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2012 Plays of the Year: Final Five

Alex Espinoza — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 21:33:15 +0000

The 49ers Faithful have spoken. Now it’s time for one final vote.

In recent weeks, 49ers.com has brought you the top 5 takeaways, touchdowns, sacks, big hits and big plays and asked for the Faithful to vote for their favorite plays of the year. For the last round of voting, a winner will emerge from the Final Five candidates as picked by the 49ers Faithful.

The Final Five features a great mix of breakneck offensive plays, bone-crushing defensive plays and game-changers. Until 5 p.m. PT on Monday, you can vote for the 2012 Play of the Year at the bottom of this blog post. Let’s take a look at the top play for each category.

1. Dashon Goldson’s open-field hit vs. the Arizona Cardinals

When pushed to choose one of Goldson’s best tackles in 2012, the open-field, jarring hit delivered on Cardinals wideout Early Doucet stood above the rest. It also took place in front of a national viewing audience on “Monday Night Football.”

With the 49ers maintaining a 24-3 lead in the fourth quarter, Goldson put the exclamation mark on a dominant defensive outing. Arizona quarterback John Skelton looked to dump off a quick slant pass to Doucet, but it wasn’t such a good idea.

Goldson saw the route developing and patiently waited his turn to strike. The 49ers safety timed up a perfect open-field hit that would leave Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott thoroughly impressed.

Doucet wasn’t able to hold on to the football. Not many play-makers this past season could maintain possession once the 49ers safety known as “The Hawk” applied an open-field hit.

2. Aldon Smith’s 5.5 sacks on MNF vs. the Chicago Bears

Jason Campbell probably doesn’t have fond memories of the evening of Nov. 19. As the quarterback of the Bears, Campbell was pummeled repeatedly by linebacker Aldon Smith, who set a “Monday Night Football” and 49ers single-game record with 5.5 sacks.

Smith already had a history of showing up on the Monday night stage, posting 4.5 sacks in his first two contests, but he blew those performances out of the water with an all-time great effort. It didn’t matter if he came from the left side or the right side, Smith was going to get to the quarterback.

The marquee outing highlighted Smith’s 19.5-sack regular season, which eventually earned him first-team All-Pro honors and the first Pro Bowl invite of his career. It also proved to be a big reason for the team’s 32-7 win over the Bears, who entered the contest with a 7-2 record.

3. Ahmad Brooks’ interception return for a touchdown vs. the New Orleans Saints

San Francisco intercepted respected Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice in a Week 12 road victory. Both takeaways were returned for touchdowns, too. Donte Whitner’s 42-yard pick-six was impressive, but it didn’t get the nod over Ahmad Brooks’ 50-yard interception return.

Brooks, a 6-foot-3, 259-pound outside linebacker, correctly read Brees’ eyes as he dropped into coverage. The pass-rushing linebacker wound up in the quarterback’s throwing lane and somehow managed to pluck a quick pass from Brees out of the air and return it 50 yards untouched for a touchdown.

The 49ers trailed 14-7 at the time of Brooks’ game-changing play and never looked back from it. San Francisco out-scored New Orleans 17-7 after the defensive touchdown, an impressive athletic play turned in from one of the most physical players on the front seven.

4. Colin Kaepernick’s 56-yard TD Run vs. the Green Bay Packers

Erik Walden thought James had the ball, but he was wrong. The Green Bay defensive end was lined up against the right side of the 49ers offensive line in the third quarter, with the score knotted at 21 in the NFC Divisional Round.

Kaepernick kept the ball in James’ belly for a second, before pulling it back to himself and sprinting around Walden and down the right seam untouched for a 56-yard touchdown, thanks in part to a great downfield block by Ted Ginn Jr. By the time Bruce Miller engaged Walden near the line of scrimmage, Kaepernick was long gone to give the 49ers a 31-24 lead in the eventual 45-31 win in the final game of the season at Candlestick.

Kaepernick’s big run was the highlight of his record-setting evening, as he carried the ball 16 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns to post the highest single-game quarterback rushing total in league history. It also jumpstarted a 21-0 run by the 49ers to put the game out of reach.

