Being considered the second best team in football is a pretty good place to be, but it can be frustrating when you are also the second best team in your own division. That is the plight of the San Francisco 49ers in the ultra-competitive NFC West, who despite a 12-4 record last season were forced to take the long playoff road to the NFC Championship and were defeated by the eventual champion Seattle Seahawks in a road game. With a 21 touchdown, eight interception season a year after leading his team to the Super Bowl, quarterback Colin Kaepernick has established himself as a bona fide NFL starter with the ability to win in big games. He also rushed for four touchdowns and 524 yards as he continues to show his skills as a duel threat from the quarterback position. The 49ers acquired former Jacksonville Jaguars pivot Blaine Gabbert to be their backup, but obviously will need Kaepernick to stay healthy this season to help lead their offence. To help in the passing game the 49ers have put together a dynamic group of targets for their mobile quarterback. Receivers Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree as well as tight end Vernon Davis are still going to be important parts of the attack, but Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd have been added to the core group and should help the team, especially if they are forced to deal with injuries at the position. Everyone is waiting for the season that Frank Gore suffers a drop off, but it wasnt the 2013 season and though it can happen in a flash, the 49ers are not expecting it to be this season either. Gore carried the ball 276 times for 1,128 yards, his second highest career total and also scored nine touchdowns out of the backfield. They will struggle for depth at the running back position as Kendall Hunter suffered a torn ACL in the preseason and LaMichael James had an early elbow injury that set back his season preparation. Carlos Hyde was drafted out of Ohio State and the 49ers hope at some point Marcus Lattimore will be healthy enough to contribute, though starting a second season on the non-football injury list is not a great sign for his future. The offensive line is a standout position for the 49ers and they will lean on their big men once again this season to protect Kaepernick and blow those holes open for the running game. With Joe Staley on the left tackle side and Anthony Davis on the right tackle side the skilled players in the backfield are well protected. Add to those players Mike Iupati and Alex Boone who will be in the guard positions and the line will be a tough place to beat this team. Defensively the 49ers will have to replace both Aldon Smith, who has been suspended for the first nine games of the season and NaVorro Bowman who suffered a major knee injury late in the 2013 NFC championship. Patrick Willis is still one of the best players in the game at the linebacker position and he will be leaned upon to produce at the lofty levels he has been known for throughout his career. Ahmad Brooks is also going to be key at the outside linebacker slot and will have to put pressure on opponents passing games from that spot on the field. The 49ers move into Levis Stadium this year and hope to turn it into as hard a place to play as CenturyLink Field is for the division rival Seahawks. Week 13 in San Francisco and Week 15 in Seattle will be the most important games on the schedule and could very well decide the division and if both teams play to expectations, who hosts the NFC Championship rematch both teams will believe they are headed towards. Air Max Scontate Outlet . The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. Air Max Scontate Italia . Five straight losses (and six in the past seven) now dot the schedule – matching their longest skid of the year – after they fell again in New Jersey on Sunday night, topped 3-2 by Cory Schneider and the Devils. http://www.airmaxscontateoutlet.it/ . - Suspended Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Justin Blackmon has voluntarily checked into a treatment facility and seems to be doing well. Air Max Saldi Online . Canadas 5-1 loss to Finland in the semifinal ranks as the tournaments most-watched game with a record 2.7 million viewers, the largest ever for a World Juniors game played outside of North America, and winning Saturday as the most-watched program on Canadian television. Air Max Outlet Italia . TSNs coverage of the Third Round gets underway Sunday with Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago at 3pm et/Noon pt. TSNs broadcast schedule for the Third Round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs is as follows: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings• Game 1: Los Angeles at Chicago – Sunday, May 18 at 