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Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

SEATTLE -- Thoughts and observations at halftime of the Seahawks' exhibition game against the Broncos on Saturday night:

• Matt Hasselbeck survived his first hit. And a few more after that. Seattle's quarterback hadn't taken punishment since suffering back trouble last season. The Broncos hit him in the back more than once. Hasselbeck appeared to be OK and he finished the half with a 120.0 rating despite three sacks.
• Walter Jones is badly missed. The Broncos aren't the most dynamic pass rushing team around, but they're getting to Hasselbeck. Left tackle Sean Locklear, subbing for the injured Jones, has had significant problems so far. Kenny Peterson drove Locklear into Hasselbeck for one sack. Locklear has a penalty for a false start. He got away with holding on a screen pass. Elvis Dumervil also got pressure on Hasselbeck through Locklear.
• Deon Butler looks good. There has never been doubt about the rookie's status as one of the Seahawks' top four receivers this season. The team thinks the third-round choice from Penn State can provide a speed element that has been lacking on the outside. Butler showed that speed on the Seahawks' first drive, catching a 34-yard touchdown pass from Hasselbeck. Butler made another catch over the middle to convert on third down.
• Hasselbeck, 'Housh' warming up: Hasselbeck just missed connecting with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the end zone on a long pass. He found Houshmandzadeh for a short touchdown pass right before halftime. Houshmandzadeh averaged only 8.2 yards per catch in the half, but his catches were important ones.
• Screen game revived. The Seahawks' long-lost screen game is showing signs of life. Hasselbeck found running back Justin Forsett for a 30-yard gain on a screen.
• Chris Spencer still is not durable. The Seahawks' center left the game after suffering an injury to his left quadriceps. No word yet on severity, but Spencer's health remains a big question mark. With Max Unger and Steve Vallos around, the Seahawks have other options at the position.
• Pass rush non-existent. Denver's Kyle Orton dropped back 23 times without taking a sack against the Seahawks' first-team defense. Patrick Kerney had no tackles and his name did not appear on the defensive stat sheet.

I'll be watching the Chargers-Cardinals and Raiders-49ers games on NFL Network replays. Might also file more notes from this Broncos-Seahawks game, as warranted.

Seahawks OL Pos. Age Status Chris Gray G 38 UFA Walter Jones LT 35 Signed Steve McKinney C 33 UFA Mike Wahle LG 31 Signed Floyd Womack G 30 UFA Sean Locklear RT 27 Signed Chris Spencer C 26 Signed Ray Willis RT 26 Signed Na'Shan Goddard T 25 Signed Rob Sims RG 25 Signed Steve Vallos C 25 Signed Kyle Williams T 24 Signed Mansfield Wrotto G 24 Signed William Robinson T 24 Signed

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

The Seahawks' ability to bring back Ray Willis on a two-year deal significantly upgrades their depth at two and possibly three positions on the offensive line.

Willis appeared likely to find a starting job elsewhere when free agency opened. The Redskins liked him. They considered adding him as their starting right tackle. The money apparently didn't line up with Willis' expectations, which was a break for Seattle.

Willis has starting experience at right guard and right tackle. His presence buys security for the Seahawks on multiple fronts.

If left tackle Walter Jones experiences additional knee trouble,
Seattle could move right tackle Sean Locklear to the left side, with Willis stepping in at right tackle. If Rob Sims or the currently unsigned Floyd Womack isn't the answer at right guard, Willis can help at that position as well.

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Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch thinks the Rams will show interest in free agents Leonard Weaver and Jason Brown. Both would upgrade the Rams. Brown would dramatically upgrade the situation at center. He also thinks the Rams like Eugene Monroe over Jason Smith among the offensive tackles in the draft. Thomas: "The Rams have so many serious needs on both sides of the ball, they could truly go in several directions with that first-round pick, really anywhere other than QB, RB, punter, kicker."

Niners scout Todd Brunner liked what Connecticut cornerback Darius Walker showed during the final day of the combine. He also liked what quarterback Pat White showed. 

