The San Francisco 49ers sold the most team gear in the National Football League last season.

That’s according to a report from NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who also shared the top 15 jersey sales from the 2012 season. According to Rosenthal, the NFL’s tracking of team sales showed the 49ers last finished atop the NFL’s rankings in 1979 and also finished No. 2 back in 1994 and 1995.

Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis made the top-selling jersey list at the No. 4 and No. 10 spots, respectively.

ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell also weighed in on the team’s booming merchandise sales.

“49ers sell more gear than any other NFL team this year,” Rovell wrote on Twitter. “Congrats @JedYork.”

The 49ers have made an effort to make team merchandise more accessible to fans with the creation of the 49ers Team Store in Palo Alto, Calif., plus an official Facebook account for the store that keeps fans up to date with the latest arrivals.

The team is also offering jerseys of recently acquired wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

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

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com wrote about the draft prospects of Joe Montana’s son.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com addressed the 49ers draft needs and pegged Florida safety Matt Elam as a first-round target.

49ers.com’s pre-draft series continued with a look at Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o.

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https://twitter.com/KyleWilliams_10/status/321469331940708352

What. A. Game.

Following a fun night full of charity auction bidding for the 49ers Foundation, the 13th annual Winter Fest kept the good times going into Saturday. Friday night’s silent and live auctions brought in nearly $400,000, setting a record for a one-night donation total in the event’s history.

Once again, long snapper Brian Jennings held a heated yoga session for Winter Fest guests on Saturday, but that wasn’t the main attraction of the morning.

Said distinction belonged to the Chalk Talk event, which featured game film break down and on-stage presentations from players and coaches. Jim Harbaugh opened Chalk Talk with a speech that focused on the team turning the page after the tough loss in Super Bowl XLVII.

Harbaugh admitted that “Our chins were dragging on cement for a couple of weeks” after the loss, but that he had no interest in playing the ‘What if?’ game.

“If worms had machine guns then birds wouldn’t mess with them,” Harbaugh said. “On to the 2013 season.”

The 49ers coach also said he’s looking forward to building a “special” team with the 14 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, saying General Manager Trent Baalke could become a “superstar” among his peers.

“The pressure’s on Trent in that regard,” Harbaugh said with a laugh.

Harbaugh then gave way to offensive coaches Tom Rathman, Tim Drevno, Geep Chryst and Reggie Davis, who were also joined by fullback Bruce Miller, guard Mike Iupati, quarterback Scott Tolzien, long-snapper Brian Jennings and running back Anthony Dixon. After that, defensive coaches Jim Leavitt, Greg Jackson and Jim Tomsula took over, with some help from Aldon Smith and alumnus Eric Wright.

Then the floor was opened up for questions, and one guest asked Smith what position he would play if he were on offense.

“Quarterback,” Smith said with a smile.

Chryst, the team’s quarterbacks coach, immediately jumped up from his chair in the crowd and started playing catch with Smith to a chorus of laughter.

“(Backup quarterback) Scott Tolzien’s not happy in the room right now,” emcee Dave Feldman joked.

Following another sunny lunch on the patio at the Resort at Squaw Creek, curling took over the ice skating rink with Olympian curler Tracy Sachtjen and husband Karl. The Sachtjens gave instructions to guests and players like Miller, Tolzien and Dixon on the proper technique for sliding the granite stone across the ice and how to sweep.

After guests took turns practicing their curling skills, a competition broke out with a frozen turkey serving as the target for the curlers. Naturally, Dixon won with the closest stone and proudly carried the turkey around like a trophy afterwards.

“I’m going to be barbecuing later today,” Dixon said. “If you smell something good, you know that’s coming from my room.”

In the afternoon, kids took part in Snow Olympics outside. The events included a modified skeeball course, snow golfing, snow shoeing, sledding and football tosses through hula hoops. Miller and Dixon enjoyed the activities along with Davis, the team’s tight end coach, and his family.

Meanwhile, some adults and 49ers Co-Chairman Dr. John York gathered inside to get expert tips on mixing wine and food combinations from Chef Eric Maczko of Round Pond in Napa.

“I’m happy to share with the team, share with the fundraiser,” Maczko said.

A day after skating on the ice with Winter Fest attendees, former Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi hosted a fireside storytelling session. Yamaguchi is the author of two children’s books, “It’s a Big World, Little Pig” and “Dream Big, Little Pig.” The stories focused on a young pig making friends from all over the world and following her dreams, as Yamaguchi used her experience as a world-class ice skater to help mold the books.

