CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco reported on Tuesday that a son of a 49ers Hall of Famer will visit team headquarters on Wednesday to take part in the team’s local pro day.

Nate Montana would be the player in the report. And yes, he’s the son of you know who.

Montana played as a backup quarterback at three different schools (Pasadena City College, Notre Dame and the University of Montana), before finding a starting role at West Virginia Wesleyan.

Montana started nine games at the NCAA Division II school, completing 51.6 percent of his passes with 19 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Montana averaged 275.6 passing yards per game. He’s also been preparing for the NFL Draft with quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr.

It’s important to note that several pro day attendees have made their way on to the 49ers practice squad. For example, former Stanford safety Michael Thomas went undrafted, but made the practice squad in 2012 and has been signed to a reserve/future contract with the club. Wednesday’s pro day also marks the last day draft eligible players can visit the team’s Santa Clara headquarters.

49ers.com will cover the team’s annual pro day later in the afternoon and will have a full report on the workout.

More 49ers headlines can be found in today’s Morning Tailgate.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee discussed the 49ers attending a weekend workout for Florida State defensive end Tank Carradine.

Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com wondered if Cal wide receiver Keenan Allen would be available at pick No. 31.

Maiocco also examined the 49ers draft outlook at outside linebacker.

49ers.com continued its offseason strength program coverage by checking in with right guard Alex Boone.

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Sad to hear about Pat Summerall's passing. His commentary and work in football was something I always looked forward to as a child.—
Joe Staley (@jstaley74) April 16, 2013

Well-said.

As the 49ers make their Quest for Six, it’s appropriate to remember the central figures who were behind previous five Super Bowls in franchise history. Along with former owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., coach Bill Walsh was the face of the 49ers as they became one of the NFL’s most storied organizations.

Walsh, who was also a friend and mentor to Jim Harbaugh, has left his fingerprints all over the league. From his teachings of the West Coast Offense to his impressive coaching tree of former assistants who have shaped the NFL over the years, Walsh will always be remembered as one of the sport’s greatest innovators.

Seth Wickersham of ESPN the Magazine detailed Walsh’s legacy and how a book written by Walsh captures the coach’s dedication to his craft.

“Walsh began writing alone at his beach house in Monterey, Calif., always at 8 a.m., on yellow legal pads, in pencil, in all caps, his penmanship so clean that it could be its own font,” Wickersham wrote. “He would tear off sheets and stack them neatly in piles on the floor. This was in 1995, and Walsh didn’t know what kind of book he wanted. A leadership guide? A playbook? A coaching manual? A blueprint for front offices? Walsh told (Roger) Craig he wanted it to be a ‘real football book,’ not some light autobiography, waxing poetic about Super Bowls and Montana-to-Rice touchdown passes. He wanted his first book to motivate coaches, not delight fans.”

The 49ers would also like to announce that the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority is offering a Super Bowl special on pet adoptions. Select cats can be adopted for $4 and select dogs can be adopted for $9.

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate also features the latest Super Bowl headlines, Patrick Willis’ strong relationship with his foster family, a historical look at the biggest games in 49ers postseason history and more.

Erik Brady of USA Today discussed the impact of Chris and Julie Finley on Willis’ life.

Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports listed the top 16 non-Super Bowl games in 49ers history.

Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle noted the loyalty of the Harbaugh family after Thursday’s conference call.

Ray Ratto of CSNBayArea.com invented the word “Harbaughtastic” when discussing the Harbaugh family leading up to the Super Bowl.

Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle spoke to 49ers Faithful fan Terry White, who has been to all five 49ers Super Bowl wins.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle discussed Jonathan Goodwin’s role on the team as a quiet leader.

Mark Emmons and Daniel Brown of the Bay Area News Group broke down the Harbaugh family conference call.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to DeBartolo about his role in 49ers history and his statue that will be placed at the new Santa Clara Stadium.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee noted how Willis selected his jersey No. 52.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com examined NaVorro Bowman’s big pass breakup in the NFC Championship.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News group passed along comments from Colin Kaepernick about adding to the rich history of the 49ers and speaking with Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Inman wrote that Harbaugh called into John Madden’s radio show.

Maiocco wrote about 49ers running back Anthony Dixon’s role in the offense.

Rael Enteen of CSNBayArea.com discussed the patience of running back LaMichael James.

