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Question: When do you think the Niners are going to be Super Bowl contenders? @originalswagger

Answer: First things first. The 49ers are close to being contenders in the NFC West. They might even be considered the favorites to win the division in 2010 - especially if Kurt Warner decides to call it quits.

But are they close to being among the upper echelon teams in the NFL? Probably not.

The 49ers will be spending Halloween in London.

The NFL announced this morning the 49ers will give up a game at Candlestick Park to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 31, at London's Wembley Stadium.

The game will televised by CBS, beginning at 10 a.m., Pacific time. (For those keeping score, that's 5 p.m. in the U.K.)

UPDATE: Here's what I wrote for today's newspaper on this same topic. I also included Urban Meyer's prescient comments about Alex Smith from draft day 2005 to lend some perspective to the thought behind maintaining continuity at QB.

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Did the 49ers fail to live up to expectations in 2009?

That's the question to be asked in the wake of their loss to the Eagles yesterday, which closed the door on the 49ers' playoff hopes.

Last evening during the Sunday night game, there a graphic placed on the screen that detailed the NFC playoff picture. It showed the division leaders and the teams leading the wild-card race. In the final column, under "In The Hunt," were three teams, including the 49ers.

Then, I heard a female voice from the other room. (I'm assuming it was my wife.) "The 49ers are still in the hunt?"

Well, yes  . . . kind of . . .

Linebacker Jeff Ulbrich made the most of his NFL career because of his passion for the sport and a keen understanding of how he fit into the big picture.

For instance, he signed a contract extension when he was still a starter. But after Takeo Spikes supplanted him early last season, Ulbrich's main contribution came on special teams. Knowing his was overpriced in his role, Ulbrich accepted a paycut from $2.23 million to $950,000 this season.

Unfortunately, Ulbrich did not end his playing career on his terms. He sustained a severe concussion on Oct. 11 against the Falcons and was placed on injured reserve eight days later.

Therefore, it's no surprise Ulbrich, 32, has decided to retire and pursue a career in coaching. He said he ideally would like to coach in the college ranks. "I think the opportunity to work with young, impressionable kids during their first time away from home and acting as a surrogate dad excites me even more than the coaching part of it," Ulbrich said.

Is it too early for the 49ers to look toward next season? Sure, but that's not going to stop us from peaking into the future. In 2010, the 49ers already know 14 of their 16 opponents.

Home games vs. New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Denver, Oakland, Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle and the team from the NFC East that finishes in the same position in the division standings.

Road games at Atlanta, Carolina, Kansas City, San Diego, Arizona, St. Louis, Seattle and the team from the NFC North that finishes in the same position in the division standings.

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Several weeks ago -- I forget exactly when - you read my opinion here that the 49ers would win the NFC West and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Today, I looked at the standings and schedule. Then, I came to a conclusion: The 49ers better get to work in a hurry.

OK, now it's time to give Michael Crabtree a little love . . .