5. NaVorro Bowman’s 4^th-down Stop vs. the Atlanta Falcons

The situation was simple: Get a stop and go to the Super Bowl.

The 49ers held a 28-24, fourth-quarter lead at the Georgia Dome in the NFC Championship, when the Falcons faced a 4^th-and-4 at San Francisco’s 10-yard line. When the Falcons broke the huddle and Roddy White lined up in the right slot, Bowman knew the ball was headed his way.

So the two-time All-Pro linebacker held his ground against the talented wideout, who tried to cross in front of his face near the first-down marker. Bowman swatted the pass to the ground with his left hand and his teammates raised their arms in unison, celebrating their ticket to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Colin Kaepernick for winning the vote for 2012 Play of the Year!

2012 Plays of the Year: Takeaways

Taylor Price — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:40:10 +0000

We need your help in selecting the top plays from the 2012 season. We’re asking our Faithful fans to choose the top takeaway, touchdown, sack, big play and biggest hit of the season. Next, the winning five plays (one from each category), will move on to the championship round to determine 49ers.com’s “Top Play of 2012.”

Watch our “Top 5” video highlights on the best plays for each category, then vote in the poll section of the corresponding blog post to see which top play will reach the championship.

Help us crown the top play of 2012 by first choosing your favorite takeaway from this past season. You can vote for your favorite takeaway up until Thursday at noon. Let’s take a look at the five nominees.

1. NaVorro Bowman’s interception vs. the Green Bay Packers

The 49ers picked up their first win at historic Lambeau field since 1990 thanks to NaVorro Bowman’s first career interception. With the 49ers clinging to a 23-15 lead at the start of the fourth quarter, Bowman, a first-time Pro Bowl linebacker, intercepted Aaron Rodgers over-the-middle to set up a 23-yard Frank Gore touchdown.

Bowman recorded a team-high 11 tackles against the Packers, but truly put his stamp on the game with a well-timed interception of Rodgers. Bowman, a third-year pro, recorded the first and only takeaway of a critical season-opening win.

2. Ahmad Brooks’ interception return for a touchdown vs. the New Orleans Saints

3. Dashon Goldson’s fumble recovery vs. the New England Patriots

The San Francisco 49ers forced four turnovers in a 41-34 road victory over the New England Patriots. The four takeaways helped the 49ers build a 31-3 lead in the third quarter of a key late-season victory. Of all the standout defensive plays, perhaps the most remarkable game-changing defensive moment was turned in by safety Dashon Goldson.

The two-time Pro Bowler scooped up a Stevan Ridley fumble that was forced by a vicious open-field hit from fellow Pro Bowl safety Whitner. Goldson, who had successfully converted a fake punt earlier in the game, caught the fumble as it floated in the air and returned it 66 yards to set up a Gore touchdown on the very next play.

4. C.J. Spillman’s fumble recovery vs. the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs

The Packers held an early 14-7 lead in a Divisional Playoff matchup with the 49ers. It would be their only lead in the game thanks to a clutch fumble recovery from 49ers special teams ace C.J. Spillman. The 49ers gunner worked his way down the field on an Andy Lee punt and found his way on top of a muffed punt from Packers return man Jeremy Ross.

Spillman’s first career postseason fumble recovery at Green Bay’s 9-yard line led to a 12-yard touchdown pass from Colin Kaepernick to Michael Crabtree, a score that tied the game at 14. The 49ers would never trail after that point after proceeding to out-score the Packers 31-13 the rest of the way in a home playoff win.

5. Tarell Brown’s forced fumble and fumble recovery vs. the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII

In search for some second-half momentum in the biggest game of the season, 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown provided that spark with a key forced fumble and fumble recovery in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII.

The 49ers trailed 28-20 to the Ravens and got their first turnover of the game when Brown stripped Baltimore running back Ray Rice in the left flat. Brown quickly recovered the loose ball practically in one quick motion. Brown’s first career postseason forced fumble and fumble recovery led to a 34-yard David Akers field goal in the Super Bowl.