“It’s not completely autobiographical,” Yamaguchi told the children in the proceeding Q&A session. “But I wrote about a lot of things that are familiar for me. Similar experiences, for sure.”

The end of Saturday night will be marked by another wine tasting and silent auction event, before a dinner, live auction and more entertainment.

The 13th Annual 49ers Winter Fest is in full swing at Lake Tahoe.

The fun-filled weekend got off to a great start on Thursday when families of players, coaches and guests of the 49ers Foundation arrived and took part in a lively welcome reception. Winter Fest marks one of the biggest annual events for the 49ers Foundation, as last year’s gathering raised more than $1 million for local causes in the Bay Area.

Following the reception on Thursday, members of the Gold Rush also treated kids and adults alike to a fun night of s’mores by the fire pit.

Friday got off to a rousing start as long snapper Brian Jennings held an intense early-morning yoga session for a group of brave Winter Fest attendees including former 49ers quarterback Steve Bono. Jennings has been teaching yoga for a few years and was happy to share the experience with new friends.

“I had a great class,” Jennings said. “Enthusiastic crew, the room was nice and warm. We got the music cranking and we did yoga poses, it was great.”

Up next, former Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi joined dozens of people on the ice for a morning skating session.

“I was honored to be invited up here to be a part of the festivities,” Yamaguchi said. “It’s just been an all-around amazing weekend. And you feel good having fun, because you know it’s going to a great cause to support the 49ers Foundation.”

After the guests were served a hearty lunch on the sun-splashed patio next to the ice rink, broomball took center stage. With former NHL player Bret Hedican on hand, fullback Bruce Miller and running back Anthony Dixon joined kids and parents in an entertaining broomball game that featured people falling left and right.

Miller had a particularly spectacular fall, throwing his broom about 15 feet in the air as he dropped to his back.

“I don’t spend a lot of time on ice in general,” Miller said. “I have a newfound respect for hockey players and what they do out there on the ice. That’s pretty impressive.”

Miller and Dixon were teammates for the competition, but they were also vying for the title of best broomballer on the 49ers.

“Am I the greatest broomball player on the Niners?” Miller said. “There was only two of us and I think I edged Anthony out in broomballing.”

Upon hearing Miller’s assessment, Dixon happily defended his broomball game.

“Bruce did score, but I had saves,” Dixon said after spending a good part of the game between the pipes as a goalie. “So that kind of evens out, if you ask me. I also was a physical presence and I moved without the ball. I almost checked a couple people, I grabbed a couple guys.”

The afternoon featured simultaneous events at the Resort at Squaw Creek. While Miller, Dixon, Iupati, Jennings and coaches Jim Tomsula and Reggie Davis taught an eager group of youngsters during Football 101, 49ers alumni Keena Turner, Guy McIntryre, Steve Bono, J.J. Stokes, Dennis Brown and Greg Clark shared stories from their playing days in a fireside chat.

At Football 101, the players and coaches went over the basics of ball carrying and pass-catching before the room was converted into a makeshift football field for drills.

“You might think everyone is just running around out there during a football game,” Tomsula told his pupils. “The part everyone doesn’t get is just how smart you have to be.”

Meanwhile, the alumni fireside chat featured many anecdotes from the players’ rookie seasons. Stokes had a humorous recollection of his first time in the wide receiver meeting room with the 49ers, alongside players like Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.

“I get in the big meeting room and everyone has an assigned seat,” Stokes said. “Rookies don’t know this, so I just sit in a seat. Then they go, ‘Get up, rook, leave.’ After I got up about 10 times, I found out I was in the seat right in front of the coaches. That was my first experience.”

Those two events were followed up by two more simultaneous ones, as the adults mixed wine and were judged by a panel and kids went downstairs for cupcake tasting.

Well, perhaps it wouldn’t be accurate to say it was just kids at the cupcake tasting. Iupati, Miller, Dixon, Scott Tolzien and Yamaguchi also tried out the sweets. Each participant was given five cupcakes from nearby Batch Cupcakery and asked to guess the flavors.

“I tried the first one it was a vanilla kind,” Iupati said. “The second one, she said was red velvet, but it seemed like it was chocolate to me. My favorite so far is No. 1, the vanilla one.”

