From all of us with the San Francisco 49ers we’d like to wish you a very safe and happy New Year. Fresh off Sunday’s 27-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers have clinched consecutive NFC West titles and NFC No. 2 seeds.

It was a solid team effort against the Cardinals, followed by some anxious television watching as the Minnesota Vikings narrowly defeated the Green Bay Packers to give San Francisco a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Re-live Sunday’s season finale in today’s roundup of the top 49ers headlines from the Week 17 victory.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle detailed the growing on-field relationship between Michael Crabtree and Colin Kaepernick.

Branch also covered Ricky Jean Francois’ solid showing in place of Justin Smith at defensive tackle.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News offered a notebook on Frank Gore’s latest franchise record and Crabtree’s biggest game of his four-year career.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee described the anxious moments of 49ers players watching the Vikings-Packers game be decided.

CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco wrote about Justin Smith benefiting from the playoff bye as well as a game recap from the NFC West win and Crabtree doing something no 49ers player had done since Terrell Owens.

49ers.com reviewed the game in detail, looked at the team’s postseason chances the second time around under Jim Harbaugh, discussed Crabtree’s career day and also shared game photos, the Gameday cover story and a Cover 2 recap presented by AAA.

TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

Tickets to the #49ers Divisional Playoff game will go on sale Monday, January 7 at 10am on Ticketmaster.—
San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 31, 2012

Get ‘em while they last.

Ricky Jean Francois was a wanted man inside the 49ers locker room on Friday.

After Justin Smith missed his third straight practice with an elbow injury, his streak of 185 straight starts, the third-longest active streak in the NFL, appears to be in jeopardy. Once Smith went out in the second half at New England last week, Jean Francois filled in for Smith and even contributed a crucial sack of Tom Brady in the late stages of the game.

So as Jean Francois fielded questions from reporters at his locker, Randy Moss and Mike Iupati couldn’t help but jump into the media scrum and ask some questions of their own.

“Do you think you’re pretty strong?” Moss asked Jean Francois.

“I squat about 700 (pounds), is that good enough?” Jean Francois responded.

Moss laughed and let Jean Francois go after that, but the point was made. Ricky is ready.

While Smith didn’t participate in Friday’s practice session, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said the veteran did some rehabbing, strengthening and conditioning throughout the day.

“He’ll be questionable for the game,” Harbaugh said.

If Smith is unable to go, they’ll need all of Jean Francois’ strength on the defensive line as they face Marshawn Lynch, who has reeled off back-to-back, 100-yard efforts against the 49ers dating back to last year. Jean Francois said he’s preparing as if he expects to start on Sunday.

The third-year defensive lineman has been a key backup to the starters, occasionally spelling Smith, Ray McDonald and Isaac Sopoaga throughout the season.

“I’m happy to play any position,” Jean Francois said. “If (defensive coordinator) Vic (Fangio) sees me at a different position and sees we have an advantage somewhere with me, I’m happy to play nose tackle and end to show I have versatility.”

But when Jean Francois comes in for Smith, who is renowned for rarely coming off the field, it’s usually for a play or two while Smith catches his breath. So as he stayed in the defensive huddle against the Patriots, Jean Francois admitted he was expecting Smith to come substitute him out of the game.

“I was like that for a few minutes,” Jean Francois said. “I was, like, 1, 2, 3. Hold on, I’ve been in three plays, that’s too long.”

Once Jean Francois returned to the sidelines and found out Smith was in the 49ers locker room for evaluation, he changed his mindset and told himself he would probably have to finish out the game. Likewise, Jean Francois changed up his study habits this week with the possibility he could get his second start of the year and fourth of his career.

“This week’s preparation was a little bit different,” Jean Francois said. “More film and more details on their offense. Usually I’m on the sideline, so I can gather their offense and see what they like running back and forth. Now I’m going to be actually on the field, so I have to get that from looking at film before anything.”

Pro Bowl tackle Joe Staley has practiced against both Smith and Jean Francois over the past four seasons. While no one can replicate Smith’s value to the team in the trenches, Staley said Jean Francois should be able to step in and contribute to the 49ers, who are tied with Seattle as the top-ranked scoring defense in NFL (15.6 points per game).

“He’s a very good player. He could start for a lot of football teams in the NFL,” Staley said of Jean Francois. “Fits the scheme really well, knows exactly what we’re doing. Obviously, Justin is Justin Smith and one of the best players in the NFL, but Ricky does a terrific job of going in there with a next-man-in kind of mentality. … If he’s in there, we expect him to do great things for us.”

Harbaugh on Friday also revealed that rookie linebacker Cam Johnson, the team’s seventh-round pick out of Virginia, could be a candidate to be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster as the 53rd man.

Raising money for the Boys & Girls Club in Hunter’s Point is a serious deal to San Francisco 49ers linebacker Larry Grant.

The Bay Area native spent time at the club as a young boy and knows just how powerful of a place the center can be for those less fortunate. With that in mind, the 49ers linebacker arranged a Celebrity Chili Cook-Off Monday night to help raise money for the “A Better Hand Foundation” and the B&G Club in Hunter’s Point.

“The whole vision of the foundation is to help less fortunate kids and put them on a better direction than what they’re going through now,” Grant explained.

Popular chefs Michael Mina and Charlie Palmer served as guest judges, while former San Francisco Giants shortstop Rich Aurilia produced the winning chili dish.

“It meant a lot for me for him to be there,” said Grant, who attended some of Aurilia’s baseball games at Candlestick Park. “Hopefully we can do more stuff in the future. Rich is a great guy…  At the end of the day Rich won and it was pretty good, too.”

Grant wasn’t the only 49ers representative at the event, VP of Football Affairs and former 49ers linebacker Keena Turner attended the cook-off, as did fourth-year defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois.

“It was a great time,” Grant said of the experience. “There were a lot of great people out and I enjoyed every minute of it. Giving back to the Boys & Girls Club is something personal for me.”

All story images courtesy of Stephen Heraldo.

Check out more photos and reaction to the #sfculinaryclash on Twitter.

All smiles w/ @CharliePalmerGP & @LarryGrant54 during chili judging at the #sfCulinaryClash . abetterhandfoundation.org http://t.co/7ZYVyzg4—
Stephen Heraldo (@stephenheraldo) December 11, 2012

#Chili judging #sfculinaryclash with @charliepalmerGP we go back a little ways… instagr.am/p/TFMz3bTBm6/—
Michael Mina (@ChefMichaelMina) December 11, 2012

Great time last night at charity event for @LarryGrant54. Great cause and an admirable guy. Winner winner chili dinner!!—
  (@RichAurilia35) December 11, 2012

@RichAurilia35 very great meeting you and thx for coming to support.—
Larry Grant (@LarryGrant54) December 11, 2012

The event today for my foundation abetterhandfoundation.org was definitely a success. I appreciate all that came and supported the cause. Thx—
Larry Grant (@LarryGrant54) December 11, 2012

Fourth-year defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois has seen his playing time increase each year of his NFL career. With more responsibility in the defense’s success this year (best scoring defense in the NFL allowing 13.4 points per game), Jean Francois has continued to prove critics wrong who only look at him as a seventh-round selection.

Jean Francois discussed his development and a number of other topics in the latest Niner Talk podcast. In our conversation, the improving defensive linemen talked about the importance of this week’s game against the Saints.

Jean Francois is especially eager for this week’s matchup with New Orleans because it will bring him back to the Superdome, the same place he won the BCS National Championship MVP award for his efforts over Ohio State in the 2007 game. The Miami native still has a soft spot in his heart for New Orleans and offered dining tips for 49ers Faithful looking to make the trip this Thanksgiving weekend.

Jean Francois also explains his favorite Thanksgiving traditions and the reasoning for his middle name, Barkley.

For the New Orleans Saints perspective, we welcomed Jeff Duncan, Saints columnist of the Times-Picayune to hear his thoughts on the numerous improvements New Orleans has made in recent weeks after an 0-4 start.

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.

RICKY JEAN FRANCOIS

[:50–Jean Francois’ thoughts on Aldon Smith’s big performance on Monday night.]

“I almost felt like Muhammad Ali’s trainer. Seeing Aldon Smith get 5.5 sacks, I was cheering him on. And just to see Justin Smith go out there and do what he do, it was great just to see everybody do what they do. But to see Aldon Smith get 5.5 sacks – that was amazing. I walked up to him during the game and said, ‘Just in case I never get to tell you this again, but I’m going to say it today, It’s amazing playing with you and seeing what you can do when you put your full craft together. When you put everything together, you can do anything you can possibly do. To get 5.5 sacks in a game and to be on the same team with you is amazing.’”

 [2:50 – Jean Francois’ thoughts on returning to New Orleans.]

“It’s going to be wonderful, it’s going to be nice. I was just there recently for the Essence Fest and it was a beautiful time being there. Now going back to play in the Superdome, it’ll remind me of playing in the BCS bowl game, or the year before that, playing in the Sugar Bowl. It’s going to be wonderful to go back. It’ll bring back all the memories with all the (LSU) guys. Now I’ve got a new set of guys to have fun with, probably try to find some food places. One thing I’ve got to go find is beignets, I’ve got to find my spot. I’ve got to go to the French Quarter and find the beignets. You might see me with two-three bags – I’m not greedy – I need to get something in me from Louisiana.”