THANKS FOR VOTING STAY TUNED FOR FINAL RESULTS.

#49ers fans voted Ahmad Brooks' pick 6 the top takeaway of 2012. Tune in tomorrow for the top 5 TDs. instagr.am/p/VueXfuCejF/—
San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) February 14, 2013

Morning Tailgate: Jan. 30

Alex Espinoza — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:35:12 +0000

The 49ers enjoyed the light mood of media day on Tuesday as they were peppered with football and non-football questions by thousands of credentialed media members on the turf of the Superdome. There was a super hero, free tattoo sleeves for the players, 49ers Kaepernicking and more.

Peter Schrager of FOXSports.com offered his take on the best and worst of media day for Super Bowl XLVII.

“This is the new normal at Super Bowl Media Day, an NFL cultural and journalistic melting pot that puts Miss Alabama and Brent Musberger favorite Katherine Webb, in the same room as 84-year-old Hall of Fame journalist Edwin Pope,” Schrager wrote. “It’s no longer about the players’ answers; it’s about the folks asking the players the questions.”

The 49ers would also like to announce that Vernon Davis is holding a charity raffle to win an all expense paid trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. The deadline for the drawing is on Thursday (tomorrow).

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate features the top quotes and story lines from the hectic media day scene.

Rembert Browne of Grantland.com offered a photo blog of media day.

Dan Hanzus of NFL.com gave a rundown of the highlights of media day.

Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News gave his take on the current state of media day.

Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group shared insight on Jim Harbaugh’s hour-long media day session.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com passed along comments from Randy Moss.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group spoke to Ahmad Brooks about the Quest for Six.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle took a look at Harbaugh’s media day responses.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee discussed the relationship between Moss and Colin Kaepernick.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com took a look at Aldon Smith’s sack numbers.
Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com analyzed Moss’ place in NFL history.

Mark Purdy of the Bay Area News Group wrote that Kaepernick was candid with the media on Tuesday.

Maiocco examined Michael Crabtree’s development as a player.

Carl Steward of the Bay Area News Group discussed Smith.

Maiocco spoke to Mario Manningham about last year’s big Super Bowl catch.

Vic Tafur and Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle offered a notebook of memorable quotes.

TV49′s CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

Up and at em….. Getting better this morning focused on a Epic Finish….Let's get it….Goodmorning everybody!!—
Anthony Dixon (@Boobie24Dixon) January 30, 2013

On to the next.

Morning Tailgate: Jan. 23

Alex Espinoza — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 19:22:25 +0000

San Francisco and Baltimore are two proud football towns with rich histories of football. 49ers fans and Ravens fans alike will descend on New Orleans in the coming days as the teams gear up for Super Bowl XLVII.

San Francisco and Baltimore also feature a tradition of football competition that dates back to the 1950s and the days of Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park. Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle took a historical look back at past battles between football franchises from the two cities.

“There was a time when ‘San Francisco vs. Baltimore’ meant something entirely different than the matchup we’ll get in this Super Bowl,” Jenkins wrote. “It meant antiquated, neighborhood stadiums in the middle of town. It meant some of the most riveting, free-wheeling NFL games ever played.”

Did you know Jim Harbaugh, Randy Moss and Ray Lewis also played in the same game back in 1998? Today’s Morning Tailgate features that backstory, highlights the contributions of the York family and more.

Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group revisited a Ravens-Vikings game from 1998 that featured Harbaugh at QB, Moss at WR and Lewis at LB.

Mark Purdy of the Bay Area News Group spoke to 49ers Co-Chairman Dr. John York about his organization’s sixth Super Bowl run.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee highlighted the big role of 49ers CEO Jed York in the franchise’s success and the new Santa Clara Stadium.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com examined Harbaugh’s preparation for his first Super Bowl.

Don Banks of Sports Illustrated offered some interesting facts and figures to keep note of when the 49ers and Ravens play in New Orleans.

Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated passed along a link to a feature story he wrote about Jim and John Harbaugh.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com discussed Michael Crabtree’s ascension as a receiver.

Alex Pavlovic of the Bay Area News Group wrote that the San Francisco Giants are supporting the 49ers for Super Bowl XLVII.

Pavlovic also shared reaction from Giants players via social media.

Will Brinson of CBSSports.com used the old Nintendo game Tecmo Bowl to predict the 49ers-Ravens Super Bowl matchup.

Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times wrote a piece looking at the humble beginnings of the Super Bowl.

Stuart Elliott of the New York Times offered a rundown of the Super Bowl ad landscape for 2013.

Sports Illustrated put together a photo gallery of the top 10 Super Bowls ever.

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle spotlighted Colin Kaepernick.

49ers.com’s coverage included a look at Ahmad Brooks, Patrick Willis, Bruce Miller Mic’d Up in Atlanta and the 49ers taking the field before the NFC Championship.

TV49′s CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

The George Halas NFC Championship Trophy. #QuestforSix instagr.am/p/U1b2hRieq9/—
San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 23, 2013

One more trophy to go.

Week 13 #Vote49ers Pro Bowl Update

Alex Espinoza — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:28:53 +0000

The 49ers boast arguably the best quartet of linebackers in the NFL. Ahmad Brooks might not get the national publicity of the other players in his position group — Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith — but those around the 49ers know how valuable Brooks is on the left edge of the defense.

On Sunday, the seventh-year veteran showed why the 49ers signed him to six-year extension in the offseason, recording five tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception return for a touchdown. Brooks, who is vying to be named to his first Pro Bowl, is among a host of 49ers that are making strong cases to be nominated to the NFL’s annual All-Star game. You can vote for San Francisco’s finest at 49ers.com/ProBowl.

Brooks wasn’t the only member of the 49ers to take an interception back to paydirt on Sunday. Hard-hitting safety Donte Whitner hauled in a pick from Drew Brees after a big hit from fellow safety Dashon Goldson, before taking it back 42 yards for a touchdown. It marked the first interception of the year for Whitner and just the second score of his career, to go along with his 55 tackles on the season.

Fullback Bruce Miller has already established himself as a bruising blocker in his second NFL season and a key component to this year’s top-ranked rushing attack. On Sunday, he flashed another side of his game, as he hauled in three catches for 37 yards in the 31-21 victory against New Orleans. Miller was a Pro Bowl alternate in his rookie season but needs your help if he wants to get the nod this time around.

Fans can vote for the 2013 Pro Bowl until Dec. 17 before the AFC and NFC rosters are revealed on Dec. 26 on NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access” show.

Morning Tailgate: Nov. 26

Alex Espinoza — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 19:28:20 +0000

The 49ers are simply spoiled at quarterback. Second-year signal-caller Colin Kaepernick is gaining believers nationwide after he helped lead the 49ers to a 31-21 road victory at New Orleans in his second career start on Sunday, following San Francisco’s 6-2-1 start to the season with Alex Smith.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group examined the big 49ers win, while his colleague Mark Purdy focused on the quarterbacks situation after the game.

“It’s all quite entertaining to discuss,” Purdy wrote. “We keep learning more about Kaepernick with every passing day. Donte Whitner, the 49ers safety who also scored on an interception return, has become friendly with Kaepernick because the two often find themselves working out simultaneously at the team’s practice facility in Santa Clara. Whitner said that Kaepernick is often the first man to show up on the premises.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate rounds up more headlines from New Orleans and shows you why it pays to wear a 49ers jacket when walking around the Bay Area.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated thought the 49ers made the right choice with Kaepernick on Sunday.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com said the team victory trumped any quarterback discussion after the Week 12 win.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com wrote that Kaepernick and the defense led the 49ers to victory.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee examined Kaepernick after his two solid starts.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle discussed Ahmad Brooks’ game-changing interception return for a touchdown.

Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle shared the story of a lucky Faithful Fan who had an encounter with 49ers CEO Jed York.

