49er Shoots From the Lip

San Francisco 49er safety Lance Schulters knows what it will take to turn his 0-2 team around: Just play like him.

Actually, the Pro Bowl safety hasn’t played at all in the team’s first two games because of a sprained left ankle, and that’s part of the 49ers’ problem.

But Schulters plans to be out there Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, vowing to change his team’s attitude and fortunes.

“We aren’t going to play scared this week,” Schulters said. “We keep harping on the deep ball, but we’ve got to forget the deep ball. We’ve got to take chances and not worry about giving up a big play. In this league, you can’t play the way we’ve been playing.”

How could the San Francisco secondary not be scared in looking at the St. Louis passing game?

As intimidating as it was last year, it has gotten even better with the emergence of Torry Holt. No longer just another name on the depth chart behind Marshall Faulk (13 catches this season), Az-Zahir Hakim (11) and Isaac Bruce (10), Holt, a second-year man, has 12 receptions for a 17-yard average and a team-leading 204 total yards. Holt will be seeking his fifth consecutive 100-yard game Sunday against the 49ers.

“If I can continue to step up and make plays, it’s just going to make us that much better,” Holt said. “Then, who are you really going to stop?”

Good question. Schulters has two days to find an answer.

When running back Jamal Anderson gets the ball at least 20 times, his Atlanta Falcons win.

At least that has been the case the last 14 times the Falcons gave Anderson the ball that many times.

Examples: Anderson gets the ball 24 times against San Francisco in the season opener. Atlanta wins, 36-28. Anderson gets the ball seven times against the Denver Broncos. Denver wins, 42-14.

Just give him the damn ball.