J. Michael of CSNBaltimore.com wrote that Dennis Dixon will be playing the role of Kaepernick for Baltimore’s scout team.

Steve Corkran of the Bay Area News Group shared comments from offensive coordinator Greg Roman on Kaepernick and the 2011 49ers-Ravens game.

49ers.com’s coverage included a look at Dan Marino’s thoughts on Kaepernick, James, Vic Fangio’s return to New Orleans. We also brought you the Harbaugh family conference call (audio / transcript) press passes from Roman (video / transcript), Willis and Kaepernick (transcript) and Alex Boone’s visit with NFL Network.

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To honor the #49ers march to #SB47, SVACA is adopting select cats for $4 and select dogs for $9 facebook.com/media/set/?set… http://t.co/rU03TkFq—
49ers Community (@49ersCommunity) January 25, 2013

Help out the furry 49ers Faithful.

Rhinos are hard-charging and consume roughly 50 pounds of food in a typical meal. But the similarities between that species and offensive linemen don’t end there.

One four-year old black rhino at the San Francisco Zoo will forever be linked to 49ers guard Alex Boone. The rhino is now named “Boone” and Boone has likewise taken on the nickname of “The Rhino.”

Boone met his new rhino last week while playing zookeeper for a day at the San Francisco Zoo. Tasks included cleaning up after the animals, feeding a giraffe, throwing fish to a polar bear, petting a porcupine and walking among the penguins. Then, Boone was able to hand-feed the rhino and arrange his dinner.

Click here to view a photo gallery of Boone’s visit to the zoo or watch the video below.

Boone has also started an Instagram account (@TheRhino75).

Visitors will be able to see “Boone” by visiting the San Francisco Zoo and can also donate to the Alex Boone Animal Education Project, an initiative that brings local youth to the San Francisco Zoo to learn leadership and respect through the theme of animal wellness.

Thanks to a pair of Pro Bowl starters and a trio of Pro Bowl alternates on the offensive line, the San Francisco 49ers boast the league’s No. 4 rushing attack.

The 49ers running game excelled in 2012 thanks to the hard work of Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Goodwin, Alex Boone and Anthony Davis.

Those efforts were chronicled in our season finale Gameday magazine. The “Five Guys” on the offensive line came into greater focus thanks to team photographer Terrell Lloyd and team graphic designer Ben Mayberry, who used an outdoor setting to showcase the unique personalities on the offensive line.

Get to know those “Five Guys” in this story.

Five Guys
San Francisco’s bruising running game has taken off in 2012 thanks to the work of a powerful quintet.
By Taylor Price, 49ers.com.

Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Goodwin, Alex Boone and Anthony Davis – five offensive linemen from five completely different athletic backgrounds – have given the San Francisco 49ers one of the most versatile, yet feared, rushing attacks in the National Football League.  The like-minded maulers all have unbridled love for the game, but more importantly; they enjoy what their fellow linemen bring to the table. The unified front has also done considerable damage this year. Besides posting the franchise’s fourth-best single-game rushing outing, a 311-yard effort against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, the group has twice won John Madden’s Most Valuable Protectors Award this season and has paved the way for 16 rushing touchdowns through 14 games, two more than the team posted in all of 2011.

The on-field execution has been music to offensive line coach Mike Solari’s ears.

“Any time you have a chance to bring all five to work as one, it’s rewarding,” says the veteran line coach who works with alongside assistant line coach Tim Drevno, now in their second year working in tandem. “Tim does a great job, (offensive coordinator) Greg (Roman) does a great job of bringing it all together.”

Solari considers the “Five Guys” to be working as one at all times. “It’s one heartbeat,” he says. Drevno views it similarly and also highlighted the unselfish qualities that make this year’s group one of the best in team history. “Anyone who plays on the offensive line is special,” says Drevno. “Everybody wants to throw the ball in the backyard or jump over the bed like a running back – nobody wants to go out in the middle of the street and push a car down the street with a wide base.”

Fortunately for the 49ers coaching staff, the entire offensive line has a passion for work, but also doing it together.  The line features two Pro Bowlers (Staley in 2011 and Goodwin in 2009) and several up-and-coming linemen. Davis and Iupati were first-round picks in 2010, Boone, however, has worked his way through the ranks from an undrafted free agent tackle to a starting guard.

Together, the offensive line has worked together to become one of the top units in the NFL. They also know each other quite well from all the hours spent in meeting rooms, locker rooms, weight rooms, hotels, buses, airplanes, and oh yeah, the football field.

Linemen can be bashful when it comes to discussing themselves, so Gameday figured it would be better to have them describe a teammate on the offensive line. Here’s what stands out most about the “Five Guys” on the San Francisco 49ers offensive line.

RT ANTHONY DAVIS ON LG MIKE IUPATI

“Mike has a big heart, he just does. He can’t help but have compassion for everybody around him. He can be mad you – he’ll let you know why he’s mad – then he’ll be willing to fix it, or whatever it is. He’s just got a big heart, but he’s also one of the toughest people I know. When it comes to the other team, usually if he sees a Samoan/Tongan guy on the other side, he’ll give a nod of respect. After that, it’s just trying to take them out of the game. He’s a good person though. Mike, when he came in, I felt he was already really good. He was good already and I tell him that now. He says, ‘Man, I was bad my rookie year.’ But I don’t think he was ever bad. Some of his technique, he polished it. He was so strong and athletic he could get away with it at guard. Right before the game and right after the game though – that’s the most you’ll get out of him as far as being loud. Before the game, he gets a little crazy. He’ll spaz a little bit – turn the music up and he starts singing with it. During the game, he’s just doing his job, trying to punish people. If somebody starts talking to him, he’ll let it go. But when he gets tired of it, he snaps on them. One time I stopped him from walking to the defensive huddle. With him, it’s not, ‘yap back and forth.’ It’s, ‘I’m calm,’ to, ‘Now, I’m mad,’ to, ‘I’m coming to your huddle.’ We try to tell him no talking smack because he can’t separate it. It’s a good feeling to have him on my side. When I was growing up I always wanted to be a part of a great offensive line. I told Mike this two weeks ago – this is the first time playing with a guy who is physically past me. He gives me a bar I need to work up to, like his functional strength and core strength. I think it’s the first time in my life I can say that, so it’s cool, I told him that and everybody waits till you’re old or done playing to share with teammates how you really feel. We were just sitting there and I told him that because it’s cool. High school, college, everyone’s looking at you. But when you get to the NFL, it’s like, ‘That’s what I came here for, to be around guys like that.’”

RG ALEX BOONE ON C JONATHAN GOODWIN

“He is the most composed, most masterful offensive lineman I think I’ve ever played next to. Jon is like the, I mean, he is, like the President out there. He basically gets to run the show. And, if he wants to do something, he can do it. It’s huge to have a guy like that who understands the offense completely and really, truly knows what he’s doing. He doesn’t blink when something happens – that’s a huge deal for us. To have him out there with us now, it’s just big. His technique is amazing, the way he snaps the ball. I know shotgun snaps to run-blocking is hard, but Jon does the best job of it in the NFL. He’s always got the tightest hands; he’s very good with his leverage. All-around, just a great player and he’s consistent with his snaps which is good for us. We’re kind of spoiled. And he has some pretty nice football cleats – you’d think he’d be a tight end out there with those things like Vernon Davis-style. Jon loves them and says they’re the most comfortable. It’s huge having him, especially when it comes to the knowledge-part. Guys think offensive linemen aren’t very smart, but it’s the exact opposite at center. You have to really know what’s going on and be focused. Jon’s one of those guys who’s never zoned-out. He’s always in the play, in the moment. Sometimes it’s almost harder to talk to him in those moments, because he’s so focused on what he’s doing. I’ll ask him a question and he won’t answer me. I’ll ask again and again, then he’ll break out of his thinking and say, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do.’ Going into a fight you want someone who knows what’s going on and I think Jon does a great job of getting everyone where they need to be and really picking up the whole mental side of the offensive line.”

C JONATHAN GOODWIN ON RT ANTHONY DAVIS

“He’s mean. He’s always the guy that does maybe the most talking during the games. But he plays physical – finishes his blocks. You rarely hear him talking nice to the guys on the other teams. I definitely like it. It’s part of this game. When he’s into it like that, I think he tends to play better. I think it’s something that’s a big part of his game and something he needs to keep doing. I also think he’s improved tremendously as a player in the past two years that I’ve been here. For his size, he’s got great feet and can move well. He’s just keeps getting better and better and he’s starting to see all his hard work pay off. I think this year he’s had some really nice finishing blocks. They’re blocks that have stood out on tape. He’s been driving guys into the ground and has done a great job of finishing blocks all season. When you see other guys doing it, it’s something that makes you want to get the ‘ohhs’ and the ‘ahhs’ in the meeting room. It becomes contagious to other guys who want to do the same thing. With Anthony, you know he’s got your back. He treats everyone almost like a brother and he definitely will look out for you and go to war with you.”