Maiocco broke down the strong defensive effort by the 49ers, which included two return touchdowns.

Barrows spoke to Brooks following his big game in the 31-21 win.

Maiocco addressed fan questions regarding the future of rookies LaMichael James and A.J. Jenkins.

Inman discussed the quarterback situation after Kaepernick’s strong start.

Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle gave his take on the 49ers quarterbacks.

Don Banks of Sports Illustrated commented on the current state of the 49ers.

49ers.com provided a recap of the big road win (video/story/photos) and also looked at the contributions from Kaepernick and the defense. Scott Kegley and Taylor Price of 49ers.com also broke down the victory in the latest edition of Cover 2 presented by AAA.

TV49′s CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

Did yall see that niners defense tho?! Them boys out there ballin!!!!!—
Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 26, 2012

True.

Morning Tailgate: Nov. 14

Taylor Price — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 18:21:56 +0000

The 49ers are scheduled to practice on Wednesday, the first of the week in preparation for Monday’s NFC showdown against the Chicago Bears.

Players will be available to the media in the afternoon. However, it is not known if Alex Smith will speak to the media, but reports from ESPN’s Adam Schefter indicate Smith might return to action this week after suffering a concussion in a 24-24 tie against the St. Louis Rams. Smith has not spoken to the media since the injury.

“They feel pretty good that Smith should be able to go,” Schefter said on ESPN this morning in comments relayed by Evan Silva of NBC Sports.

The news comes after Tuesday’s report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, who said Smith was seeking a second opinion on the injury according to a league source.

Perhaps Smith will be around to share insight on the concussion evaluation process. If not, the speculation leading up to Monday night will continue for both teams as Jay Cutler is in the same boat as Smith.

Stay tuned to 49ers.com for more updates on the quarterbacks.

Don Banks of SI.com looked at the league’s handling of concussions as it pertained to Smith and Culter. Banks: “Sunday was another headline day in the NFL’s belated efforts to come to grips with brain injuries. When starting quarterbacks get sidelined with concussions, everyone in the game takes notice, and that’s actually a good thing in the long term. Because some post-mortems are in order and necessary, if only to keep learning and keep the process moving forward. Knowing exactly what to do for players and when to do it in every situation, when events are unfolding in real time, is a still-evolving practice. Experience and a longer track record with the game’s new sensibilities will only help increase the effectiveness of concussion recognition and hopefully prevention.”

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee examines the 49ers rush defense through 10 weeks of the season compared to the team’s 2011 unit.

Barrows also looked at the 49ers quarterback situation in the future in a recent mailbag offering.

ProFootballFocus.com offered 32 observations for each team, including this favorable note on the 49ers running game. “On average, the 49ers have averaged 3.2 yards before their runner is contacted, thanks to a great run blocking line. That is the highest rate in the league.”

PFF also offered more analysis from the 49ers recent tie. “(Ahmad) Brooks was also San Francisco’s best pass rusher with a +3.1grade. He notched five hurries and three batted passes on his 34 pass rushes. Two of the batted passes came in overtime, including one on third-and-13 that stalled the Rams’ initial drive of the extra period.”

ESPN.com’s Mike Sando shares the ranking of the 49ers offense and defense in various stat categories. Sando notes Smith is ranked ninth in passer rating (96.0).

49ers.com took a look at players deserving of Pro Bowl votes.

Roookie guard Joe Looney also updated his 49ers.com blog.

TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

If you are free Monday night and looking for something to do, let me know. I heard there will be a hard hitting football game at the Stick—
Jed York (@JedYork) November 14, 2012

Ask and you might receive.

Morning Tailgate: Nov. 7

Taylor Price — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:34:14 +0000

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a mid-season awards list without members of the San Francisco 49ers.

Several 49ers were listed on mid-season awards released earlier in the week and continue to be named on recently released All-Pro teams from various media outlets.

ESPN.com’s respected NFL writer John Clayton took a break from rocking out to heavy metal music in his parents house and listed three 49ers among his mid-season All-Pro team, naming Anthony Davis, Mike Iupati and Patrick Willis on his first-team unit.

