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          NFL Nation

          Bye comes at perfect time for wounded 49ers

          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterOct 24, 2014, 01:00 PM ET
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          Jim Harbaugh’s instructions and hopes for his San Francisco 49ers team as it broke in Santa Clara this week for the much-needed bye?

          “I want them to enjoy their families, enjoy their children if they have them, play with their kids and come back mentally stronger, physically stronger,” Harbaugh said in the wake of last weekend’s 42-17 blowout loss at the Denver Broncos. “We resume next Monday.”

          Truly, the bye could not have come at a better time for the Niners, who are 4-3 and in second place in the NFC West, behind the Arizona Cardinals (5-1) and ahead of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks (3-3).

          Sure, everyone has bumps and bruises, aches and pains in the course of a 16-games-in-17-weeks season. It just seems as though the 49ers were hit with an unusual rash of injuries before the season’s unofficial midway point.

          At Denver, the 49ers were without All-Pro inside linebacker Patrick Willis, who injured a toe six days earlier at the St. Louis Rams, cornerback Chris Culliver, who tweaked a hamstring in practice, rookie defensive back Jimmie Ward, who strained a quadriceps against the Rams, and left guard Mike Iupati, who had not passed the NFL’s concussion protocol.

          Then the Niners lost cornerback Chris Cook to a hamstring injury against the Broncos and center Daniel Kilgore for the season with a broken left ankle.

          Plus, tight end Vernon Davis does not appear to be fully healed after suffering knee, ankle and back injuries, cornerback Tramaine Brock was playing for the first time since the season opener on Sept. 7, when he sprained a toe at the Dallas Cowboys, and right tackle Anthony Davis was also playing in just his second game due to injury.

          “I think it’s rough, as far as injuries this year,” Davis said. “It’s been tough for us, but we can’t blame it on the injuries. We still have to play. We have guys that can back certain guys up and we believe in them. We just have to take it one game at a time and put it all together.”

          Besides, reinforcements are on the way in short order. Or, at least, they should be.

          And in how much better shape would the 49ers be in with a healthy roster?

          “That’s something we can’t worry about,” free safety Eric Reid said. “It’s a hypothetical situation that isn’t real right now. No matter what the situation is, we’ve got to go out there and play.”

          Still, Aldon Smith’s nine-game suspension is reportedly under consideration to be shortened for good behavior, meaning he could return to bolster the linebacker corps before the Niners’ game at the New York Giants on Nov. 16.

          NaVorro Bowman continues his rehab from last year’s left knee injury in the NFC title game, and the team has always targeted around the midway point for his return. Nose tackle Glenn Dorsey, on the Injured Reserve/Designated to Return list with his left biceps injury suffered in camp, is allowed to return after Week 8 at the earliest, though he has yet to practice.

          Plus, running back Marcus Lattimore is expected to begin practicing after the bye.

          Of course, tough roster decisions will have to be made once the injured are healthy enough to return to reinvigorate the team.

          The schedule also figures to lend the Niners a helping hand after the bye as their first seven opponents -- Dallas, Chicago, Arizona, Philadelphia, Kansas City, St. Louis and Denver – have a combined record of 30-15 (.667) after the Broncos’ victory Thursday night against San Diego. None of their next seven opponents -- St. Louis, New Orleans, the New York Giants, Washington, Seattle, Oakland and Seattle again -- currently has a winning record and they are a cumulative 15-29 (.385), before the Niners close with home games against San Diego (5-3) and Arizona (5-1).

          So while the bye could not have come at a better time for the Niners, who have given up touchdowns on opening drives in each of their past three games and are 1 Eagles yard away from being 3-4 rather than 4-3, they no doubt are looking forward to getting things rolling again next week with a home game against the Rams.

          “I expect us,” Davis said, “with the group of guys that we have, with so much talent, I expect us to win every week.”