It’s been nearly four months since the 49ers kicked off the 2012 season with a 30-22 victory against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. By virtue of their 24-10 victory over Minnesota on Saturday, the Packers are headed to Candlestick for the 5 p.m. PT Saturday kickoff against the 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round.

Aaron Rodgers led Green Bay to an 11-5 record and the NFC North title in the regular season, earning the No. 3 seed in the postseason. The 49ers and Packers and no strangers to each other in the playoffs. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com took a look back at the rich postseason history between the two proud franchises over the years.

“When the third-seeded Green Bay Packers visit Candlestick Park on Saturday to face the No. 2 seed 49ers, it’ll be their sixth postseason meeting,” Maiocco wrote. “But it’ll be the first time Chico native Aaron Rodgers has played in San Francisco in his career. And it’ll be the first playoff appearance for Colin Kaepernick.”

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks ahead to the playoff matchup with the Pack as the 49ers open their Quest for Six.

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group previewed the 49ers-Packers.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee examined Colin Kaeperinck’s role heading into his first postseason game.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle looked ahead to the weekend and passed along comments from Rodgers about Kaepernick.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated named Ahmad Brooks, Anthony Davis, Dashon Goldson and Mike Iupati to his 2012 All-Pro team.

Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote about Rodgers’ upcoming first visit to Candlestick Park.

Maiocco discussed the Week 1 rematch between San Francisco and Green Bay.

Inman looked at how the 49ers have fared against Rodgers in the past.

Branch examined the differences between both teams since their Week 1 contest.

Mike Sando highlighted five storylines to keep an eye on this weekend.

Sando looked at the NFC rankings on offense and defense heading into the postseason.

Branch and Maiocco discussed the playoff potential of Vernon Davis.

Vic Ketchman of Packers.com analyzed the changes in the 49ers and Packers since Week 1.

LaMichael James was one of 11 rookies to be profiled in Gatorade’s season-long Everything to Prove video series.

Branch discussed Greg Roman’s ties to other football personnel throughout the league that attended John Carroll University.

Maiocco spoke to LB Parys Haralson, who is recovering from a triceps injury that kept him out of the entire 2012 season.

TV49′s CLIP OF THE DAY

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Each day this week, we'll have a new step in the #49ers #QuestforSix. Visit 49ers.com/questforsix for more information.—
San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 07, 2013

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The San Francisco 49ers have one of, if not the, best rush defenses in the NFL. Filled with multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl players, it’s hard for all 11 deserving players to get recognition.

One of the most unheralded defenders is defensive tackle Ray McDonald, a hard-working lineman who’s earned the respect of his teammates and coaches with his consistent approach.

McDonald continues to be at the forefront of San Francisco’s tough defense and maintains his role as one of the locker room’s favorite players. This week’s Gameday Magazine cover story touched on McDonald’s respect amongst his peers in their words only.

The cover imagery of McDonald running out of the cover was shot by team photographer Terrell Lloyd and designed by team graphic designer Ben Mayberry.

Find out why everyone loves Ray McDonald.

Everyone Loves Ray
[Just not the opposition.]

By Taylor Price, 49ers.com

This isn’t a story for stats or analysis – it’s a collection of real-life words about a dominant San Francisco 49ers defender. The anecdotes, descriptions and opinions come directly from the people who know Ray McDonald best, his teammates and coaches. That’s it. Pure and simple.

San Francisco’s 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle continues to endear himself to those who know him well. McDonald does it all while distancing himself from those who have the unenviable assignment of blocking one of the strongest players in the National Football League. McDonald’s come a long way when you consider that the 49ers third-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft entered the league with health questions. But what many viewed as a concern, McDonald has used as fuel. The defensive tackle has missed two games in five seasons; all while becoming one of the most underrated players in the game today.

The people who spend the most time with McDonald know that and so do the people who break down his game tape. That’s why they wrote this story. In it, teammates and the San Francisco defender himself, discuss everything on McDonald’s rise from a National Championship experience at the University of Florida, to him overcoming major knee injuries (both in college and his rookie season), to evaluating his exceptional game tape, to mastering the no-sack dance, to his diverse musical interests and lastly, a breakdown on the mutual respect that’s prevalent in the 49ers locker room.

Everyone loves Ray (McDonald). Here are the reasons why, from the people who know him best.

“Everyone Loves Ray”

STARRING:
RM: 49ers Defensive Tackle – Ray McDonald.

CO-STARRING:
VF: Defensive Coordinator – Vic Fangio.
JT: Defensive Line Coach – Jim Tomsula.
JS: All-Pro Defensive Tackle – Justin Smith.
DG: Pro Bowl Safety & 2007Draft Class Member – Dashon Goldson.
TB: Starting Cornerback & 2007 Draft Class Member –Tarell Brown.
PH: Outside Linebacker & Six-Year Teammate –Parys Haralson.
RJF: Defensive Tackle & Understudy – Ricky Jean Francois.

SCENE 1 – MOVING UP THE RANKS.

