Alex Smith receives another shot from the 49ers' new coach, and the Cardinals could make a splash by trading for a prominent backup passer.

While Seattle showed some improvement, head coach Pete Carroll and the front office have some issues staring them in the face.

You could make a case for either team in this game, with a perfect old-school NFL backdrop. Two epic rivals, Chicago and Green Bay, the longest-standing foes in the NFL, meeting at Soldier Field with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line after splitting the season series. It doesn't get much better than that.

Leon Washington's contract is up, again, after the season, and so he's got some advice for those younger players who might ask him now. What's remarkable is that the emphasis, after all he's been through, is more about appreciating all that you have, rather than lamenting what might have been lost.

The first place to start in looking at the Seahawks' success so far is with the rah-rah approach of Pete Carroll, who spent nine seasons at the helm of USC before becoming the Seahawks' coach in January.

The changes in Seattle -- and there have been many -- are all good, but Pete Carroll and the Seahawks' new regime have their work cut out for them before the team returns to glory.

Safety Lawyer Milloy has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Seahawks on Friday, according to a league source.