But on Singletary's team these days, the quarterback punisher is Mike Martz.

Offensive coordinator Martz relentlessly pressures his quarterback. And then head coach Singletary picks him up and gives him a hug.

It's an interesting dynamic evolving at the 49ers: a good-cop, bad-cop relationship among Singletary, Martz and Shaun Hill.

So far, it's producing encouraging results. Hill was named the NFC offensive player of the week Wednesday.

"I know what Mike Martz expects," Singletary said. "Mike can beat him up. And he needs every drop of that.

"But after that, somebody has to come along and say, 'Hey you know what, it's going to be OK. How are you doing? You ready to go?' "

Martz who wasn't available to speak Wednesday is so inside Hill's skin during the week that Hill finds facing the opposition a relief. Easygoing Hill thinks the tough-love approach is working fine.

"I like that," Hill said. "It makes it hot in practice. It makes it tough. And then the games, obviously, don't seem so hard."

Hill said Martz's demanding nature during the week makes him absolutely certain of what the offensive coordinator wants and helps eliminate mistakes on game day.

Hill has gained a reputation as an ugly practice player, which might have hurt him in training camp when he was mysteriously dropped to third string. But in games, Hill looks calm and composed. Singletary has a theory about Practice Shaun and Gameday Shaun.

"I think when you look at 'Practice Shaun Hill' it's a matter of him trying to make every throw perfect," Singletary said. "Practice Shaun Hill also has Mike Martz on his tail constantly. Everywhere he looks, everywhere he moves. Mike Martz is very demanding.

"I think sometimes Shaun Hill is just really, really excited for game day, so that he can play with a little distance. So I think he's happy on game day."

The challenging relationship between quarterback and offensive coordinator is serving another vital purpose. It is fostering an important bond between the two most important people head coach and quarterback on any team.

In the course of one chaotic week, both men were abruptly elevated, Singletary late on a Monday afternoon and Hill late in the second quarter of a Sunday game.

They're both learning on the job. And they're learning to communicate. Singletary talks with Hill often on the practice field and in his office.

"The lines of communication are open and his door is always open, so if there's anything I need to go and talk to him about or I'm unclear on, then I can definitely do that," Hill said. "That's a very nice thing to have."

It's a crucial thing to have. Few successful quarterbacks can survive without the backing of their head coach. The relationship between Bill Walsh and Joe Montana can be summed up with the famous photos of their deep discussions on the sideline. When Steve Young took over, George Seifert who knew a little bit about stepping into a legend's shoes made a point of talking with him before every game.

Communication was a sore point between Mike Nolan and Alex Smith. Last year, the breakdown in honest discussion between Nolan and Smith derailed both their careers and the 49ers team.

Singletary is different. The first thing players say about him is that he's honest.

"He might even be blunt," Nate Clements said. "To me, it's very helpful to have someone who tells it like it is."

Singletary will be critical. Just ask Vernon Davis. But he will also be supportive. He learned as a player how important it is to get an "attaboy" every once in a while.

"I'm a very good cop," Singletary said. "It's just knowing when a player's had enough. "... I remember coaches doing that for me and it was a lifesaver when I thought I was the worst guy in the world as a player."

Martz is notoriously tough on his quarterbacks. Adjusting midseason to a new quarterback who doesn't have a lot of reps in his system has meant Martz has ratcheted up the abuse of Hill.

"Yes, I would say that he may be a little tougher on Shaun right now," Singletary said. "You're going to be on a guy to make sure that, 'Hey, don't take any breathers, don't look around, don't blink, because you've got to get this stuff, and it's important to our offense, it's important to our success as a team.'"

It's probably not wise to mess with that Hall of Fame linebacker. But be especially wary of the bespectacled guy with the gray hair.

Contact Ann Killion at akillion@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5805.