49ers Blog and Q&A

Frank Gore has had some of his best rushing games against Seattle, including a 207-yard performance earlier this year. The question heading into the teams' second meeting is how much Gore will carry the ball in an offense that's increasingly leaning toward the pass. (Steve Young addressed that issue on KNBR this week.) Mike Singletary today said he sat down with the offensive players last week to discuss the changing approach.

"Whether it's Walter Payton or whether it's Jerry Rice, a great receiver - when they're not getting the ball, they feel like they're not contributing," Singletary said. "They feel like they're not part of it. I talked to all of our guys and had them understand that, we need to understand that going forward everybody will have their part in the success. Everybody will have their part. And it's really important that we're for one another. ... If we really want to win, if we really want to do this right, we need to be happy about the other guy (having the ball.)"

Asked about how he felt about the direction of the offense, Gore was terse, but said he was ok with it. "I know when my number's called, I'm going to try my best to the best I can out there."

Gore's numbers this season are down, but you can hardly blame the spread for that. In 2006, Gore's best season in the NFL, he had 20 or more carries in seven games. This year, he's reached 20 twice - in the opener against Arizona and in the win over Chicago. That's partly due to an ankle injury that forced Gore to miss the better part of three games and because the 49ers fell quickly behind in two other games, Houston and Green Bay, and had to turn to the pass.

Despite using the spread offense heavily against Jacksonville, Gore had 16 carries - his third-highest total of the season - to go along with a season-high seven receptions. Having a 17-3 lead at the half likely boosted his carries.

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Singletary said Brit Miller was boosted to the active roster because he has been a standout in special teams practices all season. The 49ers recognize the effort of their practice squadders by handing out awards at the end of the Friday practice. Miller has won five of the practice-squad awards since the season began. The problem? The prize is the same each week - 49ers cheerleaders calendar. "I don't need five of them, so I just pass 'em on down," Miller said.

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When you are in your 30s like I am, you start rooting for players who are close to your age. (It's called "living vicariously"). So kudos to new practice squad addition Rodney Wright, who had been out of work since September when the 49ers came calling yesterday. Wright said he was just coming out of the shower when he got the news. "I was thinking, 'You know what? I might not get another opportunity.'" Wright said. "You try to stay positive, but that doubt starts coming into your mind."

There are no new additions to the injury report.

-- Matt Barrows