But the highlight of the event came when Miller posed with a group of five youngsters for a picture, before they smashed five cupcakes on to his face.

For the wine mixing event, the drinks were blended with a mix of Syrah and Grenache-based wines. The six-person panel of judges for the wine mixes included General Manager Trent Baalke and Jenna and Mara York, but they were split 3-3 on which was better, the Syrah or Grenache.

“I can be bought,” Baalke joked to the crowd.

So 49ers Co-Chairman Dr. John York was called in to be the seventh, tie-breaking judge.

“The Grenache,” he declared.

Friday night’s schedule includes more wine tasting, dinner and two auctions, before rockstar juggler Mike Price closes out the night.

Stay tuned to 49ers.com for more coverage of 2013 Winter Fest throughout the weekend.

In the final weeks of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers wisely hid the quarterback running element of the “Pistol” offense. Colin Kaepernick didn’t leave the pocket often on designed-runs, but unleashed the quarterback scrambles against Green Bay to the tune of 181 rushing yards, the most by a quarterback in any NFL game. Ever.

Do the 49ers have more weapons to unleash this Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons with a  Super Bowl appearance on the line? CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco believes Vernon Davis is the one that fits the bill.

“After the victory over the Packers, 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman pointed out that the 49ers like to keep their ace card hidden until they need it,” Maiocco wrote in a Friday mailbag offering. “This would appear to be the time for Davis to emerge.”

Davis hauled in a 44-yard pass against the Packers last week on a perfectly thrown touch pass from Kaepernick. The 49ers tight end ran by A.J. Hawk’s coverage to make the over-the-shoulder reception.

Could that happen against the Falcons in the NFC title game? It’s certainly possible. Seahawks tight end Zach Miller caught eight passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in last week’s Divisional Playoff defeat.

Katie Dowd of the San Francisco Chronicle shared a series of photos from Kaepernick’s past.

Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle believes the 49ers current offense would suit Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young.

Steve Corkran of the San Jose Mercury News shared Frank Gore’s comments on adapting to the “Pistol” offense.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News looked at the 49ers matchup against Atlanta’s offensive weaponry.

Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News examined the tackling techniques of the 49ers defense.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee shared the comments of Atlanta’s defense on the keys to defending Kaepernick.

Sam Good of TDDaily.com previewed the NFC title game with a major assist from an Atlanta-based rapper with ties to the 49ers.

49ers.com looked at Jim Harbaugh’s latest motivational message, Frank Gore’s toughness and smarts, plus featured Kaepernick’s efforts in changing the expectations of a quarterback in the NFL.

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Packed up ready to head back to A-town #Homecoming #hotlanta #NFCchampionship #QuestFor6—
Bruce Miller (@BruceMill49er) January 18, 2013

Homecoming.

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.

The 49ers moved their record to 8-2-1 with a 31-21 victory on the road at New Orleans. 49ers Public Relations presents the following game notes from the Week 12 matchup.

With a Win…

• The 49ers improved to 47-24-2 overall and 24-13 on the road against theNew Orleans Saints.
• San Francisco improved to 10-3 on the road under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
• In the month of November under Harbaugh, the 49ers improved to 5-1-1.
• The Niners improved to 16-4-1 vs. NFC opponents under Harbaugh.
• San Francisco improved its regular season record under Harbaugh to 21-5-1.
• The 49ers have won 8 of their first 11 games for the 2nd consecutive season (9-2 in 2011), the first time the team has accomplished that feat in back-to-back years since 1997-98.

That’s Kap-Tastic:

• QB Colin Kaepernick completed 16 of 25 pass attempts for 231 yds., 1 TD, 1 INT and a QB rating of 90.6, while also adding 6 carries for 27 yds. and 1 TD on  the ground.
• Kaepernick is the first 49er to register a rushing TD and a passing TD in the same game since QB Alex Smith (32-21-219-0-1 TD passing; 5-4-1 TD rushing) at StL (1/1/12).
• Kaepernick notched his 4^th rushing TD of the season on a 7-yd. TD run in the 1^st qtr. His 4 rushing TDs are the most by a 49ers QB since Jeff Garcia tallied 7 rushing TDs in 2003.
• Connected with RB Frank Gore on a 6-yd. TD pass in the 3^rd qtr., marking his 3^rd TD pass of the season.

Gore Notches His 10th:

• RB Frank Gore notched his 10^th career TD recept., and first of the season, on a 6-yd. pass from QB Colin Kaepernick in the 3^rd qtr.

