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Changing coaching staffs heading into a lockout was supposed to set back the San Francisco 49ers last season.

Instead, the team won nine of its first 10 games, finished 13-3 and came within an overtime defeat of reaching the Super Bowl.

Having a full offseason should help the 49ers prepare even better for 2012, but opponents should also have a better idea what to expect from coach Jim Harbaugh and staff.

We might have seen this taking place as the 2011 season progressed. The 49ers' division opponents fared considerably better in rematches against the 49ers than when facing them for the first time. But with all three rematches played away from Candlestick Park, venue also came into play as a key factor. The New York Giants were the only other team to face San Francisco twice last season, losing the first meeting before winning the second one. Both were close games at Candlestick.

This will be a storyline to monitor for the upcoming season.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com expects general improvement from the 49ers on offense, except at running back, where he expects a "slight dip, based on another year of wear and tear on Frank Gore, who turns 29 in May and has been the team's every-down back for six seasons."

Also from Maiocco: setting expectations for the 49ers on defense. Maiocco on the cornerback situation: "Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown are back as the starters, with Chris Culliver and Tramaine Brock as the backups. It's difficult to believe that Rogers, as an eighth-year player, can be much better than he was a year ago. But Brown, Culliver and Brock should improve with a full offseason of work."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes that the 49ers have 20 starters under contract beyond the 2012 season. Branch: "NaVorro Bowman will be a free agent after the 2013 season. I’m guessing the 49ers, as they did with Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis, will attempt to work out a long-term deal with Bowman before he hits free agency. Bowman will earn base salaries of $540,000 and $570,000 in 2012 and 2013, respectively."

Nick Eaton of seattlepi.com says Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has a role in an upcoming movie featuring Lee Majors, Gary Busey, Margot Kidder and Edward Furlong. Eaton: "Lynch will be playing 'mob security guard' -- officially credited as a 'goon' -- in a film called 'Matt’s Chance' from local production house Mirror Images. Lynch will be in Seattle this week for a three-day shoot at the iMusic club in Lower Queen Anne, said Nate Riley, producer and marketing director for Mirror Images."

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune had this to say during a recent chat: "I believe Pete Carroll when he says there will be open competition, but I think it will be structured in such a way that Matt Flynn has the upper hand, both in practice and in games. They will do their best to make sure that Flynn looks good. You can't pay him $8 million in guaranteed salary this season and let him hold a clipboard. That makes no sense. They have two years to figure out if he's the franchise quarterback of the future, and the only way that happens is to see how he plays on the field."

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have met expectations for a mostly quiet offseason. Coach Ken Whisenhunt, speaking right after the season: "You don't anticipate a lot of changes. We have a lot of young players and you're going to be together."

Brian McIntyre of Mac's Football Blog spells out details of Daryn Colledge's contract restructuring. The team converted base salary to signing bonus, pushing some of the cap charge into future years.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated shares contents from a letter NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent to St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams regarding reinstatement from a bounty-related suspension that will last at least one season. King: "Sounds like if Williams makes some come-clean speeches to high school and college football teams around the country at the NFL's behest, he'll be back in the game in 2013 -- assuming the Rams will still employ him. That's likely, but not certain."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch asks whether Williams can effectively transition away from what has been his identity in the NFL. Miklasz: "Williams has built his career on cultivating an aggressive, attacking and violent mindset within his defense. ... Having been domesticated and deprogrammed, will Williams be able to motivate players the same as he did before? Can a formerly hard-edged coach still get the same results if he dramatically softens those edges? Legit questions." Noted: Williams has never done contrition well. This transition would seem to be problematic.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides the latest on Rams owner Stan Kroenke's attempt to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thomas: "Owning the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Rams would violate cross-ownership rules. But if Kroenke should move the Rams to LA, he would be in compliance with cross-ownership rules because the Dodgers and the Rams would be in the same market. And this, obviously makes Rams fans even more antsy about the future of the team in St. Louis given the current stadium lease situation at the Edward Jones Dome."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bengals released Brooks in 2008.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 20-17 defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park:

What it means: The 49ers missed a chance to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLVI thanks largely to two critical miscues in the return game, both by second-year backup punt returner Kyle Williams. Their defense played heroically at times but was unable to capitalize on several opportunities to force turnovers. With the offense struggling on third down, the 49ers simply couldn't persevere. This game will haunt the 49ers for years. How many times will San Francisco get to play a 9-7 team at home for a berth in the Super Bowl?

