees.
• Goldson dishing it out: Free safety Dashon Goldson has stood out all season for big hits. On third-and-18 in the third quarter, Goldson raced to the left flat and took out Jackson at the thighs, sending the 245-pound back airborne. This was a play made of mismatches. Willis ducked under fill-in offensive lineman Bryan Mattison at the line of scrimmage and was in Clemens' face too quickly, even for a screen play. The pass was a bit off-target. Goldson then outran Mattison to take out Jackson. Because Jackson was hunched over and reaching for the ball, his arm was vulnerable. Goldson smashed into the arm while making the tackle. Jackson suffered an injury to the arm and did not return.
• Third-down struggles. The 49ers converted 38 percent of their third-down chances, better than their season average of 29.4, which ranked 31st in the league. But the 49ers averaged only 2.5 yards gained on 15 plays of third-and-3 or longer. NFC playoff teams New Orleans (first), Green Bay (third) and Atlanta (sixth) ranked among the NFL's top six in third-down conversion rate this season. The New York Giants (14th) and Detroit Lions (20th) ranked lower.

All for now.

Two NFL fines against NFC West players from Week 13 raise questions in relation to previous ones.

@kylekinzie read my tweet about the $15,000 fine against the San Francisco 49ers' Ahmad Brooks' for roughing the passer and wondered why that fine doubled what the league assessed against Philadelphia's Trent Cole.

A couple reasons come to mind.

One, Brooks was previously fined $10,000 for a 2010 hit on Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton. That fine, like this one, was for hitting a quarterback in the head/neck area. Fines escalate with each new offense. That explains why this fine against Brooks was so substantial. Two, the $7,500 fine against Cole was for throwing Seattle's Russell Okung to the ground, not for the season-ending injury Okung suffered in the process.

Separately, the league fined St. Louis Rams running back Jerious Norwood $7,500 for a chop block against the 49ers' Parys Haralson. The NFL had not fined the 49ers' Frank Gore for the chop block committed against Baltimore earlier in the season. Norwood's actions were more consistent with those the league wants to eliminate. Gore committed a chop block only in the technical sense; at no point did his actions put an opposing player at heightened risk.

Five things I noticed while watching the San Francisco 49ers' most recent game, a 27-20 home victory over the New York Giants:

• Akers' impressive form. Kicker David Akers' onside kick fooled the Giants for a couple reasons. Situation played a role. Teams generally do not opt for onside kicks with five minutes remaining in the first half. Akers' execution was also flawless. His run-up to the ball sold a regular kickoff. Two of the Giants' five up men had their backs to the ball as Akers followed through with the kick. Akers also struck the ball perfectly, producing a high kick.
• A changeup on offense might help. The Giants stacked nine defenders near the line of scrimmage for one first-and-10 running play. It was hard to fault them. The 49ers had only one wide receiver on the field as part of their "22" personnel group with two backs and two tight ends. Frank Gore never had a chance. The Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul ran down the line unblocked and tackled Gore violently, injuring him. This play made me wonder whether the 49ers have become predictable from this run-oriented grouping. They have run the ball on 18 of their past 22 first-down plays using 22 personnel, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Previous 49ers coaches sometimes used 22 personnel to free Vernon Davis for long receptions in short-yardage situations. So far this season, the 49ers have run the ball on all six third-and-1 plays featuring 22 personnel.
• Bear Pascoe's over-the-top celebration. The Giants' tight end and one-time 49ers draft choice celebrated wildly after running over Carlos Rogers and through Patrick Willis during a reception up the right sideline. Microphones picked up his primal howls. He was far less demonstrative when the 49ers' Parys Haralson flat-backed him during a pass-rush matchup in the backfield a few minutes earlier. Pascoe lined up at fullback on the play. Haralson ran over him violently. Eli Manning tossed a near-interception on the play (free safety Dashon Goldson could not get a second foot down inbounds).
• Smith's mobility. Analysts sometimes praise a quarterback for his ability to "throw open" a covered receiver. The 49ers' Alex Smith doesn't seem to do this. His throws seem deliberate and reflective of the team's emphasis on avoiding turnovers. Smith does put his mobility to good use. This could have been a five-sack game for him. Instead, he took only two. Smith repeatedly bought time, sometimes changing direction abruptly within the pocket to avoid defenders. And his well-timed scrambles contributed to the 49ers' day-long advantage in field position.
• About those controversial shifts. The Giants became the latest team frustrated by the 49ers' presnap tactics. Tight end Delanie Walker drew them offside by rising from his stance at the end of the line and backing up after receiver Ted Ginn Jr. went in motion to his side of the field. Ginn slapped Walker on the butt as he ran past. It's pretty clear the 49ers are trying to draw opponents across the line even though coach Jim Harbaugh says they're merely shifting to affect the strength of the formation. Walker's movement away from the line timed up with a hard count from Smith. I doubt that was a coincidence. It'll be fun to watch how the Arizona Cardinals react Sunday. Their defensive coordinator, Ray Horton, used the word "cute" to describe the shifting.

