Leave a Slice of the 49ers Credit Pie for Alex Smith

By: The Football Girl | Posted: November 09, 2011

This morning while watching ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith was dissecting the latest ESPN Power Rankings and couldn’t quite grasp the 49ers in the #2 slot.  To paraphrase Smith, the Niners deserve the slot because of their record – there’s no denying that – but can you really tell me that a team with Alex Smith (name said absolute disgust) as its quarterback is the second-best in the league?

I’m sure you’re thinking, “who the hell cares what Stephen A. Smith thinks about the NFL?”  This is true, but Smith the NBA columnist’s narrative about Smith the quarterback is one still widely held – and it couldn’t be more wrong.

Last year the 49ers went 6-10.  This year they are 7-1 and about two seconds away from clinching the NFC West.  They are even watching Green Bay in hopes of snagging home field advantage.   Most of the credit should, of course, go to new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who with the strikes of a sullen team and a lockout working against him, has coalesced San Francisco in nothing short of genius-like fashion.   The defense is the arguably the best in the NFL, rarely missing a tackle. And Frank Gore has been reborn. But leave a little slice of the credit pie for Alex Smith. 

Smith, in an unbelievable turnaround, is actually an asset now.  The consummate game manager, he has played virtually mistake free football this season.  His two interceptions are the lowest of any quarterback who has started all games this season, and his passer rating of 97.3 is sixth best in the NFL.  Now he doesn’t rack up big numbers because the Niners are a run the ball, defensive-oriented team first – and they will never be a run-up-the score team like the Saints or Patriots.  Smith has been as efficient as he has needed to be.  Unlike some other quarterbacks in love with their arm (see Jay Cutler and Cam Newton), Smith almost never makes ill-advised throws into heavy coverage.  When he has been forced to make high-risk throws, he’s been more spectacular than not - like the perfect slant touchdown to Delanie Walker late in the Detroit game to seal victory.  That play alone should have removed the “bust” label and changed the mind of Stephen A. Smith and others that get paid big bucks to talk about sports.  But Smith (columnist), like most, was probably mired in the handshake, and the brilliant comeback and touchdown were overshadowed.

As much as it may sound like it, I am not trying to argue that Smith is among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. But he has surpassed Trent Dilfer/Rex Grossman “would be a liability if his team made the Super Bowl” status.  Considering his NFL saga, that’s a remarkable turn of events.

After being taken with the #1 overall pick in 2005, Smith struggled mightily under failed head coaches Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary.  He’s also gone through about 400 offensive coordinators and quarterback coaches, none of whom could get him to respond. Smith was inaccurate and more often than not looked like a deer in headlights in the pocket, making mistake after mistake.  The bust label worn by Smith for all these years was warranted, as was last year’s cry from the fan base to start then backup Troy Smith.  When the 2010 season ended, 49ers fans thought Smith’s time with the team was done – and they couldn’t be happier.  Smith wanted a fresh start as well.

But Alex Smith is a smart guy, and he knew he’d have a shot in Jim Harbaugh’s system. He convinced Harbaugh to give him one last chance.  And Harbaugh saw something in Smith that no other Niners coach had seen.  Or maybe Harbaugh just likes a good challenge. But the fact that a prized new head coach in the NFL with so much upside would risk his reputation on a has-been like Smith spoke volumes.

And Smith hasn’t let him down.  The confidence is growing.  He gets the job done – and has done so with little help from his receiving corps of Braylon Edwards, Michael Crabtree and Ted Ginn Jr.  All have dropped makeable catches in recent weeks. Vernon Davis is also a recipient of heavy coverage.  But Smith remains unfazed.

Smith has some tough tests ahead of him against the Giants, Ravens , and Steelers.  He will likely be forced to air the ball out a little more, which may or may not work out.  Perhaps he’ll run some two-minute drills, which coincidentally was his only success of the pre-Jim Harbaugh Era.

For now, Smith is one of the league’s best stories this season.  He’s my comeback player of the year, by a mile.  And he’s on his way to securing a slot on my Pro Bowl ballot.  I hope Stephen A. Smith watches him play before calling me crazy. 

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