What I liked: Vernon Davis got open early for a 73-yard touchdown reception even though the Giants knew he was the one player most likely to beat them deep. Davis came through again in the third quarter with a go-ahead 28-yard scoring reception after a slick outside-in move to find a hole in the coverage. …

Frank Gore found running room. The 49ers’ coaching staff supplemented the ground game effectively with designed runs for Alex Smith. And the misdirection run to spring Kendall Hunter for a 14-yard gain was beautifully conceived. …

San Francisco’s pass rush improved in the second half, playing a big role in the team’s ability to take the lead and hold it heading into the fourth quarter. Aldon Smith and Justin Smith started getting to Eli Manning, allowing the 49ers to stay in the game even though their offense wasn’t sustaining drives. …

Williams’ 40-yard kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter gave the 49ers good field position and gave the 49ers a needed jolt. Smith followed with a 17-yard scramble. Delanie Walker's block on Kenny Phillips to help spring Hunter to the 5-yard line was reminiscent of the block Joe Staley threw for Smith last week. ...

The 49ers' defense stepped up repeatedly late in the game, especially when Smith sacked Manning.

What I didn’t like: The 49ers were miserable on third down, asking too many favors from their defense. They did not succeed on a third-down conversion until the final play of regulation. ...

Williams’ indecision on a punt return cost the 49ers when the ball bounced off his knee with San Francisco holding a 14-10 lead and 11:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams, subbing for injured veteran Ted Ginn Jr., couldn’t get out of the way after deciding at the last moment to bail on the return. The Giants took over at the San Francisco 28-yard line, then scored the go-ahead touchdown on third-and-15 from the 17. …

Then, after the 49ers' defense held in overtime, Williams fumbled during a punt return. The Giants recovered and kicked the winning 31-yard field goal.

Early in the game, the 49ers couldn’t get pressure on third down, giving Manning ample time to find open receivers and sustain drives. Manning completed eight passes for 125 yards to Victor Cruz in the first half. …

San Francisco played conservatively on offense shortly before halftime, letting the clock run down and settling for predictable runs. The Giants got the ball back and scored a field goal to take a 10-7 lead heading into halftime. …

The 49ers had no third-down conversions in the first three quarters. Their wide receivers were generally poor to invisible. …

The 49ers’ usually hard-hitting secondary struggled to get clear shots on the Giants’ receivers. That made it tougher for San Francisco to force turnovers. When the pass-rush improved in the second half, the 49ers missed an opportunity to pick off a pass when defenders collided, injuring cornerback Tarell Brown.

“X” factor a no-show: Those figuring the 49ers might need receiver Michael Crabtree to step up kept waiting and waiting, without results. Giants cornerback Corey Webster shut down Crabtree. The 49ers have been thin at wide receiver without Josh Morgan (injured reserve), Braylon Edwards (released) or Ginn (inactive due to injury). Crabtree, an occasional force for the 49ers late in the regular season, did not make an impact in the passing game.

Controversial call: Referee Ed Hochuli and crew ruled that Ahmad Bradshaw's forward progress was stopped before the 49ers forced him to fumble and recovered deep in Giants territory. That play could not be reviewed. A 49ers recovery in that situation -- tie game, a little more than two minutes remaining -- would have been huge. The head linesman threw his bean bag and made the ruling decisively. The question was whether the ruling was made hastily.

Interesting decision: The 49ers opted to punt on fourth-and-inches from the Giants’ 47-yard line while holding a 14-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. They were running the ball well, but their defense was also gaining the upper hand at that point in the game. Punting and playing for field position showed the 49ers thought their punting and defense could hold. The decision paid off for the 49ers when Aldon Smith’s sack helped limit the Giants to a three-and-out. But the defensive stop also precipitated Williams’ muffed punt.

Injuries of note: The 49ers lost left guard Mike Iupati to an ankle injury early in the game. Iupati returned, but was limping around at times. A knee injury kept Ginn from playing. Brown was down on the field for an extended period after colliding with safety Dashon Goldson. Medical personnel brought out a stretcher board, but Brown walked off slowly, with assistance. Brown suffered thigh and head injuries, according to the 49ers. Walker played for the first time since suffering a broken jaw at Seattle in Week 16.

What’s next: The 49ers head toward the draft needing help at wide receiver in particular.

