Gore has incentives not to take a week off

SAN FRANCISCO -- Running back Frank Gore says he is ready to go after sitting out the second half of the 49ers' game last week with a minor right knee injury.But will the 49ers handle Gore any different than usual Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals with another game looming just four days later at Baltimore on Thanksgiving night?"No, we're not taking that into considerations," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "This is the most important game of the season. We're not leaving anything for the swim back. That's how we're going about it."As the season winds down, it would seem reasonable that the 49ers would find more play time for backup Kendall Hunter and, perhaps, third-stringer Anthony Dixon to keep Gore fresh entering the playoffs. But Harbaugh said there is only one consideration at this point in the season."We'll do what we have to do to win these games, first and foremost," Harbaugh said. "Frank's health, not going to speculate, don't have a crystal ball."Frank is ready. Kendall is ready. Anthony Dixon did a nice job with the plays that he was in the ball game the other day. (I) feel good about our backs."There is certainly no indication that the 49ers will shut down Gore for a game. That would be a difficult sell for the 49ers. If he's healthy and able to play, he will play. After all, the contract extension Gore signed before the start of the season is largely contingent on his playing a lot of football -- at a high level.
About 7.5 million of Gore's reported four-year, 21 million contract is tied directly to roster bonuses and production. Gore receives approximately 100,000 for every game he is among the 46 players active on regular-season game days.The remainder of the money, in the neighborhood of 750,000 per season, is collected if Gore achieves 1,600 yards combined rushing and receiving annually. Gore has 868 combined yards through nine games.