“I don’t want to take anything for granted when it comes to this game. Before my injuries, I loved football, but I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have. When I had that (season-ending) injury my rookie season, it opened my eyes like, ‘Hey, this game can be taken away from you at any point or time.’ Every day I wake up, I’m thankful to God and I appreciate the opportunity I’ve been given. I don’t take anything for granted so I give it 110-percent each day.” –RM

“I remember him still driving the same car that he’s had for many years. He’s very low-key, really not flashy or flamboyant. What you see is what you get.” –TB

“He’s the type of guy who makes sure you don’t feel sorry about the draft. He’ll tell you it’s just another way to get into the league – ‘You got drafted; it’s over with, now you have to show the teams what you’re about.’ That’s one thing he showed me – don’t put a third-round tag over his head. Don’t look at him like a third-rounder. Look at him as a starter on a great defense. He basically can do everything for us and he teaches us at the same time. He shows us a lot on the field.” –RJF

“Ray McDonald has been given nothing and Ray McDonald has had to overcome big things. And he has. The one thing I’ll tell you with Ray, the head’s never down, the attitude is never bad. He fights through everything and keeps pressing on. You see his work ethic – everybody here sees it. It’s constant. It never stops. The physical aspects of it – the mental aspects of it – the training room aspects of it. He’s unbelievable in his approach, but that’s just who Ray is. It’s his makeup.” –JT

“It’s been a long road for me. Those knee surgeries really made me appreciate the game. I enjoy every Sunday, every snap.” –RM

SCENE 2 – GAME TAPE.

“We want to be perfect. We know we haven’t been perfect, that’s why we go in there and watch film every day.” –RM

“The thing that stands out to be about Ray is the quality of his play. He’s one of the best interior linemen in the NFL. He does a great job of playing the run and rushing the passer. We wouldn’t want anyone else doing that job for us.” –VF

“He’s a very important piece to our defense, our front line. Ray’s one of those guys that doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does because a lot of people don’t understand our scheme of defense and the work he puts in to keep those offensive linemen off our linebackers. They don’t know about all the double teams he has to take on. We see it on film, he’s taking on double-teams and still making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He’s still getting sacks, making tips, stuff like that. He’s a very important part of our defense and we’re glad to have him here.” –DG

“He does a lot for the team – he sets the tempo. He’s a straight-forward guy – he gets straight to the point. He’s not going to give you a story. He’s probably one of the strongest guys on the team and can teach a lot of the young guys more things than what we see on the actual film.” –RJF

“He does the job that doesn’t get glory, but he does it well. Go and ask Pat (Willis), (NaVorro) Bow (Man), you can ask anybody, they all know he’s helping the linebackers by taking on double-teams so they can run free. That’s what he does and he does it really well. He’s powerful. He’s strong. And he understands the game. He understands what teams do to him from his preparation during the week. That’s why he’s able to do everything so well.” –PH

“He’s a hard-working guy. All of us as D-linemen, we’re always competing against each other and trying to keep up with one another. Ray is definitely one of those guys that sets the tempo. He’s one of the strongest guys on our team and in the NFL. So you always want to keep up with him.” – JS

SCENE 3 – ULTIMATE TEAMMATE.

“The thing about Ray is a lot of people see what they see on Sundays, but in all actuality, he’s quiet. On Sundays, he’s not quiet. But the thing about him is he goes about his business as far as learning and game preparation. When it comes to that he’s about as serious as anyone I’ve ever known.” –PH

“He’s all about making plays and helping the team win. He went through that in college, won a National Championship and it’s something he is used to. Talking to him, it’s something he expects. In the past he’s said, ‘I’ve never dealt with a losing team or season or situation.’ Just the way he handles it, he expects to win and doesn’t celebrate when it happens.” –JS

“I’m real thankful. In my career I’ve been surrounded by guys who were older and were willing to teach me tidbits the game has. Justin, he’s been doing it since he’s been here. You don’t have to, but he’s been like the angel on my shoulder I guess for the past four years. And Jimmy’s (Tomsula) on my other shoulder. Jimmy’s a great guy, I love Jimmy. When he called me on draft day and told me he was going to bring me in, I already knew what I was in store for. I knew what kind of guy he was when I met him at the combine and he’s the same guy every day. He’s a good guy, who will always give it to you straight. He’s a hard worker. You want to be around guys like that.” –RM

“Quiet. Low-key. Dominant force on the field. If you ever met him or had the opportunity to meet him, you’d never think he was as explosive or as dominant as he is, he’s not very vocal. He doesn’t say too much, but he has that little look that he’s ready to work every day.” –TB

SCENE 4 – NO SACK DANCE NECESSARY.