JEFF DUNCAN

[7:20 – Duncan’s thoughts on the Saints preparing for a playoff rematch vs. the 49ers.]

“Publically there’s no question the Saints are just trying to focus on this game, but rest assure privately they remember that game well. I know the fans here certainly remember that game. That was a bitter loss. It was just a terrific game, an incredible game on both sides. I thought it was extremely well-played, a lot of big plays. The Saints know if somehow they could have escaped with a victory they would have had a chance to get the Giants in the Superdome and that was a team that just a month or so earlier they had blown out there on that very same field. I think they felt confident they could have gotten back to the Super Bowl. Who knows? Maybe they would’ve gotten another Super Bowl title. So that one stuck with the Saints, it was a very bitter loss and I’m sure they’re going to be out for revenge this Sunday.”

[11:30 – Duncan’s thoughts on the Saints playing with a greater sense of urgency after 0-4 start.]

“You see the sense of urgency that was frankly missing during the start of the season. I think the Saints had a little bit of a sense of entitlement. I think they thought they could just kind of roll the ball out there and pick up where they left off a year ago. I don’t think they really understood the impact of not having Sean Payton and Joe Vitt on the sidelines. All those things. In fairness, who would know what to expect? It was an unprecedented situation, but right now there is that sense of urgency, there is that hunger. I really think it’s a good scenario for the Saints. I think the Niners are more talented, but coming off a big, emotional win going all the way across the country, they’re going to be walking into a hornets’ nest in the Superdome. I’m sure that place is going to be rocking, they’ve been laying in wait for this game. Not necessarily the team, but the fans. It’s going to be a really hostile environment for the 49ers. I think the Saints really couldn’t have a better set of intangibles going into this game.”

Will Alex Smith be in the huddle this Monday night when the Chicago Bears come to town? That’s the question on everyone’s mind two days removed from the 49ers quarterback suffering a concussion against the St. Louis Rams.

Smith’s status will be determined later in the week according to coach Jim Harbaugh. But if San Francisco is asked to call on backup Colin Kaepernick once again, the team feels confident about the play-making ability of the second-year player.

If Kaepernick gets the nod, Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco 49ers, believes Kaepernick’s first start would be as good of a test as any against the league’s most opportunistic defense.

“If Smith sits, an intriguing game becomes even more fascinating. Kaepernick would make his first NFL start, staring into the menacing eyes of linebacker Brian Urlacher as he attempts to solve the league’s fifth-ranked defense – in prime time, with the full and undivided attention of our football-mad nation,” Kroichick wrote.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reviews the 49ers-Rams tie in his latest film review offering.

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle shares Jim Harbaugh’s positive outlook on Smith’s status for Monday night.

Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com shares Harbaugh’s comments to a group of high school coaches at a recent Visa promotional event.

ESPN.com’s NFL writers ranked the 49ers as the league’s No. 4 overall team in recently released power rankings.

49ers.com looked at Harbaugh’s comments on the 49ers quarterbacks heading into Monday night.

TV49’S CLIP OF THE DAY

TWEET ABOUT IT

I know I'm late just finish watching @RandyMoss interview with @LilTunechi. 2 people sitting down speaking about their skills. #Tightwork—
Ricky Jean Francois (@Freakyjean95) November 13, 2012

Game recognize game.

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

Alex Smith has impressed local reporters all training camp long with his steady development. In his second season running Greg Roman’s offensive attack, Smith has looked like an “expert” in the system according to head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Count Clark Judge as another believer of Smith’s ability to improve in 2012. The CBS Sports football writer recently visited 49ers practices and came away with that distinct impression.

“You can see it in practice when Smith runs the first-team offense,” Clark wrote, “and you can hear it from teammates who believe, as I do, that this is the season Smith shakes his critics.”

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com shares defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s comments on the team needing backup safeties to emerge. Maiocco: “Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is still waiting for a safety not named Donte Whitner or Dashon Goldson to earn his confidence in the final two exhibition games.”

Maiocco also notes the return of LaMichael James at Tuesday’s practice.

Steve Corkan of The Bay Area News Group shares insight on Randy Moss’ swimming habit spreading in the 49ers locker room, even to rookies like Chris Owusu. Corkan: “Owusu said his time in a swimming pool before Moss arrived was limited to rehab sessions. These days, Owusu is learning the benefits of swimming laps, holding his breath and working multiple muscles at one time. Owusu said the swimming has helped increase his endurance and lung capacity, while providing another outlet for him to bond with his new teammates.”

