Rams Put It On Their Defense, Hold On To Win In San Francisco

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco 49ers sacked Marc Bulger six times in each of their meetings with the St. Louis Rams this season. The quarterback's second round of punishment didn't hurt nearly as much. Steven Jackson accounted for more than half of the Rams offense, and the defense did the rest as St. Louis left San Francsico with a win. Trent Dilfer drove the 49ers 68-yards on the final drive, but just couldn't get his team in the end zone as they dropped their eighth straight. Bulger passed for 155 yards and hit Torry Holt with an early touchdown pass, and the St. Louis defense was solid until the final seconds. Back in mid-September, the Rams (2-8) were heading downhill for their own eight-game skid in a one-point loss to the 49ers, who haven't won since. Bulger could barely get dressed after that defeat, but he left Candlestick Park upright and enthused by his improving club's prospects after the shortest of win streaks.

"You appreciate it more when you start out 0-8," Bulger said. "We know we're a better team now. ... It was the ribs (that hurt) last time, but there's nothing major today." Sure, Bulger realized the Rams couldn't score a touchdown after their opening drive and managed just 38 yards of offense in the second half. But the defense had little trouble with San Francisco's league-worst offense until two desperate fourth-quarter drives. And after the longest winless start in the franchise's 70-year history, the Rams have won both outings with Steven Jackson back in good health. The star running back had 92 persistent yards in his second full game after missing four weeks with a torn groin muscle and most of another game with a bulging disk in his back. "We're really showing we're not going to lay down or roll over," Jackson said. "We dug ourselves in a deep hole, and now we're trying to catapult ourselves out of it."

After Joe Nedney's third field goal cut St. Louis' lead to four points with 1:51 to play, the 49ers drove 68 yards in the final 88 seconds to the St. Louis 21. But with 3 seconds to play, Trent Dilfer's final pass was intercepted at the goal line by Oshiomogho Atogwe. Dilfer passed for 231 yards - 141 in the fourth quarter - while filling in for Alex Smith as the 49ers slid into their longest losing streak since 1999. San Francisco hasn't won since its trip to St. Louis and hasn't scored a touchdown since the opening drive of its loss in Atlanta two weeks ago. San Francisco had a chance to tie it late, but tight end Vernon Davis and Darrell Jackson dropped tough potential touchdown catches on consecutive plays leading up to the 2-minute warning. Coach Mike Nolan settled for the field goal -- an unusual tactic that nearly paid off. "I knew with three timeouts, I'd get the ball back and then we'd be playing for a win rather than overtime," Nolan said. "We had not been that effective (offensively), so if I could go for a win rather than overtime, I'd do it."

Dilfer was 20-of-42 with two interceptions in his latest chance to fill in for Alex Smith, who sat out with a sore throwing arm that caused plenty of drama in San Francisco over the past week. Until the final minutes, Dilfer couldn't spark an offense that managed 96 yards in the first three quarters before finishing with 244. The Rams' defense had its way with the San Francisco offensive line, repeatedly stopping Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore at the scrimmage line. Holt's 3-yard TD catch capped a 79-yard march on St. Louis' opening drive. Both defenses stiffened after that, particularly after halftime. Both teams combined for 29 net yards and one first down in the third quarter.

"It became pretty evident in the third quarter that they were going to struggle to score, and we were going to put it on our defense," Bulger said. "It was just up to myself and the offense ... not to turn it over, not to give them big plays." The 49ers didn't gain 100 total yards until Dilfer's shovel pass to Gore with 10:10 to play, and Nedney's 38-yard field goal cut St. Louis' lead to seven points. The Niners made another solid drive to the Rams 28, but Davis couldn't haul in a heavily defended catch over the middle. Then a solid throw to Jackson bounced off the veteran receiver's hands. "Those are the type of balls I need to have," said Jackson, who dropped a potential game-winner against Arizona earlier in the season. "It was definitely a good pass from Trent."

Notes: Rams WR Isaac Bruce had five catches for 54 yards, passing Henry Ellard to move into sixth place on the NFL's career yardage list. ... The win was the 500th in Rams franchise history. ... Smith wore his helmet while watching on the sideline, but didn't play.

-- My review --

Nolan may have put a positive spin on his bonehead decisions late by saying how confident he was in his defense to get them the ball back, but what about this team this year would make one think they would have gotten it into the red zone, let alone the endzone again? This guy should pack up his suits and go coach "J.V." somewhere. Dilfer looked better than Smith has this year at any point, which begs the question...is that finally, mercifully it for Alex Smith in San Francisco?