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat thinks the 49ers might focus more on signing their own players to extensions as free agency approaches.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee thinks the 49ers might take Andre Smith at No. 10 if the massive tackle were available in that spot.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic thinks the Cardinals' stalemate with Anquan Boldin could "come to a head" before the draft in April. Somers: "Still, his influence in the locker room and on the practice field is hard to overestimate. If this soap opera ends with Boldin leaving the show, no one is going to feel good about it."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says the team plans to stick with its basic defensive philosophy even after Clancy Pendergast's firing. That means a continuation of the hybrid looks.

Revenge of the Birds' Hawkwind details which of the Cardinals' free agents should be re-signed. He thinks defensive end Antonio Smith will command something along the lines of a five-year, $27.5 million deal from the Cowboys, Broncos or Packers. That would probably push Calais Campbell into the lineup for the Cardinals.

Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer thinks the Seahawks should draft a left tackle in the fourth overall spot even if they can't find anyone as good as Walter Jones.

Chris Sullivan of Seahawk Addicts is soliciting questions for an interview with Seahawks center Steve Vallos.

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Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says NFL rules would prevent the 49ers from removing the "interim" label during the season. The 49ers would hold exclusive negotiating writes for an unspecified period of time. I see no advantage in making a hasty decision.

Also from Maiocco: The 49ers signed rookie free agent Carl Stewart, a running back, to their practice squad after losing defensive lineman Attiyah Ellison to the Jaguars.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the short term prognosis for Frank Gore might not be good. The 49ers aren't sure if their running back will be able to play on a bad ankle.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune says Leroy Hill has a chance to play against the Rams, a departure from previous reports suggesting Hill wasn't recovering quickly. Also, Holmgren singled out Floyd Womack for having the best game of his career against the Patriots. Holmgren also thought Steve Vallos played well despite a late miscue. Finally, Maurice Morris will start at running back once again.

Also from Hughes: Patrick Kerney has again torn the labrum in his left shoulder. This is a huge setback for Kerney.

Dave Mahler of KJR Radio in Seattle interviews Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson, who says he's ahead of schedule in returning from knee surgery. Office warning: This is an audio file, which is why the link is way down here.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the Seahawks have signed center Donovan Railoa to their practice squad after losing guard Pat Murray to the Broncos.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will be questionable against the Rams.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals have signed linebacker Kelly Poppinga to their practice squad after losing linebacker Chris Harrington to the Bengals.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com has the latest on Alan Branch. An infected cheek kept the 2007 second-round choice from buckling his chinstrap, preventing Branch from practicing.

Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune thinks the Cardinals would have been a Super Bowl contender had they drafted Adrian Peterson instead of Levi Brown.

Note: Nothing from the Rams so far.

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Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams will place cornerback Tye Hill on injured reserve. Also, Todd Johnson will replace Corey Chavous at strong safety.

Also from Thomas: A chat transcript leading off with a question about Jim Haslett's job prospects. Thomas thinks the Rams will open the search if Haslett fails to win two of the final three games. Haslett could still be a candidate at that point.

Jeff Roman of ramsgab.com looks at potential candidates for the Rams' head coaching job.

VanRam of Turf Show Times is putting his money on Haslett to keep the job.

Joe Staley of the 49ers updates his blog with an item about his first NFL touchdown. Also, Staley has become a San Jose Sharks fan despite growing up in Michigan.

Also from Staley: A look back at the victory over the Jets, with an emphasis on the 49ers' strong third-down play.

Taylor Price of 49ers.com checks in with 49ers receiver Jason Hill, who is making strides in his second season from Washington State.

Emily Gersema of the Arizona Republic was there when Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald accompanied an 8-year-old to school as part of a contest promotion.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic checks in with Cardinals general manager Rod Graves for a look at the team's offseason priorities. Graves remains optimistic about mending the team's relationship with receiver Anquan Boldin.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Early Doucet is the odd man out thanks in part to Steve Breaston's emergence as a productive receiver.

