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Seahawks lose DT Mebane for season
November 11, 2014
RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane will miss the rest of the season for the Seattle Seahawks after being placed on injured reserve following a hamstring injury in a win over the New York Giants.
The roster move was announced Tuesday. Fox Sports first reported that Mebane suffered a torn hamstring. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Mebane's injury was really ''legit'' but the team was waiting for additional test results.
Mebane was hurt during the first half of Seattle's 38-17 win.
Mebane's loss is a blow to Seattle's run defense, which ranks fourth in the league at 79.8 yards per game. While his stats don't jump out, Mebane's ability to clog running lanes and control blockers has allowed Seattle's linebackers to step up and stop ball carries.
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Dolphins not biting over quote by Bills
November 11, 2014
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - The Miami Dolphins are taking the high road following comments by Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who says he is certain the Bills will win when the teams play Thursday night.
Some of Miami's players said they were unaware when asked about McKelvin's comments that he ''ain't going to lose no sleep, man. I'm just going to take (myself) home, put myself to sleep and get ready to play the Dolphins and beat (them), point blank, period.''
Wide receiver Mike Wallace cracked a smile and acknowledged that he heard about the comments.
''We've got to line up Thursday anyway, man, so whatever you say it is what is,'' said Wallace, who leads the Dolphins with 40 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns. ''We'll be out there on Thursday night. I ain't got no time for that. ... We're not worried about that, man. That's lightweight. We're not worried about that.''
But when he was asked to rate the Bills secondary, Wallace kept the compliments to a minimum.
''They're all right,'' he said. ''They're cool. They've got some fast guys, physical safeties but we'll be all right.''
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was aware of what McKelvin said, but insisted he didn't see a need to trade words through the media.
And center Samson Satele hinted that McKelvin's words probably got Wallace and the other receivers ''more geeked up.''
''You don't want to hear that,'' Satele said. ''I don't get too much into it but if a defensive tackle said that I wouldn't like that at all, so it's a challenge and I think Mike Wallace and Brian (Hartline) and (Jarvis Landry) and Rishard (Matthews), they're up for it. I can't wait to watch that matchup.''
Buffalo has won four of the past five games between the division rivals, including a 29-10 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Week 2. Tannehill said he's tired of losing to the Bills.
''We didn't put it up on the board or anything but we're aware of what's been said,'' Tannehill said. ''It's just a matter of going out and playing well. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what you say during the week, it matters how you play in this case on Thursday.''
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Small wide receivers making big impact
November 11, 2014
PITTSBURGH (AP) - The NFL's leading receiver - the one taken in the sixth round of the 2010 draft as an unknown, undersized project - would like to have a word.
''I'm not a little guy,'' Antonio Brown says.
Point out that at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds the frenetic Pittsburgh Steelers star is hardly considered an NFL prototype, and Brown shrugs.
''I'm not a little guy,'' he repeats.
And the scouts who figured he was a fringe prospect at best four years ago, favoring the likes of Marcus Easley, Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, all 6-2 or taller, all no longer in the league?
''They made a mistake,'' Brown said with a smile.
You think?
Freed by a crackdown on illegal contact in the secondary, bolstered by creative sets designed to get him in open space and emboldened by a chip on his shoulder that never seems to go away, Brown is spearheading a mini-revolution at his position.
Scooch over Calvin Johnson. Make room Julio Jones. Hold up there A.J. Green and Dez Bryant, you've got company.
Midway through 2014, the NFL's most electric playmakers are the guys whose modest frames belie big-time numbers.
After 10 weeks of play, Brown's 70 receptions and 1,070 yards receiving are tops in the league and his eight touchdowns are tied for fourth. Brown's childhood buddy T.Y. Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts - generously listed at 5-9 - is third in yards and sixth in yards per catch.
They're not alone. Seven of the top 11 players in yards receiving are under 6 feet tall.
Emmanuel Sanders (5-11) is developing into Peyton Manning's favorite target in Denver. Golden Tate (5-10) has become so explosive the Lions are soaring even with Johnson - Megatron himself - struggling to stay healthy. Julian Edelman (5-10) is Wes Welker version 2.0 in New England. The Redskins are a hot mess but DeSean Jackson (5-10) and his not-a-typo 21.8 yards per reception offer the beleaguered franchise and quarterback Robert Griffin III a glimmer of hope.
In Baltimore, a rejuvenated 35-year-old Steve Smith is the old-school boss in the midst of a late-career renaissance. The 5-9 veteran already has four 100-yard receiving games at a time when most guys at his position have evolved into part-time role players if they even have a job at all.
''The little guys are coming back to rule the world,'' Smith said with laugh. ''We're coming back (and) we're here to stay. That's the bottom line. That's what it's about. The big guys, you can throw it up to them but at the end of the day when you want to move the sticks you have to throw it to the little guys. We move the needle.''
They're doing more than that. They're finding the end zone with the same frequency as their larger - and largely higher profile - colleagues.
The 26-year-old Brown may be the most dangerous player in the league, turning every slant or quick screen into a showcase for his roadrunner footwork regardless of where the Steelers are at on the field. While brawny tight ends like Rob Gronkowski and supersized wideouts like Demaryius Thomas remain matchup issues in tight spaces, Brown and his buddies are making an impact from goal line to goal line.
Brown, Sanders and Green Bay's Randall Cobb are in the top 10 in red zone receptions, a tribute to their uncanny ability to wiggle free when opposing cornerbacks try to get physical and the NFL's increased policing of the pushing and shoving that goes on downfield.
''I think it's helping receivers in general,'' Cobb said. ''But definitely with our quickness and being able to get separation from the DB at the top of routes, and them not being able to grab has definitely helped.''
Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor has spent a dozen seasons chasing receivers while watching fads come and go. Witnessing Brown's evolution from raw talent to unstoppable force is symbolic of the NFL's shifting the balance of power to the offense.
''Coordinators are putting small guys off the line, making sure you're not able to get your hands on them, using stacked positions, putting a receiver behind a tight end,'' Taylor said. ''They're finding ways to maneuver these small guys and it's been working.''
The inability to bump players like Smith or Brown before they get to full speed can make for a miserable four quarters.
''You give a guy like that some space, I'm not even talking about a lot of space, I'm talking about `man in the phone booth' kind of space, he's going to take off,'' Taylor said.
Clearly, there's still a place for receivers built like small forwards. Pittsburgh's offense didn't truly take off until 6-4 rookie Martavis Bryant was inserted into the lineup last month as the lanky yin to Brown's quicksilver yang.
Even facing constant double teams, Brown is on pace to set single-season team records in every major statistical receiving category, though he's barely ahead of Hilton, a former youth football teammate when the two were growing up in Florida.
Hilton and Andrew Luck are building the same rapport in Indianapolis that Brown shares with Ben Roethlisberger. Last Monday against the Giants, Luck floated a pass toward Hilton in the end zone that Hilton wrestled away from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a taller cornerback, for a TD.
The catch is a fitting symbol to the tenacity of smaller receivers who've spent most of their lives trying to carve out their own space in a sport that can't seem to get big enough fast enough.
That trumps any rules, Steelers wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said.
''I just think it's the dog in them,'' Heyward-Bey said. ''I think they have the mindset that even though they're shorter, they think they're 6-3, 6-4 and they can go out there and make plays.'
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Jags place WR Robinson on IR
November 11, 2014
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Jacksonville's most productive rookie is done for the season.
The Jaguars placed receiver Allen Robinson on injured reserve Tuesday with a broken right foot. He initially hurt his foot against Miami on Oct. 26, and the pain kept getting worse. Tests Monday revealed a stress fracture.
Robinson hasn't decided whether or not to have surgery.
''It's disappointing just because I wanted to be out there with my teammates, out there competing and doing what I love,'' Robinson said. ''It's something that had been bothering me for a week or two. I didn't think it was that bad.''
A second-round draft pick from Penn State, Robinson has been one of Jacksonville's bright spots on offense this season. He had 48 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns, outperforming veteran Cecil Shorts III and fellow rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns. Robinson was on pace to break Justin Blackmon's team record for receptions by a rookie (64).
''I thought it was pretty productive,'' Robinson said. ''At times, I think I could have played a lot better. At times, I could have come down with some passes in some games that could have changed the games a little bit. I've just got to improve on what I did this season and just get better at what I didn't do well and just kind of improve on what I did.''
Without Robinson, Lee is expected to get more opportunities alongside Shorts and Hurns.
Lee, also a second-round draft pick, has 13 receptions for 141 yards. He missed chunks of time because of nagging hamstring injuries.
''It went from the right to the left,'' Lee said. ''It was big. When it comes down to the coaches and the decisions, it's based on how you feel. One thing that's big for a receiver is your hamstrings and legs. If you have a situation with those, it becomes a problem as far as putting you out there and giving you the ability to do the things you need to do with those types of injuries. It just takes one vertical for you to pull up and mess it up again.''
