The San Francisco 49ers released their final injury report for the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants. As it has become customary for the past six weeks, all players on the report are listed as questionable.

WR Ted Ginn Jr. did not practice all week because of a knee injury and appears unlikely to play. WR Kyle Williams will start alongside WR Michael Crabtree. He will also be responsible for the punt returns. RB Kendall Hunter will return the kick-offs.

C Jonathan Goodwin (calf) did not practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and was a limited participant in practice on Friday, but his start is not in jeopardy. In the unlikely event of him missing the game or a few snaps RG Anthony Snyder would move to center and G Chilo Rachal would play at right guard.

CB Tarell Brown (thigh) and RILB Patrick Willis (knee) did not practice on Thursday but returned on a limited basis on Friday. Both are expected to play and to start. CB Chris Culliver and LB Larry Grant would be the next men up if Brown or Willis were to miss some action.

FS Dashon Goldson did not practice on Wednesday due to an ankle injury but was a limited participant in practice on Thursday and Friday. He is expected to start but S Madieu Williams could see more playing time if the injury becomes more serious.

TE Delanie Walker returned to practice after missing two games with a jaw injury. He was a limited participant in practice but was cleared for contact. Walker will resume his role as the number-two tight end if the doctors give the green light. Blocking tight end Justin Peele will continue to replace him if Walker can’t play.

The New York Giants listed TE Jake Ballard as questionable. Ballard is suffering from a knee injury and did not practice on Friday. TE Travis Beckum and TE Bear Pascoe would see an increased playing time if Ballard couldn’t play. C David Baas (illness), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), LE Justin Tuck (shoulder), RE Osi Umenyiora (ankle, knee), CB Corey Webster (hamstring), WR Hakeem Nicks (ankle) and QB Eli Manning (illness) are all listed as probable and expected to play.

The San Francisco 49ers beat the St. Louis Rams 34-27 to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. San Francisco’s next opponent will be determined between the Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants.

It was clear from the start that TE Vernon Davis and WR Michael Crabtree would have to carry the main load in San Francisco’s passing offense. QB Alex Smith connected over and over again with both on the opening drive to get the offense into field goal range. The record-breaking David Akers attempted a field goal from 48 yards but missed.

The St. Louis Rams saw a chance to score the first points in this game. They were in San Francisco’s half after a 24-yard reception from former Niner WR Brandon Lloyd and proceeded to the red zone after 20 yards on 3 carries from RB Steven Jackson. San Francisco’s focus seemed a little off after having surrendered a rushing touchdown last week and QB Kellen Clemens took advantage of it by running 18 yards into the end zone.

Alex Smith showed that he could do just as well as time wound down in the first quarter. The Rams had to punt out of their own end zone and S Reggie Smith returned it 10 yards to St. Louis’ 33-yard line. RB Frank Gore couldn’t rush into the end zone, so Alex Smith tried it from 8 yards and was successful to tie the score at 7.

The 49ers were in control now and continued to add more points to the scoreboard. CB Tarell Brown intercepted Kellen Clemens on St. Louis’ next possession and Michael Crabtree caught a pass for a 28-yard touchdown.

On San Francisco’s next drive David Akers could make up for a missed field goal at the beginning of the game. Alex Smith connected with Vernon Davis on a 44-yard pass to move the offense into the red zone. The distance was too much to overcome after LB Chris Chamberlain sacked Alex Smith for a loss of 7 yards and David Akers connected from 36 yard to give the Niners a 17-7 lead.

David Akers added another three points to the score when he hit a field goal from 42 yards after San Francisco’s final drive of the first half stalled at St. Louis’ 24-yard line. The 49ers took a commanding 20-7 lead into the break.

Josh Brown cut the deficit to 10, when he made a field goal from 49 yards, but the Niners responded with a trick play. San Francisco moved into the red zone after a 15-yard face mask penalty against S Quintin Mikell and a catch for 34 yards from Vernon Davis. The Niners couldn’t convert another first down. Michael Crabtree was running towards the sidelines as David Akers prepared for a 31-yard field goal attempt. No defender followed Crabtree and Akers passed to him for a 14-yard touchdown and a 27-10 lead.

Josh Brown again cut the deficit, this time to 14, when he scored from 48 yards.

The Niners had to punt on their next possession but Andy Lee’s ball sailed 64 yards through the air to St. Louis’ 1-yard line. Kellen Clemens made the mistake of throwing an interception and Tarell Brown returned the ball 5 yards to St. Louis’ 13-yard line. RB Kendall Hunter set up RB Anthony Dixon’s 1-yard rushing touchdown with 3 carries for 12 yards and the Niners were up by a score of 34-13.

