49ers' tight end Vernon Davis is thought of highly by his teammates, who claim he is a hard-worker and a good guy both on and off the field. "Whenever you're in here on Monday and you're watching the game film, you see extra effort plays from him," quarterback Shaun Hill said. "He's not a prima donna out there. There's been times when he's been asked to block great defensive ends one on one in pass protection. And he's done it. There's not many tight ends in this league that you can ask to do that." Frank Gore, who gets frustrated from time-to-time with the team's offense, concurs with Hill. "He's just so competitive," Gore said. "He just wants to make plays. And it hasn't happened yet and it's frustrating. I told him, 'You know, you just have to keep doing what you're doing. And one thing you're doing is blocking your behind off.' It'll come."

49ers' coach Mike Singletary explained on Friday why he dropped his pants in front of the team at halftime of their loss to the Seahawks last Sunday. "The only point I was tying to make is 'Guys, this is what's happening on the field,' " Singletary said on a radio show Friday. "There are a lot of different words to express it ... there are a lot different things to try and get it across. But I've only got so much time [at halftime]. "I'm just telling you this is what I see happening out there -- we're getting our tails kicked, we need to figure out a different way, let's go out there and get it done."

Cowboys' tight end Jason Witten still hasn't been ruled out against the New York Giants even after missing practice again Friday with a broken rib. "He does everything right in practice; that's why he doesn't need to practice as much," Coach Wade Phillips said, leading many to believe that he could very well play. Witten is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game.

The Packers signed first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a contract extension through the 2014 season on Friday, according to an Associated Press report.

Rams' running back Steven Jackson hopes to return this weekend against the Cardinals after missing a game because of a thigh injury. "I'm practicing to play, if that tells you anything," Jackson said Thursday. St. Louis Coach Jim Haslett believes Jackson has a 50-50 shot to play on Sunday. "I think he's going to be a game-time decision, but he worked a little bit today," Haslett said. "I know he feels a lot better."

Lions' defensive coordinator Joe Barry contends that the team's Tampa 2 defense isn't the reason for their dismal performance thus far. "If the defense is played right, and if we play it properly and we keep the ball inside and in front of us like we are supposed to, and if we make tackles like we are supposed to, and if the guy coming in off the outside edge makes a sack like he is supposed to," Barry said. "Those are not things that the offense is catching up. Those are us not paying attention to detail. That is us not doing things right all the time. And when we do that, we play better."

Titans' defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth doesn't think the Packers are the same team without Brett Favre. "I had my helmet and stuff ready for him to sign, and now he is not going to be there," Haynesworth said of meeting Favre. "I'll definitely be bringing that Green Bay helmet when we play the Jets."

Dallas owner Jerry Jones believes that quarterback Brad Johnson, who has struggled, gives the team their best chance to win this weekend. "Our best chance is to have him," Jones said Thursday of the 40-year-old. There have been reports that the Cowboys will replace Johnson with Brooks Bollinger at the first sign of trouble this Sunday. "No, I don't see that," Jones said. "That would not be fair to our ability to win the game. We have got a guy who has years and years of making decisions here. We have every reason to believe he can make decisions and make the throws to win this game for us."

Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb believes that the team can follow in the footsteps of the Phillies and bring a World Championship home to the city of Philadelphia. "We have an opportunity to get to that," McNabb said. "The only thing we can do at this particular point is take one game at a time, do our jobs and let the chips fall where they may." The Eagles insist that the Phillies' victory hasn't placed additional pressure on them to bring home a title. "Since I?ve been here I?ve been a part of the Sixers in a championship series," McNabb said. "Unfortunately they didn?t win. We were part of the Super Bowl and we didn?t win. The Flyers were one series away from the championship this last year. So I?ve seen people kind of get close and just be that far away from winning. And now I?ve seen a team from Philly win the whole thing. "I?m very happy for them. You work extremely hard to get that goal and when you finally get a chance to accomplish it, it?s not only a big-time feeling for you, but for your teammates. And obviously, as you can see here in Philadelphia, it?s a major thing. The fans deserve it with everything that they?ve been going through."

The Patriots are focusing on tight end Dallas Clark heading into their battle with the Colts on Sunday night. During New England's last meeting with Indianapolis, safety Rodney Harrison was in charge of covering Clark, but he's currently on the injured reserve. With Harrison out, Adalius Thomas might be assigned coverage duty on Clark in Week Nine. "Rodney is a great player and he definitely gives a big lift for their defense. They always say 'next guy in,' but I think just on this side of the fence, I think Rodney's a tough guy for them to replace," Clark said during a conference call. "He brought so much to their defense, so much versatility and just that toughness the defense always shows, so I think he allowed them to do a lot of different things." Pats' coach Bill Belichick wouldn't reveal any specific plans for Clark, but appeared worried about a number of targets. "There are plenty of concerns with Dallas Clark. There are concerns about everybody - Clark, (Marvin) Harrison, (Reggie) Wayne, (Anthony) Gonzalez and (Joseph) Addai. It is about team defense; you can?t double everybody," Belichick said. "You can?t set your defense to stop everybody; they have too many good players. In the course of playing good team defense there will be a lot of different people that will have a lot of different responsibilities all the way through the course of the game."