3pm et/Noon pt• Game 2: Los Angeles at Chicago – Wednesday, May 21 at 8pm et/5pm pt• Game 4: Chicago at Los Angeles – Monday, May 26 at 9pm et/6pm pt Featured in the broadcast booth for TSN are play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert and game analyst Ray Ferraro, with Farhan Lalji contributing reports from rinkside. CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians specialized in walk-off wins last season. It took 34 games, but they finally got their first walk-off this season on Wednesday night when Mike Aviles two-out single in the ninth inning lifted the Indians to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Clevelands players mobbed Aviles after he crossed first base. "Its definitely fun, especially with a noon game (Wednesday)," Aviles said. "Its always good not to play extra innings and get that big win at the end." "That was nice," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We needed that." The Indians had 11 walk-off victories last season as they won 92 games and made the playoffs as a wild-card team. "Were playing at home and when you hit last you always feel like you have a chance," Francona said. The short-handed Twins were playing their third straight game without first baseman Joe Mauer and had only 11 available position players. Eduardo Escobar, normally a shortstop, played the entire game in left field, which cost Minnesota in the ninth. Asdrubal Cabrera led off the inning with a double against Casey Fien (3-1). Escobar misjudged the ball and turned the wrong way as it landed on the warning track. "He just didnt get to it, Im sure he shied away from the wall," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Hes not been out there a lot and it was going toward the wall over his head and he got to the warning track and felt that he was a little too close probably." After Lonnie Chisenhalls sacrifice bunt, Yan Gomes grounded out. Aviles hit a hard ground ball on a 1-1 pitch into centre field. John Axford (1-3), who had allowed game-winning home runs in his previous two outings, survived a shaky ninth. He retired the first two hitters, but Danny Santana doubled down the right-field line. After Brian Dozier walked on a 3-2 pitch, third baseman Carlos Santana, who had to contend with a fan who wanted the ball, leaned into the stands to catch Sam Fulds foul popup. "I was yelling from the mound, but I dont think he heard me," Axford said of the fan. "I was yelling, dont touch it.dddddddddddd " Axford had a bad week going into the game. Chicagos Dayan Viciedo hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning Sunday while Escobar hit a solo homer in the 10th inning Monday, giving Minnesota a 1-0 win. Axford was unavailable Tuesday after pitching the three previous games. "I felt good," he said. "Physically, I feel great. It worked out perfect. I got a day off and was able to rest up." Danny Salazar, who hit 100 mph on the Progressive Field radar gun several times, took a 3-1 lead into the seventh, but Minnesota tied the game on pinch-hitter Santanas RBI single and Doziers sacrifice fly. Salazar retired the first hitter, but Josmil Pinto singled and took third when Escobar doubled to left-centre. Bryan Shaw relieved to face Santana, who batted for Pedro Florimon. Shaw had to hit the deck to avoid Santanas liner up the middle that scored Pinto and put runners at first and third. Doziers fly ball scored Escobar. Salazar allowed three runs and struck out seven in 6 1-3 innings. Ricky Nolasco gave up three runs with nine strikeouts in six innings. Michael Brantley had a two-run double in the third and Gomes hit a leadoff homer in the fifth. Dozier had an RBI double in the third. Mauer, who has lower back spasms, played catch and took swings off a batting tee before the game. Gomes home run atoned for his ninth error of the season that helped Minnesota score in the third. Florimon drew a two-out walk, stole second and took third when Gomes throw skipped into centre field. Dozier followed with his double. NOTES: Indians OF Michael Bourn (tight left hamstring) missed his fourth straight game, but said he could return for the final game of the series Thursday. ... The Twins selected the contract of RHP Matt Guerrier from Triple-A Rochester and optioned LHP Logan Darnell to the same club. ... OF Aaron Hicks (concussion) is taking live batting practice in Minneapolis and could come off the 7-day disabled list this weekend. ... Twins RHP Kevin Correia (1-3) faces RHP Justin Masterson (1-1) on Thursday. Wholesale HoodiesNFL Shirts OutletJerseys NFL WholesaleCheap NFL Jerseys Free ShippingWholesale Jerseys CheapCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaWholesale JerseysWholesale NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '