Alex Smith no longer the starting QB in San Francisco

patsinthesnow said:

1,731 yards 70% comp. pct. 13 TDs 5 INTs 104.1 QBR

Almost feel bad for the guy, not sure if it's the right decision either.

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Feel bad for? He's the definition of a game manager.

So he's throwing for 192 yards a game. The 29th lowest in the NFL. We're talking lower than Mark Sanchez and Matt Cassel.

His QB rating is irrelevant, unless you actually think he's the 3rd best QB in the NFL and above Brady, as that's where it has him ranked.

Smith led the 49ers to the NFCC last year

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Wow, Smith wins one playoff game against an awful defense and that justifies him starting?

Reminds me of the old "Mark Sanchez has led the Jets to two AFC Championship games!" argument.

PatriotSeven said:

The only thing I can think of is that Smith has achieved his efficiency by the fact Harbaugh has kept it ultra conservative.

He's the 4th best rated passer, but only has 1731 yards and 13 TD's. On the Total QBR though, he's ranked 11th with a 41. Kaepernick just put up a 90+. Personally, I just can't argue with Smith's 70% completion percentage even if he is conservative.

I'm thinking Harbaugh wants a more productive passing offense with the added rushing threat. If he's right Colin could elevate his team to an all around juggernaut, rather than just a defensive beast.

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P7, all good points. I am sure Harbaugh's belief is the new guy gives the team greater offensive potency. But the 9ers have a 750 winning % and seemingly are in good position for a first round bye. Why would someone mess with that in such a big way like changing your established QB for a rookie with only 1 start?? Again, to me, it is a gamble that has too much possible downside with too small a window of upside (even if they score 50 points in the next two games, a 750 winning % just doesn't allow for a lot of W-L improvement).

Harbaugh is well liked in these parts because of his time with Stanford and his short tenure with the 9ers. And Colin has been given nothing but praise from the local media (he has earned the good media). Yet like Smith or not (and I'm not a particular fan of his), what he has done is something not a lot QBs seemingly do well: Don't turn the ball over, manage the game effectively, score efficiently, win games. The 9ers were extremely close to being in the SB last year. Their record/play this year has the fan base believing a repeat is in order. That's a lot of expectations/pressure for a rookie to step into......one that has experienced absolutely no negative media scrutiny. And if the 9ers all of a sudden struggle with him at the helm and Smith has to come back in and the media revs up its engine? The negative effect on Colin may stretch beyond this year.

Hey, if the 9ers take it to the SB with the new guy at the helm? Harbaugh will, rightly so, have some serious praise heaped on him. He will have taken a VERY bold step that paid off.....not a lot of coaches would be this bold.

IndianPat said:

Tom Brady replacing Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe never got his job back.

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Different scenarios when you examine the particulars:
- TB had a year of bench warming to get his pro legs under him. Colin K didn't.
- TB didn't have the immediate specter of DB waiting to replace him if he stumbled (DB was out for 4 weeks with his injury?). For instance, Brady laid an egg against Miami 2 weeks after DB went down. If Colin K stumbles like that, fans/media will justifiably wonder 'why isn't Smith Playing'.
- Smith is playing his best ball. DB, many thought, had seen his better days.
- Patriots were coming off a bad season with very little expectation of winning. The 9ers just missed getting to the SB last year and their play this year has the fan base's expectations high.

The examination of the particulars shows Colin K is coming into a more difficult situation regarding expectations and regarding the tenuous nature of his starting status. Colin K, literally, will have to show he is as good or better than a 750 winning % and a hair from winning the NFC championship game. That is A LOT to ask of a rookie....albeit a rookie who looks like he has got a lot going for him.

Some things to consider:

- In 10 games over 2 years, CK has thrown exactly 1 pass away from home...an incomplete pass against the Jets.

- The 49ers play 4 of their next 5 games on the road.

- CK effectively played a full game worth of snaps against the Rams and could only manage a tie.

- In CK's signature win this past week:
-- The Bears were inept on offense, going 3-n-out seven times and racking up 58 net yards passing
-- The 49ers avg starting field position was their 35, with 2 drives starting in CHI territory

- Despite those overwhelming advantages:
-- The 49ers were 4-12 on 3rd down
-- They ran only 54 offensive plays and were tied in TOP

I'm not saying CK is bad. He had some sweet throws against the Bears. But it was hardly an overwhelming offensive showing and certainly not significantly better than what ASmith showed multiple times this year. I anticipate the Saints will be efficient enough on offense to put a little bit of pressure on CK to perform...maybe even complete the first road pass of his career.

I don't think this is the last QB change in SF. Their OL is not great in pass pro and their upcoming opponents (Pats aside) are generally solid in getting to the QB. If CK has a firm grip on the job by the time they roll into Foxborough, I will be surprised.