All for now. I'll be heading over to Candlestick Park in the not-too-distant future.

The St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson ranks among the most powerful and inspiring team leaders in the NFL.

His leadership means a lot more when Jackson is healthy enough to back it up on the field. That has been the case recently.

Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch credits Jackson for the Rams' performance against New Orleans. Burwell: "What we witnessed on Sunday was a football team that was flat-out fed up with being an embarrassment. That was as fired up a Rams team as I have seen in a long time. And while the champion Cardinals' presence may have enhanced the mood in the stands, the mood of the players already was determined in the locker room by Jackson's impassioned pregame speech that many of his teammates said was as brilliant a motivation as they've ever heard."

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News says Vernon Davis wants the ball more than he is getting it, but realizes it doesn't matter so much if the team is winning. Davis: "I hate it. It sucks. It sucks because I definitely want to get my hands on the ball so I can help my team win games. But if I don't, and we're winning, I'll take that."

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says another longtime 49ers contributor, Parys Haralson, is adjusting to a diminished role. As defensive coordinator Vic Fangio put it, Haralson is basically the starter in the base defense, while rookie Aldon Smith is the starter in sub packages.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says yet another 49ers mainstay, Patrick Willis, is fine with collecting fewer tackles while the 49ers keep winning. Willis is spending more time covering tight ends. Willis: "At the end of the day, I've done all that, whether it's leading the league or it's leading the team in tackles. To me, the most important thing is winning, and that's something I haven't been able to do."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle says the 49ers' streak of scoring a rushing touchdown without allowing one is the NFL's longest in 18 years.

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle says the Seahawks need more from left guard Robert Gallery.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says no team in the NFL is starting more rookies than Seattle. Farnsworth: "The Seahawks are starting four rookies -- right tackle James Carpenter, right guard John Moffitt, strongside linebacker K.J. Wright and left cornerback Richard Sherman. That number climbs to five if you count slot receiver Doug Baldwin, which you should because he leads the team in receptions entering Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cleveland Browns, who beat the Seahawks two weeks ago, also start five rookies. But the only other teams starting more than two are the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles, with three each."

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times says Tarvaris Jackson gives himself an "F" grade so far, mainly because the Seahwaks have a 2-5 record.

Christian Caple of seattlepi.com says the Bengals' A.J. Green has responded to harsh criticisms from Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. Green: "I think I did some things that I don’t usually do; some slack route running. I feel coming off that bye week I didn’t have the proper release I needed to get off with their long corners. But they did a great job. I feel like they played their technique well. We didn’t adjust as well. I didn’t have the game that I wanted, but it will be like that. When you’re trying to make that step you’re going to go through bumps and being a rookie, I’m going to have to learn some more releases. I’ll just keep working at it."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune reads between the lines on Pete Carroll's supportive comments regarding Jackson. Williams: "Even with Jackson, Charlie Whitehurst and Josh Portis on the team, expect the Seahawks to take another quarterback early in next year’s draft. That’s how Seattle personnel guru, general manager John Schneider, was schooled during his time in Green Bay -- make the quarterback position as competitive as possible."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic looks at what makes Patrick Peterson such a threat on punt returns.

Also from Somers: Peterson had help during his 82-yard return against Baltimore. Noted: Blocking tends to improve when players know their teammate has a chance to break a long return every time. No one wants to be the guy whose slacking prevented a touchdown.

More from Somers: With Kevin Kolb missing practice again, it's looking like John Skelton will likely start at quarterback for Arizona against the Rams.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic looks at how the Cardinals have kept alive their streak without local television blackouts.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team upgraded Beanie Wells' status on the injury report, reflecting the gains Wells was expected to make as the week progressed.

Good question from Tre9er this week regarding the San Francisco 49ers' pass rush: "Is there info available breaking down how many sacks from Justin Smith and Ray McDonald have come from the base and nickel defenses?"