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Worst Division? Divided Opinion Leads Due West

Clark Judge, CBSSports.com Senior Writer

The New England Patriots are the best team in football, and the Miami Dolphins are the worst. That we know. But it's a lot more competitive at the bottom than it is at the top, which makes me wonder: What's the worst division in the NFL? You have the NFC West, the AFC West and the NFC South, and take your pick. The Rams and coach Scott Linehan finally taste victory after an 0-8 start.

Me? I'll take the NFC West because in the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams it has two of the four worst teams in football. The AFC East has two of the worst, too, but with the Patriots and resurgent Buffalo Bills it gains a pardon. Which takes me back to the NFC West. Once it was ruled by the 49ers and Rams, but now it's Seattle's by default. The Seahawks lead the division, but they were beaten by the Cardinals, who were beaten by the 49ers, who were beaten by the Seahawks. Twice. I didn't mention St. Louis because the Rams didn't beat anyone until last weekend. But at least they have an alibi for their 1-8 season. The 49ers don't. Plain and simple, they stink. If there were doubts before Monday there are none now. Their performance against Seattle was so lame you started hoping Tim Rattay or Ken Dorsey would reappear. One first down in the first half? Are you kidding me? And that was on the last play where officials ruled a completion on a pass that really wasn't.

Anyway, it was one of the lousiest offensive jobs I've seen in a long time. Or at least since Baltimore stunk up the joint the previous Monday against Pittsburgh. If I were ESPN, I'd demand my money back. It pays to televise football games, not infomercials for sleep disorders. Seattle should be good, and maybe its 24-0 demolition of the 49ers Monday is a sign of what's to come. Maybe. But it was San Francisco, so you just don't know. If that was New England playing the 49ers, the Patriots might have had 24 by the end of the first quarter.

But the Seahawks did what they had to do, which was win, and good for them. It makes them the only winning team in the division. Of course, that does not make them unique. San Diego is the only winning team in the AFC West, but only because it got lucky when Adam Vinatieri -- the game's most reliable kicker -- shanked a 29-yard field goal. The Chargers tried to blow a 23-point lead to an Indianapolis team that played without several starters before losing both their tackles and defensive end Dwight Freeney -- and they would've succeeded had Vinatieri not come to their rescue. Yes, they're 5-4, but it's a shaky 5-4. As for the rest of the division, Kansas City overachieved for weeks until it lost star running back Larry Johnson. Now that the Chiefs are in the hands of the inexperienced Brodie Croyle, it looks as if they're heading south for the winter. That could mean an opening for Denver, except the Broncos can't tackle anyone, and, yeah, that's a problem. Which brings us to Oakland ... OK, next.

Tampa Bay is another team that is the only winner in its division, and here's my question: With all the attention paid to how bad the West is in the AFC and NFC, how come the NFC South gets a pass? There is nothing extraordinary about the Bucs, other than they knocked off Tennessee. But they lost three of their past five and play four of their last seven games on the road. Lucky for them there is nothing special about Carolina and New Orleans, either. Like Seattle, the Saints could be -- no, should be -- a solid playoff contender, but they weren't just beaten by St. Louis last weekend; they were destroyed. They were torn apart in every direction, with Marc Bulger mining gaping holes in the secondary. That makes me wonder.

I wonder no more about Carolina. The Panthers always have been a solid franchise, but there's not much you can do when your choice of quarterbacks is David Carr and Vinny Testaverde, with Matt Moore waiting in the wings. Translation: Look out below. And how can we forget about Atlanta? People are talking about how the Falcons resuscitated themselves with two straight wins, which is great, except they barely beat the league's worst and oldest quarterbacks. Congratulations, guys.

Nevertheless, it's hard to beat the NFC West ... unless we're talking scoreboard. It has the league's lowest-ranked quarterback; the lowest rated offense; the lowest scoring offense; a club tied for the most interceptions and a club tied for last in turnovers. It is an NFL-worst 12-24 overall, but a more telling number is how it fares against the others in non-division games: The NFC South is 10-14; the AFC West is 9-15 and the NFC West is 5-17.

Case closed. The NFC West is the NFL's Worst.