And when was on the field, he looked lost at times.
''I'm much more prepared,'' he said. ''I've got a great understanding and won't be surprised in certain looks. I was surprised by certain things, didn't feel like I fully had it. I'm still going through the process and working hard in practice. I'm working and I think I'll be OK.''
Jacksonville also expects tight end Marcedes Lewis to return following the bye week. Lewis has missed the past eight games with a high ankle sprain. He is scheduled to be activated off the injured reserve/designated for return list and expected to start at Indianapolis.
The Jaguars waived linebacker Dekoda Watson and activated rookie cornerback Aaron Colvin off the reserve/non-football injury list.
The team also claimed cornerback Teddy Williams off waivers from Chicago and waived cornerback Peyton Thompson.
Watson signed a three-year contract worth $6.25 million in free agency to be a starting outside linebacker. The deal included $1.5 million guaranteed.
But Watson never really fit in. He had groin surgery in the offseason, missed much of the preseason and made one start. He had eight tackles in nine games.
Colvin, a standout at Oklahoma, was a fourth-round draft pick. He tore a knee ligament during a Senior Bowl practice and has been recovering since. Bradley said Colvin will play some in nickel situations against the Colts.
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49ers LB Patrick Willis out for season
November 11, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Patrick Willis so hoped he would be able to withstand the pain in his troublesome toe and play on this season, and ultimately help lead the San Francisco 49ers to another playoff run.
Instead, Willis will miss the remainder of the season and require surgery for a strained muscle in his left big toe. He was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list Tuesday after getting hurt in the third quarter at St. Louis on Oct. 13.
''It's very frustrating,'' Willis said. ''My teammates mean everything to me and I want to be out there experiencing all the good times and all the rough times with them.''
A Pro Bowler in his first seven NFL seasons, Willis had missed six games in his career before this latest injury sidelined him for the final 10 games of 2014 for San Francisco (5-4). He had 34 tackles and an interception this season for the Niners.
Willis is a captain and leader of a 49ers team that has reached the NFC championship game in each of the past three seasons.
''We haven't lost him in the locker room,'' linebacker Michael Wilhoite said. ''We're still all together here. It hurts but at same time we need to keep going out and win games.''
Willis had hoped the injury wasn't so serious to sideline him long term. He missed practice last week after returning in a limited role the previous week.
''This is something I have been dealing with for a long time now,'' Willis said. ''I want to get it done so I can get back to rehabbing and get back to form.''
Willis indicated his toe has been bothering him for several years and that he continued to play as long as he could stand the pain.
''I always think I can do more than I'm supposed to and tried to compensate,'' Willis said. ''Sometimes guys are hurting, and hurting bad, and still go out and play. You could say I should have done this earlier, before I hurt it worse against the Rams.''
After resting through the Oct. 26 bye, Willis was back as part of the 49ers' full active squad on the field for the start of practice Oct. 29, but he had been limited primarily to individual work.
''I felt, maybe just give it a couple of weeks but it just didn't get better,'' Willis said. ''I feel like I have five or six years left in my body so I have to think about the big picture. I promise you when I come back I will be bigger and better than I was.''
This is a big loss to one of the NFL's leading defenses, though the 49ers are expected to have Aldon Smith back Sunday on the road against the New York Giants.
''Hopefully I can get in there and play as much as I have,'' Smith said. ''I want to stay strong, keep my eyes on the prize and I'm ready to do that.''
Smith is set to begin practicing this week after serving his nine-game suspension by the NFL for violations of the league's substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.
''I did everything that was necessary,'' Smith said. ''I've learned a lot and ready to move forward.''
In addition, 2013 All-Pro NaVorro Bowman could be cleared to begin practice this week, opening a 21-day window for the team to activate him or place him on IR.
Bowman is recovering from surgery on his left knee after he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in a devastating injury in the NFC championship game loss at Seattle last January.
Rookie Chris Borland has filled in for Willis and been spectacular, recording 18 tackles in a loss to the Rams two weeks ago then 17 more tackles in an overtime win at New Orleans on Sunday.
''I'm truly proud of the way he's playing,'' Willis said. ''He's gone out and held down that position.''
The NFL Network first reported Willis would need toe surgery.
The Niners signed running back Alfonso Smith to replace Willis on the roster and added linebacker Shayne Skov to the practice squad.