With 6:30 minutes remaining the 49ers seemed to relax a little and allowed the Rams to get back into the game. St. Louis entered 49ers territory thanks to an unnecessary roughness call on CB Chris Culliver and moments later Kellen Clemens found Brandon Lloyd for a 36-yard touchdown.

The Rams attempted an onside kick and LB Bryan Kehl recovered the ball for St. Louis. Tarell Brown was called for pass interference on the next play, which gave the Rams a first down on San Francisco’s 1-yard line. RB Carnell Williams ran into the end zone and San Francisco’s lead was down to 34-27.

The Rams received the ball one more time but turned it over on downs and the 49ers were able to run out the clock.

Game Tidbits

Alex Smith completed 21 of 31 passes for 219 yards, 1 touchdown and a passer rating of 98.7. His passer rating of 90.7 on the season and 3,150 passing yards are a personal best.

Michael Crabtree caught 9 passes for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Vernon Davis caught 8 passes for 118 yards.

Tarell Brown had the first multi-interception game of his career.

The 49ers surrendered 100 receiving yards to Brandon Lloyd.

San Francisco converted 38% of their third downs and their only attempt on fourth down.

Both teams recorded 3 sacks.

The Niners outpossessed the Rams 35:08 minutes to 24:52 minutes.

FB Bruce Miller left the game with a knee injury, though it doesn’t appear to be too serious.

The San Francisco 49ers released their final injury report for the last game of the regular season at the St. Louis Rams. Compared to last week a few more names have been added to the list:

TE Delanie Walker (jaw) has been ruled out for the season finale. In a week we should know whether he could be available in the playoffs or if his season is over. TE Justin Peele will replace him as the number two tight end.

WR Kyle Williams sustained a concussion in last week’s game at the Seattle Seahawks and is listed as questionable. He is likely going to sit out the game at the St. Louis Rams. WR Brett Swain is expected to replace him and to start alongside WR Michael Crabtree.

WR Ted Ginn Jr. did not practice all week and is likely going to miss his second consecutive game with an ankle injury. With Kyle Williams questionable as well, S Reggie Smith is expected to return punts and RB Kendall Hunter will be responsible for returning kick-offs.

CB Chris Culliver is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury but is expected to play. CB Tramaine Brock and CB Shawntae Spencer would see more playing time if Culliver couldn’t go.

This is the third consecutive week where FB Bruce Miller is listed as questionable due to a knee injury. He played on both occasions and is expected to start tomorrow as well.

CB Carlos Rogers is suffering from a knee injury and his status for Sunday is questionable. He is not expected to miss the game and will likely start.

RILB Patrick Willis missed the last three games with a hamstring injury and is listed as questionable. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio mentioned earlier this week that Willis would play if he felt up to it. LB Larry Grant replaced Willis superbly during his absence but Willis should see a few snaps to shed off some rust before the playoffs.

St. Louis’ QB Sam Bradford (ankle) and QB A.J. Feeley (thumb) did not practice all week and are doubtful for the game against the 49ers. QB Kellen Clemens is slated for a third consecutive start. DE Chris Long is listed as questionable with an ankle injury but has yet to miss a game this season. The same injury did not keep him out of the game four weeks ago and he ended up sacking QB Alex Smith twice. LB Brady Poppinga (illness) and CB Josh Gordy (abdomen) are listed as probable and expected to play.

The 49ers released their final injury report for the second game against the Arizona Cardinals this season. There are only four players on it but each of them is listed as questionable.

RILB Patrick Willis suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s game against the St. Louis Rams and did not practice this week. It is very likely that he will miss the game on Sunday and Larry Grant will get another opportunity to show that he is more than just a special teams player.

CB Carlos Rogers didn’t practice on Wednesday due to a knee injury but was a limited participant in practice on Thursday and Friday. He is not expected to miss the game but his injury is a huge blow to the secondary, which has to face WR Larry Fitzgerald.

CB Tarell Brown is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. It’s unlikely that he will miss the game but he and Chris Culliver could take turns covering WR Early Doucet. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Chris Culliver even got the start.

WR Braylon Edwards’ status is still unchanged but unlike last week he is expected to suit up for the game. With a banged-up secondary the Niners will likely activate CB Shawntae Spencer, which would place WR Brett Swain among the inactives again. Braylon Edwards may not start but he could see limited action.

The Arizona Cardinals listed S Kerry Rhodes (foot), TE Todd Heap (hamstring) and LB Joey Porter (knee) as questionable. Rhodes will likely miss his eighth consecutive game this season. Todd Heap is expected to be sidelined and has been a non-factor even when he was active this season. Joey Porter could return to action for the first time in seven weeks, though he lost his starting job to Sam Acho. RB Beanie Wells (knee, hamstring) and P Dave Zastudil (biceps) are listed as probable and ready to go.