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Gore Frustrated With Niners

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Frank Gore is frustrated. And the Pro Bowl running back says it's time to take it out on the Seattle Seahawks. The reigning NFC rushing champion has mostly been contained during San Francisco's first three games as the team's struggling offense has sunk to the bottom of the NFL rankings. The 49ers still have managed a 2-1 record to take into Sunday's battle with Seattle for first place in the NFC West, but Gore is upset that he and the offense aren't doing their part.

"We won two games and the offense has done nothing," Gore said Thursday. "We just have to start making plays. Running the ball, throwing the ball everything. It's on us. We're not doing what it takes to get to the next level right now as an offense." After recording a team-record nine 100-yard games last year, Gore still is looking for his first breakout game of 2007 one month into the season. This could be the week he finds it. Gore rushed for 356 yards in two games against Seattle last year, including a team-record 212 yards when the Seahawks visited San Francisco last November. His efforts led to two of the 49ers' biggest wins of 2006 and a season sweep of the three-time defending NFC West champions. "We got big runs on them," Gore said. "They couldn't stop me in the open field. We know we can do it because we did it before. We just have to get on the same page and put it all together. It's going to happen." It hasn't been happening for Gore or the San Francisco offense so far this season. Gore was limited to just 39 yards rushing on 14 carries during last week's loss at Pittsburgh, his lowest total in the 20 games he has started since entering the NFL two years ago.

Gore rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns to spark the 49ers in their Week 2 victory at St. Louis, but otherwise he has found the going tough since the season began. After leading the NFC and finishing third in the NFL last season with a franchise-record 1,695 yards rushing, Gore is currently 11th in the NFC and 24th in the league with 175 yards. He's averaging only 3.4 yards per carry after averaging 5.4 per carry last season -- the best average among the 23 NFL running backs that gained 1,000 or more yards.

With opposing defenses stacking the box to stop Gore, San Francisco's offense failed to produce 200 yards in either of the team's first two games. The 49ers had 289 yards against Pittsburgh to climb from last to 31st in the NFL rankings this week in total offense. "Our defense has been playing great ball, but we have to help out," Gore said. "We just have to keep pushing, keep working, get an extra push, do extra. The only way I see this team doing better this year is the offense has to play better. If we don't play better, man, it's going to be real tough for us." Coach Mike Nolan understands his star running back's frustration. But that's something that goes both ways, Nolan said. He thinks it's only a matter of time before Gore and the offense get on track.

Deactivated Tackle Harris Bracing For Possible Trade

By Matthew Barrows - Sacramento Bee Staff Writer

Tackle Kwame Harris said Wednesday he is mentally preparing for playing in a different city. The question is how soon that will occur.

While Harris was on the sideline Monday -- he was one of eight players the 49ers deactivated -- two other teams, the Washington Redskins and St. Louis Rams, learned they would be without their own starting tackles for the rest of the season. Washington right tackle Jon Jansen dislocated his ankle when a Miami defender crashed into him from behind. Meanwhile, Rams perennial Pro Bowl player Orlando Pace is out with a shoulder injury.

San Francisco personnel chief Scot McCloughan said Wednesday no team officially has contacted the 49ers about trading for Harris. But the suspicion is that will change. "It's really going to be up to the 49ers and how they value Kwame and what they're offered," said Harris' agent, Ryan Tollner. Harris, who becomes a free agent in March, lost his starting job to first-round draft pick Joe Staley in the final week of the exhibition season. Tollner, however, noted that Harris had his best training camp since being drafted 26th overall in 2003. "He's a 25-year-old with 44 starts," Tollner said. "He's still improving. I think that Kwame's best football is still ahead of him."
Harris said his value as a free agent certainly would rise if he played this season. Still, after three years at Stanford and four more with the 49ers, he's not sure he wants to leave.

- My only hope is that after a first round pick was invested in him, that they get back at least a 3rd round pick or some further help at wide-out in return, but make it worth while.-

A Look At The Rams

An exerpt from 49ers.com

The 49ers opened the season with a clutch win over a divisional opponent, but there’s little time to celebrate with another NFC West contest coming up on Sunday on the road against the St. Louis Rams. The 49ers have a short week to prepare for a big game, one that could start them out with a 2-0 record within the division after beating Arizona in the final seconds in a Monday Night Football nationally televised home opener. The 49ers split the series with the Rams in 2006, winning at home in a 20-13 contest in the Monster Park opener before falling on the road in the final minutes with St. Louis scoring a touchdown on a 5-yard TD pass from Marc Bulger to Kevin Curtis. The Rams are in year two under the direction of head coach Scott Linehan, who towards the end of last season fired himself as the play caller, duties he turned over to coordinator Greg Olson.