» Divisional Final Word: Saints-49ers | Broncos-Patriots | Texans-Ravens | Giants-Packers

Three nuggets of knowledge about Saturday's Saints-49ers divisional game:

Cracking the code on Brees: The 49ers led the NFL in turnover differential at plus-28 this season. They tied for second in interceptions with 23. Carlos Rogers, Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown have combined for 16. But in Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the 49ers are facing the all-time record holder for consecutive postseason passes without a pick. Brees' streak is at 215 pass attempts and counting. This stat, provided by the NFL, seemed improbable. The Saints lost to Seattle in the wild-card round a year ago, after all. But the numbers are even better than the 215-attempt streak would indicate. Brees has 13 TD passes without an interception in his past five playoff games. He has 18 TDs with two INTs in eight career playoff games. Brees last threw a postseason pick during a Jan. 21, 2007, defeat at Chicago. Detroit missed a couple of chances in the wild-card round.

About the contrasts in style: The Saints' 626-yard total against the Lions last week exceeded by 41 yards the 49ers' combined yardage totals for their games against Dallas (206), Seattle in Week 1 (209) and Baltimore (170). Fortunately for the 49ers, the Saints will not have the Dallas, Seattle or Baltimore defenses on their side. The Saints allowed 18 touchdowns in 18 red zone possessions against Green Bay, Chicago, Carolina (Week 5), Tampa Bay (Week 6), Indianapolis, St. Louis and Detroit (wild-card round). Those shortcomings proved critical in defeats to the Packers, Bucs and Rams. The 49ers' red zone touchdown percentage bottomed out during a six-game stretch with only three TDs in 18 such possessions. The 49ers need to build on recent improvement in that area by featuring Vernon Davis and their ground game.

If it comes down to a kicker: We've broken down this matchup from the major angles. Special teams are another consideration. The 49ers have dominated in that area most of the time. Their kicker, David Akers, made the most of the team's red zone issues, setting a league record for field goals in a season. The 49ers battled high-scoring teams to close finishes. If it happens again, the kickers could prove decisive. We know about Akers. He was sensational amid trying circumstances. The Saints' kicker, John Kasay, has been around, too. He broke into the league with Seattle in 1991. Kasay has made a higher percentage outdoors (14 of 16) than indoors (14 of 18) this season. Those numbers correlate with his totals on grass (13 of 15) and turf (15 of 19). Kasay has made a higher percentage when the Saints were trailing (7 of 7) than when they were leading (17 of 21). He has made 4 of 6 kicks in fourth quarters, and both misses were from 50-plus yards. Kasay, 42, has made 1 of 4 tries on the road from 50-plus yards. He has attempted two kicks from 40-49 yards in tie games, missing both.

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.

Five things I noticed about the San Francisco 49ers during their most recent game, a 19-17 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks:

• About that run defense. Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Smith attracts significant attention from opposing offenses. He's one reason rookie Aldon Smith has collected 14 sacks. I was surprised to see the Seahawks drive Smith four yards off the ball and put him on the ground less than a minute into the game. The Seahawks went at him with left guard Robert Gallery and left tackle Paul McQuistan, but there was probably more to the story. Smith suffered a leg injury on this play and left the game for a bit. The 49ers were already without Pro Bowl inside linebacker Patrick Willis. Subtracting Willis and diminishing Smith hurt San Francisco's efforts to contain Marshawn Lynch. Willis' replacement, Larry Grant, missed a tackle when Lynch ended the 49ers' 15-game streak without allowing a rushing touchdown.
• Matador along sideline. Not sure what cornerback Tarell Brown was thinking on the Seahawks' touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin early in the game. Seattle receiver Golden Tate blocked Brown well, but Brown disengaged and had a shot at Baldwin along the sideline. Brown stepped away from contact and then sidestepped teammate Dashon Goldson, who was in pursuit. That left Baldwin with room to outrun Grant.
• Delanie Walker the steamroller. The 49ers' tight end cleared out two Seahawks emphatically to help enable Alex Smith's first-quarter scramble around the left side. Walker caught strong safety Kam Chancellor off-balance and shoved him to the ground. He then sprinted ahead and threw free safety Earl Thomas onto his side. Smith picked up seven yards.
• The longer passes are coming. Alex Smith's 41-yard strike to Michael Crabtree set up the winning field goal, but it wasn't the only attempts at longer passes. The 49ers got Crabtree and tight end Vernon Davis open for passes that traveled about 30 yards in the air past the line of scrimmage. Crabtree and Davis did not make the catches, but these plays were open.
• Another defining drive on the road. Not just the game-winner, either. The way San Francisco opened the second half showed how far the team has come across many fronts. Trailing 10-3 at halftime and fortunate the deficit was not larger, the 49ers came out aggressively. Smith found Crabtree for a 27-yard gain on the first play. Smith's growing improvisational skills showed up when the snap from Jonathan Goodwin eluded him. Smith gathered the ball off the bounce and scrambled near the first-down marker, a critical gain. The team then trusted Smith on fourth-and-2. Smith rewarded the decision with another improvisational play, this one a rollout and pass to Davis along the sideline. And when the 49ers needed their running game in the red zone, Frank Gore scored behind a right side featuring both offensive tackles, fullback Bruce Miller and even nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 20-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on "Monday Night Football" at Candlestick Park in Week 15:

What it means: The 49ers improved to 11-3 and stayed just ahead of 11-3 New Orleans for the second seed in the NFC playoffs, based on a tiebreaker (superior conference record: 8-2 for the 49ers, 7-3 for the Saints). The top two seeds get first-round playoff byes and home games in the divisional round. By winning, the 49ers joined the Saints in keeping pressure on 13-1 Green Bay to continue winning. That could eventually help Seattle and Arizona; both teams' playoff chances would improve if Green Bay's Week 17 opponent, Detroit, lost its final two games. The 49ers' victory gave NFC West teams a 3-1 record outside the division in Week 15.

What I liked: The 49ers became the third team since Miami in 2007 to shut out the Steelers in a first half. Cornerback Carlos Rogers and free safety Dashon Goldson picked off Ben Roethlisberger in the first half. Cornerback Tarell Brown picked one off late. Linebacker Larry Grant, subbing for Patrick Willis, leaped high to break up a pass. Outside linebacker Aldon Smith delivered a big hit on Roethlisberger late in the third quarter. The rookie later joined Ray McDonald in sacking Roethlisberger, forcing a fumble the 49ers recovered inside the Pittsburgh 20. That turnover set up the clinching touchdown run by Frank Gore. Smith collected 2.5 sacks overall, giving him 13 for the season. Quarterback Alex Smith took no sacks after absorbing 18 over the 49ers' previous three games. Later, with San Francisco leading 6-3 in the third quarter, Smith found tight end Vernon Davis for a 31-yard gain across midfield. The Steelers can be tough on opposing tight ends, and that was the case for much of this game. The 49ers stuck with it, got a little creative and found ways to get Davis open. Davis rewarded his team with the 31-yard reception over his shoulder, followed by a 21-yard reception to the Pittsburgh 1-yard line, followed by a 1-yard scoring reception and redemption in the red zone. Punter Andy Lee and the 49ers' coverage team repeatedly pinned the Steelers deep in their own territory, continuing a season-long trend.

What I didn't like: Two power outages delayed the game, an embarrassment for the 49ers and the NFL even if the problems weren't under their control. Terrible Towels waved throughout the stadium. Thousands of 49ers fans apparently sold their tickets. It's tough to begrudge a fan for collecting a fat payday every so often, but a 49ers team with a 10-3 record coming into the game was worthy of more partisan support. On the field, the Steelers found soft spots in the 49ers' coverage along the sidelines, getting the ball behind outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who appeared to have coverage on shorter routes. Goldson missed two tackles early in the game, leading to big plays for the Steelers. The 49ers settled for two first-half field goals, squandering drives that reached the Pittsburgh 4- and 20-yard lines. Gore's season-long issues with dropped passes continued. He entered the game with five drops on 26 targets, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Gore dropped two more passes in this game.

Red zone reversal: The 49ers had failed to score a touchdown on seven consecutive red zone possessions over a three-game period before Monday night. They settled for another red zone field goal early in this game, but two red zone touchdowns helped turn a 6-3 lead into a 20-3 runaway for the 49ers.

Akers gets the record: David Akers set a 49ers franchise record for most points in a season. He entered the game with 135 points, trailing Jerry Rice (138 in 1987) and Mike Cofer (136 in 1989).

Rushing touchdown defense: The 49ers still have not allowed a rushing touchdown all season. Their streak dating to last season has spanned 15 games, matching the 1985-86 Chicago Bears for the longest streak since 1970. The 49ers already held the NFL single-season record since 1970. That streak is at 14, three more than the ones San Francisco and Cleveland strung together in 1992.