Yes, there is. Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus covered some of this ground Friday. I'll provide charts from ESPN Stats & Information showing the 49ers' sack numbers by defensive personnel and where they lined up on the field.

Justin Smith plays in all packages and produces from each as well. Rookie Aldon Smith, who has played mostly with the nickel defense, has collected all his sacks within sub packages (those featuring more than four defensive backs).

The 49ers have zero sacks from their defensive backs. That reflects the 49ers' ability to get sufficient pressure without blitzing. Opponents have attempted passes 19 times when San Francisco rushed a defensive back, the seventh-lowest figure in the NFL.

I'm most interested in seeing whether the Smiths, Justin and Aldon, can get pressure against the Cleveland Browns' Pro Bowl left tackle, Joe Thomas. The Browns will presumably try to run the ball, even if they do not gain many yards. That was their strategy against Seattle last week. But if the 49ers' offense scores enough points to force the Browns into more obvious passing situations, the Smiths could achieve more favorable matchups.

The first time the Baltimore Ravens lost to an AFC South team (Tennessee) this season, they defeated an NFC West team (St. Louis) by 30 points the following week.

They lost to another AFC South team (Jacksonville) Monday night. They'll be looking to get right against another NFC West team (Arizona).

This was going to be a tough enough matchup on the road for the Cardinals without giving the Ravens reason to redouble their efforts following a brutal defeat. Baltimore will be looking to avoid consecutive defeats against teams that had lost their last five games.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals will head to Baltimore amid questions over Beanie Wells' availability. Somers: "If Wells can't play on Sunday in Baltimore, Alfonso Smith is likely to start, but LaRod Stephens-Howling and Chester Taylor likely would play there, too."

Also from Somers: The Cardinals haven't been making opponents pay for their mistakes. Somers: "Of all the corrections that need to be made, the most important is fixing what's wrong with Kevin Kolb. His passing statistics Sunday weren't awful - 18 of 34 for 272 yards, a touchdown and an interception - but they don't tell the entire story. Kolb badly missed two open receivers, Housler and Larry Fitzgerald, and because of the protection scheme called, it was his job to realize pressure was coming on the play that resulted in a safety. He looks uncomfortable in the pocket and has been inaccurate when he's on the move. On Monday, Whisenhunt reiterated that personnel changes are being contemplated throughout the lineup, but the coach appears more focused on fixing Kolb than replacing him." Noted: The Cardinals cannot realistically bench a quarterback they signed to a five-year, $63 million contract. They need to develop Kolb.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says offensive coordinator Mike Miller relocated to the sideline for the Pittsburgh game in an effort to improve communication with Kolb in particular.

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com says the Rams should hire a strong leader to run their organization, perhaps the way the Cleveland Browns have done with Mike Holmgren. Gordon: "The current leaders, Kevin Demoff, Billy Devaney and Spagnuolo, are all bright guys with varying degrees of previous success in lesser roles. They are stand-up men. They don’t make excuses or hide from their critics. They are trying to do the right things. Maybe they could all succeed if they worked for a strong leader capable of creating a new organizational culture. Or maybe each fills a role they can’t quite handle. A strong new leader could make that assessment, just as John Davidson made critical assessments as the hockey CEO with the Blues. Step by step, he turned the NHL’s worst team into a playoff contender with a bright future and solid resale value." Noted: I'd be surprised if owner Stan Kroenke didn't make some sort of structural change if the season continues on its current course.

Also from Gordon: A Rams report card with failing grades.

Kathleen Nelson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams' Jason Smith will consult a spine specialist following his injury Sunday.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com says the 49ers expect to have Braylon Edwards back on the practice field Tuesday. Maiocco: "Jim Harbaugh said he also hopes to see fullback Moran Norris (fibula), outside linebacker Parys Haralson (hamstring), right guard Adam Snyder (shoulder) and cornerback Tramaine Brock (hand) healthy enough to practice Tuesday." Noted: While every other NFC West team suffered a potentially significant injury to a starter in Week 7, the idle 49ers got healthier in key spots, notably wide receiver. Arizona lost Wells. Seattle lost starting corner Walter Thurmond. The Rams lost right tackle Jason Smith and possibly cornerback Justin King.

Also from Maiocco: Joe Staley and Mike Iupati are working together more efficiently.