“He’s extremely quiet until you get him going on something. But yeah, he’s extremely comfortable with silence which I find odd, but whatever.” –JS

“I don’t really have a sack dance – I don’t. I feel like celebrations are made for after the game. If you celebrate by yourself, you’re kind of glorifying yourself and I’m not really with that. I’d rather celebrate with my teammates and come up with some kind of dance with them than try to glorify myself – I’d rather wait until after the game to celebrate.” –RM

“I told him he doesn’t have rhythm. Ray can get up and walk back to the huddle looking real hard, but him having a sack dance? No. Ray has no rhythm. I can say that hands-down.” –RJF

“You always have respect for those type of guys because they’re blue-collar guys. They come in every day and just work. They don’t want recognition; they just want to do their jobs and be solid and just keep being a force on the field. You always praise those guys when you get an opportunity because they’re not going to do it themselves.” –TB

SCENE 5 – FRANK SINATRA.

“I could say I’m pretty plain, but I’m open to things. I listen to different music.” –RM.

“What do I know about Ray? I know he listens to Frank Sinatra.” –PH

“I’d say I became a fan about three years ago. This older dude I used to hang out with showed it to me. I had heard of Frank Sinatra before, but he played a few songs and I took a liking to it.” –RM

“Ray shocked me, he was playing music one day and he played Frank Sinatra. He shocked me. When he had that playing, that opened my eyes about Ray. I thought he was not the type of guy to play music like that, but he shocked me when he played that music.” –RJF

“’Fly me to the moon,’ – I like that one. There’s another one (I like)… I listen to it before the game. ‘Come fly with me,’ – I like that. ‘I’ve got you under my skin.’ – that’s a good one, too.” – RM

“Ray kind of reminds you of ‘Old Blue Eyes.’ That’s Ray – he’s a cool cat… Nothing surprises me about Ray. He’s really a unique guy, an awesome guy. But yeah, I could see that, I knew there was something I really dug about Ray.” –JT

SCENE 6 – EVERYONE LOVES RAY.

“I’d agree with that. Everybody likes him as a teammate and you’ve got to respect the way he plays and competes.” –JS

“Very true, hands-down. He’s one of the favorites in this locker room, favorites on this team and definitely a leader in my eyes.” –TB

“Absolutely. You know everybody loves Ray… sometimes.” –PH

“Everybody loves Ray-Ray! Of course everybody appreciates Ray. He’s a hard-worker, one of the strongest dudes on our team. He works hard every day and it shows on Sundays.” –DG

“Everybody loves Ray? Yeah, everybody loves Ray – I love Ray. Yeah, I believe it.” –JT

“They do because he’s a team-player. He’s a great player and when you’re a team player and a great player, what’s not to like?” –VF

“I think you receive what you give. I know I’m a good guy to people. In return, they want to be a good guy back to me – that’s what that means to me. Everybody loves Ray because they know what type of person they’re getting. I’m not going to talk behind anybody’s back. I’m going to come in, work hard and treat everyone with respect. I think that’s why everybody is cool with me. They give me what I give them and that’s respect.” –RM

The newest member of the San Francisco 49ers is already buying into Jim Harbaugh’s team-first philosophy.

Clark Haggans, the veteran outside linebacker signed to fill Parys Haralson’s roster spot, expressed just how much he would be willing to do to help his new team when speaking with the media for the first time since signing with the 49ers on Monday.

“If they need me to long snap, kick or fill up the water bottles I will do it,” Haggans said.

The 13-year veteran’s willingness to contribute at multiple positions is commendable, but he is expected to spend the majority of his time at outside linebacker after Haralson was placed on Injured Reserve.

After arriving in the Bay Area on Sunday, Haggans wasted little time getting into his new playbook.

“I am happy to be here,” the 35-year-old said. “Right now I am just getting in the playbook, getting to know my teammates and my coaches. I am getting used to the workout and the routine.”

Haggans is already acquainted with most of his new teammates because as a member of the Arizona Cardinals he faced the 49ers twice in each of the last four seasons. He spent much of Tuesday Morning shaking hands and catching up with his fellow 49ers in the locker room.

Soon after, Haggans joined teammates for the 49ers team photo wearing his red No. 51 jersey.

“They are a very physical team, blue-collar and hard-working,” Haggans said. “All the success they had last year was obviously earned. I am just happy to be a part of it.”

Haggans brings a wealth of experience to the 49ers, which includes one ring to show for his two Super Bowl appearances. The 35-year-old helped lead the Steelers to a victory in Super Bowl XL with five tackles and one sack.

For his career, Haggans has totaled 502 tackles, 46.5 sacks, one interception, 16 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 24 pass breakups in 163 games.

That winning pedigree can only help Haggans as he gets acclimated with the defending NFC West Champions.

“It will obviously be a challenge (to pick up the playbook by week one),” Haggans said. “The terminology is different, but a lot of the techniques are the same. Having been here since Sunday in the classroom with my coaches I am just trying to absorb as much as I can.”

The fact that Haggans has spent his entire NFL career working within the same 3-4 defensive system can only help as he gets to know Vic Fangio’s 3-4 scheme.

“Early in my career I was on the right and I moved to left,” Haggans said. “I have been in the 3-4 defense a long time. A lot of the techniques are the same it’s just getting used to the terminology with my eyes and footwork.”

“I was fortunate to have a training camp so as far as being in game shape I am still working toward that.”

