ESPN NFL

A weekly examination of the 49ers' ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason ranking: 3 | Last Week: 10 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

The San Francisco 49ers’ short journey out of single-digit rankings is over after a 35-11 win at St. Louis in Week 4. Last week, the 49ers fell to No. 10 after dropping to 1-2. It was the team’s lowest ranking since Week 5 of 2011. The 49ers were never ranked lower than No. 5 last season.

Now, they appear to be back on the right track. The voting panel clearly respects and believes in San Francisco. The 49ers are the highest-ranked 2-2 team in the league. They are also ranked higher than Chicago, Detroit and Tennessee. Those teams are all 3-1.

A win over visiting Houston, ranked No. 15, should keep the 49ers pointing upward in Week 6.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The first quarter of the San Francisco 49ers' season is complete. Let’s look at some key developments as the defending NFC champion sits at 2-2:

Story of the quarter: It’s a sad story, while being one of the biggest in the league this season. Superstar pass-rusher Aldon Smith is receiving treatment for alcohol abuse. He entered treatment at an undisclosed facility two days before he turned 24 after being arrested on a charge of drunk driving. It was his second DUI arrest in less than two years. He publicly acknowledged he has a problem and vowed to “fix” it. He is expected to be away from the team for a month. It’s a stunning and rare NFL story.

Offensive MVP of the quarter: Let’s go with running back Frank Gore. He got the team on track Thursday night at St. Louis with 153 rushing yards on 20 carries. It was his highest rushing total in four years. Gore was also good in Week 3 before the 49ers went away from the run. Gore showed he is still the sparkplug to this offense.

Defensive player of the quarter: Smith was great when he played and Patrick Willis was also outstanding before sitting out the St. Louis game with a groin injury. Overall, the 49ers’ defense has been better than statistics show. I’m going to with linebacker NaVorro Bowman. He has been steady. He was spectacular against the Rams in Willis’ absence. I know I am putting a lot of stock in the St. Louis game, but this game might be looked upon as a season-saver. It was vital.

Rookie of the quarter: Safety Eric Reid looks like the goods. The first-round pick has been a big part of the defense since the start of the season. He is smart, instinctive and a ball hawk. He has a bright future.

Disappointment of the quarter: The lack of discipline. San Francisco has 39 penalties. It is ridiculous. Penalties have hurt this team in all four games. The 49ers have to get a handle on on this issue.

Biggest unanswered question of the quarter: Are there enough weapons in the passing game? Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was not the problem when this team scored a combined 10 points in losses to Seattle and Indianapolis. His receivers, other than Anquan Boldin and tight end Vernon Davis, did not come through. It improved somewhat at St. Louis. Newly acquired Jon Baldwin was active and looked decent. But this is something the 49ers will have to work on until Mario Manningham comes back in a month and star Michael Crabtree tries to return late in the season. As of now, receiver depth is still a huge question.

Fearless prediction for the second quarter: The 49ers will go 3-1 in the next quarter and sit at 5-3 at the bye week. That’s a pretty solid record for a team that was 1-2. The 49ers’ toughest games in the next quarter are at home on a Sunday night against Houston and at Tennessee on Oct. 20. They also play host to Arizona on Oct. 13 and against Jacksonville on Oct. 27 in London. The 49ers are not perfect and they have some issues to work through, but I expect them to straighten out some in the coming weeks with the help of a manageable schedule.

His status: Star San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith checked into an alcohol treatment center Monday. He was arrested three days earlier for drunk driving. It was his second such arrest in less than two years.

Timeline: Smith will not be ready to leave treatment until physicians declare him ready. Often, such treatment takes about four weeks. Then, he’d have to get conditioned back to football shape. The 49ers leave for London after playing at Tennessee on Oct. 20. That is 27 days after Smith checked into treatment. In the best-case scenario, perhaps he could join the team for an Oct. 27 game against Jacksonville in England. But the more likely scenario, assuming all goes well in treatment, is Smith joins the team after it returns from London for the bye week and is ready to play Nov. 10 against Carolina. Smith’s first court date on his DUI charge is Nov. 4. Smith is likely facing about a two-game NFL suspension if convicted on the charge. It is not out of the question he serves the suspension next season.