November 11, 2014
RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane will miss the rest of the season for the Seattle Seahawks after being placed on injured reserve following a hamstring injury in a win over the New York Giants.
The roster move was announced Tuesday. Fox Sports first reported that Mebane suffered a torn hamstring. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Mebane's injury was really ''legit'' but the team was waiting for additional test results.
Mebane was hurt during the first half of Seattle's 38-17 win.
Mebane's loss is a blow to Seattle's run defense, which ranks fourth in the league at 79.8 yards per game. While his stats don't jump out, Mebane's ability to clog running lanes and control blockers has allowed Seattle's linebackers to step up and stop ball carries.
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Dolphins not biting over quote by Bills
November 11, 2014
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) - The Miami Dolphins are taking the high road following comments by Buffalo cornerback Leodis McKelvin, who says he is certain the Bills will win when the teams play Thursday night.
Some of Miami's players said they were unaware when asked about McKelvin's comments that he ''ain't going to lose no sleep, man. I'm just going to take (myself) home, put myself to sleep and get ready to play the Dolphins and beat (them), point blank, period.''
Wide receiver Mike Wallace cracked a smile and acknowledged that he heard about the comments.
''We've got to line up Thursday anyway, man, so whatever you say it is what is,'' said Wallace, who leads the Dolphins with 40 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns. ''We'll be out there on Thursday night. I ain't got no time for that. ... We're not worried about that, man. That's lightweight. We're not worried about that.''
But when he was asked to rate the Bills secondary, Wallace kept the compliments to a minimum.
''They're all right,'' he said. ''They're cool. They've got some fast guys, physical safeties but we'll be all right.''
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was aware of what McKelvin said, but insisted he didn't see a need to trade words through the media.
And center Samson Satele hinted that McKelvin's words probably got Wallace and the other receivers ''more geeked up.''
''You don't want to hear that,'' Satele said. ''I don't get too much into it but if a defensive tackle said that I wouldn't like that at all, so it's a challenge and I think Mike Wallace and Brian (Hartline) and (Jarvis Landry) and Rishard (Matthews), they're up for it. I can't wait to watch that matchup.''
Buffalo has won four of the past five games between the division rivals, including a 29-10 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Week 2. Tannehill said he's tired of losing to the Bills.
''We didn't put it up on the board or anything but we're aware of what's been said,'' Tannehill said. ''It's just a matter of going out and playing well. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what you say during the week, it matters how you play in this case on Thursday.''
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Small wide receivers making big impact
November 11, 2014
PITTSBURGH (AP) - The NFL's leading receiver - the one taken in the sixth round of the 2010 draft as an unknown, undersized project - would like to have a word.
''I'm not a little guy,'' Antonio Brown says.
Point out that at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds the frenetic Pittsburgh Steelers star is hardly considered an NFL prototype, and Brown shrugs.
''I'm not a little guy,'' he repeats.
And the scouts who figured he was a fringe prospect at best four years ago, favoring the likes of Marcus Easley, Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, all 6-2 or taller, all no longer in the league?
''They made a mistake,'' Brown said with a smile.
You think?
Freed by a crackdown on illegal contact in the secondary, bolstered by creative sets designed to get him in open space and emboldened by a chip on his shoulder that never seems to go away, Brown is spearheading a mini-revolution at his position.
Scooch over Calvin Johnson. Make room Julio Jones. Hold up there A.J. Green and Dez Bryant, you've got company.
Midway through 2014, the NFL's most electric playmakers are the guys whose modest frames belie big-time numbers.
After 10 weeks of play, Brown's 70 receptions and 1,070 yards receiving are tops in the league and his eight touchdowns are tied for fourth. Brown's childhood buddy T.Y. Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts - generously listed at 5-9 - is third in yards and sixth in yards per catch.
They're not alone. Seven of the top 11 players in yards receiving are under 6 feet tall.
Emmanuel Sanders (5-11) is developing into Peyton Manning's favorite target in Denver. Golden Tate (5-10) has become so explosive the Lions are soaring even with Johnson - Megatron himself - struggling to stay healthy. Julian Edelman (5-10) is Wes Welker version 2.0 in New England. The Redskins are a hot mess but DeSean Jackson (5-10) and his not-a-typo 21.8 yards per reception offer the beleaguered franchise and quarterback Robert Griffin III a glimmer of hope.
In Baltimore, a rejuvenated 35-year-old Steve Smith is the old-school boss in the midst of a late-career renaissance. The 5-9 veteran already has four 100-yard receiving games at a time when most guys at his position have evolved into part-time role players if they even have a job at all.
