The 49ers will be without 27-year old RB Frank Gore for the rest of the season due to a fractured hip.  Gore played in 11 games for the Niners this year and he has carried the ball 203 times for 853 yards (4.2 ypc) with 3 TD grabs.  Gore also caught 46 passes for 452 yards (9.8 avg) with 2 TD grabs this year.  Frank Gore has HUGE shoes for the 49ers to fill but Brian Westbrook & Anthony Dixon looked capable last night.  31-year old Brian Westbrook wasn’t used much so far this year so he should be fresh.  Westbrook has played in 9 games for the Niners so far this year and he has carried the ball 28 times for 145 yards (5.2 ypc) with a TD carry.  He has also caught 5 passes for 38 yards (7.6 avg) as he is a very solid receiver out of the backfield.  Rookie 23-year old Anthony Dixon has played in 11 games so far this year and he has carried the ball 24 times for 72 yards (3.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  I think the Niners are in good hands as long as Westbrook & Dixon stay healthy.

The 49ers dominated the Cardinals on both sides of the ball last night.  Troy Smith was little more than a game manager last night as he completed 11 of 23 passes for 129 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Brian Westbrook was taken out of mothballs and he carried the ball 23 times for 136 yards (5.9 ypc) with a TD run last night to lead the way on the ground for the Niners.  Anthony Dixon also had a solid game with 14 carries for 54 yards (3.9 ypc) with 1 TD carry.  Frank Gore carried the ball 5 times for 52 yards (10.4 ypc) before leaving the game with a fractured hip.  WRs Michael Crabtree (2 rec, 48 yards, TD) and Josh Morgan (3 receptions for 28 yards and 1 carry for 13 yards led the way through the air.  The 49ers finished up with 261 yards rushing on 47 carries (5.6 ypc) and they also completed 11 of 23 passes for 125 yards as they had possession of the ball for 39:01.

The defense was awesome for the Niners last night.  CB Tarrell Brown (6 tackles) and LB Patrick Willis (5 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Niners’ D.  LB Takeo Spikes (3 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) and NT Aubrayo Franklin (2 tackles and a fumble recovery) also made huge plays last night.  The Cardinals finished up with 13 yards rushing on 11 carries (1.2 ypc) and they also completed 16 of 35 passes for 190 yards.  The 49ers are now 4-7 on the year.

Both of these teams pretty much stink right now but because they play in the NFC West this is actually a big game.  The winnner of this game might only be one game out of the lead in the division if the Chiefs can beat the Seahawks.  That means this qualifies as a big game for these two teams.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  The Niners will likely stay conservative in this game offensively.  That means it will be Frank Gore time against a Cardinals’ D that is allowing 135.1 yards rushing per game and 4.4 yards per carry so far this year.  The Cardinals are going to be sending Joey Porter after Troy Smith likely from the blind side in this game as Smith was sacked 6 times by the Bucs last weekend.  The Niners will likely be challenging the safeties of the Cardinals by throwing a lot to TEs Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker.  The problem with that though is that Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson are impact players.

When the Cardinals have the ball:  The Cardinals refuse to run the ball despite having the worst QB depth chart in the NFL.  Derek Anderson does throw a nice ball when he has time.  Cardinals’ QBs have been sacked an amazing 35 times already this year.  When Anderson gets rushed he makes mistakes but if he has time to throw the ball Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston could have big games.  Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower could get some yards in this game if the Cardinals were smart enough to hand them the ball.

PREDICTION:  CARDINALS 16, 49ERS 13

The 49ers got pushed around yesterday by the Bucs who beat them up on both sides of the ball.  Troy Smith completed 16 of 31 passes for 148 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT.  He was sacked 6 times yesterday as the Bucs’ D-Line manhandled the O-Line of the Niners.  Smith also carried the ball 5 times for 45 yards (9.0 ypc) when he was running for his life.  The Bucs stuffed Frank Gore all day long as he carried the ball 12 times for 23 yards (1.9 ypc) but he did add 5 catches for 37 yards (7.4 avg).  Josh Morgan led the way in the passing game for the Niners yesterday with 4 grabs for 51 yards (12.8 avg).  The 49ers finished up with only 71 yards rushing on 18 carries (3.9 ypc) and they were 16 of 31 passing for 118 yards as they only had possession of the ball for 23:36.

The Niners’ LBs came to play yesterday as Patrick Willis (13 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks and 2 QB hits) and Takeo Spikes (12 tackles and 1 QB hit) led the way.  The Bucs finished up with 162 yards rushing on 42 carries (3.9 ypc) and they also completed 14 of 22 passes for 137 yards.  The 49ers are now 3-7 on the season.