49ers.com profiled Demarcus Dobbs’ three roles, Larry Grant increasing competition amongst the team’s linebackers and Ricky Jean Francois’ weight room competitions with the 49ers defensive linemen.

TWEET ABOUT IT

Ice tub @ 7:20 am. #nodaysoff.. http://t.co/kOF0KUEp—
Rock Cartwright (@Rockgotti25) August 22, 2012

No days off, indeed.

Ricky Jean Francois made a bold claim on Monday when he said he was the strongest man on the 49ers defense. When looking at his 6-foot-3, 295-pound frame the argument is enough to make you stop and think, but ultimately, Jean Francois’ versatility is what makes him so valuable to his team.

Coaches often call Jean Francois the fourth starter on the defensive front, despite the fact that the team utilizes a 3-4 system.

Listed as a defensive tackle, Jean Francois knows all three spots on defensive line and he plays each with impressive effectiveness. That fact allows Jean Francois to push his teammates to improve all the time.

The battle among the 49ers defensive linemen often carries over into the weight room with arguably the strongest unit in the NFL competing with each other just like they’re playing on the field.

Jean Francois’ claims that he can move more weight than any other 49ers defender could raise some eyebrows when considering some of his teammate’s abilities.

After all, he plays on the same line as fellow behemoths like All-Pro Justin Smith, Ray McDonald and Isaac Sopoaga, not to mention Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman, the team’s pair of first-team All-Pro linebackers.

The friendly competition to establish supremacy in strength within the 49ers defense transcends the boundaries of the field or even the weight room.

“When you go inside the weight room the same competition you have on the field is going,” Jean Francois said. “If somebody squats five plates and they walk away, but they heard somebody squatted another six, they will leave wherever they are sitting and come back to put the belt back on to do more than you.

“That’s good to have guys be competitive on the field and off the field.”

Jean Francois said the defense is like a family despite the rivalry over who is strongest. Players mess around with one another, but at the end of the day, everyone has each others’ backs to reach one common goal.

Jean Francois attributes defensive linemen pushing each other to improve in every aspect as a major reason the defense did not allow a rushing touchdown through the first 15 weeks of last season, an NFL record.

“You have days where you come after practice where Justin will lift the whole weight room, you’ve got Ice (Sopoaga) who will move the whole building and you’ve got Ray who will probably pick up the same things that are out there being used to build the new stadium.”

For many of the 49ers, including Jean Francois, the conditioning program extends beyond the weight room. The fourth-year defensive tackle is more than willing to try new techniques, which would help him get through the grind of being a NFL player.

Jean Francois has observed many veteran teammates’ training methods and Randy Moss has apparently caught the big man’s eye.

“One thing Randy Moss always does is swim,” Jean Francois said.  “I always mess with him about that, but once he started I have seen a lot of guys start swimming . . .  I want to start trying to swim back and forth. I call him Michael Phelps because every morning you walk in and you see him swimming.”

While being in peak condition is vitally important, Jean Francois’ versatility is what most endeared him to the 49ers staff. Coaches gave Jean Francois the ability to play multiple positions on the defensive line from the start and he took advantage of it.

After seeing limited action in his rookie campaign in 2009, Jean Francois’ production has increased each of the past two seasons with 23 tackles in 2010 followed up by 32 in 2011.

In 2012, Jean Francois is seeking to continue improving even coming of a career-year. In many ways that attitude characterizes the 49ers as a whole heading into the regular season.

“We don’t pay attention to last year,” Jean Francois said. “All we can worry about is what we can control right now. That’s being in camp, trying to execute all our assignments and trying to be the best we are.”

Finally, football has come back to the 49ers training facility in Santa Clara. Camp is here. Position battles, non-stop competition, and the smell of fresh-cut grass all signal the start of an exciting time of the year.

The 49ers, 87-men strong (with three players placed on the 90-men roster on the Physically Unable to Perform List), will hit the fields Friday afternoon. But first, select veterans like Alex Smith and Randy Moss, plus coach Jim Harbaugh will address the media from 12-1. The first training camp practice runs from 2:30-5:10 p.m.

All eyes and ears will be on Moss according to CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. Many want to know what the future Hall of Fame wide receiver has left in the tank at the age of 35. We’ll find out Moss’ outlook on training camp when he meets the press later today.