Financially speaking: CSN Bay Area reported during the week that the 49ers have opted to pay Smith while he is on the reserve/Non-Football Illness list. Paying Smith was the team’s choice. His weekly paycheck is about $99,000. It is an act of good faith by the organization, which has vowed to support its star during this troubling time. As for a contract extension, that probably will have to wait, at least, a year as Smith will likely have to show the franchise he can be trusted on a long-term basis.

The team without him: Promising rookie Corey Lemonier and veteran Dan Skuta took the place of Smith, who has 4.5 sacks this season and an NFL-high 38.5 sacks since 2011, in a 35-11 win over St. Louis. San Francisco had five sacks and it played brilliant defense without both Smith and star inside linebacker Patrick Willis, who was out with a groin injury.

Bottom line: Smith has to get healthy. All involved are in agreement -- his personal well being is paramount at this point and we won’t see him in uniform until it is determined he is on the road to recovery.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterbacks make their reputation on third down.

Can they or can’t they?

Thursday night, Colin Kaepernick, under fire for leading a San Francisco 49ers offense that had scored a total of 10 points in its previous two games, was dominant on third down in a 35-11 victory at St. Louis.

The 49ers relied on 153 rushing yards by Frank Gore. But Kaepernick added 167 yards through the air to supplement the offensive attack. And Kaepernick did most of his damage on third down.

He completed 7 of 10 passes for 98 yards on third down, and both of his touchdown throws came on third down. His average completion yardage was good for a first down. His passer rating was 140.8 and his Total QBR was 99.5.

Kaepernick’s performance in the game, and in particular on third down, should quiet the critics. Any quarterback who dominates on the most critical down is a quarterback who is going to play for a long time.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quinton Patton’s bad break may be a good one for Jon Baldwin.

It appears Baldwin will get a chance for extra playing time now that Patton has a broken foot. The rookie was hurt in the San Francisco 49ers’ 35-11 win at St. Louis on Thursday, and will miss several weeks. Patton was working as the No. 2 receiver when he was hurt.

Baldwin, Kyle Williams and Marlon Moore will get more work, while Anquan Boldin and tight end Vernon Davis will remain the top options. Mario Manningham could come back from an injury in a month. Michael Crabtree could return from a torn Achilles in December.

In the meantime, Baldwin is the most intriguing option the 49ers have. He was acquired in August from Kansas City for former first-round pick A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin was inactive for the first three games before playing solidly at St. Louis.

Baldwin was considered a potential star for the Chiefs, but he never put it together. It sounds as if 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is ready to see if Baldwin is ready to be a contributor.

“He’s got a competitive heart,” Harbaugh said of Baldwin. “I had that feeling about him.”

With Patton down, we’ll see what Baldwin can do.

A review of four hot issues from the San Francisco 49ers' 35-11 road win over the St. Louis Rams:

Digging deep: The 49ers simply had to win this game. They were 1-2 and were outscored by a combined 56-10 the past two weeks. Their offense looked horrible, injuries were piling up, linebacker Aldon Smith left the team to seek alcohol rehab treatment and they were playing on a short week. The odds were stacked against them -- and the 49ers responded. They dominated on both sides of the ball. They are now 2-2 and feeling pretty good about themselves.

Back to basics: In the first three weeks, the 49ers didn’t run the ball consistently on offense and had trouble, at times, on defense. That’s not the 49ers’ way. They win by dominating on the ground on both sides of the ball. It sets their tone, which is what happened Thursday. Frank Gore ran for 153 yards (his highest total since 2009) on 20 carries. His 34-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-inches late in the second quarter gave the 49ers a 14-3 lead. It also increases their win probability 18.1 percent to 85.3 percent. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Gore had 115 yards between the tackles Thursday. He had a total of 88 yards between the tackles in the first three games. Defensively, the 49ers held the Rams to 18 rushing yards on 19 carries. It was a great bounce-back performance -- especially considering they were missing inside linebacker Patrick Willis -- for a unit that allowed 179 yards on the ground last Sunday against the Colts.

