SANTA CLARA – Justin Smith this week joined the chorus of 49ers who want to see Mike Singletary return as head coach next season.
"Whatever weight it holds from the players' standpoint, we all feel comfortable with him and feel that he's done a good job," said Smith, who was given the Bill Walsh Award this week as the team MVP. "But like I said, it's not our decision to make."
Smith was the team's marquee acquisition in free agency last offseason. At the beginning of the season, the idea was to confuse offenses by playing Smith at multiple positions – outside linebacker, left defensive end, nose tackle – throughout games.
That chameleon quality has been eliminated under Singletary. Smith mostly has been a right defensive end over the last half of the season, and indeed the 49ers have stuck primarily to a 3-4 defense.
Smith noted that the 3-4 scheme allows linebacker Parys Haralson, the team's sack leader with seven, to be on the field more.
"He's playing really good football and deserves to be out there starting like he is," said Smith, who's second on the team with five sacks. "It's a way to have him and Manny (Lawson) both on the field."
Indications are that 49ers officials are happy with the team's progress under Singletary. However, they will continue to evaluate the interim coach over the last two games and will not rush to decide about Singletary at the end of the season.
Just the beginning – Left offensive tackle Joe Staley and St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long have tangled just once. But the battle promises to be an enduring one given that Long is a rookie and Staley is in his second season.
"It's one of those matchups that hopefully gain some luster, and we both can have some success in this league," Long said.
Long, the son of ex-Raider and Hall of Famer Howie Long, already has gone up against some of the premier left tackles in the league, including Seattle's Walter Jones and the Dolphins' Jake Long, the top pick in this year's draft.
Chris Long said Staley, who won their first matchup Nov. 16, ranks among the best he's faced.
"He's got tremendous feet, first of all," Long said. "He's got all the tools. He's really athletic. He's one of the more athletic tackles I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of great ones this year."
Ankle updates – Running back Frank Gore was a little more ambitious in his session with team trainers Friday, but he still missed his sixth consecutive practice because of a sore left ankle. He remains a game-time decision for Sunday in St. Louis.
"He's had a lot of rest this week and last week," Singletary said. "Hopefully we can get some response there."
Right offensive tackle Adam Snyder (ankle) practiced for the first time this week, and Singletary said he should be ready to play against the Rams. Allen Rossum (ankle) practiced all week and will handle punt returns in St. Louis.
Read Matthew Barrows' 49ers blog at www.sacbee.com/ninersblog.
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