The Dynamic Duo:

• Since 2011, the 49ers are now 20-1-1 when RB Frank Gore and RB Kendall Hunter combine for 20 carries or more.
• Gore led the way with 83 yds. rushing on 19 carries, while Hunter added 28 yds. on 4 carries.

Staying Clean:

• The 49ers offensive line did not allow a sack on 25 pass attempts by QB Colin Kaepernick. The last time the 49ers did not allow a sack was 10/7/12 vs. Buf. (25 attempts).

Miller Hauls In Career High:

• FB Bruce Miller tallied a season-high 3 recepts. for a career-high 37 yds.

Defense Scores Twice:

• The 49ers defense returned 2 INTs for TDs on the day, marking the first time since 10/22/95 vs. StL (LB Ken Norton Jr. – 21-yd. and 35-yd. INT returns).
• LB Ahmad Brooks picked off Saints QB Drew Brees just before halftime, and returned it 50 yds. for his first career TD. It marked Brooks’ 1^st INT of the season and 2^nd of his career.
• S Donte Whitner recorded his 1^st INT of the season and 8^th of his career, returning it 42-yds. for a TD. It marked Whitner’s 2^nd career TD and 1^st since 9/20/09 vs. TB (as a member of the Buffalo Bills).

Bringing the Pressure to Brees:

• The 49ers defense tallied 5.0 sacks on Saints QB Drew Brees, the most against the Saints since 10/30/11 at StL (6.0 sacks).
• LB Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks on the day, giving him 16.5 for the season which ranks 1^st .
• DT Justin Smith registered a season-high 1.5 sacks. Smith now has 74.5 sacks in his career.
• LB Ahmad Brooks added 1.5 sacks. He now has 5.5 sacks on the season and 25.5 in his career.
• LB Patrick Willis also notched 0.5 sackwas , marking his first sack of the season and 17.5 of his career.

Aldon Closes In On History:

• LB Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks on Saints QB Drew Brees. Smith ranks 1^st in the NFL with 16.5 sacks.
• Smith now has 30.5 career sacks in just 27 games, marking the fastest player to record 30.0 sacks in NFL history. The previous mark held by DE Reggie White (28 games).
• With 30.5 career sacks, Smith now ranks 2^nd in NFL history for the most sacks in their first two seasons, trailing only DE Reggie White (31.0).

Akers Extends FG Streak:

• With 1 FG at NO, K David Akers has now made at least 1 FG in all 27 games as a 49er, extending the franchise record for consecutive games with a made FG.

Extending Their Streaks:

• TE/LS Brian Jennings has now played in 203 consecutive games.
• DT Justin Smith has now started 182 consecutive games, dating back to his rookie season in 2001. Smith’s consecutive start streak ranks 3^rd among all NFL players, behind Ronde Barber (210) and London Fletcher (190)
• TE Vernon Davis has now started 86 consecutive games, which ranks 3^rd in the NFL among TEs behind Tony Gonzalez (97) and Jason Witten (94).
• C Jonathan Goodwin has now started 65 consecutive games, the 5^th most among centers.
• K David Akers has now played in 116 consecutive NFL games, the 3^rd most in the NFL among kickers.
• P Andy Lee played has played in 139 consecutive NFL games, 3^rd most among NFL punters.

The San Francisco 49ers boast not one, but two of the best running backs in the National Football League. With Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter literally carrying a heavy workload for the 49ers, the team has gone 19-1-1 when the duo combine for 20 or more carries.

Such was the case in the team’s recent 32-7 dismantling of the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. Gore carried the ball 17 times for 78 yards, while Hunter added 27 yards on five carries, including a 14-yard touchdown run.

The talented running backs share a great deal of respect for each other on and off the field. The bond between the two has clearly translated into consistent success for San Francisco. The relationship of the 49ers running back was further examined in the recent edition of Gameday. Running backs coach Tom Rathman explained the dynamic of his meeting room and how Gore constantly looks out for his younger teammates.

Get to know the hard-working ways of the 49ers running back in the latest Gameday cover story.