The Rams offense finished sixth in the NFL, but has seen a few changes this off-season. For starters, St. Louis lost Curtis when the veteran receiver opted to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as receiver Shaun McDonald. The Rams added a receiver in former Titans player Drew Bennett, but the veteran was held out last week with a quadriceps injury. Through the air, Bulger opened the season 22 of 42 for 167 yards and 1 touchdown, with Pro Bowler Torry Holt led the receivers with 8 catches for 73 yards. The 49ers secondary proved to be up to a hearty challenge by limiting Pro Bowlers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald to less than 50 yards combined, and with Nate Clements and Walt Harris leading the way, they’ll look to do the same again this week to Holt and Pro Bowler Isaac Bruce.

With an offense based on timing and quick precision, a disruptive pass rush could strengthen the 49ers defensive efforts. With the Rams already missing starting right guard Richie Incognito who has been out with a high ankle sprain plus the season loss of starting left tackle Orlando Pace, Bulger could be in for a long day.

What The Experts Are Saying - John Clayton

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The 49ers operate in a facility located outside the parking lot of Great America, a thrill-a-minute theme park. After three years of building back their talent base, the 49ers are prepared for their best thrill ride in years. Optimism abounds at the team's headquarters. Alex Smith appears ready to step into the hierarchy of top NFC quarterbacks. Frank Gore has established himself as perhaps the NFC's top runner. Owner John York continues to chip away on a new stadium project that would be located in the parking lot between Great America and the 49ers headquarters.

In his three years in the NFL, no player has ridden the pro football roller coaster harder than Smith. He came out of Utah as the supposed savior of a franchise that appeared to be years away from competing. Smith's rookie season was brutal, as he was hampered by the lack of talent around him. Nolan -- a first-year coach in Smith's rookie campaign of 2005 -- inherited an aging team burdened by salary-cap problems and bad drafts, and his first season the 49ers ranked 32nd in the league on both sides of the ball. As a result, Nolan and bright personnel chief Scot McCloughan started to build back the roster.

Smith now drops back each day in practice and sees something he had not seen since coming to this team. Finally, he's surrounded by professionals at the skilled positions. At split end, he can either throw to former Seahawk Darrell Jackson or heave a deep throw to Ashley Lelie. He can also hand off to Gore, perhaps the toughest pure runner in the NFC. Vernon Davis is a big, fast target who is settling in at the tight end position. The offensive line is coming together. The offense has come a long way since Smith first arrived.

"As a young quarterback, it's great to now think about the good matchups we can create," Smith said. "Before, I had to think about how guys matched up against defenders. I'd think, `Does this guy know what he's doing? Is this guy going to get open?' Now, there is one less thing I have to think about. It's great because now you don't have to worry and you can start cutting loose."

Frank Gore is one of the NFL's top running backs.During Smith's first two years, the lack of talent made it almost impossible for him to be consistent going through his progressions. If the first option was covered, there was no telling what the second or third guy would do. As talented as Davis is as a receiver, he spent his first year trying to figure out where to line up, as opposed to just beating the guy covering him. The addition of Jackson is perhaps the most fascinating. For years, he was Matt Hasselbeck's favorite target, the guy he would throw to in crucial times. Amazingly, he wore out his welcome so much with Seattle's front office, general manager Tim Ruskell was willing to trade him to an NFC West rival.

Although the Seahawks might still be the team to beat in the division, it will be interesting to see if Jackson's arrival, along with other offseason addition, closes the gap between the two teams.
"Mike Holmgren drafted me and I have a lot of great memories in Seattle," Jackson said. "But they've let a lot of people go, myself, Joe Jurevicius. I thought he should have been there. They let Steve Hutchinson go. He should have been there. I had seven good years there. If you look at the numbers, you have to look at Seattle, but it all depends on how you jell." Jackson sees a lot of the same positives with the 49ers he witnessed in Seattle. He compares Smith to what he saw in Hasselbeck as he grew in Holmgren's system. Receiver Arnaz Battle's competitiveness reminds him of himself in his younger days.

