49ers Blog and Q&A

Offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye today declined to speculate about how new Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, who parachuted into Minnesota late in the offseason, was adjusting to his new team and, perhaps more importantly, how his new team was adjusting to him. But Raye, who was the running backs coach last year for the Jets, did say that the adjustment was "very difficult" when Favre landed in New York last year.

"We were way down the road in the direction we were going when that happened," he said. "It was somewhere mid October, late October before ... it took us most of the month of September just to get accustomed to the cadence. It was - and I've kind of not thought about it in a while - but it was very difficult for (receivers) Laveranues (Coles) and Jerricho (Cotchery) because it was a totally different style and they didn't have time to work together. Maybe we were different than the situation he's in now. But it took us a long time ... the adjustment was monumental."

The Vikings have the lowest-ranked passing attack after two games. The 49ers might be catching them at a good time. ... On the other hand, Favre is well-versed in the West Coast offense the Vikings utilize. Perhaps the adjustment in Minnesota won't be as arduous as it was with the Jets ...

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The "Taser" didn't exactly have a dazzling debut when the 49ers unveiled it Sunday against Seattle. In fact, Merc News beatwriter Dan Brown has dubbed it the "Mild Cat." Receiver Micheal Spurlock, who lined up behind the center in the formation, looked like Larry Bird on the first try, bouncing it off the grass before running for a short gain. On the second, he missed a wide open Vernon Davis on a sideline pass. But that doesn't mean the 49ers will give up on it.

"I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess," Raye said. "I like it. It think it gives us an advantage in the fact that they have to prepare for it." Raye noted that the design of both the Taser plays was solid; if the 49ers had executed them properly, they would have turned into big gains. "We'll exhaust it and continue to add forward to it going forward," Raye said.

Raye also said that Spurlock would continue to run it for the 49ers. Raye defended Spurlock, noting that he didn't have an opportunity to get into the flow of the game and also didn't get a lot of practice throwing the ball to Davis during the week. "He played seven plays in the game, and two of those seven were in that mode, which he probably practiced by himself or with Vernon a minimum number of times," Raye said.

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The 49ers are taking a wait-and-see approach on both WR Brandon Jones and LB Ahmad Brooks. Frank Gore (ankle) was limited in practice yesterday. It remains to be seen whether he'll be full-go this afternoon.

-- Matt Barrows