I’ve Got Your Back
San Francisco’s running back room shares mutual respect for each other and the game of football.
By Taylor Price, 49ers.com

Frank Gore has the most carries and rushing yards in the history of the San Francisco 49ers and is three rushing touchdowns away from having sole possession of that record in team history, too. He’s been to three Pro Bowls in eight seasons and has been a respected runner throughout the league since he was selected in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Even will all those accolades and credibility amongst his peers, Gore remains humble in the presence of his teammates. In reality, all he wants to do is work and continue to find ways to improve at his craft. But Gore’s not alone in striving to be his best. Surrounded by a group of committed players in the San Francisco 49ers locker room, Gore stands out amongst his teammates as a leader. Because of that, they voted him offensive co-captain before the start of the 2012 campaign.

But Gore doesn’t soak up all the glory. He shares it with his teammates and coaches, always crediting them for his triumphs on the field. When Gore goes to TV production meetings days prior to a Sunday kick-off, the elite running back tends to bring his understudy, Kendall Hunter, into the meetings that give broadcasters additional information before gameday. “He’s a little guy, but he’s real tough,” Gore says of Hunter. “He loves what he does, very fast. People think they can take him on because he’s small, but he can deliver a punch.”

Hunter, a second-year runner, who was a fourth-round pick himself, appreciates the wisdom and guidance he receives daily from one of the league’s top running backs. Hunter likes how Gore keeps it real with him on every detail. “I’m lucky to have a guy that’s like that,” says Hunter. “He’s a great back and to learn from him. To have him here, I’m learning a lot ever since the day I got here. It was about learning – him giving me tips – he’s just like a big brother.”

The tandem of Gore and Hunter has been more than effective in their 25 regular season games working together. The 49ers are 18-1-1 when both players combine for 20 or more carries in a game. As for 2012, both remain especially dominant, the 49ers are 6-0-1 when out-rushing opponents. Both backs have also been key in the 49ers racing out to be atop the NFC West through 10 weeks. With Gore (5.4) and Hunter (5.0) standing out as the only teammates in the NFL to average 5.0 or more yards per carry this season, it’s no surprise the 49ers are currently ranked as the league’s No. 1 rushing attack, averaging 170.2 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry.

In order to have such success for a sustained period of time, the running backs’ genuine relationship has enabled consistent performances. Hunter looks up to Gore as a big brother. Meanwhile, running backs coach and respected former 49ers fullback Tom Rathman, looks at the group as his children and students. “I think it’s a little bit of both, as students and as part of who you are,” says Rathman. “As a father, I want my kids to do the right thing and have a lot of success. As a football coach, you want the same thing for your players – to go out and have success. So yeah, I can see these guys as being part of who I want to be as a coach. It’s important.”

In the student-teacher role in the meeting room is where the running backs do much of their damage before kick-off. Rathman leads meticulous film study, covering everything from Greg Roman’s diverse running schemes, to the finer details of the opponent’s personnel. He starts with the snap of the play to the end, the stance, the angles, and how to get specific blocks and runs executed. He’s thorough with the information, too.

But it’s Gore who asks the most questions, not because he’s necessarily in search of an answer, but sometimes to spark a conversation for his fellow running backs to hear. “I just like to get the most,” says Gore. “I let them know you don’t have to be scared to ask questions. The more you know, the easier it is on the field.”

Rathman refers to Gore as the big brother in the 49ers running back equation. He also consistently sees Gore looking out for his little brothers. “He does a great job with it,” details Rathman. “You’d think a guy would be selfish or worry about himself and getting himself ready to play at a high level consistently, but Frank is continuously working with these other backs, making sure they know what they’re doing – giving them some hints on what’s going to make their job easier. He’s been an outstanding player and a complete player. He lets them know this is how it’s done and these are the expectations.”

Gore might ask the most questions, but it’s mostly affirmation of what he already knows. “Really, a lot of it is confirmation,” says Rathman. “To confirm that’s what it is. He may know it, but he may ask for somebody else. I would say Frank is always involved. It’s really conversations you have when you coach these guys.”

Beyond conversations, the group is tight as a whole. Mutual respect and a shared vision from the veterans and young backs allow them to build solid bonds. With respect to the teacher/father/position coach, Rathman is appreciated not just because of his two Super Bowl rings and decade-plus work in the NFL as a running backs coach, but because of the way he supports and uplifts his players with detailed information. It comes from experience. “He’s so smart and he beats everything into our heads,” says Gore. “He understands, the more you know on the field, the slower the game feels and the faster you can play to help your team be successful.”