The linebacker’s ability to play on both the left and right sides of the defense is the type of versatility coaches look for in an outside linebacker.

Still, arriving at a new team in September presents a player, no matter how experienced, with a unique set of difficulties.

Haggans is approaching that challenge with a positive attitude.

“I am trying to stay as spongy as possible,” Haggans said.

At long last, it’s Week 1 of the NFL regular season. The 49ers are headed to Lambeau Field for their season opener against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but first they have a week of practice at team headquarters in Santa Clara.

The 53-man roster is set and it features a pair of players who are expected to play offense, defense and special teams this season for San Francisco. Will Tukuafu and Demarcus Dobbs take pride in their do-it-all roles with the team and are also roommates on the road. Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com spoke to Dobbs about the new responsibilities he and Tukuafu have added to their plates this season.

“Tukuafu and Dobbs were both converted into two-way players in the offseason,” Maiocco writes. “Dobbs played both ways in all three exhibition games in which he appeared. Tukuafu did not see two-way action in training camp until after the first three weeks of camp. He concluded the exhibition season in impressive fashion.”

Today’s Morning Tailgate rounds up the best coverage from Labor Day Weekend and takes a look forward to the Week 1 matchup.

Sports Illustrated’s panel of football experts offered their predictions for the 2012 season. The 49ers appear to be heavy favorites to repeat as NFC West Champions while Jim Harbaugh, Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith also receive some individual recognition. Peter King singled out the 49ers as the most impressive team he saw during his training camp tour throughout the league.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle traces Alex Smith’s career and how he has evolved as a quarterback in recent years, while also giving readers his full Q&A with the 49ers signal-caller. Branch: “In the first five games of 2010, he threw nine interceptions in 190 attempts and compiled a 71.6 rating. In his final six games, a scattered stretch interrupted by a shoulder injury and two benchings, he threw one interception in 152 attempts and posted a 95.5 rating. Although few noticed, the transformation had begun. And then Smith joined forces with Harbaugh, a head coach who endorsed his approach.”

Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group discusses Colin Kaepernick’s importance to the 49ers as the team’s second-string quarterback. Inman: “Kaepernick’s eye-opening, read-option runs in the exhibition season should at least cause defenses to plan for the 49ers’ latest threat. Memo to the Green Bay Packers: You’ve been warned.”

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee talked to No. 3 quarterback Scott Tolzien about the behind-the-scenes work that goes along with his job. Barrows: “Tolzien leads the so-called ‘look’ team, which runs the opposition’s offense against the first-team defense in practice. This week, he’ll be Aaron Rodgers. The next, he’ll be Matthew Stafford, and so on.”

Maiocco also discussed the San Francisco signal-callers while looking at the QB situations around the NFL. Maiocco: “The 49ers gave it a long thought before deciding to part ways with veteran Josh Johnson while keeping Scott Tolzien as the No. 3 guy behind starter Alex Smith and backup Colin Kaepernick.”

Branch took a visit to LaMichael James’ hometown of Texarkana, Texas to see the environment that produced San Francisco’s second-round pick. Branch: “Raised by a team of doting and devoted women, his motivation to attend the University of Oregon, 2,200 miles away, wasn’t inspired by a desire to escape danger. Rather, it was a realization that he needed to flee the cocoon of safety provided by his forever-fretting support system.”

Branch spoke to undrafted rookie tight end Garrett Celek about making the 49ers roster after a strong showing the preseason finale. Branch: “On Thursday, however, Celek made an effortless 37-yard, over-the-shoulder catch, added a three-yard touchdown grab and finished with three receptions for 54 yards in the preseason finale against the Chargers. The performance likely earned him a roster spot.”

Daniel Brown of the Bay Area News Group takes a look ahead to the 2012 season. Brown: “Now, to avoid the pitfalls of increased expectations after a 13-3 finish, the 49ers are looking for words of wisdom beyond the coach’s pop. Players are quoting from Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Vince Lombardi, Tupac Shakur and Greek statesmen as they prepare for a Super Bowl-or-bust season.”

Inman also provides readers with a three-part season preview that looks at difference-making players, questions surrounding the team as it enters the 2012 season and a look at the NFC West.

Barrows also wrote about the loss of outside linebacker Parys Haralson and the addition of former Arizona Cardinal Clark Haggans. Barrows: “Even with the addition of the 35-year-old Haggans, who signed a one-year deal Monday, the 49ers enter the season with only three outside linebackers and may not be finished bulking up the position.”

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I ♥ All My San Francisco 49ers Fans!—
Vernon Davis (@VernonDavis85) September 04, 2012

Vernon Davis gives a shout out to the 49ers Faithful.

The consistency developed by those Saints defenses were seldom seen in league history as four of his Saints linebackers were once named to the Pro Bowl in the same season.

These days, however, it appears as if Fangio might be experiencing flashbacks of his days working with “The Dome Patrol,” the moniker given to his dominant linebacking crew.

