Alex Smith

[ralaw]

Am I supposed to believe the 49ers can win a Super Bowl this year with Alex Smith?

 

[killgod]

he's better than Dilfer.

 

[ralaw]

he's better than Dilfer.

Yes, but he isn't being protected by an historically great defense either.

 

[killgod]

he also has much better weapons than that raven offence had.

all balances out in the end.

 

[ZoneBlitz]

he also has much better weapons than that raven offence had.

all balances out in the end.

Those Ravens had Shannon Sharpe & Jamal Lewis.

 

[killgod]

Those Ravens had Shannon Sharpe & Jamal Lewis.

Vernon Davis & Frank Gore are pretty damn good players themselves.

Not to mention having Crabtree and Edwards where as the Ravens had absolute garbage at WR.

 

[shag773]

No, but thats not an indictment on Smith. Rodgers and the Packers aren't going anywhere soon, and Gore is going down the home stretch of the productive part of his career.

I know he's a game manager, but his stats are hard to ignore. 95+ quarterback rating, 64% completion PCT, and only 3 INT. He's having a Josh Freeman 2010 type year but he's actually played well vs good teams.

 

[ralaw]

Vernon Davis & Frank Gore are pretty damn good players themselves.

Not to mention having Crabtree and Edwards where as the Ravens had absolute garbage at WR.

This is true, but I don't think you realize just how dominant that Ravens defense was.

• They had four shutouts in the regular season.
• They didn't allow a touchdown in six regular season games.
• They kept opponents in single-digits in nine regular season games.
• They allowed 23 points in the playoffs. Total. In four games.
• They allowed one offensive touchdown in the playoffs and one kickoff return touchdown.
• They allowed more than 10 points in five games, more than 20 points in two games, and the 36 points allowed to Jacksonville was by far the most.
• They lost four games all season long. In those games they scored: 6, 3, 6, 6.
• During a three-game losing streak in the middle of the year, they allowed 33 points total and gave up three touchdowns total. .
• They forced four or more turnovers nine times: four turnovers in four games, five turnovers three games, and six turnovers twice.
• The Ravens had 26 fumble recoveries. Twice as many as second place

 

[shag773]

Vernon Davis & Frank Gore are pretty damn good players themselves.

Not to mention having Crabtree and Edwards where as the Ravens had absolute garbage at WR.

Agreed, but Dilfer never came close to the year Smith is having this year. Given the disparity, does the presence of Crabtree and Edwards really make up the difference?

 

[killgod]

Those Ravens had Shannon Sharpe & Jamal Lewis.

This is true, but I don't think you realize just how dominant that Ravens defense was.

• They had four shutouts in the regular season.
• They didn't allow a touchdown in six regular season games.
• They kept opponents in single-digits in nine regular season games.
• They allowed 23 points in the playoffs. Total. In four games.
• They allowed one offensive touchdown in the playoffs and one kickoff return touchdown.
• They allowed more than 10 points in five games, more than 20 points in two games, and the 36 points allowed to Jacksonville was by far the most.
• They won that game against Jacksonville 39-36. They trailed 23-7 at halftime, but Tony Banks threw four second half touchdown passes.
• They lost four games all season long. In those games they scored: 6, 3, 6, 6.
• During a three-game losing streak in the middle of the year, they allowed 33 points total and gave up three touchdowns total. .
• They forced four or more turnovers nine times: four turnovers in four games, five turnovers three games, and six turnovers twice.

I'm not trying to downplay that D at all, I watched that season and am well aware of how strong they were.

Doesn't change that the 49ers D is simply something you cannot run on this year and that's lead them to 8-1 so far. You don't have to be the GOAT D to carry a team far, doing what they've been doing with some potent weapons on offence seems to be working so far. They also are killing it in the return game.

I do recall a team very similar to this making the Super Bowl a short while ago. Although I'd say this offence is better than the Bears was.

 

[Senser81]

Vernon Davis & Frank Gore are pretty damn good players themselves.

Not to mention having Crabtree and Edwards where as the Ravens had absolute garbage at WR.

From what I've seen, Crabtree and Edwards can be classified as garbage, too.

 

[killgod]

I have faith one of them can top 49 catches for 650 yards.

 

[Blade]

They got a balanced roster with a smart QB who knows how to manage a game. AND they have a HC who knows how to win football games. They will surprise a lot, but I don't see them getting past The Pack.

 

[Houston]

Yes.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Smith is having a great year, and I can't wait for the overreative media to bury him when he has a bad game in the playoffs.

 

[Aso]

The Ravens defense also played a lot of shit QB's as well in that regular season and offenses in todays NFL are scoring more points.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

The Ravens defense also played a lot of shit QB's as well in that regular season.

Oh, c'mon. That was a great defense. They proved it in the playoffs if you are one of these 'nothing counts in the regular season' guys.

 

[Senser81]

Oh, c'mon. That was a great defense. They proved it in the playoffs if you are one of these 'nothing counts in the regular season' guys.

They played some shit QBs in the playoffs, too. Gus Frerotte & Jarious Jackson in Round 1, Steve McNair in Round 2, Bobby Hoying in Round 3, and Kerry Collins in the Super Bowl. Just sayin.

 

[DSpydr84]

I always thought Smith could amount to something above average with the right situation. He's seen more offensive systems than he's had years in the league. He still has a lot of room to grow with Harbaugh, but clearly he's in a comfortable role that suits his skills.

And to all the "game manager" comments, I don't really see why that matters to begin with. Why take unnecessary chances if you don't have to? Coaches don't do enough these days to cater to their players' skills; it's all about "fitting the system" or finding somebody else who can. What ever happened to working around the guys that you have?

 

[St. Francisco]

Yes, but he isn't being protected by an historically great defense either.

Really?

-Through nine games, the 49ers have not allowed a single rushing touchdown. Take a second, let that sink in. Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy, Cedric Benson, Montario Hardesty, LaGarette Blount, Jahvid Best, Brandon Jacobs...nothing.

- The 49ers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 30(?) games...give or take a few games, I can't remember. It goes without saying that we're #1 when defending the run.

-Carlos Rogers leads the NFL with 5 interceptions.

-Second-year player Navarro Bowman is 2nd in the NFL with 92 tackles...and he's not even the best interior linebacker on the team.

-The 49ers have an NFL-best +13 turnover differential.