Jonas Jennings' shoulder injury is serious enough that he has been ruled out this week, but Mike Nolan said he didn't think the 49ers' right tackle would require surgery. "I believe he'll be back," Nolan said, although the coach had neither a diagnosis nor a prognosis. Barry Sims will take over Sunday against the Lions. Shawntae Spencer (knee) also is out. Nolan declined to say who the third cornerback will be, but the safe bet is either Tarell Brown or Donald Strickland (knee) who is expected to practice today.
Dashon Goldson (knee) also is expected to practice today. While Nolan reiterated his belief that J.T. O'Sullivan took a cheap shot from Brian Russell on Sunday, he dismissed the notion that Goldson's tackle on receiver Logan Payne was dirty. Payne left the game with a torn knee ligament, further depleting the Seahawks receiver corps. "If he doesn't start to drop right there and change his body lean he's going to miss him," Nolan said of Goldson.
Nolan said that as far as he's concerned Manny Lawson is fully recovered from last year's knee injury. He said that injury had nothing to do with Lawson sitting out every defensive snap on Sunday.
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As far as the eight sacks surrendered on Sunday .... Nolan said that the offensive line played "OK." "They've kind of been hot and cold for the most part. We've got to get more consistency." He said he was willing to trade sacks for big plays downfield as long as the sacks were "gentle." Asked whether Sunday's sacks were gentle, Nolan said there were a couple on which O'Sullivan was roughed up pretty well.
-- Matt Barrows
