Blogs

Morning Tailgate: Dec. 4

San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins was active for the second time this season in Sunday’s 16-13 overtime loss to the St. Louis Rams. Jenkins, however, did not play. Second-round pick LaMichael James wasn’t active for the 12th time this year, but that could soon change.

The speedy running back could see action late in the season according to Jim Harbaugh in comments shared by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

The 49ers coach visited with the KNBR Morning Show as he does every Tuesday and explained that the running back, who’s yet to be active in 2012, could see playing time in December.

“I think that’s a real possibility, and he’s worked hard for an opportunity,” Harbaugh said. “And that’s something that’s definitely a possibility that’s coming.”

Trent Baalke, the team’s general manager, also hinted at a possible December debut for James. Baalke visited with 95.7 The Game on Monday as part of his weekly show, his comments were discussed by CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.

If James is active and can contribute to a 49ers win over the Miami Dolphins this Sunday, the team could clinch a playoff spot with some help from NFC playoff contenders. There’s actually two scenarios in play for the 49ers to be guaranteed of postseason football for consecutive seasons.

Here are the scenarios:

1. San Francisco win + DAL loss + MIN loss + TB loss + WAS loss + SEA loss or tie.

2. San Francisco win + DAL loss + MIN loss + TB loss + WAS loss + STL loss or tie.

The Vikings host the Bears. The Buccaneers host the Eagles. The Redskins host the Ravens. The Seahawks host the Cardinals. The Rams visit the Bills. The Cowboys visit the Bengals.

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Harbaugh Confident in 49ers Youth

San Francisco’s running back reps behind Frank Gore will be a key to Sunday’s game in St. Louis. Whether Brandon Jacobs or LaMichael James becomes the featured No. 2 runner behind Gore remains to be seen.

Jim Harbaugh said the reps against the Rams would be shared “among the other backs.”

With the loss of Kendall Hunter and Kyle Williams to season-ending injuries last week in New Orleans, the 49ers coach will have to find ways of showcasing other players on the roster.

Even so, Harbaugh admitted the injured players will be tough to replace.

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Morning Tailgate: Nov. 29

The 49ers are no strangers to quality quarterbacks. Dating back to the likes of Y.A. Tittle and John Brodie to Joe Montana and Steve Young, San Francisco has been spoiled with signal-callers throughout the years. The 2012 49ers are lucky to have two players under center that have led the team to big victories: Colin Kaepernick and Alex Smith.

A huge contingent of media gathered at 49ers headquarters on Wednesday, as coach Jim Harbaugh revealed Kaepernick will receive the start this Sunday in St. Louis, his third straight for the team. The decision to name the second-year emerging star as the quarterback was dissected every which way by the media, including Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group.

“QB coach Geep Chryst and OC Greg Roman are certainly hands-on and deeply involved in all parts of the QB play,” Kawakami wrote. “But I think we have to give most of the credit for this to Harbaugh–who did some things with Andrew Luck, I seem to recall. Harbaugh has a fine focus on the QB spot, and the guy can flat-out coach the position.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate rounds up all the Kaepernick coverage, Pro Bowl voting leaders, Santa Clara Stadium news and more.

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Morning Tailgate: Oct. 24

It’s already Week 8 of the 2012 season and identities of the NFL’s 32 clubs are taking shape. Through their first seven games, the 49ers have featured one of the league’s best rushing attacks, ranking first in yards per carry (5.9) and second in yards per game (176.6).

Frank Gore (103 carries) and Kendall Hunter (50 attempts) have carried the load for the 49ers so far this season, totaling 859 rushing yards as a tandem already. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee also noted that Gore (5.8 yards per carry) and Hunter (5.2) are the only duo to average better than five yards per carry this year.

“Gore, 29, trails only Buffalo running back C.J. Spiller ,a change-of-pace back who has sprinter’s speed, in averaging 5.8 yards per carry,” Barrows wrote. “He’s on pace for 1,374 yards this season, which would be his best output since he ran for 1,695 yards in 2006.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate looks at the challenge the Arizona run defense imposes, Eddie DeBartolo’s upcoming profile on the NFL Network and more.

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Morning Tailgate: Sept. 13

Calvin Johnson’s injured foot is the hot-topic as the 49ers continue to prepare for a Sunday night home opener against the Detroit Lions.