The San Francisco 49ers released their final injury report for the game against the St. Louis Rams. FB Bruce Miller’s status has been upgraded to probable but WR Braylon Edwards' availability is in jeopardy.

Braylon Edwards is listed as questionable with the knee injury that forced him to miss four games earlier this season, though he is suffering from a shoulder injury as well. It is very likely the 49ers are true to their word and give Edwards some rest with a potential postseason looming. WR Ted Ginn Jr. and WR Kyle Williams would see extended playing time in Edward’s absence. WR Brett Swain would be activated as the fourth receiver.

RB Frank Gore (ankle), FB Bruce Miller (concussion), RG Adam Snyder (hamstring), CB Chris Culliver (shoulder) and RT Anthony Davis are all listed as probable. They all participated full in Friday’s practice with the exception of Frank Gore, who was a limited participant.

The St. Louis Rams listed DT Justin Bannan (shoulder), SS Darian Stewart (head), QB Sam Bradford (ankle) and DE Chris Long (ankle) as questionable but it looks like they intend to start Sam Bradford on Sunday. P Donnie Jones (ankle), OLB Chris Chamberlain (hamstring), CB Justin King (ankle) and FB Brit Miller are listed as probable.        

The San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals match up for an NFC West showdown in week 11, San Francisco’s second divisional game of the season. The 49ers beat the New York Giants 27-20 last Sunday, while the Arizona Cardinals upset the Philadelphia Eagles 21-17 in a week when the NFC West had a perfect 4-0 record. This is the 40^th time that both teams meet in the regular season. The Niners lead the series 23-16 and won the last four meetings. The last game between the two sides took place on 2 January 2011, when the 49ers beat the Cardinals 38-7 at home.

There are some injury concerns surrounding RB Frank Gore (knee) and CB Tarell Brown (knee). Gore was suffering from an ankle injury and sustained a knee injury in last week’s game against the New York Giants, which caused him to miss most of the second half. He wants to play, and he wants to compile yards to pass Joe Perry as the franchise rushing leader, but the sensible thing is to rest him as much as possible, especially with another game due on Thanksgiving Day. Frank Gore will start but RB Kendall Hunter should see a similar amount of carries. There is still no word on Tarell Brown’s availability, as he is listed as questionable with a knee injury. CB Chris Culliver will likely start if Brown can’t go. I would expect a three-man rotation, including CB Shawntae Spencer, if Tarell Brown is available. LE Ray McDonald is still listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury but this is not going to jeopardize his start.

The Arizona Cardinals will be without OLB Joey Porter (knee) and FS Kerry Rhodes (foot). TE Todd Heap (hamstring) and QB Kevin Kolb (toe) are listed as questionable but are highly unlikely to play. RB Beanie Wells (knee), T Brandon Keith (knee) and ILB Paris Lenon (groin) are also listed as questionable but are expected to play.

The Cardinals entered the season with high expectations, only to see their dreams crushed after losing six of their first seven games. Interestingly enough, the Cardinals won their last two games with backup QB John Skelton behind center. His and Arizona’s success depends on how well he clicks with WR Larry Fitzgerald and frankly, who says there is no permanent starting job to be won? Apart from some inaccuracies John Skelton played very well in Kevin Kolb’s absence. Arizona’s rushing offense is struggling and nagging injuries to Beanie Wells are not helping. Their offensive line is one of the worst in the league and allowed 31 sacks in 9 games. DE Calais Campbell (5), ILB Daryl Washington (3) and OLB Sam Acho (3) are the team leaders in sacks. Rookie CB Patrick Peterson and CB Richard Marshall lead the team with 2 interceptions apiece.

Keys to Success

This is the perfect game where the offense won’t have to rely on a dominant ground game.

Involve TE Vernon Davis in the passing offense.

Penetrate the opposing offensive line.

Put Aldon Smith on John Skelton.

Focus on Larry Fitzgerald. Double cover him if necessary to shut down the pass offense.

Don’t let Patrick Peterson get away on punt returns.

Probable Starters

Offense: QB Alex Smith, RB Frank Gore, FB Bruce Miller, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Michael Crabtree, TE Vernon Davis, LT Joe Staley, LG Mike Iupati, C Jonathan Goodwin, RG Adam Snyder, RT Anthony Davis.

Defense: LE Ray McDonald, DT Isaac Sopoaga, RE Justin Smith, LOLB Ahmad Brooks, LILB NaVorro Bowman, RILB Patrick Willis, ROLB Parys Haralson, LCB Carlos Rogers, SS Donte Whitner, FS Dashon Goldson, RCB Chris Culliver.

Prediction

San Francisco 49ers v Arizona Cardinals 25-17