Davis and Iupati were also selected by NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN.com’s Mike Sando’s All-NFC West team (along with several 49ers teammates). Sando listed four members of the 49ers offensive line on his first-team unit, with Jonathan Goodwin being left out. The 49ers center, however, received praise from Yahoo! Sports.

More on that in today’s Morning Tailgate.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle sums up the first half of the 49ers season with various awards of his own, including the most improved honor to cornerback Chris Culliver. Branch: “The No. 3 corner is showing strong signs of being a future No. 1. Soon. Despite playing 169 fewer snaps than starters Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers, Culliver leads the team with 10 passes defended (Brown and Rogers have 10 combined). Quarterbacks have completed 38.9 percent of their passes when throwing in Culliver’s direction and have a 28.7 rating, according to Pro Football Focus. His standout season began, fittingly, with a game-sealing pass breakup against Jordy Nelson in a Week 1 win at Green Bay.”

Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com offers grades for the first half of the season, including high marks for strength coach Mark Uyeyama.

Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Shutdown Corner Blog shares his All-Underrated first-team offense, a unit that includes Iupati and center Jonathan Goodwin. Farrar on the 49ers center: “This may have been our easiest selection on offense. San Francisco’s schemes call on the center to make an enormous number of pre-snap adjustments, and block at multiple gaps and levels. Goodwin has been a complete force in the middle of the league’s most-improved offensive line, working at an elite level for a coach in Jim Harbaugh who does not tolerate protection mistakes.”

Nate Stuhlbarg of CSNBayArea.com shares a notebook from 49ers headquarters, including details on Joe Staley and Leonard Davis supporting “MO-vember.”

SI.com lists the 49ers Week 1 win over Green Bay among the gutsiest wins in the first half of the 2012 season.

49ers.com checked in with a re-charged Frank Gore, examined the hard-working ways of linebacker Ahmad Brooks, as well as checked in on the latest developments in the new Santa Clara Stadium project, including an interview with team President Gideon Yu.

TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY

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Film for Breakfast. lockerz.com/s/259598425—
Bam Davis (@AnthonyDavis76) November 07, 2012

Hard work pays off.

Morning Tailgate: Oct. 12

Taylor Price — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:11:56 +0000

Alex Smith’s had a whirlwind seven-day stretch to say the least.

John Branch of the New York Times summed it up succinctly in a recent story.

“In this, the eighth chapter of The Many Lives of Alex Smith, the San Francisco quarterback leads the league in passer rating, coolly commands a high-scoring offense that sets a single-game yardage record, is deemed such a local celebrity that he tosses the ceremonial first pitch of a baseball playoff series and talks football with the president,” Branch wrote.

The week could get even better if the 49ers quarterback wins the FedEx Air Player of the Week award. And, if he beats the New York Giants this Sunday at Candlestick Park.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle passes along the comments of Giants offensive coordinator Kelvin Gilbride, who believes Justin Smith gets away with defensive holding.

Branch also writes about the 49ers success cramping Harbaugh’s coaching style.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee looks at the chances of Brandon Jacobs making his 49ers debut this Sunday.

CBSSports.com’s Kyle Bonagura shares Jacobs comments about returning to 100-percent health.

FoxSports.com’s Alex Marvez looks at the 49ers mindset heading into a NFC title game rematch.

49ers.com looked at Mario Manningham’s recent do-it-all versatility with his new team.

49ers five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis joined the latest Niner Talk podcast.

49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks joined this week’s 49ers.com “Weekly Conversation.”

TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY

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We need you #49ersFaithful… Sunday. Candlestick. #SeaOfRed….—
Jed York (@JedYork) October 12, 2012

Wear red, get loud (except with the 49ers have the ball on offense).

Gameday Story: Crushing It

Taylor Price — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:54:45 +0000

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 35-3 in the 2012 preseason finale. Seventh-year linebacker Ahmad Brooks received a lot of exposure last Thursday night. And, he did so without stepping foot on the playing field.