More from Maiocco: Tarell Brown has exceeded expectations for the 49ers at cornerback.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News checks in with 49ers president Jed York, who tempers his excitement over the team's 5-1 start by noting it's still early in the season.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News explains why 49ers general manager Trent Baalke did not watch NFC West games over the weekend.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times offers thoughts on the Seahawks' 6-3 defeat to Cleveland, contending that it's now clear Charlie Whitehurst is nothing more than a backup. O'Neil: "Remember last year when there was a camp of fans adamant Whitehurst would be an improvement on Matt Hasselbeck. Then Whitehurst started a Week 9 game against the New York Giants, a game the Seahawks lost 41-7. Remember three weeks ago when there was a camp of fans adamant Whitehurst would be an improvement over Tarvaris Jackson? Well, Whitehurst started Sunday in Cleveland, completed 12 passes, just four of them to wide receivers and only one for more than 11 yards. The Seahawks have scored a total of 26 points in his three regular-season starts." Noted: I see no evidence to dispute the contention. At the same time, are three starts enough to make such a determination? The Seahawks also scored 26 points in Matt Hasselbeck's first three starts. Hasselbeck had no touchdown passes and three interceptions in those games. Fans chanted for his backup during the second of those three starts (the first at home). I'll break out something on this separately.

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com updates injuries and other developments for the Seahawks.

With 5.5 sacks for the season, all of them over the last three games, San Francisco 49ers rookie Aldon Smith is on pace to finish the regular season with 14.5.

That would tie the sack-era NFL rookie record Jevon Kearse set in 1999. Sacks became an official stat in 1982.

Mel Kiper Jr. expected Smith to make an immediate impact despite facing a transition to the 3-4 defense. Smith is doing more than making an impact. He's turning into a candidate for defensive rookie of the year.

The Washington Redskins' Ryan Kerrigan is another prominent candidate. He has two sacks, three passes defensed, two forced fumbles, one interception and a touchdown. Denver's Von Miller has five sacks and also could factor, although the Broncos reduced his role recently.

Smith ranks fifth in the NFL in sacks and first among rookies. He also has a safety.

Veteran Parys Haralson remained the 49ers' starting outside linebacker for San Francisco against Detroit in Week 6. But the Lions' pass-oriented offense led to more snaps for Smith and the 49ers' nickel defense. The same was true when San Francisco faced Philadelphia in Week 4.

The chart, provided by ESPN Stats & Information, shows game-by-game snap counts for the 49ers' linebackers this season. Smith played a season-high 62 snaps against the Lions.

The San Francisco 49ers are 2-1 and leading the NFC West heading into Week 4. Does that suddenly make them division favorites with the St. Louis Rams sitting 0-3?

"I guess I'm leaning toward San Francisco, but I don't feel confident," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said this week. "The Rams could finish strong. I can't see Seattle doing it. And I think Arizona is a six-win team, but they are all kind of six-win teams."

The 49ers won six of their final 11 games last season. That makes them 8-6 over their last 14 regular-season games. The Rams and Seahawks are 5-9 during the regular season over the same span. The Cardinals are 3-11.

With that, a closer look at the 49ers from Williamson's perspective:

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  Jamie Sabau/Getty ImagesRunning room has been harder to come by for Frank Gore this season.
  On the struggling ground game: "Frank Gore doesn’t look good. He is not attacking things. Gore looks like he is playing hurt. He has run so competitively in the past. He would not just go in the tank. I think Kendall Hunter is very interesting. He looks like he is playing at a different speed when he goes in there. I don't know if Gore has lost a step, but there is no running room for him. You can see where Gore is frustrated. Their line is abysmal. It is amazing."
• On quarterback Alex Smith: "Smith has exceeded my expectations. He does not make a lot of mistakes. You can grind out some wins. I give Jim Harbaugh credit. He is manufacturing offense. It is a real test for Harbaugh because Smith is so limited. I just don’t think he throws the football very well. He is a good athlete, but he is not big and strong, doesn't make difficult throws, doesn't handle the rush real well, doesn't anticipate things real well. But he is smart and I do think he has some ability. I thought Harbaugh could turn him into a serviceable West Coast guy if he is all he is cracked up to be."
• On the offense overall: "They finally got Vernon Davis involved. They use a lot of double tight end sets. Delanie Walker is a nice player, but too often those guys have had to help the offensive line, especially Davis. I would like to see what the offense can do with both Braylon Edwards and Michael Crabtree healthy for a game or two. Those guys have obvious inconsistencies, but they also have obvious talent. They might be able to open up room for one another, for Davis, for the run game, make life easier for Smith. Overall, if they turn the ball over, they are done."
• On the defense: "Their front seven is fantastic. I don't know if everyone knows how good Justin Smith is, but he is one of the 10 best players in the league on defense. Patrick Willis is, to me, the best second-level defender in football. I'm not saying best linebacker because it's not fair to compare him to DeMarcus Ware, Clay Matthews, those guys. But Willis is the best second-level defender and it's not even close. They have two other guys, NaVorro Bowman and Ray McDonald, playing out of this world. Bowman is a big-time find. The 49ers are tough on all down-and-distances. Not only is the nose tackle (Isaac Sopoaga) playing well, but then he comes off the field and Smith and McDonald go inside, and then the outside guys are a handful, too. Aldon Smith has flashed, Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks. I don't love Donte Whitner, but he is an upgrade. They are a corner short even though Carlos Rogers has played very well."