The 49ers have won two games in a row and 3 of the last 4 as they are right back in the hunt in the AFC West, 2 games behind the Seahawks.  It won’t be easy to keep the hot streak going this Sunday as the Buccaneers are 3-1 on the road this year.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  The 49ers are going to come out running the ball with Frank Gore against a Bucs’ D that is allowing 143.8 yards rushing per game and 4.8 yards per carry.  I then look for the Niners to take some shots down the field after the running game has been established.  The Bucs only have 8 sacks this year so Troy Smith should have time to throw the ball.  Smith will likely challenge the Bucs’ safeties with the TEs (Delanie Walker & Vernon Davis) early and often in this game.  When they decide to go down the field, Smith will target Michael Crabtree and Josh Morgan.

When the Buccaneers have the ball:  The Bucs will likely try to stay balanced in this game.  LeGarrette Blount & Cadillac Williams will challenge the front seven of the 49ers, but I’m almost certain they will be up to that challenge.  The bigger issue will be stopping Josh Freeman and his WRs, TEs and RBs out of the backfield as he has been very solid this year.

PREDICTION:  49ERS 23, BUCCANEERS 20

When the 49ers started this season 0-5 you could see the heat being turned up on 52-year old head coach Mike Singletary.  But with the 49ers winning 3 of the last 4 games, Singletary has the Niners only 2 games behind the Seahawks in the NFC West.  The 49ers are now 16-18 (47.1%) in parts of three years under Singletary. 

The 49ers will be without 37-year old kicker Joe Nedney this weekend due to a right knee sprain and a bone bruise.  Nedney has played in 9 games for the Niners this year and he has made 11 of 13 field goals (84.6%) and 17 of 17 extra points good for 50 points.  The 49ers have re-signed Shane Andrus who will handle the kicking chores against the Bucs this weekend.  Andrus played in 5 games last season for the Colts, Bucs and Niners in which he missed his only field goal but he was 10 of 10 on extra points.  This could be a problem for the Niners this weekend if they need Andrus to make a clutch field goal.

The 49ers have lost 26-year old starting LT Joe Staley for the next 4-6 weeks due to a fractured left fibula.  Staley has started all 9 games for the Niners this year and he has started all 50 games that he has appeared in with the Niners in his four years with the team.  35-year old Barry Sims will replace Staley at LT until he’s ready to return to action.  Sims played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Niners so far this year.  He has played in 31 games (15 starts) in his first three years with the Niners.  This will be a huge dropoff for the Niners.

Troy Smith led the Niners on a 6-play, 55 yard drive in O.T. that set up Joe Nedney for the game winning 29-yard field goal.  Smith had another huge game for the Niners as he completed 17 of 28 passes for 356 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  He also carried the ball 3 times for 12 yards (4.0 ypc) in this game.  Frank Gore was solid as usual in this game with 22 carries for 87 yards (4.0 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 3 passes for 67 yards (22.3 avg).  TEs Delanie Walker (4 rec, 80 yards) and Vernon Davis (4 rec, 79 yards) led the way for the Niners in this passing game yesterday.  WRs Josh Morgan (1 rec, 65 yards) and Michael Crabtree (4 rec, 61 yards, TD) also pitched in for the 49ers in the passing game.  The 49ers finished up with 98 yards rushing on 26 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 28 passes for 323 yards.

LB Patrick Willis (11 tackles, sack), CB Nate Clements (7 tackles) and LB Takeo Spikes (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed) led the way for the 49ers on D in this game.  The Rams finished up with 104 yards rushing on 24 carries (4.3 ypc) and they also completed 30 of 42 passes for 228 yards.  The 49ers are now 3-6 on the season.

The 49ers and Rams are both coming off bye weeks after winning the week before.  This game is huge for both teams but especially for the Niners who are only 2 games behind the Seahawks & Rams in the NFC West.  The Rams have been awful on the road this year where they are 0-3 having been outscored 78-37!   Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the 49ers have the ball:  Look for the same conservative gameplan that the 49ers used against the Broncos two weeks ago.  That means the Rams are going to get a heavy dose of Frank Gore in both the running and passing game.  Troy Smith is getting another start at QB this week so he might also take off running a few times this Sunday.  Most of his passing is going to come off of playaction this weekend.

When the Rams have the ball:  The Rams rely heavily on Steven Jackson in both the running and passing games so if the 49ers can slow him down or stop him the Rams are going to have a tough time moving the ball.  Rookie Sam Bradford is a good QB already but he doesn’t have much of a WRing corps.

PREDICTION:  49ERS 20, RAMS 16