Dodging a bullet: This great win looked like it was going to be ruined very late in the game when standout left tackle Joe Staley was on the turf, yelling in pain. He later said he thought he broke his ankle, but he tweeted that he was fine. Coach Jim Harbaugh said it looked like the team “dodged a bullet.”

Youngsters get involved: The 49ers are one of the league’s youngest teams and they are starting to rely on some less experienced players. Receiver Jon Baldwin played for the first time since being acquired in a deal with Kansas City for fellow former first-round pick A.J. Jenkins. Baldwin came up with some big catches. Harbaugh liked what he saw. Running back LaMichael James played for the first time this season. He didn’t do much, but at least he’s in the mix. Rookie Corey Lemonier played a lot in Smith’s absence and looked promising. Michael Wilhoite played solidly in Willis’ absence. Getting these players work should pay off as the season progresses.

ST. LOUIS -- The San Francisco 49ers obviously wanted to send the rest of the NFC a message as they make their final preparations for Week 4: We are still a team to be reckoned with at the quarter point of the season.

Make no mistake, the 49ers, particularly on offense, are not perfect four games into their NFC title defense. However, they emphatically showed Thursday night that they are not ready to remove themselves from playoff consideration. In an impressive show of will, San Francisco manhandled the St. Louis Rams, 35-11, to improve to 2-2.

If the 49ers had fallen to 1-3, their season would have been officially unraveling. Instead, they go into the long weekend feeling like Weeks 2 and 3 were correctable aberrations.

Overcoming their myriad issues was not easy, especially traveling across the country on a short week. San Francisco entered this game having been outscored by Seattle and Indianapolis by a combined 56-10. The 49ers' offense, including quarterback Colin Kaepernick, had been awful; they were banged up; and, most importantly, linebacker Aldon Smith had entered an alcohol-treatment program, just shy of his 24th birthday, and would be away from the team for at least a month.

Yes, it was a crisis week for the 49ers.

And they punched the Rams in the mouth, just as a true playoff contender would.

Every member of the organization deserved a game ball Thursday night. This was a special bounce-back win. Coach Jim Harbaugh and Kaepernick would get gold game balls. They answered the call.

After losing to the Colts, the 49ers fell below .500 for the first time in Harbaugh’s 35 games at the helm, and it was the first time his team had lost back-to-back games. He and his staff, which stayed over at the facility on Sunday night, did a brilliant job. Harbaugh gave a hint of what was coming in his Monday news conference.

"We have the rare opportunity," he said, "of staring adversity in the face and whipping it.''

It was clear Harbaugh had his team prepared and the 49ers realized what was at stake. The understated Kaepernick said Tuesday when asked what was the message of the week: “We have to win.”

Yes, there is no such thing as a must-win until it is actually a must-win. That’s impossible in September. But the 49ers would have been rowing upstream for a good part of the season had they not won Thursday night.

And for the 49ers to win so impressively, with everything that ailed them, shows that this team is still very much a contender.

It started on the ground -- as it should in the 49ers’ offense. Frank Gore, often an unsung hero for the 49ers, paved the way with 153 yards on 20 carries, including a 34-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-inches to make the score 14-3 late in the second quarter. It was Gore’s highest rushing yardage total since 2009. The 49ers didn’t have success running the ball in the first two games of the season, and they went away from it last weekend against Indianapolis. Thursday night it was the focal point of the offensive attack and opened up the passing game for Kaepernick.

Kaepernick’s statistical line was not overly impressive: He was 15-for-23 for 167 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. In reality, Kaepernick was effective. He took what the defense gave him and threw lasers all night. Anquan Boldin made a big impact with five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.

