"Some players want it. Their coaches keep downplaying it.

But regardless of what's said, there's a good chance the 49ers will operate - at times - out of a spread attack when they play host to the Jaguars on Sunday.

"The most important thing for us is just to try and have the players understand that we're going to do what's best for the team," San Francisco coach Mike Singletary said.

Ultimately, the No. 1 task is winning, which puts the 49ers in an interesting situation, based on their recent success operating out of the spread/shotgun attack.

Quarterback Alex Smith ran the spread in college at Utah. In San Francisco's loss at Green Bay last week, he completed 3-of-7 passes for 5 yards in the first half out of the club's conventional pro sets. In the second half, Smith went 13-of-26 passing for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Smith's hot second half sparked debate about whether the 49ers should implement an offense that complements his talents."