With Jim Harbaugh electing to rest his entire starting defense, Brooks’ attention was largely through the team’s Gameday Magazine where he served as the second cover story of the team’s 10 home programs. The story examines Brooks’ rise in recent years as a member of San Francisco’s feared defensive attack. Photographed by Kym Fortino and designed by Ben Mayberry, the cover story also looks at the positive comments made by Brooks’ coaches this offseason after he signed a six-year contract extension with the club.

Crushing It
Ahmad Brooks continues to excel at his job while entering his seventh NFL season and fifth year with the San Francisco 49ers.

By Taylor Price, 49ers.com

Ahmad Brooks came into the National Football League with everything to prove. A third-round selection in the 2006 NFL Supplemental Draft, Brooks had to earn his way on to the Cincinnati Bengals 53-man roster. Despite earning a roster spot as a rookie, his first two seasons in the league were up and down. Brooks finished the 2007 season on the Injured Reserve List and was later waived during the Bengals 2008 training camp. What could have been seen as a low point was actually a blessing in disguise when the 49ers stepped in and claimed him days before the 2008 season began.

Fast forward to his seventh season in the league, the 6-foot-3, 259-pound outside linebacker has approached his latest training camp with more vigor than ever before.

“I’m a lot more mature,” says Brooks, 28. “I want it more. I want to be great. I know I’m good, but I want to be a dominant force in the NFL. I feel like I’m in my prime as far as my age and my build, my physical ability as well as my mental ability, just having mental knowledge of the game. I know what to expect, not only do I know my position but I know what everybody else in the defense is doing.”

As a member of the San Francisco 49ers talented starting linebacking corps, Brooks is coming off his best season as a pro (16 starts, 59 tackles, 7.0 sacks and one forced fumble). Because of his consistent efforts on one of the league’s toughest defenses, Brooks was rewarded with a six-year contract extension at the start of the 2012 free agency period. Now, Brooks will be with the 49ers through the 2017 season, a fact not lost on the supremely physical player who’s solid at setting the edge to stop the run and can also get after opposing quarterbacks with aggressive pass-rushing moves.

“It feels good with it being my fifth year being out here,” says Brooks contently after a recent training camp practice. “This feels like a year for me to showcase everything and make it a breakout season.”

Brooks broke out of his sub-package pass-rusher role to be an every-down player for the 49ers last season. It didn’t take long for him to assert himself as one of the team’s top difference-makers, either. Three weeks into his first season playing under head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Brooks had already become a savior of sorts. Facing the team that helped him get his professional football career off the ground, Brooks made three consecutive plays in the red zone to keep the Bengals out of the end zone on the game’s opening possession. Good thing he did, the 49ers won the pivotal road game 13-8 on their way to a 13-win regular season.

Brooks wasn’t done impressing. In a Week 8 home contest against Ohio’s other pro team, Brooks made a statement to everyone in attendance by sacking Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy despite losing his helmet before the hit. As a result, Brooks suffered a minor cut on his lip from his collision. Everyone around Brooks appreciated his team-first effort, but the 49ers linebacker didn’t seek glory. Did Brooks demonstrate his patented sack dance? Nope. That’s because Brooks doesn’t have one.

“I keep my head down and keep moving,” he says.

Brooks has had 20.0 career sacks and zero dances to show for it. No matter, he vowed to continue approaching his offseason preparation with a relentless effort. It wasn’t hard for Brooks to become a gym rat. All he had to do was head over to the team’s Santa Clara Training Facility to work alongside defensive teammates Justin Smith and Ray McDonald throughout the offseason. There, Brooks’ passion for training became undeniable.

“Now that I’m in the NFL and have had a little success, the preparation means a lot more,” says Brooks. “On any given day something can happen, your career could be cut short. You always have to prepare as if today’s your last day. You have to take full advantage of your opportunities and I think that helped me going into this year. I wanted to work on my physique. I knew if I did that, everything would take care of itself.”