“When we are at our best, we do whatever it takes offensively to be successful,” fullback Bruce Miller said. “That’s what we did tonight. The ground game worked, so we used it. We showed that we are capable of doing this every week. That’s what’s satisfying. After the last weeks, this is what we needed.”

Most importantly, San Francisco's offense took pressure off of its defense. The defense had been taking heat of its own after allowing 84 points this season. But, for the most part, the unit was solid, wearing down only late in the game. The 49ers had held a lead for just 25 plays over the first three games, all in the first week.

The San Francisco defense was refreshed Thursday night as it was staked to an early 11-point lead. Playing without Smith and inside linebacker Patrick Willis, who has a groin injury, the unit was suffocating. After wilting against the run, the 49ers allowed St. Louis just 18 yards on 19 carries. The Rams managed a total of only 188 yards of offense.

Running the ball and stopping the run. It was San Francisco 49ers’ football when they needed it the most.

“We went back to being us,” Gore said.

Yes, there are still some issues. The 49ers committed 10 penalties and now have 39 this season, the receiving corps lacks depth and the defense occasionally sagged on third-and-long.

But all of those things can be fixed. The 49ers were in a crisis. Style points were not the point Thursday. Simply winning was the tonic San Francisco needed. The 49ers showed the rest of the league, they will not go away so easily.

ST. LOUIS -- Observed in the locker room following the San Francisco 49ers' 35-11 win over the St. Louis Rams.

Staley seems fine: It looks as if standout left tackle Joe Staley is going to be OK. It was a harrowing scene late in the game when Staley went down. He was on the turf for several moments. However, Staley walked off the field on his own and was seen leaving the X-ray room without a noticeable limp.

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said it looks as though the team “dodged a bullet."

Kaepernick responds: Teammates were very happy for quarterback Colin Kaepernick. He was taking a lot of heat after the 49ers played poorly on offense the past two weeks. Kaepernick responded with a strong game Thursday night.

Bowman steps up: There were lots of pats on the back for linebacker NaVorro Bowman. He was all over the field and led the defense with linebacker Patrick Willis out with a groin injury.

Back to basics: Running back Frank Gore, who had 153 yards rushing, said the 49ers simply “went back to being us” in the win.

ST. LOUIS – A few thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers’ 35-11 win over the St. Louis Rams:

What it means: The 49ers are not dead. Give this club a ton of credit. The 49ers entered this game on a short week in a bad way. They were outscored 56-10 in the previous two games, banged up and dealing with the fact linebacker Aldon Smith had entered an alcohol treatment center. This a crucial time for San Francisco, and the team answered the call. The offense wasn’t perfect but it was impressive, and the defense was tremendous (led by linebacker NaVorro Bowman) playing without Smith and linebacker Patrick Willis, who was injured. The 49ers improved to 2-2 and showed that as defending NFC champions, they are not ready to go bye-bye anytime soon.

Stock watch: Frank Gore’s stock is way up. The 49ers went to the basics offensively and it paid off. Gore was terrific. He had 153 yards on 20 carries, including a 34-yard touchdown on fourth-and-inches to make it 14-3 late in the second quarter. The 49ers had success on the ground in the first half Sunday in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts, but then got away from it in the second half. This time they stuck to their plan and it opened up the passing game.

Fair-catch kick: This game got fairly uninteresting in the second quarter as the 49ers pulled away. But San Francisco did keep things fresh when kicker Phil Dawson attempted a free kick at the end of the first half. Had he made the 71-yard attempt it would have been a field goal. It had no chance. The Rams tried to return it, but got nowhere. It was the first time the 49ers used the rare play in 24 years. It may be another 24 years before they try it again. But yeah, coach Jim Harbaugh was going to win this game. Everything was on the table.

What’s next: The 49ers get a relaxing weekend. That’s the payoff of a Thursday night game. The preparation is challenging, but if you win, it’s a great weekend at home and the start of a nine-day rest period. The 49ers will be refreshed when they host Houston on Oct. 6 in a Sunday night game. The home fans will be looking for a better effort than what San Francisco gave against Indianapolis.

Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the divisional match up of the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams.

Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.

No NFL division rivals were more evenly matched than the St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers in 2012. It took almost 10 full quarters to determine a winner after the teams tied in San Francisco and went late into overtime in the meeting in St. Louis.

The Rams and 49ers renew acquaintances in front of a national audience at 8:25 p.m. ET Thursday night at the Edward Jones Dome. ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner and 49ers reporter Bill Williamson kick around some important topics heading into the game in this edition of Double Coverage.

Wagoner: These two teams couldn’t possibly have played a pair of closer games in one season than they did last year. That came as something of a surprise given the way San Francisco was bullying opponents from week to week. Somehow, the Rams seemed to have the 49ers' number last year. How much does that bother 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh & Co. entering this one?

Williamson: I am sure the 49ers are not thrilled to be playing at St. Louis on a short week right now. Times are tough in San Francisco. They are under .500 and have lost two games in a row for the first time under Jim Harbaugh. They are having issues on both sides of the ball, dealing with Aldon Smith going to rehab and experiencing many injuries. To top it all off, the Rams, as you said, had success against the 49ers last year when they were playing at a high level. I think the 49ers are focusing this week on getting themselves fixed and not worrying about their recent past with the Rams. But if the Rams strike first, it could get in the 49ers’ heads.

Wagoner: Well, on the bright side for San Francisco, the Rams are going through some troubles of their own after getting decimated in Dallas last weekend. That the Rams are 1-2 at this point isn’t a huge surprise, but the way the Cowboys manhandled them has caused some to push the panic button already. Playing a division rival at home on short rest should serve as a quick way to snap out of whatever funk it was that plagued them in Dallas. On the flip side of that equation, it also doesn’t provide much time to fix all the problems that have been evident not just against the Cowboys but in the first three weeks as a whole.

You mention the loss of Aldon Smith; how does that affect the Niners on the field and perhaps in the locker room?

Williamson: Moving forward, I think the biggest effect is on the field. The team has had time to allow this to hit them. If anything, it might have been a distraction Sunday against the Colts. Now, they are worried about being without Smith on the field. He has 37 sacks since he came into the league in 2011, the most in the NFL during that span. The 49ers are going to use rookie Corey Lemonier, a third-round pick, and Dan Skuta, mostly a special-teamer, in Smith's absence. The 49ers’ entire defense is going to have to respond well as it begins to play without Smith. Suffice to say, it won’t be easy.

Wagoner: The 49ers playing without Smith bodes well for the Rams given the fact that he’s had so much success against them in previous meetings. Smith had five sacks in four games against the Rams, so his absence is a good thing for an offensive line that gave up six sacks last week in Dallas. Before that game, the Rams had a four-game streak dating to last season of not allowing a sack, but it appeared to be a bit of smoke and mirrors this season given the Rams’ penchant for short passes and not having faced a team with a top pass-rusher. Perhaps more important for the Rams’ offensive line this week will be establishing the line of scrimmage and trying to get the running game going. It’s an area where the Rams have yet to show much life but one they’ll absolutely need against the 49ers.

Speaking of areas that haven’t revved up yet, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick isn't off to the best start. What have you seen from him so far and what type of changes (if any) have the 49ers made schematically since last year?

Williamson: It’s weird, Nick. Kaepernick was brilliant -- basically flawless -- against the Packers in Week 1. But he has really struggled in the past two games as the 49ers have scored a combined 10 points. Frankly, this offense has been incapable of playing winning football the past two weeks. But it’s not all on Kaepernick. The receivers (other than Anquan Boldin) have not gotten open and the offensive line, which has been great in the past, has slid back. Kaepernick seems flustered. He has to rise above it and become the leader. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more of the read-option (it has been used sparingly this season) against the Rams to give the offense a spark.