That completes our four-team checkup with Williamson. You can reach him on Twitter as well.

The San Francisco 49ers have changed head coaches and coordinators multiple times in recent years, but there has been at least one constant.

The team keeps defeating division opponents at home.

The 49ers have won their last seven NFC West games at Candlestick Park. The average final score: 31-12.

It's something to keep in mind when the Seattle Seahawks visit later Sunday. Seattle is the most recent NFC West team to defeat the 49ers at Candlestick, back in Week 8 of the 2008 season.

Eight 49ers starters from that 2008 defeat remain in the lineup or at least part of the game plan this week: Josh Morgan, Joe Staley, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Parys Haralson, Isaac Sopoaga, Justin Smith and Patrick Willis. Several 49ers backups and inactive players from that game also remain with the team, including Ray McDonald and Delanie Walker. Alex Smith was on injured reserve and did not play that season.

The Seahawks have had almost zero carryover. Koren Robinson, Walter Jones, Mike Wahle, Keary Colbert, Seneca Wallace, Jordan Kent and current 49ers assistant Bobby Engram were among their offensive starters that day. They're hoping a nearly all-new team can produce different results against the 49ers on the road.

New 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh inherits a team that has gone 11-3 in its last 14 divisional games, home or away. Seattle has accounted for two of those three defeats, including in the 2010 opener.

Looking back upon three things discussed here before the San Francisco 49ers' 17-3 victory against the Oakland Raiders on Saturday night:

1. Progress on offense. The 49ers opened the game with a 16-play drive to the Oakland 2. Their first four drives in the preseason opener totaled 12 plays. That is progress. Alex Smith completed 8 of 13 passes for 126 yards and one interception. He made good use of timing throws to beat pressure early in the game, another improvement. One pass for Vernon Davis on a quick slant drew a pass-interference penalty. Another found Braylon Edwards after the 6-foot-3 receiver pushed off without officials noticing. On the down side, Smith didn't see Raiders defensive end Matt Shaughnessy dropping into coverage on a third-and-8 play. Schaughnessy picked off Smith's pass intended for Davis, killing the 49ers' second drive. The highlight for Smith and San Francisco: Edwards' one-handed, diving grab for a 32-yard gain. Overall, the 49ers can feel better about how their offense is performing.

2. More Aldon Smith. The 49ers' rookie first-round draft choice worked with the starters late in the first half. Before that, Smith affected the game without even being on the field. His presence on the roster and strong showing in the first preseason game gave the man ahead of him on the depth chart, Parys Haralson, ample incentive. Haralson stood out early in the game, including when he brought down Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell for a fourth-down sack in the red zone. Once Campbell left the game injured, backup Trent Edwards threw an interception into double coverage even though Raiders left tackle Jared Veldheer locked down Smith on the play. Early in the third quarter, Smith fought off Raiders tight end Brandon Myers to make a tackle against the run. Later, Smith beat backup left tackle Seth Wand to the inside, pressuring Kyle Boller into an incomplete pass on third-and-7.