John Morgan of Field Gulls breaks down the Seahawks' offensive linemen, making the case that Steve Vallos isn't the answer at center. He also recognizes Brandon Mebane as one of the best things the Seahawks have going. He sees Sean Locklear as the future left tackle. An aside: Locklear's contract does include escalators in case he plays at least half the snaps at left tackle. The escalators reflect potential expectations for Locklear once Walter Jones retires.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the Seahawks could be shut out from the Pro Bowl. Lofa Tatupu says he hasn't played well enough to make a fourth consecutive trip.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald sees draft positioning on the line when the Seahawks visit the Rams.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times quotes Holmgren as saying football isn't a sport where teams intentionally lose games to improve playoff positioning.

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Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is drawing on lessons he learned as a Steelers assistant coach. Whisenhunt: "I learned so much from the Rooneys and coach [Bill] Cowher, the biggest thing probably being that honesty and fairness are what players respect the most. I also learned you have to stay true to your plan. You have to get your players to believe that your plan can work. We're getting there."

Jarrett Bell of USA Today takes an in-depth look at Kurt Warner's MVP-caliber season. Rich Gannon is among those appreciating Warner's attention to detail on fundamentals. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley: "Play in and play out, situationally he's making better decisions, choosing when's the time to take a chance. That's hard, because he's aggressive. And you don't ever want to take that stinger away from him." 

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals want competence in the running game. They aren't as concerned about balance. This is a passing team.

Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals took a sneak peek at the Eagles well in advance, an effort to offset the short work week.

The Washington Times says Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm is a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the fifth consecutive year Grimm has reached that level. Grimm is a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1980s.

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic reveals embarrassing details from Rams guard Richie Incognito's past, countering assurances that Incognito's behavior will change following a pep talk from coach Jim Haslett.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Cardinals defensive end Bert Berry sympathizes with Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. The two are friends, and Berry knows what it's like to have his role reduced.

Also from Urban: The Cardinals aren't worried about their ground game as long as the team can move the ball.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams had a mid-round draft grade on linebacker Larry Grant, who the team signed from the 49ers' practice squad. The team also signed veteran center Cory Withrow after placing Nick Leckey on injured reserve.

Also from Thomas: Rams defensive end Leonard Little is playing with a torn hamstring.

Steve Korte of the Belleville News-Democrat says Rams quarterback Marc Bulger must pass a neuropsych test before the team clears him to play in Week 13.

Nancy Gay of the San Francisco Chronicle says 49ers great Roger Craig is a Hall of Fame semifinalist for the first time.

Also from Gay: The role of interim coach can be a thankless one.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says Grant was the only 49ers draft choice from 2008 who didn't earn a spot on the 53-man roster. The team hasn't replaced Grant on the practice squad after the Rams signed the linebacker for insurance.

Ann Killion of the San Jose Mercury News criticizes 49ers coach Mike Singletary for suggesting the team's defeat at Dallas wasn't a lopsided one. The Cowboys held a 32-9 lead at one point.

John Ryan of the San Jose Mercury News says Singletary once revealed details of a coach's halftime motivational tactics. 

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune quotes Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson as saying Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will suffer turnovers if a defense can fluster him. The Seahawks are facing Romo for the first time since the memorable playoff game between the teams after the 2006 season.

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says Julius Jones is fired up about facing his former team in Dallas on Thanksgiving. That's one reason the Seahawks named him a starter for the game, coach Mike Holmgren said.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald says the Seahawks are rushing through their work week to get ready for Thursday.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune says second-year center Steve Vallos will start for the Seahawks against Dallas. A back injury will sideline Chris Spencer. The matchup is a tough one for Vallos, but the Seahawks will get a chance to see him in a regular-season game. They liked what Vallos showed during the exhibition season.

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Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer sums up the Seahawks' struggles in one all-too-familiar play. The combination of ineffective blitzing and ineffective coverage is not a good one for a Seattle team with so little offense.

Also from Farnsworth: Seahawks middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu suffers a concussion.

Jim Moore of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the Seattle offense struggled with Seneca Wallace at quarterback. Wallace takes the blame and says the team never found a rhythm.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks thought the Bucs were guilty of offensive pass interference on a first-quarter touchdown pass.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks scored three points in the third quarter to double their season-long output in third quarters, just one example of the team's futility. Boling recommends playing Steve Vallos at center, among other changes.

Also from Boling: Seattle doesn't point fingers at Wallace after the defeat.

