Troy Smith gets the start

The 49ers will start Troy Smith at quarterback Sunday against the Rams, two team sources told The Chronicle.

This is the second time this year coach Mike Singletary has benched Alex Smith, who went 1-1 after getting his job back from Troy after five games hurt and then benched.

Troy Smith won three of five games but was benched after a loss in Green Bay. Alex Smith has now been benched after a loss in San Diego.

It's not likely the 49ers would have won either game no matter who the quarterback was, yet in both cases, it's the quarterback who lost his job.

Now, Singletary hopes Troy Smith's hand can get hot again just in time to save the season.

And if his hand isn't hot, then he'll get benched before it's too late. Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson said both quarterbacks are getting reps this week ... but then, Johnson said they haven't decided on a starter yet ... one day after Singletary said he informed both quarterbacks who will start but didn't want to announce it ... and just moments before news broke that Troy Smith is indeed the starter.

That makes Johnson one incredibly out-of-the-loop offensive coordinator, or someone who needs to get his story straight with Singletary before he fields questions about his starting quarterback.

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 22 2010 at 12:03 PM

Playoff talk: This time, it's for real

Down goes Seattle. Down goes St. Louis.

Just like that, they 49ers found themselves thrust back into the thick of the NFC West race by no doing of their own.

They were destroyed by San Diego on Thursday, and faced elimination if the co-leaders both won Sunday. Instead, they are still one game back with two to go -- starring the Official Game of All Games at St. Louis on Sunday.

This isn't to say the 49ers are sure to beat the Rams on the road, seeing it took all they had plus overtime to beat the Rams at home. But, they have a chance.

Suddenly, their playoff talk is no longer a mere mathematically-correct theory. If they beat the Rams, they will be in the driver's seat to win this thing in spite of everything that's gone wrong all year.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but this makes Sunday's game at St. Louis their most pivotal game in years.

Here are the scenarios the 49ers face if they are to be the first team with a losing record to reach the playoffs outside the strike-shortened 1982 season (put that slogan on a shirt). And we won't mess with the complicated scenarios that involve tie games. Read More 'Playoff talk: This time, it's for real' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 19 2010 at 04:49 PM

Spikes, Willis clubbing it?

The 49ers top two tacklers -- starting inside linebackers Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes -- are wearing club-like casts on their respective right hands, only they won't say precisely why.

Both players got hurt in Sunday's 41-20 win over Seattle, that much we know. Both players played in spite of the pain, that much has been said.

Both are expected to play Thursday at San Diego, according to defensive coordinator Greg Manusky today, but neither players knows how effective they will be playing, in essence, one-handed.

If it's anything like Willis did wearing a club as a rookie, the 49ers will be just fine.

"He seemed to do pretty good with it," Spikes said. "Actually, he did damn good with a cast on his hand. Might break the interception streak, that's one of the things that you worry about. It means I have to practice snagging with one hand, the left hand." Read More 'Spikes, Willis clubbing it?' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 14 2010 at 12:25 PM

Franklin or Francois: Who nose?

Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin hurt his groin on the slipper surface of Lambeau Field on Sunday. He expects to practice today after missing Wednesday's workout, and said he should play Sunday against Seattle.

Man, do the 49ers need Franklin to be right. Because if he's not, it will be difficult for their run defense to get it right against Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, the sort of stretch-and-cut runner that gives them trouble.

"It all starts with the nose," defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said Thursday. "I've been saying that since I got here. Everything acts off it."

When Franklin is in the game, the 49ers' run defense is one of the best in the NFL. Their ability to stop the run on first down is key to them ranking fourth in three-and-outs forced.

What happens when Franklin isn't in the middle? The same thing likely to happen Sunday if he doesn't play. Read More 'Franklin or Francois: Who nose?' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 09 2010 at 12:33 PM

Alex Smith to Sing: "What's changed?"

When 49ers coach Mike Singletary told Alex Smith he was the starting quarterback again, Smith had a simple question as to why he gives the team the best chance to win Sunday, but he didn't, say last week at Green Bay.

"It was definitely my first question: 'What's changed?'" Smith said Wednesday before running the first-team offense for the first time since separating his shoulder Oct. 24, and losing his job once healthy three weeks ago.

"That was definitely something that was on my mind and he made it very clear that was his thinking, that we're going into this game and I gave us the best opportunity. He made the decision, I'm going to get ready to play. We're all going to get ready to go play."

Singletary said what's changed is the 49ers are at the point of the season where they need the entire playbook at their disposal, and that wasn't the case the past five weeks when Troy Smith started and won three games.

Singletary didn't really explain why they didn't need the whole playbook the past couple of weeks, and why they only feel the need to use the whole thing now that they are one loss to Seattle away from postseason elimination. But, whatever.

Alex Smith is the quarterback again, and he appreciates getting one more chance to show what he can do before hitting the free-agent market after this season. Asked if he is a good quarterback, Smith gave this sales pitch, if any potential employers are listening out there:

"Absolutely. I believe I have the ability to make all the throws on the field. I think I can make plays with my feet when I need to. I can handle I think any playbook out there, adjustments you have to make, calls different things, protection adjustments, I think I can. Have I done that consistently? To be honest, no. That's what I need to do."

So what does everyone else say about the latest change at quarterback? Read More 'Alex Smith to Sing: "What's changed?"' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 08 2010 at 12:26 PM

Nedney's return kicked back

The 49ers are in the process of signing former Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, conceding their own kicker, Joe Nedney, isn't ready to come back from a sprained knee after all.

Nedney kicked Tuesday for the first time in more than two weeks, and showed enough to convince the 49ers they could release temp kicker Shane Andrus after a 2-for-4 showing at Arizona.

Nedney planned to practice Thursday after taking Wednesday off, but ended up not practicing. His non-kicking leg simply hasn't healed as soon as expected.