49ers injuries of note: Left tackle Joe Staley, questionable for this game after suffering a concussion, left this game with a leg injury. The 49ers listed his return as questionable. Return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. did not return after suffering an ankle injury when tackled awkwardly on the kickoff to open the second half. The 49ers listed his return as questionable. Willis missed the game with a hamstring injury.

Turnover margin key, again: The 49ers were plus-four in turnover margin against the Steelers. They are now plus-25 for the season, best in the NFL.

What's next: The 49ers visit the Seahawks in a game with NFC seeding implications for San Francisco. The Seahawks must win for any shot at keeping their playoff hopes alive.

The facts: The San Francisco 49ers fell to 10-3 with a 21-19 road defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

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

• The 49ers remain in position to claim the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff race. They hold the tiebreaker over 10-3 New Orleans.
• San Francisco set a franchise record by holding its 14th consecutive opponent without a rushing touchdown. The 1985-86 Chicago Bears made it 15 consecutive games, the longest streak since at least the 1970 merger.
• The 49ers extended their streak to 35 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. That is the longest streak in the league since Minnesota went 36 games in 2007-09. The 49ers held Beanie Wells to 27 yards on 15 carries.
• Frank Gore had a 37-yard touchdown run and passed 1,000 yards rushing for the season. He joined LaDainian Tomlinson, Steven Jackson, Thomas Jones and Ricky Williams as the only active running backs with five or more 1,000-yard seasons, according to the 49ers.
• Ted Ginn Jr.s' 52-yard punt return deep in Cardinals territory helped the 49ers jump to a 19-7 lead.
• The 49ers downed three punts inside the Arizona 20-yard line, including one at the 1. They prevented Patrick Peterson from hurting them with long returns, holding him to an 8.8-yard average and a long return of 19 yards.
• Aldon Smith recorded another sack, giving him 10.5 for the season. He's the first 49ers player since Andre Carter in 2002 to reach 10 or more sacks in a season.
• Cornerback Tarell Brown and safety Dashon Goldson picked off passes.
• The 49ers won the field-position battle. Their drives started at their own 38-yard line on average. The Cardinals' drives began at the Arizona 25 on average.

Looking ahead: The 49ers are home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.

There was almost no way, it seemed, for the St. Louis Rams to be this bad.

The schedule suggested they might struggle early in the season. No one could have known that they would have only 11 offensive touchdowns and two victories through 12 games, or that they would allow more rushing yards than any team in the NFL.

These were the preseason NFC West favorites.

The postmortem on this lost Rams season can wait a little longer. There's football to play in the interim, beginning with the Rams and 5-7 Seattle Seahawks coming to "Monday Night Football" in Week 14.

Five things I'll be watching for from CenturyLink Field in Seattle:

• 'Beast Mode' times two. Seattle's Marshawn Lynch has popularized the term by smashing through defenses like a wrecking ball. His two most memorable runs -- against New Orleans in the playoffs last season, followed by his disappearing act against Philadelphia last week -- played out before national audiences. Expect more of the same from Lynch against the Rams, but don't forget about that other 'Beast Mode' runner. Steven Jackson can still put the hurt on opponents. Buckle up when Jackson and Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor collide. Chancellor goes 6-foot-3 and 230-plus pounds, and he's one reason Jackson will have a hard time reaching 100 yards against Seattle for the first time in his career.
• At least one spectacular catch. Just about every week, the Rams' Brandon Lloyd makes a reception sensational enough to stir the Rams' sideline into spontaneous celebration, no matter the score. The one catch Lloyd made against the San Francisco 49ers last week went like this: Lloyd runs up the left sideline. Cornerback Tarell Brown covers him closely enough to draw a flag for interference. Lloyd leaps over Brown and somehow reaches around the cornerback's extended arm to snatch the ball with both hands for a 34-yard gain. Penalty declined. The man is a magician.
• The indomitable Chris Long. The Rams' fourth-year defensive end has nine of his career-high 12 sacks over his last six games. Long wears down opponents. He has five sacks in fourth quarters this season. Long holds a talent edge over Seahawks right tackle Breno Giacomini, but Giacomini has a mean streak. He'll compete.
• Replacement parts up front. Both teams' starting offensive tackles -- all four of them -- are on injured reserve. The Seahawks have done a better job than the Rams in acquiring, developing and coaching up replacements. Still, they never expected to line up with Paul McQuistan at left tackle. Both teams have every reason to lean on their running games. Which leads into the final item...
• The Josh McDaniels factor. The Rams have one of the NFL's most physical running backs. Guard Harvey Dahl was one of their top acquisitions. But with McDaniels as coordinator, the Rams have all but given up on a conventional ground game. The reasoning could be defensible. The Rams' offensive line hasn't shown it can push defenses off the ball. Still, something seems wrong with this picture. The Rams have run the ball only 29.3 percent of the time in the red zone, the second-lowest figure in the NFL. They have run it only 32 percent of the time from the 10-yard line or closer, also the second-lowest figure. Jackson did say he expects a more run-oriented plan this week. But with injured quarterback Sam Bradford possibly returning for this game, will McDaniels continue leaning on the pass? Jackson said he expected a more run-oriented plan this week.