LB MIKE IUPATI ON LT JOE STALEY

“He’s a great player and he’s very flexible for a tackle. Joe can get low against a speed rush and can handle bullrushes, too. I think he’s one of the best tackles because he’s so athletic. I have a lot of respect for him, especially when I came in as a rookie. When I first got here, he was the one who helped me out the most as a player. He took me under his wing and showed me a lot. I respect him a lot, as a person and as a player. We know each other pretty well now. He’s one of those players, who is quick, athletic and can do it all. It’s hard to find those guys; luckily we have them with Joe and Anthony. They’re just big and athletic guys who can move. With the different plays we run, Joe can handle it all. He talks a lot, too. He motivates us and he’s a good leader on the O-line. In the meeting rooms, he’s smart as well, a really smart dude. He notices things right away – he’s always on it. He should be an All-Pro. I think he’s one of those guys you have to respect. For all the stuff he does for our offense, you need a quick tackle to do that, an athletic tackle to be able to move like that and show off all the running backs we have. He made the Pro Bowl last year and never got satisfied from it. He’s a tough dude, too. I appreciate playing with Joe and all offensive linemen. It’s fun playing next to him.”

LT JOE STALEY ON RG ALEX BOONE

“He’s a very hard worker. He’s very committed. There are a lot of things I could say about Alex. He works really hard and plays harder. He doesn’t play like he’s a first-year starter. He brings an attitude that he’s been doing this for a long time. He plays with that attitude every week. I think he has the confidence of a guy who’s been doing this at a very high level for a long time. He prepares and works very hard on and off the field – the weight room, the classroom. He’s done everything to prepare himself for his opportunity to be starting. He’s made the most of his opportunities and has played very well for us. Moving to guard from tackle is a tribute to his hard work. It’s been all him and the coaches, just working really hard. He’s put in the time and taken the most of his opportunities. It’s not easy to do that. He’s kind of a wildcard, but he’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around. He’s actually really loud on the field, too. When you think about it what you’re doing, you’re missing the point. You’ve got to play loose and be yourself – it’s like anything in life. Boone plays football the way he is in life, has fun and talks a lot. He’s a very competitive person and takes a lot of pride in what he does. I think everybody is about doing their jobs, we don’t care what people think, if they fear us or if they think we’re a bunch of jokesters. We just want to win games and we want to do our jobs well. I think Alex is the epitome of that. I love playing with this group of guys and I’m really happy to have Alex as a part of it. He definitely deserves the success he’s had and has really solidified our offensive line. We’re lucky to have him.”

Aldon Smith now owns the San Francisco 49ers single-season sack outright record thanks to a two-sack performance against the Miami Dolphins. With 19.5 sacks on the season, Smith leads the NFL in sacks and has the team’s single-season sack record, distancing himself from Fred Dean’s 17.5 sacks set in 1983.

Now, it remains to be seen whether or not the second-year linebacker can record 3.5 sacks in his last three games to break Michael Strahan’s NFL single-season sack record (22.5).

Smith’s also including himself into the league’s Defensive Player of the Year conversation according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King.

“A factor that must be considered, obviously, is Smith threatening the NFL sack record,” King wrote in his weekly MMQB column. “He has 19.5 after getting two Sunday against Miami. The record is 22.5 by Michael Strahan. With three games left — at New England and Seattle, then home against the leaky Arizona line — Smith needs 3.5 sacks. Today I’ll take Watt, with his 16.5 sacks and league-record 15 passes batted down, four of which resulted in Houston interceptions. Three weeks from today, who knows?”

King also ranked San Francisco as the league’s No. 4 overall team heading into Week 15.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle offers more thoughts on Smith breaking Dean’s 49ers sack record.

Branch examined key plays in the game, including C.J. Spillman’s first career fumble recovery.

Kevin Lynch of the San Francisco Chronicle shared the star-struck experience of San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo inside the team’s locker room after Sunday’s win.

Lynch also shared Frank Gore’s humorous comments on how Alex Boone keeps tackling the 49ers running back this season.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News wrote about San Francisco’s bounce-back performance against Miami.

Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News shared comments from Smith’s teammates on the outside linebacker’s recent stretch of dominant play.

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee examined LaMichael James’ big role in his first NFL game and how led to a 49ers win.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com wrote the 49ers used a proven formula to beat the Dolphins.

49ers.com reviewed the game in detail, including Kaepernick’s performance and the group effort of the 49ers running game. We also shared photos from Sunday’s win and reviewed the action in the latest Cover 2 video recap presented by AAA.

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Not gonna lie. I love the way @dontewhitner brings that thunder when he hits. Even slammed a cat today!!!!—
Brian Dawkins (@BrianDawkins) December 09, 2012

Appropriate acknowledgement and perfect timing with release of latest 49ers Gameday cover story.

The 49ers are frequent inductees to Hall of Fames. Brent Jones was the latest alumni to be recognized for his stellar career, as he was recently elected to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame along with Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti, ex-Raiders receiver Tim Brown and the late Oakland A’s owner Walter Haas, Jr.

Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle spoke to Jones and Righetti about their Bay Area upbringings and what it means to be a part of the 2013 BASHOF.

“Jones played on three Super Bowl champions, earned four Pro Bowl berths and caught 417 passes in his career,” Kroichick wrote. “Now he’s going into a Hall of Fame filled with childhood heroes (including Willie Mays, Nate Thurmond and Fred Biletnikoff) and his 49ers teammates (including Montana, Young and Jerry Rice).”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at Jim Harbaugh’s value to the 49ers, Colin Kaepernick vs. RGIII and more.

Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com argued that Harbaugh is the best bargain in football.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee compared the playing styles of Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III.

Alain Poupart of MiamiDolphins.com shared comments from Kaepernick’s college teammate, Miami WR Rishard Matthews.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to 49ers CEO Jed York at Thursday’s “topping out” ceremony for the new Santa Clara Stadium.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle previewed the upcoming matchup between Aldon Smith and Miami rookie tackle Jonathan Martin.

Barrows also examined the Smith-Martin matchup.

Maiocco broke down the expected battle between Alex Boone and Miami DT Randy Starks.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com tells you who to root for in Week 14 if you’re a member of the 49ers Faithful.

Sando also wrote that the 49ers-Seahawks Week 16 contest could be a prime candidate to be flexed to a primetime slot.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group, Barrows, Branch and Maiocco passed along coments from 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

49ers.com’s coverage included a look at the new Santa Clara Stadium “Topping Out” ceremony, Boone’s improvement, Vic Fangio’s defense and the “Lights Out” win vs. the Steelers in 2011. Scott Kegley and Taylor Price broke down the 49ers-Dolphins contest in the latest Cover 2 Presented by AAA and we also brought you press passes from Roman, Fangio and Boone.

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@TaylorPrice49 OL coach Solari has done a great job as well. Every player needs the "right" coach for them… Alex lucky to have him.—
LeCharles Bentley (@LeCharlesBent65) December 07, 2012

LeCharles Bentley has Alex Boone’s back.

For the second time in an eight-week span, the San Francisco 49ers offensive line has been selected as the Week 12 Madden Most Valuable Protectors by Hall of Fame coach John Madden.

San Francisco’s  line allowed no sacks in a 31-21 win over the New Orleans Saints. It was the first no-sack effort turned in by the line since a Week 5 win over Buffalo. Coincidentally, it was the last time the 49ers won Madden’s award.

It’s been a big week for the offensive line already. According to ESPN.com’s Mike Sando, all five members of the offensive line (Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Goodwin, Alex Boone and Anthony Davis) rank in the top-5 of Pro Bowl fan voting for their respective positions with three weeks left to vote.

San Francisco’s offensive line joins the New York Giants as the only team to win Madden’s award twice this season.

At the end of the year, the 2012 Madden Most Valuable Protectors award will be announced during the week of Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. With two wins in 12 weeks, the 49ers offensive line should be in the thick of the conversation when it comes to selecting a winning offensive line.

Click here to #Vote49ers to the 2013 Pro Bowl.

There’s no question that the San Francisco 49ers are off to a great start this year, several players deserve recognition for it, too.

But so does the football staff. Without the efforts of equipment manager Steve Urbaniak, there’s no way the team would function on gameday.