Perhaps the biggest confidence boost for the 49ers is fact that they swept the Seahawks last season. Gore rushed for 356 yards on 53 carries in the two games against Seattle. If the Seahawks try to gang up on Gore with their defense this season, Smith can attack deep with a play-action pass to Lelie, or hit Jackson or Battle with an intermediate pass. He can also find Davis in the seam with a deep pass over the middle. Unfortunately, the news hasn't been all good. Gore broke a bone on top of his right hand during the first week of camp. Although the injury won't eliminate him for the opener against the Cardinals, it's a mental setback for a runner who likes the work.

Members of the staff spotted Gore crying in the locker room after learning about the break. Gore simply loves to play the game. Missing practice -- even though it will keep his body fresher for the regular season -- has him flustered. "It's tough, real tough, real tough," Gore said. "I'm not out there supporting my team. I'll be working out every day to stay in shape. But I need to be out there to get a feel for the runs. I like to get my looks and feel comfortable running."
Gore should be ready to resume some work within two weeks. He wears a cast now to help the healing while he's on the field. He favors carrying the ball with his right hand, so that might be a problem as he enters the season. The broken bone didn't break his thoughts of a 2,000-yard season, however. He rushed for 1,695 yards last season, so Gore bases his 2,000-yard goal on the fact that he has improved during each step of his career. "The more I play, the better I get," Gore said.

Losing offensive coordinator Norv Turner to the San Diego Chargers was another setback to the offense. Jim Hostler, the quarterbacks coach last year, takes over for Turner. The result should be a more controlled passing game with fewer downfield throws. Turner loved to throw deep. Hostler hopes to get Smith into the 60-percent completion range this season, which would put this offense over the top.

It should be an interesting ride.

John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

The NFC West at a Glance

ESPN's John Clayton weighs in with his thoughts on the division

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks -- Mike Holmgren is known for having great offensive teams, but the defense will be the most fun to watch. The Seahawks signed defensive end Patrick Kerney to add a pass rush. Watching him mix rushes with linebacker Julian Peterson will be fun. The Seahawks revamped the secondary by adding safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell, and will mix in young cornerbacks Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson.

San Francisco 49ers -- Other than the Patriots, the 49ers had the best offseason of any team in football. Mike Nolan gets to display the new talent in camp. Nate Clements will help the secondary. As much as the 49ers know they need improvement on defense, it will be the offense that will be the show in camp. Alex Smith will be throwing the ball to second-year tight end Vernon Davis and newly acquired wide receivers Darrell Jackson and Ashley Lelie.

Arizona Cardinals -- Not since Alex Gibbs went to Atlanta has there been this much excitement about an offensive line coach. Russ Grimm goes to the Cardinals with the idea of running the ball 30 to 35 times a game. It will allow Edgerrin James to move back into the limelight and make it easier on second-year quarterback Matt Leinart.

St. Louis Rams -- The Rams added WR Drew Bennett and TE Randy McMichael to an already-loaded offense. Everyone expects quarterback Marc Bulger to show up on time even if he doesn't get a new contract. He has plenty of offensive weapons, including halfback Steven Jackson, who wants to put together 2,500 yards of total offense.

John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

NFC "Best"?

ESPN's SportsCenter Ultimate Depth Chart series is debating the best offenses and defenses in each division and picking the best team in each division.

Here is the article, from ESPN.com as analysts and former players Merril Hoge and Joe Theismann square off with their impressions of the NFC West.

NFC

Best offense in the NFC West?

Merril Hoge: St. Louis Rams

The Rams have the best offense in the division because of the amazing balance they've incorporated into the offense since the departure of former head coach Mike Martz. This team has one of the best running backs in the league with Steven Jackson (right) plowing through defensive lines and the return of offensive lineman Orlando Pace only will help Jackson get big yards.

Joe Theismann: Seattle Seahawks

Seattle wins this category in a close race due to the presence of Matt Hasselbeck (right). He's one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league, but his importance to this offense can't be denied. If he goes down, so do the Seahawks' chances.

Best defense in the NFC West?

Hoge: Seahawks

Seattle is very good up front and have gotten better on the other levels as this team has gotten older. What was really amazing about the Seahawks' Super Bowl run a few seasons ago was the youth that was in the defensive backfield. Back then good coaching and exceptional talent was able to overcome the normal burdens of youth and now those young guys have become veterans who know how to play the game.

Theismann: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers did a great job in the draft and free agency upgrading this defensive staff. Mike Nolan knows what he wants to do defensively and now he has the personnel to fully institute the system he wants. The addition of Nate Clements (right) from the Bills is going to really help the team. Clements is a fantastic cornerback who will be a great infusion of talent for this team.

