Banged-up Edwards focuses on playoffs

SANTA CLARA -- First, he had torn knee cartilage in his right knee that knocked him out of four games. And for the past three games, 49ers receiver Braylon Edwards has been bothered by a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.With his regular-season productivity nowhere near expectation due to injuries, Edwards said Monday his focus is to make his major contribution to the 49ers in the playoffs."My plan is more so the playoffs," Edwards said. "We've pretty much wrapped those up with a win this week. I think the big thing for me is to get back healthy. We got five games left and the playoffs. The ideal goal for me would be to get back healthy for the playoffs. That would be key."Edwards said it might be necessary to rest for a regular-season game or two to ensure he's healthy for the playoffs. The 49ers (9-2) can wrap up the NFC West title with a victory Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.
"We'll see what the doctors say," Edwards said. "We'll put that plan in the hands of the doctors and trainers and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh and see what they think. Maybe that's what needs to happen."Edwards ranks sixth on the 49ers with 14 catches for 172 yards and no touchdowns after signing an incentive-laden one-year contract with the 49ers. His one-year contract has a base salary of 1 million. At the time he signed, it was widely reported to be a 3.5 million deal. But he only gets the full amount if he catches 90 passes and makes the NFC Pro Bowl team.
The incentives were essentially lost when he tore knee cartilage in a Week 2 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and missed four games after undergoing surgery. He then sustained a sprained shoulder against the Washington Redskins on Nov. 6. He has suited up for every game since, but he has seen a reduction in play time. On the 49ers' injury report, there has been no mention of his shoulder injury since the time Edwards said the injury occurred.
"It's not about production," Edwards said. "I've been hurt. I had knee surgery and I have a bad shoulder. So it's not about production, it's about being hurt. I haven't ever had a season in which I've been hurt, with the exception of my rookie year."It's all new to me. It's very frustrating. I just ask the team to bear with me. I can't really control being hurt. It's part of the game."Edwards blamed the lack of work he and quarterback Alex Smith have had together on the interception at the end of the first half of the 49ers' 16-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday."He saw one thing, and I saw another," Edwards said. "That happens from time to time, and it probably stems from us not being out there a lot together with my injury."I saw a defensive back playing inside leverage, so I attacked his inside leverage to give myself more room on the outside as well as the quarterback. Alex saw me going inside, so he assumed I was going to stay inside. So it was an honest mistake on both parts. We just didn't get it done and it led to an interception."