''The little guys are coming back to rule the world,'' Smith said with laugh. ''We're coming back (and) we're here to stay. That's the bottom line. That's what it's about. The big guys, you can throw it up to them but at the end of the day when you want to move the sticks you have to throw it to the little guys. We move the needle.''
They're doing more than that. They're finding the end zone with the same frequency as their larger - and largely higher profile - colleagues.
The 26-year-old Brown may be the most dangerous player in the league, turning every slant or quick screen into a showcase for his roadrunner footwork regardless of where the Steelers are at on the field. While brawny tight ends like Rob Gronkowski and supersized wideouts like Demaryius Thomas remain matchup issues in tight spaces, Brown and his buddies are making an impact from goal line to goal line.
Brown, Sanders and Green Bay's Randall Cobb are in the top 10 in red zone receptions, a tribute to their uncanny ability to wiggle free when opposing cornerbacks try to get physical and the NFL's increased policing of the pushing and shoving that goes on downfield.
''I think it's helping receivers in general,'' Cobb said. ''But definitely with our quickness and being able to get separation from the DB at the top of routes, and them not being able to grab has definitely helped.''
Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor has spent a dozen seasons chasing receivers while watching fads come and go. Witnessing Brown's evolution from raw talent to unstoppable force is symbolic of the NFL's shifting the balance of power to the offense.
''Coordinators are putting small guys off the line, making sure you're not able to get your hands on them, using stacked positions, putting a receiver behind a tight end,'' Taylor said. ''They're finding ways to maneuver these small guys and it's been working.''
The inability to bump players like Smith or Brown before they get to full speed can make for a miserable four quarters.
''You give a guy like that some space, I'm not even talking about a lot of space, I'm talking about `man in the phone booth' kind of space, he's going to take off,'' Taylor said.
Clearly, there's still a place for receivers built like small forwards. Pittsburgh's offense didn't truly take off until 6-4 rookie Martavis Bryant was inserted into the lineup last month as the lanky yin to Brown's quicksilver yang.
Even facing constant double teams, Brown is on pace to set single-season team records in every major statistical receiving category, though he's barely ahead of Hilton, a former youth football teammate when the two were growing up in Florida.
Hilton and Andrew Luck are building the same rapport in Indianapolis that Brown shares with Ben Roethlisberger. Last Monday against the Giants, Luck floated a pass toward Hilton in the end zone that Hilton wrestled away from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a taller cornerback, for a TD.
The catch is a fitting symbol to the tenacity of smaller receivers who've spent most of their lives trying to carve out their own space in a sport that can't seem to get big enough fast enough.
That trumps any rules, Steelers wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said.
''I just think it's the dog in them,'' Heyward-Bey said. ''I think they have the mindset that even though they're shorter, they think they're 6-3, 6-4 and they can go out there and make plays.'
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Jags place WR Robinson on IR
November 11, 2014
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Jacksonville's most productive rookie is done for the season.
The Jaguars placed receiver Allen Robinson on injured reserve Tuesday with a broken right foot. He initially hurt his foot against Miami on Oct. 26, and the pain kept getting worse. Tests Monday revealed a stress fracture.
Robinson hasn't decided whether or not to have surgery.
''It's disappointing just because I wanted to be out there with my teammates, out there competing and doing what I love,'' Robinson said. ''It's something that had been bothering me for a week or two. I didn't think it was that bad.''
A second-round draft pick from Penn State, Robinson has been one of Jacksonville's bright spots on offense this season. He had 48 receptions for 548 yards and two touchdowns, outperforming veteran Cecil Shorts III and fellow rookies Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns. Robinson was on pace to break Justin Blackmon's team record for receptions by a rookie (64).
''I thought it was pretty productive,'' Robinson said. ''At times, I think I could have played a lot better. At times, I could have come down with some passes in some games that could have changed the games a little bit. I've just got to improve on what I did this season and just get better at what I didn't do well and just kind of improve on what I did.''
Without Robinson, Lee is expected to get more opportunities alongside Shorts and Hurns.
Lee, also a second-round draft pick, has 13 receptions for 141 yards. He missed chunks of time because of nagging hamstring injuries.
''It went from the right to the left,'' Lee said. ''It was big. When it comes down to the coaches and the decisions, it's based on how you feel. One thing that's big for a receiver is your hamstrings and legs. If you have a situation with those, it becomes a problem as far as putting you out there and giving you the ability to do the things you need to do with those types of injuries. It just takes one vertical for you to pull up and mess it up again.''