Urbaniak and his staff make sure everything goes as smooth as possible. The efforts of the tenured equipment man were profiled recently by Kevin Baxter of the Los Angeles Times. In the piece that ran earlier this week, Baxter explained the challenges that come along with a under publicized role in the NFL.

“Although many NFL teams — including the Raiders — train a short distance from their home stadium, the 49ers’ practice facility is 40 miles south of Candlestick Park, meaning Urbaniak and his crew must pack a semi-trailer two days before every game and unpack it again when the game is over,” Baxter wrote.

Urbaniak’s role is further described in the story. But for fans looking for visual aid, check out this 2010 TV49 video of our own Scott Kegley spending “A Day in the Life” as an equipment intern.

Trust me, it’s good stuff.

CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco explains why 49ers rookies have been challenged to crack the 46-man active roster.

Maiocco also writes that Justin Smith is as dominant as ever in a recent mailbag offering.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee examines the rivalry between former Ohio State Buckeyes Alex Boone and James Laurinaitis. Barrows:  “Laurinaitis, an inside linebacker with the Buckeyes, never tangled much in practice with Boone, a left tackle, while in college. On Sunday, however, the matchup between Laurinaitis, who leads the Rams in tackles, and a 49ers running attack that ranks No. 1 in the league promises to be the main event.”

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News discusses the postseason implications for Sunday’s 49ers-Rams game.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle shares the comments made by right tackle Anthony Davis on receiving mid-season praise from several media outlets. Branch: “At the midway point of the season, Davis is now receiving loftier praise from one of the nation’s most well-respected NFL writers. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King named Davis the right tackle on his midseason all-pro team, in effect terming him the league’s best at his position through eight games. “

Ron Kroichik of the San Francisco Chronicle examines the role of center Jonathan Goodwin. Kroichik: “Just think about the job. Quickly identify the defensive front and pass the word to your fellow linemen. Then call out blocking adjustments, make a clean snap – the center controls the ball on every play, for a fleeting moment – and quickly rise into position to swat away a menacing defensive tackle.”

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks lists the 49ers as his No. 2 Super Bowl contenders. Brooks: “Jim Harbaugh has built a team that is ideally suited for postseason play. The 49ers’ smash-mouth offense can move the ball through the air or on the ground, and their suffocating defense knocks opponents around at the point of attack. Some question Alex Smith’s ability to thrive in a situation that demands precise passing, but his consistency and effectiveness in Harbaugh’s system suggest he’ll be fine when the chips are pushed to the middle of the table. Adding Randy Moss and Mario Manningham gave Smith more weapons on the perimeter, and the 49ers have turned their biggest offensive weakness into a strength that just might propel them into the Winner’s Circle.”

NFL.com’s writers predict the second half of the season; Albert Breer is the lone reporter to pick the 49ers to win the Super Bowl.

SI.com’s Don Banks list the 49ers No. 4 on his latest power rankings. Banks: “The 49ers, when not facing the Giants, have their old vaunted homefield advantage back. The one that told visiting teams it wasn’t going to be their day good and early in most games. San Francisco comes off its bye to play host to the Rams and Bears in the coming two weeks, and a win over St. Louis will further the 49ers’ drive to put a stranglehold on the NFC West for a second consecutive season.”

ProFootballFocus.com’s cast of writers list the 49ers as the top team in the NFL through nine weeks of play.

49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree is looking for a name to his new touchdown dance. For each end zone dance, money will be raised for the Boys & Girls Club.

49ers.com looked at the offensive unit’s improvements on third downs and in the red zone, we also looked at the team’s tribute to our armed forces, shared the comments of Laurinaitis and Rams coach Jeff Fisher, plus shared video of Patrick Willis’ locker room interview.

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Gm all!!!have a blessed day—
Randy Moss (@RandyMoss) November 08, 2012

Check out Moss’ interview with Lil Wayne, airing this Sunday on ESPN.

Many would argue that the San Francisco 49ers’ all-time rushing leader will wind up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day.

But still, even in the short term, Frank Gore will be represented in Canton, Ohio.

The Hall of Fame recently received items to display from the team’s history-making performance in a Week 5 win over the Buffalo Bills. In a 45-3 victory, the 49ers became the first team in league history to rush and pass for more than 300 yards in the same game.

To celebrate the achievement, the Hall of Fame is preserving the milestone in the form of a game ball signed by Alex Smith and Frank Gore, plus Gore’s game-worn gloves and shoes.