The wideout gracing this year’s EA Madden video game cover did not practice on Wednesday but returned to work on Thursday according to multiple reports.

In order to stop the wide receiver who has caught 45 touchdowns since 2008, the most in the NFL, the 49ers will use many defensive looks. The same coverage or defensive philosophy just won’t work for 60 minutes against Johnson.

Cornerback Tarell Brown is “geeked” for the challenge, writes Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Brown and the rest of the 49ers secondary will likely need all available senses on Sunday night when the Lions arrive with All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson, who led the NFL in receiving yards (1,681), ranked second in touchdowns (16) and was fourth in receptions (96) last year,” Branch wrote.

CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco and Mindi Bach also discussed the challenge of stopping the player known as “Megatron” in their latest Matt & Mindi segment.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 21

First-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins continues to progress leading up to the regular season. Jenkins’ 32-yard reception against the Houston Texans last week was the 49ers’ longest passing play of the preseason.

Furthermore, the No. 30 overall selection got behind the Texans defense several times last Saturday night and could have produced even greater numbers if not for a few overthrown passes in the second half.

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee recently wrote about Jenkins’ promising big-play potential and discussed the receiver’s progress with fifth-year quarterback Josh Johnson who completed the 32-yard pass to Jenkins in the third quarter of a 20-9 defeat.

“Johnson said the rookie did a great job of ‘holding the red line,’ an imaginary line on the side of the field between receiver and sideline that gives the quarterback a few yards of cushion in which to place the ball,” Barrows wrote. “Johnson lofted the pass into that zone, and Jenkins detached from the defensive back in time to make a 32-yard reception.”

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Greg Roman Eyes Individual Development

Wins in the preseason are nice, but 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman is more concerned with individual player development at this point of Training Camp. As he addressed the media on Wednesday at team headquarters, Roman offered his assessment of several players on the new-look San Francisco offense.

One of the biggest additions to the first-team unit – both literally and figuratively – has been lineman Alex Boone, who made the switch from tackle to guard this offseason. Boone earned the first crack at the position during the offseason program earlier this year and has progressed well, holding on to his starting spot thus far in camp.

At 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, Boone doesn’t possess the traditional build of an interior lineman. That hasn’t stopped him from impressing his coaches.

“Boone had a good game the other night,” Roman said. “I really like how he’s adapting to the guard position. Things happen faster at guard than it does at tackle and a lot of things can change in hurry in there at guard. There’s a lot of action, leverage is a premium, being able to play low, and Alex has really improved week-to-week.”

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Gameday Story: The Forty Niner Way

The first 49ers Gameday Magazine cover story of 2012 discusses this year’s incoming rookie draft class and their quest to learn “The Forty Niner Way.” Seven players from all over the country have been chosen to be the next batch of great players, but before they get there, coaches and veterans have schooled the NFL newcomers on what it takes to truly become a 49er.

This year’s rookies posed for the cover after a recent training camp practice. They also stood close to Jim Harbaugh’s “Forty Niner Way” street sign, recently installed by San Francisco’s coach prior to the start of camp. Graphic designer Ben Mayberry touched up the image to give the cover its final look.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 9

The 49ers are one day away from kicking off the 2012 preseason, and it appears as though first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins is putting together some of his best practices leading up to Friday night’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.

According to CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco, the No. 30 overall pick had the best day of any 49ers receiver in training camp on Tuesday. Jenkins caught six passes in team and 7-on-7 drills, and told Maiocco he still found areas he can improve on following his solid day of practice.

Jenkins’ steady improvements won’t be seen today. The 49ers will have a “Mock Game” this afternoon without media in attendance. After, coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Alex Smith will speak with the reporters.

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 8

This time of the year is a great time to examine stories of collaboration and camaraderie. Training camp is a grind, there’s no doubt about it. But the way that coaches and players come together is pretty remarkable, too.

Take this example to heart, Dashon Goldson’s cell phone provider is…. Wait for it… Vernon Davis.

Yes, the 49ers tight end recently gave the Pro Bowl safety a cell phone with the carrier service paid for an entire year. FoxSports.com’s Alex Marvez shared the details in a recent story on Davis’ leadership.

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

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