Thus, the parachuting in of Reed, the second-leading scorer in Steelers history who got cut Nov. 16 after a 15 for 22 start. If nothing else, a career spent kicking in Pittsburgh has prepared Reed for the sub-freezing conditions of Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 02 2010 at 06:12 PM

Forecast: Thunder and Lightning?

For a guy who barely used them all year, Niners head coach Mike Singletary sure likes the one-two punch of Brian Westbrook and Anthony Dixon, now that Frank Gore is no longer an option at running back.

"Yes, kind of 'thunder and lightning.'" Singletary said Wednesday. "You know, that's been used a lot through the years with running backs but with both those guys it literally is applicable."

It hasn't been used before by Singletary, who rode Gore for more than a third of the offensive production. He's made it clear he is a one-back type of guy, and it didn't matter who the backup was.

Gore's season-ending hip fracture will change that. Westbrook's 31-year-old body has a lot of wear and tear, from his surgically repaired ankle to his often-concussed brain.

The 49ers risk too much handing him the ball 23 times as they did Monday at Arizona, the fourth-most carries in his career. That's why Singletary will go with a two-back system, with rookie running back Anthony Dixon packing the thunder that comes after Westbrook's lightning.

The only problem is that Dixon is built for thunder but, from the way he dances in the backfield, thinks he's lightning. Singletary's been trying to teach him otherwise since the day he got here.

"You know what, he's got great feet and, you know, that's something for him that, a lot of people would say is a negative thing because he has such great feet he can continue to try and fill the hole," Singletary said. "But I think for what we want to, what we want him to do is be a little more disciplined toward hitting the hole and hitting it now and if it's not there then try and make it there; try and make one there. I just think that he's still learning what his style is going to be, but I'm very excited about the possibilities there."

Speaking of Gore ... Read More 'Forecast: Thunder and Lightning?' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | December 01 2010 at 03:48 PM

Interpol alert: Broncos cheated?

So, let me get this straight:

According to the Denver Post today, the Broncos are being investigated by the NFL in an international spy case where they "allegedly" videotaped the 49ers' Saturday walk-through at Wembley Stadium before their Oct. 31 game in London ... using a video man who came with Broncos coach Josh McDaniels to Denver from New England ... where both were employed during Spygate ...

And still lost the game ...

Despite "allegedly" getting a sneak peek of the 49ers walking through key elements of their game plan ... which consisted of running Frank Gore inside a whopping 29 times ... and not letting third-string quarterback Troy Smith, you know, throw the ball until late in the third quarter.

In other words, the 49ers put together the most predictable game plan in all of Europe, intended to play it safe with a new starting quarterback, and the Broncos "allegedly" felt the need to cheat to figure that out?

Frank Gore up the middle. Who knew? And was Interpol "asleep at the wheel" on all this? (That last one was a joke. We'll be here all week).

(UPDATE: McDaniels has been fined $50,000 by the league office, per ESPN. Given the weak state of the dollar, I'd have been more impressed if he was fined 50,000 pounds, given the location of the crime).

By the way, for random daily updates on all things 49ers, follow @bydavidwhite at a Twitter near you.

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | November 27 2010 at 08:45 AM

Singletary confirms obvious

It's not often 49ers coach Mike Singletary admits a specific mistake, but he's finally done that in regards to two lineup decisions of his on the defensive side of the ball.

Singletary acknowledged today what's been suspected all along -- that rookie safety Taylor Mays and rookie inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman simply weren't ready to be NFL contributors, and that's why he mostly benched them Sunday against Tampa Bay.

(Mostly, because Mays played a few fourth-quarter snaps at goal line, and both played on special teams).

"I think Taylor Mays, as the more we pressed him, I think is just not all the way ready," Singletary said. "There are some things that he can do well. There are other things that he is not quite ready for. So, the last thing that I want to do is to lose him. We have some more time, we have just one week at a time here, and I think when I look at Bowman it's the same situation. And you have to understand that these rookies, sometimes rookies are at different places when they come in the league. Sometimes they're ready to go, and then there are other times when there are other things that take effect and they handle them differently.

"I think both those guys are going to be great players. I'm very excited about them, and it may come this year."

So why won't Singletary do the same thing with rookie right tackle Anthony Davis, and struggling young right guard Chilo Rachal for that matter? Read More 'Singletary confirms obvious' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | November 24 2010 at 06:07 PM

Fridays with Warner and Jed

Former Cardinals QUARTERBACK (a coach on the field, perhaps?) Kurt Warner was at 49ers headquarters today, and no, it wasn't a repeat free agent visit to leverage Arizona into a better deal.

(Alert: Jed York stuff at the bottom)

Warner is a Fox broadcaster now and he's here for Sunday's 49ers-Buccaneers game at Candlestick Park. Don't ask him who will win the NFC West, because this division has fallen to pieces since he retired.

"What I think is crazy this year is that I think more than any year you look at the NFC West and think, 'OK, they're playing a quality opponent, they're not even going to be in the game.' And I think you look at all those teams and you say the same thing right now until somebody shows up, whoever that is, and says, 'OK, we can play with the best teams, even though we don't win, we can be competitive.' Right now, I don't know who that team is. I really have no idea who's going to win this thing.

"If the Niners win Sunday, I just assume Seattle's going to get beat by New Orleans the way they've played, now they're one game back after starting off 0-5, they're one game back in the division and it really comes up for grabs because they have to play each other. I don't know, you guys tell me who's got it figured out because I don't."

Warner also had some interesting things to say about new 49ers quarterback Troy Smith other things. Here are some excerpts ... Read More 'Fridays with Warner and Jed' »

Posted By: David White (Email, Twitter) | November 19 2010 at 06:38 PM