Gore’s pink Breast Cancer Awareness cleats picked up 106 yards on 14 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run. Smith posted his best outing of his eight-year career that day, finishing the game with 303 passing yards, three touchdowns and a career-best passer rating of 156.2.

49ers.com visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this season and put together a blog with photos and a recap of the experience.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle checked in with Gore who is breathing much better now after dealing with bruised ribs from the Seattle game. Branch: “Gore, who termed it the most painful injury he’s played through, also had difficulty taking deep breaths in the aftermath of a 13-6 win over Seattle. Four days after sustaining the injury, though, he went though Monday’s non-contact practice and expressed optimism that he’ll play on Oct. 29 at Arizona.”

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News writes that the 49ers are mindful about not misusing Colin Kaepernick off the bench. Inman: “Coach Jim Harbaugh said last week that Kaepernick is merely “an added weapon” and that the 49ers are happy to get “plenty of everything” from Smith.”

Inman also shared the congratulatory messages from 49ers players after the San Francisco Giants won the National League pennant.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee shares the comments of LaMichael James who’s working diligently behind the scenes despite being inactive all season.

49ers.com checked in Gore and his offensive guards, Mike Iupati and Alex Boone to discuss the success of San Francisco’s rushing attack.

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2013 #ProBowl voting has begun. #Vote49ers at NFL.com/probowl instagr.am/p/RIaLbTiei7/—
San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 23, 2012

Rock the vote.

San Francisco 49ers fans are somewhat spoiled when it comes to special teams. It’s understandable though.

After all, it’s hard to notice and appreciate all the efforts of All-Pro, Pro Bowl punter Andy Lee when everything he does looks so routine.

Lee’s five-punt effort last week against Seattle, however, wasn’t overlooked by respected Sports Illustrated football writer Peter King, who listed Lee as his Week 7 Special Teams Player of the Week. King ranked San Francisco as his No. 5 overall team, too.

The nine-year veteran punter continues his stellar play with a 47.5 average on his 26 punts, including 14 inside the 20-yard line. Lee placed 28 punts inside the 20-yard line last season and is on pace to beat that mark this season.

According to King, Lee’s booming right leg blends perfectly with San Francisco’s roster.

“Jim Harbaugh knows the kind of team he has. It’s a field-position team. His passing game is not explosive, but his running game is very good, and his defense mostly suffocating,” King wrote in his weekly Monday Morning Quarterback column.

“On Thursday night, Lee, the superb punter for the Niners, played right into Harbaugh’s plans. He punted five times. He pinned the Seahawks back at their 4-, 33-, 14-, 9- and 6-yard lines. (Average post-punt drive start: 13-yard line.) Seattle had five punt-return yards all night. Niners 13, Seahawks 6.”

King also gave praise to the interior of the 49ers offensive line for their dominant running in the second half of the 49ers win.

“Left guard Mike Iupati, center Jonathan Goodwin, right guard Alex Boone. You want to see how to wear down a defensive front? Watch the three men on the Niners offensive line batter a very good Seattle front seven (and tackles Joe Staley and Antony Davis played well too) for 175 rushing yards on 32 clock-eating carries,” King Wrote.

“My favorite run of the Thursday night win over the Seahawks: Early in the fourth quarter, Frank Gore took a handoff from Alex Smith. Boone cut left to erase defensive lineman Jason Jones, Goodwin blasted out to smother defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, and Iupati, foraging for a victim, ran ahead to clear out middle linebacker Bobby Wagner. Gore was off to the races. Gain of 37. This is what these three guys did all night for Gore and Kendall Hunter, particularly late, when their physical dominance showed.”

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com also took note of San Francisco’s interior running success. Maiocco: “(Frank) Gore had six runs between the guards that gained 95 yards (15.8 average).”

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News notes that the 49ers are now alone in first place atop the NFC West. Inman: “It took until Week 7 but the 49ers are alone in first place. It also took a third consecutive loss from the Arizona Cardinals, who fell 21-14 at Minnesota. The Cardinals (4-3) host the 49ers (5-2) next Monday in the 49ers’ first road game since their Sept. 30 shutout of the New York Jets.”

NFL Films offers a sneak-peak into Wednesday night’s “Eddie DeBartolo: A Football Life” special.

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Game 7 Back in the City. Let's Go Giants.—
Larry Grant (@LarryGrant54) October 22, 2012

Big game tonight, winner goes to the World Series.