And when was on the field, he looked lost at times.
''I'm much more prepared,'' he said. ''I've got a great understanding and won't be surprised in certain looks. I was surprised by certain things, didn't feel like I fully had it. I'm still going through the process and working hard in practice. I'm working and I think I'll be OK.''
Jacksonville also expects tight end Marcedes Lewis to return following the bye week. Lewis has missed the past eight games with a high ankle sprain. He is scheduled to be activated off the injured reserve/designated for return list and expected to start at Indianapolis.
The Jaguars waived linebacker Dekoda Watson and activated rookie cornerback Aaron Colvin off the reserve/non-football injury list.
The team also claimed cornerback Teddy Williams off waivers from Chicago and waived cornerback Peyton Thompson.
Watson signed a three-year contract worth $6.25 million in free agency to be a starting outside linebacker. The deal included $1.5 million guaranteed.
But Watson never really fit in. He had groin surgery in the offseason, missed much of the preseason and made one start. He had eight tackles in nine games.
Colvin, a standout at Oklahoma, was a fourth-round draft pick. He tore a knee ligament during a Senior Bowl practice and has been recovering since. Bradley said Colvin will play some in nickel situations against the Colts.
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49ers LB Patrick Willis out for season
November 11, 2014
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Patrick Willis so hoped he would be able to withstand the pain in his troublesome toe and play on this season, and ultimately help lead the San Francisco 49ers to another playoff run.
Instead, Willis will miss the remainder of the season and require surgery for a strained muscle in his left big toe. He was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list Tuesday after getting hurt in the third quarter at St. Louis on Oct. 13.
''It's very frustrating,'' Willis said. ''My teammates mean everything to me and I want to be out there experiencing all the good times and all the rough times with them.''
A Pro Bowler in his first seven NFL seasons, Willis had missed six games in his career before this latest injury sidelined him for the final 10 games of 2014 for San Francisco (5-4). He had 34 tackles and an interception this season for the Niners.
Willis is a captain and leader of a 49ers team that has reached the NFC championship game in each of the past three seasons.
''We haven't lost him in the locker room,'' linebacker Michael Wilhoite said. ''We're still all together here. It hurts but at same time we need to keep going out and win games.''
Willis had hoped the injury wasn't so serious to sideline him long term. He missed practice last week after returning in a limited role the previous week.
''This is something I have been dealing with for a long time now,'' Willis said. ''I want to get it done so I can get back to rehabbing and get back to form.''
Willis indicated his toe has been bothering him for several years and that he continued to play as long as he could stand the pain.
''I always think I can do more than I'm supposed to and tried to compensate,'' Willis said. ''Sometimes guys are hurting, and hurting bad, and still go out and play. You could say I should have done this earlier, before I hurt it worse against the Rams.''
After resting through the Oct. 26 bye, Willis was back as part of the 49ers' full active squad on the field for the start of practice Oct. 29, but he had been limited primarily to individual work.
''I felt, maybe just give it a couple of weeks but it just didn't get better,'' Willis said. ''I feel like I have five or six years left in my body so I have to think about the big picture. I promise you when I come back I will be bigger and better than I was.''
This is a big loss to one of the NFL's leading defenses, though the 49ers are expected to have Aldon Smith back Sunday on the road against the New York Giants.
''Hopefully I can get in there and play as much as I have,'' Smith said. ''I want to stay strong, keep my eyes on the prize and I'm ready to do that.''
Smith is set to begin practicing this week after serving his nine-game suspension by the NFL for violations of the league's substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies.
''I did everything that was necessary,'' Smith said. ''I've learned a lot and ready to move forward.''
In addition, 2013 All-Pro NaVorro Bowman could be cleared to begin practice this week, opening a 21-day window for the team to activate him or place him on IR.
Bowman is recovering from surgery on his left knee after he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in a devastating injury in the NFC championship game loss at Seattle last January.
Rookie Chris Borland has filled in for Willis and been spectacular, recording 18 tackles in a loss to the Rams two weeks ago then 17 more tackles in an overtime win at New Orleans on Sunday.
''I'm truly proud of the way he's playing,'' Willis said. ''He's gone out and held down that position.''
The NFL Network first reported Willis would need toe surgery.
The Niners signed running back Alfonso Smith to replace Willis on the roster and added linebacker Shayne Skov to the practice squad.
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