Jose Romero of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks again had trouble recovering from a big play allowed.

Also from Romero: A quick look at key plays from the game, including another holding call against Seahawks guard Mike Wahle to negate a long run.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks have become an afterthought.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald says the Seahawks' season is essentially over with 10 games remaining.

Also from Johnson: Notes from the game, including the possibility of a fine for Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill.

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Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic identifies key developments and memorable moments from Cardinals training camp. Kurt Warner's kindness to fans stood out. Somers: "Every day. For everyone. After practice one day, I did a couple of interviews, loitered around the field, walked a quarter mile to my car and then drove by the practice field. Warner was still there signing."

Also from Somers: Though depth charts have not yet solidified, Travis LaBoy appears to have overtaken Bertrand Berry on the Cardinals' depth chart. No surprise there. LaBoy has enjoyed an outstanding camp. He had two sacks against the Chiefs in a recent exhibition game.

More from Somers: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt made a simple request to players as they left the field for the final time during training camp at Northern Arizona University: "Please, nobody trip and get hurt in the stampede leaving this field."

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com checks in with overlooked draft choice Chris Harrington, a candidate for the practice squad after a strong camp.

Also from Urban: Rookie running back Tim Hightower acknowledges but doesn't particularly like one of his nicknames. "The Bread Truck" stuck after a college announcer criticized Hightower for carrying the ball like a loaf of bread, only to praise him for running with authority on his way to a touchdown.

Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News files a report card from the 49ers' game at Chicago. Helped themselves: receiver Jason Hill, fullback Zak Keasey, running back Thomas Clayton. Hurt themselves: quarterback Alex Smith and safety Keith Lewis.

Also from Brown: The 49ers' special teams struggled. Injuries to Jeff Ulbrich and Allen Rossum will require further evaluation. Ulbrich has been trying to hold off newcomer Takeo Spikes for one of the starting jobs at inside linebacker.

Also from Brown: The QB race is looking like "J.T.O. by TKO" (with J.T. O'Sullivan posting a perfect passer rating while Smith fell short on the stat sheet and on artistic merits).

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee describes the 49ers as a confident bunch following their most recent exhibition game. The quarterback race is all but over, Barrows says.

Matt Maiocco of Instant 49ers runs a transcript from his interview with 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan, who says he won't butt into the decision on a starting quarterback. The decision has previously been framed as a group effort involving McCloughan and coaches. Also, McCloughan said he thinks Smith will become a good NFL quarterback even if he isn't the starter heading into this season.

Also from Maiocco: Tight end Vernon Davis is "dying to know" the identity of the starting quarterback for the regular season. O'Sullivan appears to be a slam-dunk choices, but Smith says he's only scratching the surface of what he can do in this offense.

More from Maiocco: After leading with a note on the 49ers' special teams, Maiocco singles out the "patchwork" offensive line for high praise. The 49ers rushed for 160 yards, and pass protection was solid.

Chrissy Mauck of sf49ers.com all but hands the quarterback job to O'Sullivan: "If the 49ers coaching staff was looking for a decisive performance before selecting their permanent starting quarterback, J.T O'Sullivan may have given it to them ..."

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says newly signed running back Steven Jackson is looking for a "fresh start" with fans after holding out for big money.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Orlando Pace's surgically repaired shoulder suffered a "little setback" in the words of the former Pro Bowl left tackle (Pace, not Coats). Coach Scott Linehan said Pace has been suffering merely from soreness. Experience tells me we're dealing with semantics here. Pace's definition of a "setback" would not necessarily meet the medical definition for the term. Pace: "I did it when I was trying to make a tackle (after an interception). I landed on it pretty hard. I didn't even think about it ... I didn't even feel the swelling until Monday, when I came in and I couldn't raise my arm too high. That was a little concern for me." Pace still might play Saturday night.

Also from Coats: Brian Leonard is happy to get extra work at running back while Jackson gets up to speed. Also, Pace returned to practice.

Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times says Courtney Taylor is looking forward to getting a few more chances to catch passes in the Seahawks' offense.

Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune sizes up diminutive Seahawks running back Justin Forsett. Special teams coach Bruce DeHaven described Forsett this way: "There are little guys out there who are 5-8, 165 or 170 pounds. Those guy generally don't last too long. ... And then there are these guys who are 5-6, 5-7 and weigh 200 pounds. They are not little guys, they are just short guys. It's a big difference. Justin, just like [Maurice] Jones-Drew, is a short guy."

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer hands out training-camp awards to five Seahawks: Matt Hasselbeck (MVP), Forsett (most impressive offensive player), Josh Wilson (most impressive defensive player), Mike Wahle (best free-agent addition), Forsett again (best rookie) and Steve Vallos (biggest surprise).

Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune chronicles Steve Morey's annual fight to win a roster spot with the Cardinals. Morey has been released before. Tulumello: "While out of football, he's delivered furniture, worked on a fishing boat, dug 8-foot-d
eep holes for real estate developers 'so they can test the soil ... if you hit a rock, you have to start over.' "

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Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee offers a few notes gleaned from watching a replay of the Packers-49ers game. At the end, he puts Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt's record-shattering 100-meter dash time into football terms. Bolt finished in 9.69 seconds even though he seemed to be coasting near the end. That works out to 3.54 seconds for every 40 yards. It doesn't mean Bolt could run a 40-yard dash that quickly, but I like the breakdown anyway.

Dan Brown of 49ers Hot Read digs up some telling quotes from Alex Smith's former college coach at Utah, Urban Meyer. The comments Meyer made in 2006 suggest Smith would benefit much more from getting all the first-team reps in practice. Meyer's comments are toward the bottom of the item. I found them interesting.

Matt Maiocco of Instant 49ers takes a player-by-player look at how each member of the roster fared against the Packers on Saturday night. Josh Morgan, Ray McDonald and Jonas Jennings were among those faring well.

Maiocco follows up with an item summarizing Mike Nolan's day-after-game news briefing. Did we say news? Sorry. Still not an announcement on the starting quarterback.

Bob Young of the Arizona Republic plays point-counterpoint in the debate over whether Matt Leinart or Kurt Warner should start for the Cardinals.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic breaks down the Cardinals on offense, defense and special teams. Arizona has a long list of pass rushers, but not enough depth at offensive tackle. And if the Cardinals need a clutch field goal, Neil Rackers might make it.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com offers a few postgame notes on the Cardinals. In his view, Steve Breaston has only tightened his grip on the No. 3 receiving spot. Early Doucet's hamstring injury has taken him out of the running for now.

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune provides a scouting report from the Seahawks' latest exhibition game. Seattle must keep running back Justin Forsett, he says. Boling also thinks Jordan Kent has evolved into an NFL receiver, not just a prospect. He charts Josh Wilson's recent improvement at cornerback. He likes what he sees from fill-in center Steve Vallos. And he excluded fill-in snapper Tim Lindsey from blame for two blocked punts.

Frank Hughes of Seahawks Insider lists less-established players who performed well against the Bears: Forsett, Wilson, Kevin Hobbs, Owen Schmitt, Kent, Brandon Coutu and Lawrence Jackson. Wilson, in particular, seems to be faring better as camp progresses. 

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer compares Forsett to the late soul singer James Brown. Forsett had 261 all-purpose yards in Seattle's exhibition victory over the Bears on Saturday night.

Farnsworth also sizes up Charlie Frye's up-and-down performance at quarterback for Seattle. Frye tossed three interceptions, but his night wasn't a total loss. The reps are sure to benefit the Seahawks' third-string quarterback.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the bad news for Rams fans: Mark Setterstrom and Brandon Gorin are out for the season.

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Brian Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams need Steven Jackson in camp as soon as possible. Burwell: "This is a franchise in dire need of star quality because without Jackson, they will not only be horrible, they'll be frighteningly uninteresting and flirting dangerously with downright insignificance in a fragile sports marketplace."

Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says the Seahawks need receiver Courtney Taylor to produce while Bobby Engram recovers from injury. Also: Cornerback Marcus Trufant lost a contact lens during a collision with running back T.J. Duckett.

