Spikes hopes to return from injury Sunday

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif.(AP) — San Francisco linebacker Takeo Spikes
hopes to return from a hamstring injury for the 49ers’ home game
Sunday against Jacksonville.

Spikes missed last week’s 30-24 loss at Green Bay and was
replaced by Matt Wilhelm. Spikes strained his left hamstring
just before halftime of a win over the Chicago Bears on Nov. 12
and hasn’t played since.

“Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow,” Spikes said of
how he feels. “I’m very optimistic, the same way I was last
week, that I felt I was going to do everything possible to play.
It will be pretty much the same, a game-time decision. It’s just
frustrating being on the sidelines. You see stuff happen before
it even happens.”

Spikes said his rehab varies by the day. He did some running
before Sunday’s loss at Green Bay and said that’s not a concern.

“He is coming along,” coach Mike Singletary said. “We are
hopeful, but we don’t know that yet. It will be a game-time
decision.”

Singletary said the rest of the players on the Niners’ lengthy
injury list should be ready to go by Sunday for San Francisco
(4-6), which has lost four of its last five and could seriously
use a win to keep its slim playoff hopes alive.

Starting left guard David Baas left Sunday’s game in the first
quarter with a right ankle sprain, but it isn’t a high ankle
sprain as the team first thought.

“He is a lot better than we anticipated,” Singletary said.

Left tackle Joe Staley, nursing a sprained right knee he hurt
during San Francisco’s 18-14 loss at Indianapolis on Nov. 1, is
optimistic he will be back nearly on schedule – with the goal of
playing in a Monday night game against division rival Arizona on
Dec. 14. The team said he would likely miss a month and a half.

Staley, who said the swelling has nearly subsided, has regained
range of motion in his knee and is working now to strengthen the
knee and regain stability.

“Everything is progressing really well,” Staley said. “I haven’t
set a date yet but the goal is the Monday night game against
Arizona. I’m healing fairly well. I’ve always been a fast
healer.”

Getting Staley back would be a big boost for the 49ers’
struggling offensive line, which has been inconsistent all
season. In June, San Francisco rewarded Staley with a six-year
contract extension.

Cornerback Nate Clements broke his right shoulder blade the same
day Staley was injured and was expected to miss six to eight
weeks. He is still using a sling for about another week.

Clements still believes he will return this season, but isn’t
sure when that might be.

“I’m progressing,” he said. “Right now I’m just doing what the
doctors and trainers want me to do. Only time will tell.”

Singletary also is leaning toward at least one lineup change
against the Jaguars: starting Dre’ Bly at the left cornerback
spot in place of Tarell Brown.

Brown struggled to tackle against the Packers, which could have
prompted the 49ers to consider making the change.

“Coach has the final decision and I have to run with it,” Brown
said. “At the end of the day, we all want to win. The most
important thing is to get us a ‘W.’ I’m not a selfish guy.”

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