By Liz Mathews

San Franciso 49ers head coach Mike Singletary spoke to the Seattle media today via conference call at the VMAC.

"I think that they have a lot going on in terms of the personnel changes and what have you," he said regarding the Sunday's opener against the Seahawks. "But I just think that it's very important for us that we don't get caught up in the changes, that we just make sure we continue to be consistent here and do the best that we can to match up correctly and play the best that we can play."

With San Francisco a favorite to win the NFC West, Singletary also wants to make sure his team does not get caught up in the spotlight.

"It's not about the expectations," he said. "It's not about all of the writers and everything else, I think it's just very important to us that the only expectation we should have is to go out every day and to earn the right to be the best that we can be. And that's really the only expectation that I have and I think everything else will fall in place."

Speaking of personnel changes and expectations, the Seahawks have high hopes for recently-signed running back Michael Robinson, who was cut by 49ers last weekend.

"He's one of the classiest individuals you're ever going to meet," Singletary said. "To me he exemplifies everything that you want on a great football team; his attitude is superb. But he's a guy that I felt that with our football going forward, we just felt that it was better to move in the direction that we move, simply because we could not find a way to get him on the field more on the offensive side of the ball. So for us, Mike is a tremendous loss. And I explained that to him. I love Mike, he's somebody that you always want around you, quality people like him."

Regarding his decision to name Alex Smith the starting quarterback for the opener, Singletary noted the importance for Smith to gain familiarity with offensive coordinator, Jimmy Raye, who is entering his second year in that position with the 49ers. This marks the first time in Smith's six-year career that he's had the same offensive coordinator for consecutive seasons.

"When you look at the quarterbacks around the league, and you look at the successful ones, the one word, the common denominator that they share is consistency," Singletary said.

That being said, what exactly will San Francisco do with the ball?

"I just think we're going to do whatever we have to do to win the football game," Singletary said. "It doesn't matter if we run, doesn't matter if we pass, if we feel that that's the thing that we have to do to win then that's what we're going to do."