Best team in the NFC West?

Hoge: Seahawks

Seattle is still the best in the division because they have better balance offensively and defensively in the league. This is a team that can win shootouts or grind-it-out games and they still have a bit of an aura as the division champs and former NFC champions. I think it's going to take a year for young teams like the 49ers and Cardinals. They definitely will have their hands full with the 49ers though, but I think it'll be difficult for San Francisco to get over the hump this season even with their excellent haul in free agency and the draft.

Theismann: 49ers

San Francisco fans can start celebrating because this is the year the drought ends and their team is not only a playoff team, but a division winner. Mike Nolan and the rest of this organization has slowly but surely built this team into a winner and after the successful free agency period they had I fully expect them to win this division in a tough battle with the Seahawks.

Sizing Up the Competition

Last, but not least, the defending NFC West Champs, the Seattle Seahawks - 2006 Record - 9-7

Did the Seahawks successfully upgrade at guard and tight end? Jerramy Stevens is gone as the starting tight end and backup Itula Mili retired. After failing to get Daniel Graham in free agency, the Seahawks ended up with 35-year-old Marcus Pollard for the NFL minimum. They re-signed backup Will Heller . Pollard's body is young at 35 because he was a basketball player in college, but can it still hold up through the regular season and the playoffs? The guard situation remains a little jumbled since the 2006 departure of Steve Hutchinson . They had to re-sign Chris Gray , who turns 37 this fall. Floyd (Pork Chop) Womack can't shake injuries. The hope is Rob Sims , a promising fourth-round choice. But the team hasn't totally settled the interior of its offensive line.

Sizing Up the Competition

Up Next: The Arizona Cardinals - 2006 Record - 5-11

Do the Cardinals have the personnel to eventually switch to a 3-4 defense? New coach Ken Whisenhunt is pretty well set on offense with Matt Leinart at quarterback, Edgerrin James in the backfield and a great three-receiver set. Finding the personality of the defense is now the key. Former coach Dennis Green assembled an undersized 4-3. As we saw in San Francisco the past couple of years, it's hard to make a quick conversion to a 3-4 because those schemes require bigger defenders to help stop the run. Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry have the athletic ability to be rush linebackers, but the team doesn't have enough big linemen. Defensive tackle Alan Branch, the team's second-round pick, will help the Cardinals get bigger. Expect the Cardinals to experiment with the 3-4 but stay a 4-3 on most of the early downs.

Sizing Up the Competition

First Up: The St. Louis Rams - 2006 Record 8-8

Have the Rams done enough on defense to challenge for the NFC West? Head coach Scott Linehan has brought in about seven potential new starters on defense since coming to St. Louis. He also has extended the contracts of defensive end Leonard Little and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa. Tye Hill should develop into a much better cornerback after starting as a rookie. Adam Carriker will help the defensive line. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett feels much better about the team's speed at linebacker, particularly with Will Witherspoon developing into a star in the middle. The problem remains stopping the run. The Rams gave up 4.9 yards a carry last season. Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy is in a contract year. Coaches had trouble getting him to work the schemes last year, but Kennedy's play at tackle is vital to the team's success.

49ers Acquire WR Jackson From Seattle

The 49ers swapped a fourth-round draft pick in exchange for veteran receiver Darrell Jackson first thing Sunday morning, and it didn’t take long before Jackson had embraced his new team, using "we" in reference to the 49ers while striking a bold prediction for 2007. When asked who the favorite is to win the NFC West, Jackson didn’t hesitate.

“I have got to say us! We beat the NFC West champion twice last year in the Seahawks and I was a big part of their success there from a wide receiver standpoint, so me bringing my stats and ability over here might put us over the edge,” said Jackson.

He also spread the love to a team he’s more than familiar with. “Frank Gore having the type of season that Shaun Alexander can have, it’s unstoppable with Alex Smith turning into a Matt Hasselbeck and our defense really playing. You got a veteran leader there in Bryant Young. He has those guys ready to play. An all-pro cornerback in Walt Harris who’s going to make plays for us; we’re pretty much covered around the board. We just got to go out and compete and we’ll be the favorite to win this conference.”

Wide receiver was a position the 49ers targeted to upgrade and after picking up Ashley Lelie in free agency, Jackson via trade, and Jason Hill in the third round, quarterback Alex Smith suddenly has a few more downfield targets.

Article from www.sf49ers.com