The 49ers travel to Atlanta to face another former NFC West rival as they battle the Falcons. San Francisco leads the series 44-27-1 and has outscored Atlanta 1,748 to 1,216 in the series. The 49ers have won three of the last four contests with the Falcons last defeating San
Francisco 21-19 in 2004.
Schedule
11/1 - 11:15-1:15 p.m. practice...1:15-2 p.m. locker room open for player interviews.
11/2 - 11-12:30 p.m. practice...Media availability after practice...Team travels to Atlanta.
11/3 - Walk-thru (closed to media).
11/4 - 10:00 a.m. (PST) kickoff vs. Atlanta.
SAMSUNG 49ERS RADIO NETWORK
The 49ers-Falcons game can be heard on the Samsung 49ers Radio Network. Locally, the game can be heard on KNBR 680 AM and KSAN 107.7 FM. Joe Starkey returns to handle the play-by-play. He is joined in the booth by former San Francisco linebacker Gary Plummer, who provides color commentary and game analysis. Rod Brooks will handle sideline duties.
SPANISH RADIO
The San Francisco 49ers will broadcast games on two Spanish language stations KIQI Radio 1010 in San Francisco and KATD 990 in Sacramento. Broadcast duties will be held by Spanish sports announcers Ambrosio Rico, Jose Castro and Alex Vasquez. Rico will be calling play by plays with Castro and Vasquez adding color commentary. Both broadcasters have extensive experience announcing NFL games in Spanish.
TELEVISION
The game will be televised on FOX with a scheduled 10:00 a.m. PST kickoff from Atlanta, GA. Matt Vasgersian and JC Pearson are in the booth.
OFFENSIVE STARTERS
WR Arnaz Battle is tied for the team lead with 24 catches for 238 yards and has three touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving) on the season.
WR Darrell Jackson is second on the team with 18 catches for 216 yards and one touchdown. LT Jonas Jennings has played a key role with the team since joining the 49ers in the 2005 off-season from the Buffalo Bills.
LG Larry Allen signed with San Francisco in the 2006 off-season and brought his future Hall of Fame credentials to the team. He has been selected to 11 Pro Bowls and named an All-Pro seven times.
C Eric Heitmann was voted by his teammates as the 2006 Bobb McKittrick Award winner given to the top lineman on the team. He has started all seven games on the season.
RG Justin Smiley started against the New Orleans Saints (10-28-07) and has been instrumental in the team's 616 rushing yards on the year.
RT Joe Staley is a first-round pick from Central Michigan that won the starting right tackle job after a strong training camp. In college, he saw action in 46 games with 39 starts and became the first player in Central Michigan history to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.
TE Vernon Davis has 18 catches for 176 yards on the season. He had a career-high six receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown against New Orleans (10-28-07).
RB Frank Gore leads the team with 110 rushes for 435 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks third on the team with 15 receptions for 125 yards.
FB Moran Norris has been a key contributor at fullback since joining the team as a free agent in the 2006 offseason. He also has played a role on special teams blocking a punt against the New York Giants (10-21-07) which led to a safety.
QB Alex Smith started five games of the season, completing 65-of-127 passes for 651 yards and two touchdowns. He returned from a shoulder injury to start against the New Orleans Saints (10-28-07).
DEFENSIVE STARTERS
UT Bryant Young leads the team with 4.0 sacks and has 28 tackles on the season. He had three sacks against the St. Louis Rams (9-16-07).
NT Aubrayo Franklin is a big, active lineman with good balance and technique. He has started the first seven games of the season and has 30 tackles.
DE Marques Douglas has been impressive in the first seven games, notching 2.5 sacks and leading the defensive line with 48 tackles.
LB Tully Banta-Cain has started has amassed 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
LB Derek Smith ranks second on the team with 61 tackles and has one fumble recovery and one interception on the year. He is on pace for 139 tackles.
LB Patrick Willis has been one of the top rookie defenders in the NFL, leading the team with 94 tackles. He has also forced one fumble on the season and has had double digit tackles in the first seven games.
LB Parys Haralson started the team's last two contests and has 17 tackles (10 solo) on the year.
CB Nate Clements has been a welcome addition both on and off the field. A physical player, Clements has 40 tackles, a team leading seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and one interception on the season. He has continually been matched up against the opposing team's top receiver and has performed at a high level.
CB Walt Harris has 43 tackles on the season and is tied for the team lead with an interception that he picked off on the first series against Arizona (9-10-07).
FS Mark Roman is a physical presence in the secondary with 39 tackles and three passes defensed.
SS Michael Lewis leads the secondary with 58 tackles,
one sack, one forced fumble and three passes defensed.
Coaching Connections
49ers offensive line coach George Warhop was the offensive coordinator for the London Monarchs (WFL) in 1991 when Falcons offensive coordinator Hue Jackson coached the running backs, wide receivers, and special teams there...49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky coached the linebackers for the Redskins in 2001 when Jackson coached the running backs there...Manusky was a linebacker for the Redskins in 1988 when Falcons strength and conditioning coach Billy Johnson was a wide receiver there...Manusky was a linebacker for the Chiefs in 1999 when Falcons tight ends coach Keith Rowen coached the tight ends there...Manusky was a linebacker for the Redskins from 1988-90 when Falcons defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas coached the secondary there...49ers running backs coach Bishop Harris coached the running backs for the Raiders in 1997 when Falcons quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave coached the quarterbacks there...Harris also coached with Falcons tight ends coach Keith Rowan in 1997 when Rowan coached the offensive line there...Quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti Jr. was an offensive assistant with the Chiefs in 1999 when Rowan was the tight ends coach there...Offensive line coach George Warhop coached the offensive line for the Cowboys from 2003-04 when Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was the defensive coordinator there.
Former Falcons
WR Ashley Lelie played for Atlanta in 2006
Former 49ers
QB coach Bill Musgrave was a quarterback with San Francisco from 1991-94...Offensive assistant Andy Sugarman was an offensive assistant/quality control coach with San Francisco from 1998-02...T Harvey Dahl played with San Francisco in 2006 and was on the practice squad in 2005.
49ers Georgia Connections
CB Walt Harris is a native of LaGrange, GA...T Jonas Jennings is a native of College Park, GA and attended Georgia University...G Justin Smiley is a native of Ellabel, GA.
Falcons California Connections
Offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is a native of Los Angeles, CA and played at the University of the Pacific... Jackson also had coaching stints at UOP (1897-89), Cal State-Fullerton (1990), UC-Berkeley (1996), and USC (1997-00)...TE coach Keith Rowen played at Stanford and had coaching stints at Stanford (1975-76) and Long Beach State (1977-78)...offensive assistant Andy Sugarman is a native of San Francisco, CA and attended UC-Berkeley and had a coaching stint there (1990-97)...Defensive line coach Kevin Wolthausen is a native of Santa Barbara, CA and played at Santa Barbara City College and Humboldt State. Wolthausen also had coaching stints at Cal State-Northridge (1980), Humboldt State (1980-82), and USC (1987-92)...WR Adam Jennings is a native of Granite Bay, CA and played at Fresno State.
49ers Falcons Player Connections
49ers DT Ronald Fields played at Mississippi State with Falcons RB Jerious Norwood...49ers LB Jeff Ulbrich played at Hawaii with Falcons G Kynan Forney...49ers S Keith Lewis played at Oregon with Falcons QB Joey Harrington...49ers QB Shaun Hill played at Maryland with Falcons CB Lewis Sanders...49ers S Mark Roman played at LSU with Falcons C Todd McClure...49ers WR Darrell Jackson and Falcons WR Michael Jenkins are both natives of Tampa, FL.