The 49ers look fast this year all right. In the second season running Roman’s offense, Gore and Hunter have 1,069 combined rushing yards. Gore’s 753 yards rank eighth in the NFL through 10 weeks, while Hunter has supplied 316 yards of his own, including a career-high 81-yard game against the Buffalo Bills.

Roman knows how dynamic his running backs are for him, allowing him to dive deep into his offensive playbook, even dialing up split-back alignments learned from his time working for former 49ers coach George Seifert when the two worked together in Carolina. Roman raved about his backs prior to a Week 10 tie against the St. Louis.

“We love them and they wear a lot of different hats,” said the coordinator in his weekly press briefing. “Coach Rathman does a great job getting them prepared week in and week out, from top to bottom, everybody in the room. The first thing that jumps out about Frank and Kendall, not from a talent standpoint but from just their mindset standpoint, is they love football. These guys are natural born football players and they love football, they understand football, love to compete. There’s nothing about them at all, not one iota where you ever question their effort, because it’s always great. Protection, I think we’ve made a lot great strides up to this point with our young guys in protection across the board really. But those guys, they’re difference makers at the position. We’re very fortunate to have them.”

Besides being tough, football-loving, unselfish teammates, the 49ers running backs are sponges when it comes to learning about the game. They, too, are eager to share input, something Rathman respects as a former player. “There’s a lot of things, your coach taught you a lot, but a lot of times you figure it out yourself out there on the football field,” says Rathman. “You find out what’s feasible and what’s not, what’s real and what’s not.”

The running back coach also relies on drill work from his playing days. It’s a key portion of his weekly teachings, which include a heavy emphasis on ball protection every Wednesday. “I like doing that,” says Gore. “I also like doing his cone drill, his jump-cut drill and all the blocking drills.”

Rathman instructs his players with purpose. Everything they’ll do in drill work is correlated to their roles on the football field.  They appreciate the tough love, too. “He’s a good coach and he’s tough,” says Hunter. “He’s tough on you because he wants you to be the best you can be – no matter what. Just having him around to push you makes you even better. If you’re not doing something right – he’ll be the first person to let you know.”

It’s no secret why Rathman wears his Jim Harbaugh-issued blue collar work shirt for every 49ers practice. “We consider ourselves to all be blue-collar,” says the coach. “We don’t mind doing the dirty work. We really don’t. We want to be the best at doing the dirty work. We take a lot of pride in it.”

Gore understands the symbolism of the shirt. He knows his running back coach cares more about the grittier side of the position than the glorification of it. “He cares about the small things that a lot of backs can’t do, things like protecting,” says Gore. “Protecting, that’s a tough job to do, that’s a blue-collar job. If he sees you’re doing that well, he feels like you’ll be all right.”

Gore’s been more than all right in that category. Knockdown blitz pickups have been a staple of his playing career. That tough-minded mentality carries over to the entire room, which includes a former collegiate defensive end who’s developed into one of the best fullbacks in the league. Bruce Miller is the only true fullback in the meeting room, but still is recognized for his efforts the same as Rathman’s other students.

“He’s a pretty good fullback right now,” says Rathman of Miller, a former standout collegiate pass-rusher in his second year playing on offense. “He’ll continually get better, but he’s pretty good right now. He continues to grow as a football player and as a fullback every day. We like the progress that he’s made.”

The entire room continues to get better one day at a time. The relationships, too, grow tighter with each day. “I have to say it’s like a family, all brothers,” says Hunter. “We’re always together and if something goes down we all have each other’s back.”

The 49ers, Cardinals and Monday Night Football are no strangers to each other. In fact, San Francisco has six MNF matchups with Arizona all-time, including five of the past six years. Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group examined tonight’s tilt in the desert and the burgeoning rivalry between the two divisional foes.

“No, it’s not as historic as the Bears-Packers, Cowboys-Redskins or Raiders-Chiefs,” Inman wrote. “It’s also not the type of high-stakes rivalry the 49ers have forged with the Cowboys and Giants. But the 49ers and Cardinals aren’t friendly neighbors in the increasingly competitive NFC West.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate rounds up the best headlines from the weekend and offers more insight on tonight’s primetime showdown.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle previewed the 49ers-Cardinals Week 8 matchup.

NFL Network explained why Frank Gore could play a huge role on Monday night.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com listed the Tarell Brown vs. Larry Fitzgerald and Mike Iupati vs. Calais Campbell matchups as ones to watch.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee noted that the 49ers are giving up few big plays through the air in 2012.

