Mike Singletary today said he thought his team has taken full advantage of its "second bye" following last Thursday's win over The Bears. They began their practice week on Tuesday, giving them an extra day to prepare. "I think that went really well for us because Green Bay, on offense and defense, they do some different things." The 49ers will have walkthroughs tomorrow and Saturday before hitting Lambeau on Sunday.
Are his players more fresh because of the extra rest? Singletary said that was a mixed bag. The time off may have created a little rust that had to be shaken off on Tuesday. "You gain something and you lose something, so it balances out," he said.
Still, the 49ers only seem to have one lingering injury from Thursday's game. Linebacker Takeo Spikes (hamstring) sat out another practice today. Singletary still called Spikes "day to day" but it seems likely that Matt Wilhelm will start on Sunday. The mood in the locker room also is very good. With some instigation from class clown Joe Staley, rookie Ricky Jean-Francois treated everyone - reporters, included - to a rousing dance routine that brought down the house. If he ever scoops up a fumble and runs it into the end zone, the world is in for a real treat ...
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Michael Crabtree (knee) showed up on the injury report this week, but the rookie sloughed it off as a mere bruise. He hasn't missed any time. Crabtree has had a couple of drops this season, including one at the Chicago four-yard line onThursday, and he said those weigh heavily on his mind.
"It bothers me," he said. "Sometimes I can sleep at night when I drop passes. I feel like if I keep it on my mind, the next play I'm going to make sure I catch it, so it's that kind of situation."
Do you replay the ones you don't catch?
"I'm always looking for that negative on the field, that stuff that I haven't really (grasped) right now, that I really don't know right now. I try to keep that with me. By the time the game comes, I'm thinking about that and I (say), 'I gotta make a play, gotta make a play.'"
What haven't we seen from you yet?
"YAC (yards after the catch). That's what I was really big on in college, and football period. I just want to get that YAC."
What about TDs?
"You're going to have those concerns. But my concern is winning. If we're winning, then I can't complain."
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Along with Spikes, Michael Robinson missed today's practice, but it was not injury related. Robinson was excused for personal reasons, but will make the trip to Green Bay. Justin Smith (back) was limited for the second straight day. The following players have been in the training room but went through a full practice:
WR Isaac Bruce (ankle, elbow), RB Glen Coffee (concussion), Crabtree (knee), DT Demetric Evans (shoulder), S Michael Lewis (quadricep), S Mark Roman (knee) and T Adam Snyder (shoulder)
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Sunday's forecast in Green Bay: partly cloudy with a high of 51 degrees and a low of 40 degrees. In other words, downright balmy ...
-- Matt Barrows
