Niners RB Gore expected to play, but TE Davis out
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
September 25, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- The San Francisco 49ers got good news about running back Frank Gore and confirmed bad news about tight end Vernon Davis on Monday.
Gore is expected to be in the 49ers' lineup at Kansas City on Sunday despite bruised ribs that sidelined him in the third quarter of their loss to Philadelphia. Davis, the sixth overall pick in the draft, will be out four weeks with a broken bone in his right leg.
The 49ers' two young offensive stars were hurt on the same play last Sunday in their 38-24 loss to the Eagles.
Gore, who rushed for 266 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers' first three games, was hurt while trying to stretch over the goal line in the third quarter. He fumbled in the process, and defensive lineman Mike Patterson returned it 98 yards for a score.
The 49ers initially said Gore strained an abdominal muscle, but changed the diagnosis to bruised ribs Monday afternoon.
"I'll be on the field," Gore said. "I'm kind of sore, but I'll be all right."
Improbably, Davis was hurt trying to chase down Patterson.
Leaning on crutches in the 49ers' locker room Monday, Davis lamented the first major injury of his football career. He never had more than a bruised shoulder in college at Maryland.
"These ain't me right here," Davis said, indicating his crutches. "I try to work so hard to prevent something like this. ... I still think I'm invincible. This can't stop me. I'm just going to keep working hard in the weight room and hit the playbook."
Davis scored the first time he touched the ball in a regular-season game, but has just five catches for 37 yards and that one touchdown this season -- all coming in the season opener at Arizona. He failed to make a catch against St. Louis or Philadelphia in the last two weeks, missing two catchable balls when he attempted acrobatic one-handed grabs.
Eric Johnson, who had 92 catches in 2004 but missed last season with a foot injury, will start in Davis' place. Though Johnson is working on his chemistry with quarterback Alex Smith in their first three games together, the veteran tight end caught seven passes for 87 yards against the Eagles, culminating in a 15-yard TD catch with 6 seconds to play.
"I felt like we really had a good connection," Johnson said. "He was fitting some balls in tight to me, and I had a really good sense of what he was trying to do out there."
Rookie tight end Delanie Walker, who showed promise in the preseason, will return to practice this week after missing the first three games with a right shoulder injury.
Gore, who leads the 49ers with 14 receptions, went to a hospital after the game for X-rays, that came up negative. The second-year pro's frustration showed after he watched film of his mistake.
"I'm very upset," said Gore, who rushed 16 times for 52 yards. "I just have to come back to work hard in practice and do my best against Kansas City. It was real upsetting that I couldn't finish, and I also fumbled again in a critical situation and hurt the team."
Rookie running back Michael Robinson will also get significant playing time for the 49ers after scoring two touchdowns against the Eagles. Coach Mike Nolan said Robinson might replace Gore as the 49ers' short-yardage back after Gore's second straight game with a goal-line fumble.
"Whatever Coach Nolan wants to do, I'm fine with it," Gore said.
The injuries tempered another strong performance by Smith, who went 27-of-46 for 293 yards and one touchdown. Smith hasn't thrown an interception in his three starts, and he even rushed for 39 yards against the Eagles -- including a 22-yard scamper for a first down.
Though the 49ers are 1-2 for the second straight year under Nolan, the players' attitudes are markedly changed, Smith said.
"There were times last year when I was guessing too much instead of playing the play and reacting to it," Smith said. "It comes from just actually playing and reacting to things. I can just take off and do things now. There were times last year when you kind of doubted yourself."
By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
September 25, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- The San Francisco 49ers got good news about running back Frank Gore and confirmed bad news about tight end Vernon Davis on Monday.
Gore is expected to be in the 49ers' lineup at Kansas City on Sunday despite bruised ribs that sidelined him in the third quarter of their loss to Philadelphia. Davis, the sixth overall pick in the draft, will be out four weeks with a broken bone in his right leg.
The 49ers' two young offensive stars were hurt on the same play last Sunday in their 38-24 loss to the Eagles.
Gore, who rushed for 266 yards and three touchdowns in the 49ers' first three games, was hurt while trying to stretch over the goal line in the third quarter. He fumbled in the process, and defensive lineman Mike Patterson returned it 98 yards for a score.
The 49ers initially said Gore strained an abdominal muscle, but changed the diagnosis to bruised ribs Monday afternoon.
"I'll be on the field," Gore said. "I'm kind of sore, but I'll be all right."
Improbably, Davis was hurt trying to chase down Patterson.
Leaning on crutches in the 49ers' locker room Monday, Davis lamented the first major injury of his football career. He never had more than a bruised shoulder in college at Maryland.
"These ain't me right here," Davis said, indicating his crutches. "I try to work so hard to prevent something like this. ... I still think I'm invincible. This can't stop me. I'm just going to keep working hard in the weight room and hit the playbook."
Davis scored the first time he touched the ball in a regular-season game, but has just five catches for 37 yards and that one touchdown this season -- all coming in the season opener at Arizona. He failed to make a catch against St. Louis or Philadelphia in the last two weeks, missing two catchable balls when he attempted acrobatic one-handed grabs.
Eric Johnson, who had 92 catches in 2004 but missed last season with a foot injury, will start in Davis' place. Though Johnson is working on his chemistry with quarterback Alex Smith in their first three games together, the veteran tight end caught seven passes for 87 yards against the Eagles, culminating in a 15-yard TD catch with 6 seconds to play.
"I felt like we really had a good connection," Johnson said. "He was fitting some balls in tight to me, and I had a really good sense of what he was trying to do out there."
Rookie tight end Delanie Walker, who showed promise in the preseason, will return to practice this week after missing the first three games with a right shoulder injury.
Gore, who leads the 49ers with 14 receptions, went to a hospital after the game for X-rays, that came up negative. The second-year pro's frustration showed after he watched film of his mistake.
"I'm very upset," said Gore, who rushed 16 times for 52 yards. "I just have to come back to work hard in practice and do my best against Kansas City. It was real upsetting that I couldn't finish, and I also fumbled again in a critical situation and hurt the team."
Rookie running back Michael Robinson will also get significant playing time for the 49ers after scoring two touchdowns against the Eagles. Coach Mike Nolan said Robinson might replace Gore as the 49ers' short-yardage back after Gore's second straight game with a goal-line fumble.
"Whatever Coach Nolan wants to do, I'm fine with it," Gore said.
The injuries tempered another strong performance by Smith, who went 27-of-46 for 293 yards and one touchdown. Smith hasn't thrown an interception in his three starts, and he even rushed for 39 yards against the Eagles -- including a 22-yard scamper for a first down.
Though the 49ers are 1-2 for the second straight year under Nolan, the players' attitudes are markedly changed, Smith said.
"There were times last year when I was guessing too much instead of playing the play and reacting to it," Smith said. "It comes from just actually playing and reacting to things. I can just take off and do things now. There were times last year when you kind of doubted yourself."