For more, check out audio from ESPN's Mike Tirico's conversation with Brock Huard and Mike Salk on 710ESPN Seattle. Tirico said he's impressed with the moves Seattle has made, particularly on defense, and he thinks the Seahawks' season would be a success if they could get to 7-9. But one defeat this season could haunt them.

Tirico: "Do I root for teams in the NFL? Yes. I root for teams about a month ahead of Monday Night Football. And so I was one of the 18 people not involved in the game, whether in Seattle or D.C., who was rooting for the Seahawks to beat the Redskins. And that is one you start to look at now and you go, 'You know what, at 6-6, with Chicago all messed up, you could have gone on a run here at the end of the season' -- and (Seattle) still could get to 8-8 or 9-7, so the building blocks are there going forward."

Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 16-6 road defeat to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12:

What it means: The 49ers dropped to 9-2 and can no longer clinch the NFC West title in Week 12. Their offense was not ready to handle a physical, formidable defense in a big game on the road. This game served as a reminder that defense and special teams will not always be enough for San Francisco to beat strong opponents. But there's no reason for the 49ers to panic. They lost a hard-fought, low-scoring game to a playoff-tested opponent on a short week following a cross-country road trip. No shame there.

What I liked: The 49ers still have not allowed a rushing touchdown this season. This was also the 33rd consecutive game they've played without allowing a 100-yard rusher. Those are the longest active streaks in the NFL. Quarterback Alex Smith found Michael Crabtree for a first down on a third-and-17 play when the game was in danger of slipping away in the second half. Smith scrambled for a first down on a first-and-10 play shortly thereafter. David Akers connected on a 52-yard field-goal try, his sixth successful try in as many chances from 50 yards or longer. The 49ers' defense prevented Ravens receiver Torrey Smith from beating them deep.

What I didn't like: Two penalties against the 49ers made this game an uphill fight for them. A chop block against Frank Gore nullified a 75-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Ted Ginn Jr. Later, the Ravens gained 50 yards when 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown committed pass interference while picking off a pass. The call against Gore seemed ticky-tack to me, but Mike Pereira, the Fox analyst and former NFL officiating czar, said the call was technically correct. The 49ers' offense had problems handling the Ravens' pass-rush, both physically and tactically. Losing right guard Adam Snyder to injury was one factor, but not the only one. Smith took nine sacks, the most for a 49ers team since 1952, according to Pro Football Reference. Smith appeared to lack quick options against pressure, a change from past weeks. Receiver Braylon Edwards was ineffective for the second week in a row. He could have done more to break up the deep pass Baltimore intercepted in the end zone right before halftime. The turnover prevented a field-goal try that could have tied the game. The 49ers were flagged for being offside on their first two kickoffs, the second week in a row special-teams penalties have gone against them. Ginn dropped a pass with 1:15 left when the 49ers trailed by 10, essentially ending the game.

Turning point: The 49ers held a roughly nine-minute advantage in time of possession after driving to the tying field goal on their first possession of the second half. They needed a defensive stop at that point to take control of the game. Instead, the 49ers gave up a 16-play, 76-yard touchdown drive consuming more than seven minutes.

Ravens had the better defense: This could have been a showcase game for Patrick Willis and the 49ers' defense. It was odd to see Ravens fullback Vonta Leach putting a pancake block on Willis early in the game.

Sack disparity: The 49ers allowed nine sacks and never sacked the Ravens. Not since 2006 had one team collected nine or more sacks while allowing none, according to Pro Football Reference.

What's next: The 49ers are home against the St. Louis Rams in Week 13.