Scott Johnson of the Everett Herald says Taylor has the ability to bring big things to the Seattle offense. Mike Holmgren on Taylor: "Courtney's a pretty explosive guy. He's got great skill. He's fast. I mean, his athletic ability is special."

Mike Tulumello of the East Valley Tribune expects Matt Leinart to remain in the game for the Cardinals during red-zone situations. Kurt Warner replaced Leinart in certain situations last season, but Leinart is much better equipped to handle all aspects of the offense, coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals want more consistency from kicker Neil Rackers, who needs to better control his emotions. Whisenhunt says the decision to release Rackers' holder last season affected Rackers more than the coach anticipated. It's always refreshing when head coaches take responsibility.

Also from Somers: Rookie Ali Highsmith is impressing at linebacker.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee provides a transcript from Takeo Spikes' first interview as a member of the 49ers. Spikes on playing strong inside linebacker: "The good thing about it, I played that position late in my career in Buffalo. But just defense, I played just defense my first four years in the league with Cincinnati, so that's why I'm familiar with it."

Also from Barrows: J.T. O'Sullivan keeps getting first-team reps at quarterback (hmmmm).

And this: More on Spikes and his role in the defense.

Brian Chu of the San Francisco Chronicle counted a combined five interceptions for 49ers quarterbacks Alex Smith and J.T. O'Sullivan in practice. Also: Linebacker Jeff Ulbrich will see more playing time on special teams, coach Mike Nolan said. Ulbrich has been a starting inside linebacker, but newly signed Takeo Spikes is expected to take his job.

Darren Sabedra of the San Jose Mercury News says Spikes was with his 5-year-old daughter at a carnival when his agent called with news of the 49ers' renewed interest in him. Meanwhile, Ulbrich is taking the high road when asked about the player most likely to reduce his playing time: "Takeo is a great football player and a good addition to this team. (However) it turns out, we'll all be better for it. He'll push me. I'll push him. If my role changes from defense to special teams, then I'll embrace that. If defense is where I'm asked to play, then I'll embrace that as well." 

Matt Maiocco of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat breaks down the 49ers' offensive struggles in practice. The quarterback competition invites an in-depth analysis of every move the offense makes, and the results have not been pretty. Nolan: "If you do have one guy and you know it, obviously, you give him about two-thirds of the reps and the (No. 2 quarterback) gets the other ones. But in our case, we don't know (have an established quarterback). We're going through the process."

Also from Maiocco: O'Sullivan's increased reps with the offense appear to be more than coincidental. O'Sullivan appears increasingly comfortable in the role.

Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quotes Rams coach Scott Linehan as saying players showed up for practice with "a chip on their shoulder" after an unimpressive showing in the exhibition opener. Coats: "The team went at it for nearly two hours in perhaps the most physical workout since the team convened at Concordia University some 18 days ago."

Also from Coats: Third-round rookie John Greco worked at tackle for the injured Brandon Gorin, while nickel back Ron Bartell worked at safety in place of O.J. Atogwe and Jerome Carter.

And this: With ticket sales lagging, the Rams want to win their home opener against San Diego, even though it's only preseason. Coats says the Rams should leave key players in the game until they produce.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch covers Dick Vermeil's return to a Rams practice. Vermeil: "Hey, just being around here, I miss it. I don't miss the days I got my (butt) beat. I don't miss the days I worried about some guy holding out. I don't miss the days walking off with some guy who had a serious knee (injury). But I miss all the other things. I miss the coaches. And I miss the players."

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune examines Steve Vallos' rise from Seahawks afterthought to potential starting center. Boling on how Vallos fared in the exhibition opener: "He was hardly perfect, but he got the job done, played with high effort and enthusiasm, and showed a great deal of promise." Boling knows the subject better than he lets on. He was long snapper and starting center at Louisville during the Lee Corso years.

Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times sees opportunity for younger receivers now that Seattle's Bobby Engram is injured. Brewer: "Like all good NFL teams, the Seahawks have shown the ability to withstand injuries the past four seasons. Even last season, the offense survived for long stretches without its starting
running back (Shaun Alexander), two wide receivers (Deion Branch and D.J. Hackett), and a spent tight end (Marcus Pollard)."