Scouting Report: 49ers at Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- After a week off to rest and plan, the Falcons return to action Sunday at the Georgia Dome against an old division foe -- the San Francisco 49ers.

The game hasn't created much national buzz but it's very important to both teams on the field especially the Falcons, who came back to the locker room Monday with some pep in their steps and renewed focus on the nine games left in the regular season.

Quarterback Joey Harrington said the team used the time off to focus on the small problems that occured in the first half of the season.

"Last year in Miami we started 1-5 and I think by Thanksgiving we were .500," he said. "It's very possible especially on this team because, with the exception of the New York game, there hasn't been a game that we've been out of. We've had a chance to win every game.

"It's not like we were trying to make huge strides in one week off. We just needed to regroup."

The 49ers started 2007 2-0 but have spiraled quickly downward in the midst of a five-game losing streak.

"They're kind of down right now," Falcons wide receiver Roddy White said. "We've been losing but we're coming off the (bye) week so we're fresh and ready to go. We're going to go out there, try to take advantage and try to get a win."

ON THE GROUND: The Falcons spent plenty of time this week preparing for 49ers running back Frank Gore -- a bowling ball of a tailback that ran straight through opposing defenses last season on his way to an NFC-high 1,695 rushing yards.

"The first thing we have to be able to do is slow down or stop Frank Gore," Head Coach Bobby Petrino said Wednesday of the 223-pound running back. "He's a very good running back. I've been impressed with the way he keeps running hard and his ability to bounce plays and go down the sideline. He gives you a couple different things you have to be concerned about."

Gore's numbers are down this season, but he's still the obvious leader in San Francisco's running game. Through seven games the three-year veteran has rushed for 435 yards -- 70.6 percent of the team's total rushing output.

"The one thing that is very consistent on their offense is Gore," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "He doesn't have as many yards as he did last year but a lot of that is because they've been behind. His strength is inside the tackles and he has great vision inside the tackles and gets every yard he can get on every run."

In their five-game losing streak the 49ers have been outscored 133-51. San Francisco has also made an unfortunate habit of falling behind early, getting outscored 99-30 in the first half. Getting a big lead is one way to remove a running threat from an offense. Teams have also loaded up the box on San Francisco, committing as many as eight players to the line of scrimmage to stop Gore.

Petrino has made no secret of the Falcons' need to improve in the running game.

Warrick Dunn and Jerious Norwood have combined for 564 rushing yards this season. Dunn has gotten the tough yards. Norwood, with his 5.8-yard per carry average, has been the home run hitter. The duo has combined for just two touchdowns, however.

"Offensively, our concern continues to be our ability to run the ball," Petrino said. "We have to establish the run and be able to throw from there.”

The Falcons rank 25th in the league in total rushing yards and average a little less than 2-yards more per game than the 49ers (88.0). The Falcons have stayed more balance between the run and the pass, however, as the 49ers have thrown the ball nearly 60 percent of the time thus far.

THROUGH THE AIR: The 49ers have been forced to throw the ball out of necessity this season, leaning heavily on the arm -- and injured shoulder -- of quarterback Alex Smith. Smith missed two games with a separated throwing shoulder, but returned to the lineup last week.

He said doctors decided not to surgically repair the injury, opting to let it heal on its own. That means he's sore, but getting better with each passing week. He said Wednesday in a conference call with Atlanta media that he is "learning to deal with" the recovery and how it sometimes alters his throwing motion.

In his first game back last week -- a 31-10 loss to New Orleans -- Smith went 22-of-43 for 190 yards and a touchdown.

He has several targets with attractive resumes, including former Falcons wide receiver Ashley Lelie, who is listed behind Darrell Jackson (216 receiving yards and one touchdown) on the team's depth chart. Smith said the team continues to explore options to get Lelie the ball down field. In the meantime, he's hitting leading receiver Arnaz Battle (24 catches and two touchdowns).

San Francisco also has a high first-round pick playing tight end in Vernon Davis, who caught his first touchdown of the season last week.

But it's not necessarily Smith's throwing ability that concerns the Falcons.

"Alex Smith is coming back," Petrino said. "Sometimes in your first game back you don’t execute as well as you normally do. He’s always a concern not only because of his throwing ability, but because he’s a runner. He was a runner in college and a runner last year so we have to be able to keep him in the pocket. Those will be the things our defense will have to do. They do a lot of shifting, motion and window dressing before they really get set and run plays. We have to be on top of that defensively."

The Falcons quarterback is Harrington, who stepped in for an injured Byron Leftwich in the team's last game.

Petrino said Harrington's preparation has been focused and intense considering the 49ers unique mix of 3-4, 4-3 and nickel defenses led by rookie sensation Patrick Willis (58 solo tackles) and Pro Bowl cornerbacks Walt Harris and Nate Clements guarding against the pass.

"Joey has done a good job," Petrino said Thursday. "He's prepared well. He understands their package. They're going to probably throw a lot of blitzes at us so he's got a good understanding of what they're doing. I think he's been sharp and really into it."

"You certainly have to prepare for (a 3-4 defense) differently," the coach added. "I think that's what helps us with the extra time. With the bye that helps a lot because there are certain rules that change. It will be interesting to see how they come and play us. Last week they didn't play any 3-4. They played mainly all nickel. They did the same thing to Seattle. They've kind of been going back and forth between a 3-4 package and a nickel package. That makes us prepare for both."

SPECIALTIES: San Francisco punter Andy Lee leads the league with 48 punts. He's also leading the NFL with 2,085 net yards and is the only punter with more than 2,000 net punting yards this season.

In the field goal game, the 49ers lean on veteran Joe Nedney. The left-footed kicker played in just one game from 2003-2004 until signing with the 49ers in 2005. He's had a bit of a career resurrection by the Bay, connecting on 63 of 72 field goals since 2005. He's made eight of nine attempts in 2007.

In 11 seasons Nedney has made 78.5 percent of his field goal attempts.

The Falcons counter with 25-year veteran Morten Andersen, who has 62 career field goals against the 49ers.

SHUFFLING THE CARDS: Injuries have forced the Falcons into a few changes along the offensive line this season. The shuffle continues this week as second-year tackle Quinn Ojinnaka gets set to replace undrafted rookie Renardo Foster at left tackle.

Foster was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament two weeks ago.

• RELATED: Ojinnaka studying film in preparation for first start

Rookie defensive tackle Trey Lewis will also get a start on defense -- the first of his career. A mid-week injury to Montavious Stanley led the Falcons to look for a little help on the defensive line and the team signed defensive tackle Tim Anderson on Wednesday.

Other injuries affect tight end Alge Crumpler, linebacker Stephen Nicholas and tackle Todd Weiner.

Crumpler missed the Saints game and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.

"It would certainly help," Petrino said when asked if Crumpler would be back in the lineup. "We’ve got the ball in his hands a number of times and I think he has 19 catches. We’d love to have him back."

• RELATED: Falcons-49ers injury report

TALE OF THE TAPE: Some stats to consider as the Falcons prepare for the 49ers.

NUMBERS, NOTES AND COLORS: Some digits, tidbits and hues to ponder for the 49ers game...

• The Falcons will wear red jerseys Sunday.
• The 49ers lead the overall series between these two clubs 44-26-1. The Falcons won the last meeting in 2004.
• In the last year of the Falcons-49ers division rivalry (2001), both games came went to overtime. The 49ers won both.
• White is on pace for the first 1,200-yard receiving season of his career.
• The Falcons offensive line tips the scales at 1,561 total pounds.
• With 444 more rushing yards, Dunn will move into second place on the Falcons career rushing list, passing William Andrews
• The Falcons are plus-20 in the takeaway/giveaway differential over the last 10 years (fourth-best in the NFC).
• The 49ers have 10 team captains -- one for each position group. They meet weekly with head coach Mike Nolan.
• Sixty percent of the 49ers roster is made up of the team's draft picks dating back to 1994 (Bryant Young).
• The Falcons have 26 players on the roster acquired from the draft or rookie free agency.