3. Right guard Chilo Rachal. The 49ers are seeking better consistency from their right guard. They got it during a 16-play drive to open the game. Rachal caught my attention early by peeling off his original man, Richard Seymour, to pick up Tommy Kelly. Rachal's awareness on the third-down play allowed Smith to find Davis for a reception past the first-down marker. Later in the drive, Rachal pulled to the right and impeded Jerome Boyd just long enough for Anthony Dixon to reach the corner for a 12-yard gain on second-and-10. As the drive wound down, Rachal trapped Shaughnessy to free Frank Gore for a 4-yard gain to the 2. On the 49ers' second drive, Rachal strung out Kelly long enough for Dixon to cut back and knife into the secondary for a 9-yard gain. The 49ers ran the ball almost at will and Rachal did his part from what I could tell. His replacement, Tony Wragge, helped spring Kendall Hunter for a 53-yard touchdown run.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com expects Ahmad Brooks to earn a starting job this season. Maiocco: "Brooks, who recorded 11 sacks in the past two seasons combined, has been lining up on the left side with the first-team defense. With his job apparently secure, that leaves competition on the right side between incumbent Parys Haralson and rookie Aldon Smith, the No. 7 overall pick in the draft." Claiming Brooks off waivers from Cincinnati in 2008 stands as one of the better recent waiver claims I can recall in the NFC West. Reports at the time suggested Brooks might back up Patrick Willis at inside linebacker. Brooks has instead become an effective outside pass-rusher. The 49ers were strongly considering taking Brooks in the 2006 supplemental draft, but the Bengals beat them to it.

Also from Maiocco: a look at how the 49ers' quarterback situation has evolved.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee quotes 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh as pointing to the following players as having strong camps: Brooks, Willis, Justin Smith, Donte Whitner, Andy Lee, David Akers, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Joe Staley and Chilo Rachal.

Also from Barrows: Tramaine Brock has been the 49ers' most durable cornerback this summer.

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat updates the rising and falling stock of various 49ers players.

Also from Cohn: The 49ers' starters will play about as much in the second week of preseason as they did in the first.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News updates Harbaugh's plans for the 49ers' wide receivers. Inman: "There remains an obvious emphasis on downfield blocks that could help spring mainstay running back Frank Gore. But the receivers are learning a new array of routes, including a bevy of slant patterns, once a trademark during the 49ers' days as a Super Bowl-winning dynasty."

John Crumpacker of the San Francisco Chronicle says the newly signed Josh McCown could get playing time for the 49ers against Oakland.

Also from Crumpacker: Rookie cornerback Chris Culliver has caught the 49ers' attention. Harbaugh: "He really showed good things right from the beginning. I thought he played well the first week [of training camp]. The third week, he has to push through some things to keep that upward trajectory going. The jumps don't get to be as big as they were the first week."

Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic says Cardinals first-round draft choice Patrick Peterson faces a tough transition to the NFL as a cornerback, noting that Charles Woodson is the only defensive rookie of the year from the secondary over the past 18 seasons. Boivin: "It's been difficult to evaluate Peterson in this limited time at training camp, but he's certainly caught the team's eye as a returner. He was a standout punt and kick returner in college and showed flashes in the Cardinals' preseason victory against the Oakland Raiders. He returned a kick 29 yards." I expected Peterson to stand out more as a cornerback early in camp.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic contrasts the Cardinals and Packers heading into their preseason game Friday night. Somers: "Unlike the Packers, the Cardinals' two-deep is really a flow chart of the unknown. Their starting two outside linebackers, Joey Porter and Clark Haggans, are 34. Starting nose tackle Dan Williams reported to camp in poor condition. The two starting cornerbacks, A.J. Jefferson and Greg Toler, are young and unproven. There is no premier pass rusher and strong safety Adrian Wilson is out with a torn biceps tendon."

Also from Somers: Five things to watch when the Cardinals and Packers play.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com won't be surprised if Jeff King gets a few starts over Todd Heap in single tight end groupings thanks to King's superior blocking.

Also from Urban: advancing the Cardinals-Packers game.

Jim Trotter of SI.com offers thoughts from Cardinals training camp. He expects Larry Fitzgerald to sign a contract extension by Sept. 4

Clare Farnsworth of seahawks.com says the Seahawks' secondary came up big on the final day of training camp. Farnsworth: "Wednesday, the defensive line set the tempo in practice. Today, it was the defensive backs. They got their hands on dozen passes -- including interceptions by strong safety Kam Chancellor, rookie cornerback Byron Maxwell and rookie safety Jeron Johnson. But the defensive play of practice was turned in rookie linebacker Malcolm Smith, who bowled over fullback Dorson Boyce on his way to plowing into running back Justin Forsett behind the line of scrimmage."

Also from Farnsworth: The Seahawks felt rushed during camp thanks to the lockout.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Tyler Polumbus will start at left tackle for Seattle while Russell Okung continues to recover from an ankle injury.