Without even taking a training camp rep, 49ers camp got off to an interesting start. Dashon Goldson signed his one-year franchise tender Thursday morning, calling the decision a “no-brainer.” Shortly after, the team announced the signing of three-time Pro Bowl guard Leonard Davis to compete for the starting right guard position.

If that’s any indication of what’s to come, we should all be in for an entertaining ride.

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

Maiocco previews the upcoming right guard competition between Davis and Alex Boone. Maiocco: “Daniel Kilgore might see some time at right guard, but he’ll also work at center. Rookie Joe Looney has not been cleared to practice, so he does not figure to be involved in the competition. The 49ers signed Davis for one reason: To see if he might be a better option than Boone. Davis has started 155 regular-season games in his career.”

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee shares Davis’ comments about liking the fit in San Francisco. “Davis is a big-bodied offensive lineman with 12 years of experience who likes run blocking above all else. The 49ers are a run-oriented offense that was mostly complete but that perhaps needed someone to add competition at right guard. Those two dynamics finally converged Thursday when the 49ers signed Davis, 33, to a one-year deal.”

Barrows also previewed the 49ers upcoming season. Barrows: “But perhaps the 49ers’ most important weapon is the sense of unfinished business. With a locker room full of blue-collar veterans, the 49ers don’t appear complacent after posting a 13-3 record last year and making the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Rather, there’s an element of discontent in Santa Clara, as well as a realization that the window for a championship is open now but may not be for long.”

Chris Burke of SI.com lists Moss versus Mario Manningham for San Francisco’s No. 2 wide receiver position as one of his 12 training camp battles to watch. Burke: “The 49ers’ receiving corps certainly looks better on paper — and the reason this particular battle isn’t higher on the list is that both guys, plus Ted Ginn, A.J. Jenkins and maybe Kyle Williams, should see action. What’s at stake is a starting spot opposite Michael Crabtree in the 49ers’ run-heavy offense.”

49ers.com’s camp coverage included a veteran arrival story, video of Davis’ conference, Ricky Jean Francois’ press pass, and a blog on Vernon Davis’ excitement for the upcoming season.

Want to play fantasy football? Sign up your league with the official 49ers Fantasy Football platform.

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Congrats to the 49ers players and coaches who helped raise money for a great causes, the 49ers Foundation, City Year and Fresh Lifelines for Youth.

It’s officially the first day of summer and that means 49ers football is right around the corner. How good does that sound?

Before we can get to training camp (36 days away, but who’s counting?), let’s take a look at the latest 49ers headlines, beginning with the latest from Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, who will analyze each position group on the roster. First up, the quarterbacks.

The tenured 49ers beat writer believes Alex Smith “completely passed the eyeball test as the unquestioned No. 1 quarterback.” Maiocco noted that the eighth-year pro looked more comfortable than any other 49ers quarterback over the offseason. Smith’s performances in two-minute scenarios especially impressed Maiocco.

Another observation from Maiocco worth passing along dealt with Smith’s growth at the position:

“Smith’s accuracy and anticipation seemed to progress throughout the seven week of practices, including the execution of back-shoulder throws.”

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

Nathan Jahnke of ProFootballFocus.com lists 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks as one of the NFL’s secret superstars. Brooks’ play might be overshadowed at times by his peers on a stingy defensive unit, but Janhke offers tangible proof of Brooks’ game-changing plays.

Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee takes a look at the progress of 49ers cornerback Perrish Cox over the offseason and how the versatile cornerback has embraced playing both on the perimeter and as a nickel corner. Barrows: “In addition to hanging on (Randy) Moss’ every word, Cox has been shadowing Carlos Rogers as much as possible. Rogers, of course, started at cornerback last year and moved to the nickel spot on passing downs. He did so with much fanfare, finishing tied for the team lead in interceptions and earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.”

Douglas Martin of The New York Times offers a must-read obituary on 49ers legend R.C. Owens, a football pioneer in many ways. Martin: “In 1962, the 6-foot-3 Owens wowed fans by standing under the goal post at the goal line (goal posts have since been moved to the back of the end zone) and leaping to block a long, line-drive field-goal attempt by the Washington Redskins. The tactic was legislated out of existence.”

Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com writes that this year’s NFL Rookie Symposium (which begins this Sunday) will break up the rookies by division.

Comcast SportsNet Central will air interviews with the 49ers rookies all week. Enjoy this preview that has this year’s rookies discussing what’s on their iPod, what dishes they can cook and any hidden talents they might possess.

49ers.com’s offseason coverage continued with a Q&A with veteran running back Rock Cartwright and a video highlight reel of Randy Moss’ offseason.

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Someone is feeling extra chipper this morning, I wonder why…