Brooks took insight from teammates away from the defensive side of the ball, too. Seeing how All-Pro kicker David Akers approached his craft was a welcomed sight for Brooks who sought ways to become a better teammate and player.

“He’s not playing the same position, but some of the things he does off the field, I pay attention to,” Brooks says of Akers, tied as the most experienced player on San Francisco’s roster. “I notice how he goes about his business away from the game, how he treats his teammates, his coaches, the staff around here. I just take things from everybody and try to mold myself.”

Brooks’ physical maturation hasn’t been hard to notice. Coaches like Fangio have praised him throughout training camp for being in the best shape of his football life. Asked how Brooks has conducted himself with newfound financial security, the respected coordinator said it’s been a pleasant development. “I think it’s been excellent,” Fangio told reporters early in camp. “He signed his big contract… and he didn’t disappear. He was here even more so than he’s ever been and was one of our best workers in the offseason.”

Harbaugh also spoke highly of Brooks’ efforts.

“I don’t know if he doubled, tripled or quadrupled his salary, but this is the best shape he’s been in,” the 49ers coach said. “People say it’s the best offseason he’s had. I think that speaks volumes about a guy, a person. Some people tend to go the other way when money enters the picture like that. I’ve been real impressed.”

Besides early offseason workouts with the team’s starting defensive tackles Smith and McDonald, Brooks was baptized this offseason, and has spent a lot of time with his 4-year-old daughter Natalia.

“My daughter means everything to me,” Brooks says. “She’s 4-years-old and I’m still shocked that she’s 4. Yesterday it felt like she was just born. In my eyes, she’s still a baby; she’ll always be a baby. It’s a blessing to have a child.”

Natalia isn’t the only exuberant person in Brooks’ life. According to the starting linebacker, teammates inside the locker room tend to keep him young at heart.

“It’s fun being around the guys,” says Brooks. “Guys joke all the time. You gotta’ understand we’re children at heart; we want to keep our youth going. Football, man, it’s a young man’s sport. You can even tell when Randy Moss came here. He’s probably one of the most youthful guys we have in the locker room.”

As for Brooks, “I’m not really a boisterous, loud, type of guy,” he says. “I’m not really out-spoken like that, even though I do speak my mind, I do like to sit back and observe.”

In watching his teammates closer than ever before, Brooks has picked up on the finer details that make some of his teammates the best at what they do. Case in point: Brooks now watches 49ers all-time rushing leader Frank Gore. Brooks always knew Gore to be a dominant runner; he just never understood how well-rounded of a player Gore was until he recently put on a show in a training camp blitz pickup drill.

“I never noticed Frank to be a person to block the way he did – he was throwing guys on the ground. I was like, ‘Good job Frank,’” recalls Brooks. “I’ve never really seen that from him, I’m so used to seeing him running with the ball. Those are the things people don’t see, but us as teammates, we see it and appreciate it.”

Likewise, teammates have raved about Brooks’ commitment to making the defense even better in 2012. Following a year in which the unit ranked second in points allowed, Brooks and company are eager to continue their dominant play for years to come. So when the 49ers line up Thursday night against the visiting San Diego Chargers for the 2012 preseason finale, Brooks will treat the last preseason tune up just like his rookie days, when he was exhausted from running routes as a scout team player.

“Just like practice, you have to prepare as if it’s a game,” says Brooks. “When the lights turned on and the ball is snapped, everything happens so quickly. You’ve got to be able to think on your toes. From an outside linebacker’s perspective, you have to know exactly what to do. For me, it’s always been a dream to play NFL football. When the chance came, I went head-in. I didn’t look back. I just wanted to make the team, I didn’t know for sure if I was going to get cut – that thought never crossed my mind. I just wanted to make it and I wanted to play. I didn’t want to lose out on anything. When they asked me to go out and run routes for the scout team, I was dead tired, but I did it. I never second-guessed it.”

You would never second-guess Brooks’ quest to become the best he can possibly be. If the offseason work ethic is any indication, the seventh-year player is ready to continue crushing his 9-to-5 for seasons to come.