While Fangio is in the midst of his first offseason working on the field in OTAs and minicamps with 49ers players, he’s doing it largely with the same personnel he had in 2011.

So how does the 49ers coordinator react to having all 11 defensive starters from one of the league’s top defensive units back for 2012?

“We should be as good or better,” Fangio said on Wednesday.

Fangio also has similar expectations for last season’s first-round pick, outside linebacker Aldon Smith.

“We expect him to become more of a full-time player this year,” Fangio said.

The defensive coordinator estimated that last year’s No. 7 overall pick, who broke the franchise rookie record with 14.0 sacks in the regular season, would be counted on to be more of a full-time player this coming season.

“Last year, the season worked out for him, basically the way I envisioned it,” Fangio said of the 49ers rookie who registered 44 tackles in 16 regular season contests. “He got to play in our sub packages, which I think he played about 52 percent of the time over the 18 games that we played, and did a good job.”

Smith made the most of in-season practice reps at outside linebacker. In doing so, the former University of Missouri product picked up valuable experience spelling last year’s starters Ahmad Brooks and Parys Haralson.

But before Smith can take on an every-down role this coming season, Fangio wants to see Haralson-like production from Smith against the run.

“He’s got to be as good if not better than Parys was playing the run,” Fangio explained.

In addition, the defensive coordinator who coaches the outside linebackers during individual practice periods, wants to see Smith continue to master zone coverage skills as well as increase his understanding of the routes being run against him.

In Smith’s mind, progressing in both his rush defense and coverage skills has been a positive development.

“We still have the same mentality that we’re hungry and we’re working hard every day to get better,” Smith explained. “Hopefully my stats will increase because I’m in a lot more.”

That doesn’t mean Smith is getting over confident.

“As long as we keep getting better, the sky is the limit for us,” Smith said. “We have a lot of guys who work hard and do their jobs near to perfection.”

On one of the most prominent defenses in the National Football League, Tarell Brown quietly goes about his business… and produces.

In his first year as a full-time starter, Brown, a 49ers fifth-round draft pick five years ago, has been solid with 34 tackles and 10 pass breakups.

But on Monday, a day after the 49ers clinched their first NFC West division crown since 2002, Brown didn’t sound satisfied.

Sure, Brown and many of his teammates were pleased about the biggest accomplishment of their careers in San Francisco, but Brown knows it’s just the start.

“We have to keep playing hard, try to keep collecting wins,” said the cornerback who’s made 16 career starts in 67 career games. “At the end of the day, the most important thing is getting better.”

Brown and the 49ers will have another chance to improve this Sunday in a road contest against the Arizona Cardinals, who are now with starting quarterback Kevin Kolb, who was inactive for San Francisco’s 23-7 home win over Arizona in Week 11.

“Kolb is a gunslinger,” Brown said. “He’s been that way since his college days. He does a lot of great things for his team, so I definitely think they’ll try to throw it around a little bit more.”

Arizona is coming off a 19-13 overtime win at home against the Dallas Cowboys, proving how competitive it will be in the final four weeks of the regular season.

Brown wants to continue his strong play down the stretch, starting against the Cardinals. In his estimation, the challenge of facing Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the return of Kolb will be a great test.

Strong performances in the coming weeks will only help the 49ers in the postseason.

“We have to peak at the right time,” Brown stressed. “There’s a lot of room for improvement. There are plays out there that y’all might not see, but we see that we could’ve made. I think it’s important for us to compete and make plays.”

Some of the plays being made, like the 2.0 sacks from rookie Aldon Smith, have caught the eye of the veterans on the 49ers defense. Brown included.

“To see a young guy go out and play as hard as he’s playing and make the plays that he’s making, it’s special… And his dances were cool, too.”

Notes and Quotes

Patrick Willis was not spotted in the 49ers locker room on Monday, a day after injuring his hamstring against St. Louis. The injury caused him to miss most of the game, but teammate NaVorro Bowman doesn’t expect it to be too serious. In an interview with NFL Network, Bowman said Willis is in high spirits. “He’s confident he can come back soon.”

According to Brown, the 49ers will continue to scoreboard watch NFC contenders for their potential playoff seeding. “I think we still watch, we’re fans of football like y’all,” said the Texas native and former UT standout.

Clinching was important to linebacker Parys Haralson, but more so because he was able to share the experience with his teammates. “You get excited, but more for the real veteran players like Moran (Norris), Justin (Smith), Shawntae (Spencer), Isaac (Sopoaga), the guys who’ve been here longer than me. Guys like Frank (Gore), Andy (Lee), and Brian (Jennings), can’t forget about them. You’re so excited for them, more than yourself.”

Gore had a chance to reflect on his big achievements from Sunday: Winning the West and becoming the 49ers all-time rushing leader. “It’s a blessing to do something like that. Especially with this organization with a lot of great players who have been here. My name being mentioned amongst those guys – it was hard work. I had ups and downs and now it’s just a blessing.”

Much of Monday’s talk inside the locker room at 4949 Centennial Blvd. centered on Justin Smith’s latest hustle play to remember.

Coach Jim Harbaugh spoke glowingly of the well-timed play by one of his team leaders. More on that in a bit.

But before Harbaugh took the podium for his weekly noon press conference, players first discussed the defense’s play as a whole. The 49ers were outgained by the Giants (395 yards to 305 yards) on Sunday, but ultimately, San Francisco held New York to a pair of touchdowns and field goals. That was in addition to the two forced turnovers (interceptions by league leader Carlos Rogers) and Smith’s game-deciding tipped pass which turned the Giants over on downs.

The 49ers, who entered Sunday as the league leaders in points allowed and rushing yards allowed, played their brand of stingy defense throughout the closely contested game.

In the end, the 49ers allowed 20 points and 93 rushing yards. It was enough to win, and that’s all that matters to starting outside linebacker Parys Haralson, who recorded two tackles in a winning effort.

“Our main purpose is not to give up points and give our offense the ball,” Haralson stressed. “That’s what we do.”

In fact, the 49ers defense has been so impenetrable as of late, the unit hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in 43 consecutive quarters. Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams plunged in for a 1-yard score on Dec. 26 of 2010.

Haralson couldn’t recall the last player to have a rushing score against the defense.

“I don’t care too much about that to be honest,” he said. “We just play football.”

With a simple, selfless approach, the 49ers have excelled in their first year under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Sunday’s win against a potent offensive attack serves as proof of the unit’s strides in just nine games together.

Across the board, Haralson is pleased with the play of his teammates. He knows his defensive backs aren’t getting enough credit for the overall success.

“To me, our secondary is doing a great job,” Haralson added of the unit which leads the league with 66 pass breakups.

As long as the 49ers don’t give up points, they’ll be fine according to Haralson.

“Our biggest thing is not giving up points. I don’t care how long a drive is, they had an eight-minute drive, and we gave up three points.”

New York’s opening drive took 14 plays to get a 23-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes. Later, Tynes’ other made field goal from 25 yards out, ended a 13-play drive that took 6:20 off the clock to start the second quarter.

Seeing the opponent settle for field goals is welcomed by Haralson and company.

“I don’t need stats to confirm anything,” Haralson said. “We all know how we’re playing. When we put on the film, we know everybody’s playing together as a unit, playing together, playing their responsibilities and its showing.”

Notes and Quotes

On Sunday, Smith tried to play off his game-clinching tipped pass as luck. But Harbaugh revealed the truth to Smith’s heroic play a day later. Not only was it a well-timed play by Smith, but the 49ers two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle had a feeling the ball was going to go through the B-gap. He warned teammate Ray McDonald to play the gap between the guard and tackle just before the two jogged into the defensive huddle. And as it played out, Smith was right in position to get his hand on Eli Manning’s fourth-down throw. “Like a closer in baseball,” Harbaugh said of Smith, “There he was… He was thinking it through. He’s been a great player, a consummate team player, doing a great job.”

Rogers, who is tied for the NFL lead with five interceptions, was happy to get the best of his matchup with emerging Giants wideout Victor Cruz. The second-year player has been a favorite target of Manning, especially on third downs. Rogers gave up a few plays to Cruz, but to his credit, Rogers competed throughout the game to get the best of the matchup. “When my number is called I just want to be there to win most of the battles,” said Rogers, who celebrated his first takeaway with Cruz’s signature salsa touchdown dance. “I know he wasn’t too happy about that. I know he wanted to get in the end zone.”

Harbaugh said injured running back Frank Gore would have his knee checked out. “There’s no expense spared when checking things out with Frank,” he said. Harbaugh did rave about his running back depth. “We feel we have a stable of backs.”

Harbaugh also made waves in applauding the work of his coordinators. He said Brad Seely (special teams), Greg Roman (offense) and Fangio (defense), should be considered as future NFL head coaches.

You will never hear Patrick Willis question the importance of practice. Not in mid-June, or in any month for that matter.

The 49ers three-time Pro Bowl linebacker and unquestioned defensive leader has been eager to return to the practice fields ever since he underwent a minor knee surgery this offseason.

In recent weeks, Willis has been slowly working over 49ers head athletic trainer Jeff Ferguson for permission to practice, asking him what he’s allowed to do each and every day he’s been around 49ers headquarters. And while Ferguson has limited Willis to individual work in last week’s organized team activities, this week was a different story.

Willis’ self-described gnat-like behavior must have paid off as Ferguson gave him the clearance to join 11-on-11 periods during Monday’s OTA session.

The wait was difficult for Willis, but he understood Ferguson’s reasoning and respected it.

“He’s one of the best trainers in the league and with my injuries before he’s done a great job of getting me ready, preparing me,” Willis said while standing in front of his locker. “I was just going to listen to him and let him tell me what to do, but at the same time, I had to bug him a little bit to let me get back out there. He gave me the ‘OK’ to participate in some of the drills and it felt good to get my feet wet and get back on the field with the boys.”

The feeling was beyond mutual.

Once Willis stepped into the huddle, outside linebacker Parys Haralson remarked, “The X-Factor is back!” Others chimed in, “Welcome back 52!”

Willis wasted no time validating the opinions of his teammates. He instantly got involved in the action by perfectly timing a delayed blitz for a would-be sack of quarterback Alex Smith.

Several plays later, he read an inside handoff to running back Glen Coffee and was in perfect position to make a play on the second-year back.

Not bad, considering Willis told reporters how he felt slower with his eyes than his feet after Monday’s practice.

With Willis back in the fold for the remainder of the offseason, the leader of the defense only sees a better performance for the entire unit in 2010.

“I think our defense can be exceptionally good. It’s going to take a lot of hard work. It’s going to take guys continuing to grow and be hungry and want to be stronger than we were before. We want to be No. 1, but if we can get in the top-3, I feel like that’s putting us in a great spot as an overall defense.”

Notes and Quotes

With Willis amongst his teammates for team periods, safety Taylor Mays took the opportunity to stand beside head coach Mike Singletary and secondary coach Johnnie Lynn deep in the 49ers defensive backfield. That location, some 40 yards behind the play, was Willis’ destination for most of the offseason. But on Monday, Mays took mental reps and asked questions in between the plays he participated in during the team period.

The first and only turnover of the day took place in the first team period, when safety Michael Lewis intercepted Smith’s pass intended for tight end Joe Jon Finley. The deep crossing route was first deflected high in the air by cornerback Kary Paymah, which allowed Lewis time to catch the ball and run it down the right sideline for a nice return.

The best offensive play took place later in practice as third-string signal caller Nate Davis found rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams 35 yards down the field on a go route over the coverage of undrafted cornerback Tramaine Brock.

Jansen walked the two offensive linemen, guests and Gold Rush cheerleaders through a series of warm-up movements and then broke down the golf swing step by step.

“It was a lot of fun,” Wragge said.  “Karen taught me that the basic principles of the swing haven’t changed, but they need to be perfected.  That’s one of the things I really need to work on as a big guy.  I need to work on my flexibility, core strength and the basics.  I need to focus on following through properly.  I don’t always get out enough since I’m focused on football, but I always like to improve my game.”

With a golf club not much more than two feet long, Wragge did feel somewhat awkward while receiving the instruction.

“The club probably goes up to my mid-thigh so it was kind of goofy but the principles were still the same,” Wragge said.  “It makes a lot of sense when you use the club, but it started to feel like kiddie golf for since I’m so big.”

There will be an ice sculpting demonstration and competition at 1:00, followed by a Chalk Talk session with the players and coached at 3:00.  Stay tuned!

UPDATE: 2:00

We just got finished with the ice carving competition where teams were asked to carve 49ers helmets.  Each team of two went with their own creative touches, including everything from hollowing out the face mask as well as adding eyes and cracks from game play.

“We have fractures in the top of the helmet,” said Seth Gersch, 49ers Foundation board member.  “We have a bad, bad bruise in the front of the helmet.  We have a very abstract look to our helmet and we’re very pleased with the result.”

“This is the helmet after the Super Bowl game,” added James Kyson-Lee, the actor who play’s Ando from Heroes.  “It’s a true work of art.  It represents the journey of an athlete through the Super Bowl after an NFL season.”

Pictured: Seth Gersch and James Kyson-Lee

While Kyson-Lee and Gersch were thrilled with their final product, linebacker Parys Haralson was left frustrated after experiencing technical difficulties when his drill bit broke.

“Our drill bit was a little short,” Haralson said.  “I told [the instructor] my bit wouldn’t get deep enough because we were trying to get up in there.”

Josh Morgan also had some hardware problems after giving his carving took to the neighboring Takeo Spikes.  Morgan’s team still managed to finish with a very nice looking helmet.

“I was the inspiration, but my partner did most of the work,” Morgan said.  “We carved it to perfection.  We were doing fine until we tried to share [with Spikes] and be good sports and they broke our tool so that put us back a little bit.  We’re going to win.  We have the eyes, my umber in the back and the S-F.  If it wasn’t melting so bad, it would look perfect.”

The teams will have to wait until the dinner reception tonight to find out who won.

4:30 UPDATE

The Chalk Talk this afternoon was a huge success.  Head coach Mike Singletary started the event by stating the team’s philosophy and mission heading into the 2010 season.

Then, running backs coach Tom Rathman demonstrated the four points of pressure in order to ensure ball security, the key component of Rathman’s coaching philosophy.   It was evident that Rathman had given his daughter Samantha the same instruction as his players as the coach enlisted her help to go over proper ball carrying technique.

Each of the players also walked the audience through several plays in a film session similar to what the they might go through in one of their team  meetings.

One of the most interesting moments came in the Q&A session that followed, when quarterback Alex Smith broke down offensive play calls, describing what each part of the call means and the many options he has  to change a play after it has been called in the huddle.  Having played in several different offensive systems, he described the different ways of calling plays in the digit system the team uses currently and the West Coast offense which Smith ran during his first year in the NFL.

