Justin Smith News

The 49ers aren't expecting Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to be as generous as Bears counterpart Jay Cutler in the interceptions department.

Everybody knows what a sack looks like. That's when a defense player tackles the passer behind the line of scrimmage, often leaving a quarterback-sized imprint in the turf.

In this case, he's spot-on. "As far as the importance of the game, this game is just as important as the first game," the coach said.

Thursday Night Football returns tonight with another riveting matchup: MIami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers .

He was an assistant with Tampa Bay when the Bucs played in Lambeau Field on Dec.

Josh Beekman remained with the first team at left guard Monday despite being pulled from Thursday's game against San Francisco in favor of Frank Omiyale .

Earlier in the season, defensive end Justin Smith said emphatically that teammate Aubrayo Franklin was the best nose tackle in the NFL.

The 49ers seem to have lost the spark quarterback Alex Smith provided in his first couple games after replacing Shaun Hill .

49ers tight end Vernon Davis: Hillenmeyer is the man in the middle, but the job of defending Davis will fall on the entire defense.

After a disappointing performance by the offensive line in the season opener, coach Mike Singletary vowed that the 49ers blockers would turn things around.

"Consistency is what we're lacking," he said Wednesday. "In the few times we've put ourselves in bad situations, 3rd-and-longs resulted in not moving the chains.

Justin Smith calls "heads" during coin toss. It turns up "heads" and the 49ers elect to receive ... Robinson and Coffee to return ... Let's get it on ... 1 Q 49ers take over at own 29 ... Crabtree and Morgan are the wideouts ... Joe Staley goes down on first-down run by Gore.

If you're brave enough to watch and not too hungover from the Halloween party the night before, chances are that you, the loyal, hopeful 49ers fan that you are, will venture to take in Niners-Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday morning.

Nothing much has gone well for the Missouri Tigers football team lately. The Tigers haven't won since September, their stud young quarterback suddenly looks average and injured, Danario Alexander is the only spark on offense that warrants any applause, and the defense has been giving up more points left and right.

"We're not going to be a flavor-of-the-month kind of team," coach Mike Singletary said.

Vernon Davis didn't just keep his promise to an ailing child. He made history. Davis became the first 49ers tight end ever to score three touchdowns in a game Sunday against the Houston Texans.

It took the desperation of falling behind 21-0 for the 49ers to get going once coach Mike Singletary made the switch to Alex Smith in the second half.

Joe Nedney kicks off to the Hou11. Andre' Davis return for 20 yards to Hou31. Tackled by Josh Morgan and Tarell Brown.

The 49ers placed linebacker Jeff Ulbrich on injured reserve with the after affects from a concussion.

' condition is by far the most troubling since he sustained his third concussion since Aug.