Inman spoke to legendary NFL coach John Madden, who is impressed with the 49ers offensive line.

Branch passed along comments from people around the league who are speaking highly of guard Mike Iupati.

Barrows analyzed the impact of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis.

Inman relayed the comments of offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who discussed the measures opposing defenses have taken to slow down Davis this season.

Inman also took a look at the Andy Lee vs. Patrick Peterson matchup in the punt game and noted that Michael Crabtree is on the verge of catching a pass in 50 straight games.

NFL Films put together a video preview for 49ers-Cardinals.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com examined the strong run defenses in the NFC West and wrote that the Cardinals have an uphill battle against the 49ers.

49ers.com’s weekend coverage included Jim Harbaugh’s comments on the birth of CEO Jed York’s son, Brown vs. Fitzgerald, the latest Niner Talk podcast with Bruce Miller, Donte Whitner’s new blog post and updates from Andy Lee and Clark Haggans.

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Congrats to the @SFGiants winning the World Series!!! City is crazy right now! #SFGiants—
Daniel (@DanielKilgore67) October 29, 2012

Congrats to the SF Giants for their second title in three years. #SFUnite

Bruce Miller has been an active, yet almost forgotten, contributor to the success of the San Francisco 49ers’ second-ranked rushing attack.

The second-year fullback (who converted to his position after being an acclaimed college pass-rushing defensive lineman) continues to create rushing lanes for 49ers all-time leading rusher Frank Gore. In last week’s 13-6 win over Seattle, Miller helped Gore pick up 131 yards in a winning effort.

Miller received media attention this week in the form of an appearance on our latest Niner Talk podcast. The 49ers fullback discussed his relationship with Gore, as well as the details he’s working in year two under running backs coach Tom Rathman. Miller also talked Halloween costumes, his favorite Halloween candy and more. Joe Staley even made a cameo during the costume discussion.

For the Arizona perspective, AZCardinals.com writer Darren Urban offered his takes on Arizona’s rivalry with San Francisco, the passing connection of John Skelton and Larry Fitzgerald and more insight into Monday’s game.

Click here to listen to the Niner Talk podcast, which is also available on our 49ers Gameday live App.

Here are some of the highlights from both interviews.

BRUCE MILLER

[:50–Miller’s thoughts on Monday’s matchup with Arizona.]

“I’m just excited. Anytime you have a chance to play on a national stage like, ‘Monday Night Football, it’s definitely going to be a great game, two great teams going at it. We’re excited about the opportunity.”

 [2:00 – Miller’s thoughts on the camaraderie amongst 49ers running backs and blocking for Frank Gore for a second season.]

“It’s been great, we’re starting to build some chemistry in the backfield. We’re really enjoying playing off of each other. I have an idea of what Frank wants to happen and where he wants to go. I feel like we’ve done a great job of playing off of each other. Kendall (Hunter) as well. I’m just fortunate to have two backs back there that I can block for and they can make plays.”

DARREN URBAN

[12:00 –Urban’s thoughts on the San Francisco-Arizona special teams matchup.]

“I do think teams are a lot less likely to kick (Patrick Peterson) the ball. I know in Minnesota they took a slightly different tact where they were basically kicking moon shots that were going only about 35 yards downfield. They were kicking them so short, Patrick was having to run up under them. I know last year in both games against the Cardinals, I thought the 49ers did a great job. Even if Patrick ended up with the ball it wasn’t a great situation for him to be in. I do see Peterson pressing a little bit to make things happen as a punt returner because of all the success he had last year, but there’s no question he’s still very dangerous.”

[14:40 – Urban’s matchup to watch on Monday night. ]

“The Cardinals are giving up a lot of sacks and the 49ers have a very good front-seven and a very good front-four. I think the ability for the Cardinals to block that front-four, to create some running lanes, to run the ball once and awhile, to be able to give John Skelton enough time to throw the ball to (Larry) Fitzgerald and Andre Roberts – I think is going to be crucial. Ultimately, sacks aside, and they’ve given up a lot of sacks, what you don’t want to be for the Cardinals is in a situation where Skelton is forced to make poor decisions because of pressure. That ultimately leads to turnovers and not only is that hurt the Cardinals badly this year when they’ve made ill-timed turnovers, but obviously, that’s what the 49ers feast on. It’s what drives that team, winning the turnover battle and putting teams in bad positions. I think that’s what I’m going to be paying attention to mostly.”