“It was incredible,” Eileen Goodwin said after the conclusion of the Chalk Talk.  “As a person who watches football but has never played, they really made it understandable.  Every one of them has a terrific personality and it really came through in their answers.”

Goodwin was also the winner of the raffle for an autographed football.  However, since Rathman drew her number, the coach pulled a pop quiz and made her recite the four points of pressure he taught earlier.  Being put on the spot, Goodwin passed and was able to receive her reward.

“I remember when he played and I can see why he’s a great coach,” Goodwin said about Rathman.  “It stuck in my head.  Having his daughter come up and demonstrate made it easier for me to perform it later.”

The evening schedule is the same as Friday night.  There is a reception and silent auction at 5:30 followed by dinner and a live auction at 6:30.

UPDATE: John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls closed the event with an exclusive concert for all the guests at the Celebrity Winter Fest.  Here are a few photos from the final night.

Congratulations to Justin Smith who won with 40% of the vote. Ahmad Brooks finished a close second with 38% of the vote. Aubrayo Franklin (12%) and Parys Haralson (9%) rounded out the top four sacks of the season in the polls.

                     
This week’s 49ers.com poll asks our Faithful fans to decide which sack was the best in 2009.

The 49ers totaled 44 sacks this past season, tied for third most in the NFL and tied for second most in the NFC. It was the best sack totals the team has posted since 1998 in which they racked up 51.

Picking the top four sacks was no easy task.

Manny Lawson led the team with 6.5 sacks and 13 other 49ers registered at least one sack in 2009. But without further delay, let’s take a look at your choices for best 49ers sack of 2009.

Our first nominee is matchup nightmare Justin Smith’s game-ending sack of Kurt Warner.

Smith out-worked and dominated the Arizona Cardinals offensive line in the 49ers Week 1 road victory over the division champs. The defensive tackle totaled an amazing 13 quarterback pressures and nine hits on Kurt Warner.

Smith hit Warner so many times, I’m not even sure this is the picture of the sack that closed Arizona’s chances for a comeback in the season opener. But it just might be the image of Smith sacking Warner with less than 10 seconds at midfield.

The man referred to as “Cowboy” inside the 49ers locker room, lassoed Warner and through him to the ground in a decisive manner. It was the perfect exclamation mark to a solid win.

Our next hopeful is last week’s 49ers.com poll winner, nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin.

Franklin gets the nod this week for his sack of four-time NFL MVP quarterback Peyton Manning. Franklin was one three 49ers to take down the never-sacked signal caller. Manning was only brought down 13 times during the regular season.

Franklin’s sack was impressive on a number of fronts. It showed all the tools that gave him a breakout season in 2009. First, he beat a double team of center Jeff Saturday and left guard Ryan Lilja to get to Manning which demonstrated Franklin’s non-stop motor. It also displayed his amazing hands as he swatted away Lilja’s block and broke through the two blockers to get to Manning.

Franklin picked up honors for best interception in 2009, will he get another award for best sack? It’s up to you to make the call.

Our third nominee is more of a group nominee, but really since one of the primary participants was already nominated (Smith), outside linebacker Parys Haralson will get the call as our third choice.

Out of the 49ers six sacks against David Garrard and the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 29, Haralson’s was easily the most memorable, and perhaps the most violent.

On the first play of the fourth quarter with the 49ers leading 20-3, Haralson made sure those numbers remained as the final score with a devastating sack on Garrard with the help of some friends.

Jaguars rookie left tackle Eugene Monroe decided it would be better to leave Haralson unblocked even though he was lined up directly across from him. Instead of disrupting Haralson’s route to his quarterback, Monroe looked outwards to kick out 5-10, 188-pound cornerback Dre’ Bly.

From there, Haralson corralled Garrard by the shoulder pads until Smith came over to finish the play off, knocking the ball out in the process. Defensive tackle Ray McDonald rallied to the ball and fell right on top, giving possession and momentum back to the 49ers.

Our final nominee is another outside linebacker, Ahmad Brooks, who also turned in another sack-forced fumble play.

One of Brooks’ three sacks of Warner on “Monday Night Football” took the air right from under the Cardinals’ wings.

Brooks’ performance added to the 49ers 27 sacks in the final eight games of the season which led the NFL.

The outside linebacker was also a matchup nightmare for all of Arizona’s tackles, especially left tackle Wayne Gandy.

The athletic edge rusher closed out the first half with a sack and forced fumble on Warner that silenced Arizona’s comeback bid. He did it in style by blowing past Gandy and knocking the ball out of Warner’s right arm at the top of the pocket. Smith again was involved in another one of our nominees, as he recovered the fumble.

The turnover enabled the 49ers to keep their 17-point lead intact as they head into the locker rooms for halftime. They went on to keep that lead and finish the season sweep of the Cardinals.

You can vote as many times as you’d like all week long by finding the poll on the bottom left corner of the 49ers.com home page. The winner will be announced next Monday, along with a new “Faithful Vote” for 49ers fans to debate on.