The NFC West cornerback landscape was already barely recognizable from last season.

Marcus Trufant's placement on the Seattle Seahawks injured-reserve list, announced by the team Monday, signals another big change.

The Seahawks will have gone from Trufant and Kelly Jennings as their starters last season to Walter Thurmond and Brandon Browner for the remaining 11 games.

The Arizona Cardinals have gone from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (traded) and Greg Toler (injured reserve) to Patrick Peterson and A.J. Jefferson. The St. Louis Rams have changed from Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher (both on IR) to Justin King and Al Harris. The San Francisco 49ers have gone from Nate Clements (released) and Shawntae Spencer (backup) to Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown, with rookie Chris Culliver surpassing Spencer in the nickel defense.

Trufant, 30, has started at least 15 games in seven of his nine seasons, all with Seattle. He was generally playing well this season before back trouble sidelined him for the team's 36-25 victory against the New York Giants. The team was developing second-year corner Thurmond as a future starter. Thurmond was gaining ground in that pursuit already. Trufant's injury accelerates the process and draws attention to the fact that Trufant's time with the Seahawks could be waning.

Five things I noticed while watching the San Francisco 49ers' 48-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5:

• Dashon Goldson appears possessed. The 49ers' safety was among quite a few free agents forced to swallow their pride when the post-lockout market failed to materialize as expected. Goldson's loss has been the 49ers' gain. He's playing angry and ticking off opponents with his aggressive play. Goldson decked Bucs receiver Micheal Spurlock after Spurlock got up to chase down 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver during an interception return. He delivered the biggest hit of the game on Bucs receiver Mike Williams, sticking his shoulder in Williams' chest to force a fumble. Goldson drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness early in the fourth quarter.
• Watershed game for the secondary. The 49ers appeared to dive deeper into their playbooks while building up their big lead. They went vanilla later, when the game was decided, coach Jim Harbaugh said. The way the defensive play translated to aggressive, decisive coverage in the secondary stood out from the beginning. Sometimes it seemed as though the 49ers' defensive backs knew their opponents' plays as well as the Bucs knew them. The team finished the game with nine passes defensed, three apiece by Culliver and Tarell Brown. Safety Reggie Smith broke up a pass for Kellen Winslow Jr. Carlos Rogers' interception and 31-yard touchdown return provided another example.
• The run blocking took a step forward. One of the more frustrating plays for the Bucs had to come when the 49ers lined up with two backs and two tight ends on a second-and-15 play. The personnel and I-formation screamed that a running play would likely follow. Tampa Bay put nine defenders in the box (extended beyond the right tackle to account for both tight ends on that side of the formation). Fullback Bruce Miller led into the left side of the offensive line, attracting a crowd. Frank Gore busted up the middle and into the secondary, gaining 18 yards. How frustrating it must be for an opponent when a team lines up in 22 personnel and converts on second-and-15 with a running play up the gut.
• Smith hurt the Bucs multiple ways. One of the Bucs' defensive players complained to 49ers left tackle Joe Staley that quarterback Alex Smith was getting rid of the ball too quickly, making it tough to get sacks (Tampa Bay had none). Smith's three touchdown passes validated the complaints. On the first one, Smith lined up in the shotgun, faked a handoff and threw quickly on perfect rhythm for tight end Delanie Walker. Smith took a three-step drop on his second scoring pass, throwing quickly for Vernon Davis, who broke a tackle at the 8-yard line. Smith used a three-step drop on his third scoring pass as well, this one a quick lob for Davis in the end zone. Smith's footwork and timing were often excellent. He also appeared more instinctive in avoiding pressure. He ducked pressure on one play, tucked the ball away briefly as he escaped and then threw quickly toward the sideline. He missed Walker after scrambling on another play, but he kept his eyes downfield, giving him a chance.
• The Bucs' Sean Jones can expect a fine. The 49ers' Kendall Hunter was clearly down when Jones came rushing into the pile and drove his helmet into Hunter's helmet. The play drew a 15-yard penalty and should appear in future officiating videos as an example of dangerous plays. Hunter was fortunate to emerge with no apparent damage.

I also took a closer look at the sacks Aldon Smith and Justin Smith collected. One came after Josh Freeman held the ball too long. Two others came later in the game, after Justin Smith in particular appeared to have worn down Bucs left tackle Donald Penn. Pressure usually sets up a secondary to make plays, but as noted in the second observation, it seemed like the 49ers' secondary took the lead in this game.