Also from O'Neil: Zach Miller's prospects at tight end for the Seahawks. Miller has racked up receptions in recent seasons, but blocking duties prevent anyone from saying his hands are soft. Miller: "You have the lineman hands. "The swollen knuckles and the bloody fingers, peeled back nails."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune offers an injury update for Seattle: "Defensive back Walter Thurmond (ankle), defensive tackle Ryan Sims (knee), defensive end Chris Clemons (ankle), cornerback Kelly Jennings (head), defensive end Pierre Allen (unspecified) and tight end John Carlson (shoulder) did not practice Thursday and likely will not play."

John Boyle of the Everett Herald says Red Bryant excelled at practice Thursday.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch checks in with former Rams coach Dick Vermeil for thoughts on the team. Also: "After resting his sore hip for a couple of days, running back Steven Jackson returned to practice today, albeit on a somewhat limited basis."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Donnie Avery made the most of his recent return to practice, leading some teammates to joke that he was back from the dead. Thomas: "Hey, teammates will be teammates. But Avery turned the jeers into cheers later in Wednesday's practice at Rams Park. After diving to the turf to corral a low throw, several teammates shouted encouragement."

Nick Wagoner of stlouisrams.com passes along a few Rams-related injury updates. Mike Sims-Walker has a shot at playing Saturday.

Also from Wagoner: a look at increased expectations on defense for the Rams. Wagoner: "From the moment coach Steve Spagnuolo took over in 2009 and promptly named Ken Flajole defensive coordinator, the defense has enjoyed a stability that has included a grand total of zero coaching changes on that side of the staff and minimal turnover in terms of the starters. Now, entering the third year in the aggressive, attacking scheme that Flajole and Spagnuolo have cooked up, the sky would seem to be the limit for a group that made big strides in 2010 and is expecting even more in 2011."

Aaron Schatz's piece on defensive stop rates caught my attention for what it did not include, namely any mention of NFC West players among the highest- or lowest-ranked linebackers.

The San Francisco 49ers' Patrick Willis sets the standard at the position. The St. Louis Rams' James Laurinaitis has emerged as one of the better 4-3 middle linebackers. The Seattle Seahawks' Lofa Tatupu, slowed by injuries recently, also escaped mention.

Taking a closer look at the criteria allowed for a fuller understanding of the statistic. Stop rates reflect what percentage of a player's statistics produce successful outcomes against running plays. The stat defines successful outcomes as those when the opposing runner fails to gain certain percentages of the yards required for first downs. The percentage is 45 on first-down runs, 60 on second-down runs and 100 on third- or fourth-down runs.

So, if Willis tackled the opposing runner after a 4-yard gain on first-and-10, the tackle would qualify as a successful stop because the runner gained only 40 percent of the yards needed for a new set of downs. But if Willis tackled the opposing runner following a 4-yard gain on the ensuing second-and-5 play, his effort would count as a failure because the runner would have gained 80 percent of the yards needed for a first down.

The stat does not necessarily measure how well a specific defender plays the run, but it does paint a clearer picture of where defenders make their tackles in relation to the first-down marker. A player talented enough to make plays all over the field could have a lower stop rate than a player with less range. This likely explains Willis' relatively low stop rate (57 percent).

Schatz provided NFC West-specific information for the charts below. Each player had at least 25 tackles on running plays.

The stats for linebackers seem to penalize Willis in particular for his ability to make clean-up tackles anywhere.

The 49ers allowed 3.46 yards per rushing attempt, second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers (3.02) among NFL teams.

For defensive backs, note that strong safeties ranked higher than free safeties because they generally focus more on run support. Free safeties would be more apt to make tackles well downfield, whether or not they were primarily responsible for allowing the gains.

The try-hard guy, long revered by NFL fans for overcoming physical limitations with all-out effort, has not been universally loved.

Established veterans with a feel for how to practice during long, demanding regular seasons can become resentful when the try-hard guy's misplaced fury produces unwanted collisions.

So, for the sake of clarity, the try-hard guy is excused from this conversation about pass-rushers so relentless, they wear down opponents over the course of a game.

We're talking about players with enough talent to command significant playing time, many as high draft choices or big-ticket free agents. We're talking about the San Francisco 49ers' Justin Smith, one of two NFC West players to receive votes in ESPN.com's Power Rankings for defensive players. Patrick Willis was the other.

"Justin Smith is a relentless player who wears down opponents by coming after them each and every play," BigBrad184 wrote in response to this item Wednesday morning. "I don't have any stats to back this up, but it seems like he often gets many of his sacks in the fourth quarter because of the fatigue he causes to offensive lineman."

