ESPN Search

Bill from Kalispell, Mont., asked during the NFC West chat why the St. Louis Rams wouldn't sign New York Giants restricted free agent Victor Cruz to an offer sheet. "If you think the Rams will use one of their first-round picks on a WR, why not si...

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 6: All about third down. The San Francisco 49ers' offense took considerable criticism after converting just once on 13 third-down plays against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. The 49ers' defen...

Steven Jackson, Justin Smith, Larry Fitzgerald and CenturyLink Field came to mind when discussing NFC West "bests" with Dave Benz on 680 KNBR in San Francisco on Monday. They've made available the audio. I didn't have a firm answer when asked t...

There's little sense in taking the bait when San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh tells a radio program Michael Crabtree "has the best hands I've ever seen on a wide receiver." Anyone with a strong grasp of NFL history would place Cris Carter, R...

There will be no alleged "Madden 13" cover jinx for the NFC West. Patrick Willis, the final representative from the division, fell to Cam Newton by a 53-47 percentage margin in the semifinals. The fact that Calvin Johnson obliterated Aaron Rodg...

The NFC West has gone about as far as it's likely to go in "Madden 13" cover balloting. The San Francisco 49ers' Patrick Willis has knocked off Matt Forte, Maurice Jones-Drew and Victor Cruz to reach the semifinals, where Cam Newton stands in his ...

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis routinely cuts down running backs in the open field. Willis has likewise taken out two top backs in the "Madden 13" cover competition, joining fellow NFC West icon Larry Fitzgerald in the final eight d...

A confusing judgment call favoring the New York Giants enabled their comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. Was Giants receiver Victor Cruz really down when he lost the football late in the game? A fumble in that situation likely w...

Greg from Seattle thought Victor Cruz's first-quarter non-fumble in the Super Bowl, rendered irrelevant by a penalty for 12 men on the field, resembled the forward-progress call involving Ahmad Bradshaw that hurt San Francisco during the 49ers' game...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Back in Week 5, the New York Giants trailed the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter when Victor Cruz reached out with one hand to snag a deflected pass for a 68-yard touchdown. The go-ahead scoring play came under circumstances ...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Yes, it's cold here in central Indiana. But not NFL scouting combine cold. The weather for Super Bowl week is exactly freezing at present, with moderate winds adding bite to the winter air, but I've felt a much colder chill while s...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Notes and observations from San Francisco 49ers headquarters one day after the season ended with a 20-17 overtime defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game: That was Jim Harbaugh, not the 16th century priva...

Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 20-17 defeat to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park: What it means: The 49ers missed a chance to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLVI thanks largely to two critical miscues in t...

SAN FRANCISCO -- A few quick thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers as they head to halftime trailing the New York Giants 10-7 in the NFC Championship Game: The 49ers' pass rush is the key to the second half. San Francisco isn't getting enough press...

SAN FRANCISCO -- The New York Giants' Eli Manning led the NFL this season with 18 pass completions covering at least 40 yards. The San Francisco 49ers' defense, though among the very best in most key statistical categories, gave up 12 of these pla...

The leaping grab Hakeem Nicks made in the end zone for the New York Giants stood as a pivotal moment in their postseason victory over the 15-1 Green Bay Packers last week. Vernon Davis was the one making impressive catches for the San Francisco 49...