NFC West teams went 0-3 last season against the teams they face in Week 5.

They lost those games by a combined 99-31 score.

Much has changed since then. Let's take a look:

Cardinals at Vikings

Score last season: Vikings 27, Cardinals 24 (OT)

Key play: Brett Favre's 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe in the final minute of regulation tied the game, forcing overtime after the Cardinals had built a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead. Favre threw for a career-high 446 yards in the game.

Biggest change: Both teams have new quarterbacks, Kevin Kolb for Derek Anderson in Arizona, and Donovan McNabb for Favre in Minnesota. Also, the Vikings have a new head coach (Leslie Frazier) while the Cardinals have a new defensive coordinator (Ray Horton).

Storyline: McNabb keeps a home in Arizona and was available to the Cardinals when their quarterback situation was in flux, but the team showed no interest in him. He is now trying to hold off a change to rookie Christian Ponder.

Lineup changes for Arizona (12): Beanie Wells for Tim Hightower at running back, Kolb for Anderson at quarterback, Daryn Colledge for Alan Faneca at left guard, Rex Hadnot for Deuce Lutui at right guard, Todd Heap for Ben Patrick at tight end, Andre Roberts for Steve Breaston at receiver, Anthony Sherman for Reagan Maui'a at fullback (although the team opened its 2010 game at Minnesota without a fullback), Dan Williams for Bryan Robinson at nose tackle, Daryl Washington for Gerald Hayes at linebacker, Clark Haggans for Will Davis at linebacker, A.J. Jefferson for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback, Patrick Peterson for Greg Toler at cornerback.

49ers vs. Buccaneers

Score last season: Buccaneers 21, 49ers 0

Key play: Josh Freeman's 1-yard scoring pass to tackle Donald Penn midway through the fourth quarter put an exclamation point on the 49ers' first home shutout since 1977.

Biggest change: Jim Harbaugh has replaced Mike Singletary as the 49ers' head coach.

Storyline: Alex Smith gets a shot at Tampa Bay after watching Troy Smith struggle against the Bucs as the 49ers' starting quarterback last season. Troy Smith's approach centered around striking for big plays. The Bucs took away the big plays. Alex Smith gives the 49ers a chance to be more efficient.

Lineup changes for San Francisco (12): Alex Smith for Troy Smith at quarterback, Joe Staley for Barry Sims at left tackle, Adam Snyder for Chilo Rachal at right guard, Bruce Miller for Moran Norris at fullback, Isaac Sopoaga for Aubrayo Franklin at nose tackle, Ray McDonald for Sopoaga at defensive end, Ahmad Brooks for Manny Lawson at outside linebacker, NaVorro Bowman for Takeo Spikes at inside linebacker, Carlos Rogers for Nate Clements at cornerback, Tarell Brown for Shawntae Spencer at cornerback, Donte Whitner for Reggie Smith at strong safety.

Seahawks at Giants

Score last season: Giants 41, Seahawks 7

Key play: With Seattle already down 14-0 in the first quarter, the Giants returned Leon Washington's fumbled kickoff return to the Seattle 4, setting up Ahmad Bradshaw's touchdown run on the next play.

Biggest change: Tarvaris Jackson is the starting quarterback for Seattle. Charlie Whitehurst was a fill-in starter for Matt Hasselbeck when the teams played last season.

Storyline: The Seahawks' so-far-unproductive ground game faces a Giants run defense that has struggled. Seattle's young line improved in pass protection last week. Can it take a step forward in run blocking this week?

Lineup changes for Seattle (16): Sidney Rice for Deon Butler at receiver, Jackson for Whitehurst at quarterback, Russell Okung for Chester Pitts at left tackle, Paul McQuistan for Mike Gibson at left guard, Max Unger for Chris Spencer at center, John Moffitt for Stacy Andrews at right guard, James Carpenter for Sean Locklear at right tackle, Zach Miller for John Carlson at tight end, Brandon Mebane for Junior Siavii at defensive tackle, Alan Branch for Craig Terrill at defensive tackle, Red Bryant for Kentwan Balmer at defensive end, K.J. Wright for Aaron Curry at linebacker, David Hawthorne for Lofa Tatupu at linebacker, Leroy Hill for Hawthorne at linebacker, Brandon Browner for Kelly Jennings at right cornerback, Kam Chancellor or Atari Bigby for Lawyer Milloy, depending on Chancellor's availability.