Interesting thought.

"Maybe breaking out Smith's sacks by quarter over the past few years is a project for Sando," BigBrad184 concluded.

Done deal. John Fisher of ESPN Stats & Information responded to my request for the statistical evidence BigBrad184 was seeking. Smith does rank among the NFL leaders for fourth-quarter sacks in recent seasons, but two other NFC West players, including one of Smith's teammates, rank higher on the list.

More on the results in a bit. First, a look at the methodology.

Fisher provided a file with quarter-by-quarter sack totals for every player since 2001. I filtered the information to consider:

• The last three seasons. There was no sense comparing totals for eight-year veterans against players entering the league more recently. At the same time, three seasons was long enough to pile up adequate numbers.
• Players with at least 10 sacks. This reduced qualifying players from 668 to 99, a more manageable number featuring more "name" players.
• Late-game production. I then divided the remaining 99 players' fourth-quarter and overtime sack totals by their total sacks, producing percentages that might tell us which players tend to wear down opponents.

The 49ers' Smith collected 8.5 of his 21.5 sacks in fourth quarters or overtimes since 2008. That worked out to 39.5 percent, which ranked 22nd among the 99 qualifying players.

Philadelphia's Darren Howard, who did not play in 2010, led the way with 75.8 percent of his sacks (11.5 of 16.5) after the third quarter. He was on the Eagles' roster for two of the three seasons in question and never played even half the defensive snaps in either year. But he was highly effective as a situational player, at least when measured by sack totals. Only Jared Allen (15) and Joey Porter (14) had more total sacks after the first three quarters.

There was no way to tell whether players with higher late-game sack percentages had more or better late-game opportunities for reasons unrelated to being relentless. Players operating within superior schemes or alongside better teammates certainly benefited. Overall, players collected more sacks in second and fourth quarters, no surprise given that teams attempted 6,130 additional passes during those quarters over the past three seasons, a likely reflection of two-minute situations.

The San Francisco 49ers' Parys Haralson (52.9 percent) and the St. Louis Rams' Chris Long (48.6 percent) ranked highest in fourth-quarter sack percentage among current NFC West players with at least 10 sacks over the past three seasons. Haralson was seventh in the league. Long was ninth. Former 49er Tully Banta-Cain was 10th (48.4 percent), while Arizona's Joey Porter (44.4 percent), St. Louis' Fred Robbins (44.4 percent), ex-Seahawk Lawrence Jackson (44.0 percent) and current Seahawk Chris Clemons (41.0 percent) ranked among the top 20.

Were these guys merely slow starters? Were they strong finishers? Did they wear down opponents over the course of games? The numbers do not answer those questions definitively, but they provide a starting point for discussion.

I was also interested in seeing which players collected a disproportionate number of sacks earlier in games. They were, at best, tone setters. At worst, they failed to finish or failed to adequately wear down opponents. The previous disclaimers applied to them as well.

As the chart below shows, three of the 10 qualifying players with the lowest percentages of late-game sacks have NFC West roots.

Arizona's Calais Campbell has 5.5 of his 13 sacks in first quarters, but only one in fourth quarters or overtimes. The 49ers' Manny Lawson collected 11 of his 12 sacks in the first three quarters. Darryl Tapp, traded from Seattle to Philadelphia in the deal for Clemons, has 4.5 sacks in each of the first two quarters, but only two in second halves (one after the third quarter).

A few other observations with an eye toward the NFC West:

• Porter (six) and Campbell (5.5) rank among the top seven in most first-quarter sacks. The 49ers' Smith is right behind with five.
• Arizona's Darnell Dockett has nine of his 16 sacks in second quarters. Eight players have more second-quarter sacks over the past three seasons, but all are edge-rusher types. Dockett plays end in a 3-4 scheme.
• Pittsburgh's James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley are a third-quarter nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. Harrison leads the NFL with 15.5 sacks in third quarters. Woodley is second with 12. Former Cardinal Calvin Pace ranks in the top 10 with 7.5.
• Porter and Allen are tied for the most fourth-quarter sacks in the NFL over the past three seasons. Each has 14 (Allen also had one in overtime). DeMarcus Ware and Robert Mathis are next with 13.5, followed by Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers with 12.5.

Back to the original question: Is the 49ers' Smith a relentless player who wears down opponents, producing fourth-quarter payoffs?

He might be, but he produces well enough across all quarters to transcend the try-hard label and probably even the relentless label as well. He's a beast.