Wagoner: That’s an interesting thought given the Rams’ relative success against the read-option last year. The Rams seemed to be on to the basic keys to slowing it down and that played a big part in their win against the 49ers in St. Louis. They had it defended well enough to score a game-changing touchdown on a missed pitch late in that one. One thing that could play in San Francisco’s favor is the knee injury to defensive end William Hayes. It’s unlikely Hayes will play this week and he’s the best the Rams have at setting the edge and blowing up run plays. That’s a big loss for the Rams going into this one.

ST. LOUIS – I have arrived here for Thursday night’s San Francisco 49ers-St. Louis Rams game, to predictable 49ers injury news.

Both tight end Vernon Davis (hamstring) and linebacker Patrick Willis (groin) are listed as questionable for the game. Davis, who missed Sunday’s loss to the Colts, is more likely to play than Willis, who was hurt in the third quarter. Davis practiced on a limited basis the past two days. Willis did not practice this week; he and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio nevertheless expressed hope he would play.

Both will be game-time decisions Thursday. Nnamdi Asomugha, the No. 3 cornerback, is also listed as questionable with a knee injury he suffered Sunday. He hasn't practiced all week.

Backup running back LaMichael James, meanwhile, was not on the injury report Wednesday. He has missed all three games this season with a knee injury. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Tuesday that James will likely be a game-time decision. If he doesn’t play, it will most likely be because he is a healthy scratch.

 
ESPN.com team reporter Bill Williamson on the San Francisco 49ers' hot topics as they begin preparations for Week 4.

A weekly examination of the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback play.

Rewind: Colin Kaepernick had his second straight poor performance in Week 3, a 27-7 home loss to Indianapolis. Kaepernick threw for 150 yards, but most of it was in garbage time. He had two completions in the first half. Kaepernick has thrown for 277 yards in the past two games combined after tossing for a career-high 412 yards in Week 1 against Green Bay.

Fast-forward: Kaepernick doesn’t have much time to fret about his issues. The 49ers play at St. Louis on Thursday night. Kaepernick completed 32 of 49 passes against the Rams last season. The Rams' defense allowed Dallas’ Tony Romo to throw three touchdown passes in a 31-7 Dallas win Sunday.

Downfield daze: Last season, Kaepernick enjoyed success throwing the ball 10 yards or farther. But the past two games, Kaepernick has completed just 2 of 13 passes on such plays. That type of futility allows defenses to tee off on an offense.

Prediction: Kaepernick should improve Thursday. The 49ers have real receiving issues, and tight end Vernon Davis is dealing with a hamstring injury. I don’t see Kaepernick having a great night, but I see him completing 18 of 31 passes for 242 yards and two touchdown passes.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis made progress Tuesday even as he was limited in practice.

Davis is trying to bounce back -- in a short work week -- from a hamstring injury that kept him out of Sunday’s 27-7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The 49ers play at St. Louis on Thursday. San Francisco offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Tuesday the team expects Davis to be a game-time decision. The fact that the eighth-year pro got some work Tuesday is significant; Davis didn’t practice all last week.

San Francisco struggled offensively without Davis in Sunday's loss. He had not missed game since 2007.

Meanwhile, as expected, inside linebacker Patrick Willis did not practice Tuesday in the wake of a groin injury suffered in the third quarter Sunday. It would be a remarkably quick turnaround for Willis to be ready for Thursday, though the NFL Network reported earlier Tuesday Willis hopes to play. San Francisco defensive coordinator Vic Fangio echoed that sentiment.

“He’s getting better,” Fangio said. “He’s making a lot of progress. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be ready on Thursday or not.”

Michael Wilhoite is set to take Willis' spot if he can’t play.

Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha didn’t practice Tuesday because of a knee injury. The team promoted cornerback Darryl Morris from the practice squad to boost the roster if Asomugha can't go.

Special-teams player Bubba Ventrone was limited Tuesday after leaving Sunday's game with a concussion. He would have to pass an NFL-mandated test before being cleared to play Thursday.