Smith says Kaepernick will get first-team reps, but starting job still open | ProFootballTalk

In response to a report from Jim Trotter of SI.com that 49ers quarterback Alex Smith has been told that Colin Kaepernick will start Sunday at New Orleans regarding of Smith’s health, ESPN producer Seth Markman has posted via Twitter that Smith has informed ESPN’s Trent Dilfer that the veteran quarterback has been told only that Kaepernick will get the first-team practice reps this week.

Per Dilfer (via Markman), Smith says that he still has a chance to start based on how he and Kaepernick perform in practice.

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This better work our for Harbaugh, or it could easily blow up in his face! We all knew Smith wasn't his guy as he drafted Kap and was sweet talking Peyton right after the NFCCG.

Who would you rather see starting against us in a couple of weeks?

Pessimistic Pete said:

Feel bad for? He's the definition of a game manager.

So he's throwing for 192 yards a game. The 29th lowest in the NFL. We're talking lower than Mark Sanchez and Matt Cassel.

His QB rating is irrelevant, unless you actually think he's the 3rd best QB in the NFL and above Brady, as that's where it has him ranked.



Wow, Smith wins one playoff game against an awful defense and that justifies him starting?

Reminds me of the old "Mark Sanchez has led the Jets to two AFC Championship games!" argument.

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You say game manager like it is a bad thing. Why? IMHO the first job of a QB is to be a game manager.
Comparing him to Sanchez and Cassell because of equal yards per game is specious without additional stats. It would be just as specious to note Alex Smith has a better passer rating than Tom brady so he must be better than Brady.
The theory is simple: The 9ers just missed a SB appearance last year and are #2 in the NFC this year with a QB that has been playing efficiently to aid in achieving those results. In every football reality, swapping that QB out for a rookie with 1 start is worthy of going "huh? Wow..."? Doesn't mean Colin K won't make the 9ers better, it just means it appears to seriously fly in the face of conventional wisdom/playing the percentages.

Sweet Chin Music33 said:

Who would you rather see starting against us in a couple of weeks?

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Arizona and Seattle didn't need the best "game manager" in the NFL to beat us so, as of right now, I'll take my chance against the rookie with that defense. We have no plans to trade for and start Jason Campbell.

BB loves him some rookie QB's....on the other team.

Sweet Chin Music33 said:

Who would you rather see starting against us in a couple of weeks?

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Unknown as there isn't enough on Colin K to make a educated guess. My gut says I would rather the Patriots play against Smith. That is based on Smith being a guy that has a lower % chance at putting up a big score total.

While my gut says we want to play against Smith, part of that is based on there not being a lot of game film on Colin K for BB and staff to game plan against. Couple the lack of game film with him showing some serious flashes, that worries me. Yet IF he is their starter this week, I'm glad their will be 4 weeks of game film out there prior to playing against the Patriots. And with 4 starts under his belt along with being a rookie, if he hasn't had a game where he makes some poor throws/poor decisions, the timing might be perfect for when he plays the Patriots

Agree with soo much of this thread, but stop using the word "rookie", everybody. He might be one figuratively, but he was drafted in 2011.

I hope the 49ers topple hard with that move. Why? Because I would get immense enjoyment out of that.

CheeseMonkeys said:

I hope the 49ers topple hard with that move. Why? Because I would get immense enjoyment out of that.

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me too, IMO this is a season wrecker.

Why would Harbaugh sabotage his team like this?

BradyBranch39 said:

Agree with soo much of this thread, but stop using the word "rookie", everybody. He might be one figuratively, but he was drafted in 2011.

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Thanks for pointing that out. My bad.....I forgot he was an '11 draft pick.

PatriotSeven said:

Arizona and Seattle didn't need the best "game manager" in the NFL to beat us so, as of right now, I'll take my chance against the rookie with that defense. We have no plans to trade for and start Jason Campbell.

BB loves him some rookie QB's....on the other team.

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Russel Wilson says hi this year. So does Ryan Fitzpatrick from a couple seasons ago.

Well you would have to think this is a combination of what Harbaugh sees in games, on film and in practice. That said it is still a huge gamble. You have to think that if he stays in for a few games he will end up with some up and down performances. It is just unlikely that a guy can step right in without having some up and down performances regardless of how he has been practicing. Harbaugh has set the kid and himself up for failure. Anything but a SB championship will be linked right back to this move and nobody out there will be convinced otherwise.

Sweet Chin Music33 said:

me too, IMO this is a season wrecker.

Why would Harbaugh sabotage his team like this?

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Sabotage? That's a strong word. Harbaugh has some good credentials considering what he did with Stanford and his tenure with the 9ers. If he is making this decision, there has to be some thoughtful reasoning behind it. But (something I think I have said 10 times now ) it is a shocker given they are .750% and in good position for a post season bid...

Colin K is not a rookie. He was selected in the 2011 draft

DocHoliday said:

Colin K is not a rookie. He was selected in the 2011 draft

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No..but his first start ever was on monday..rookie in my book

Nice game on Monday night... wonder if Bill can come up with anything to ruin a rookie QB's day when we get SF...

you dont bench your starter of 1.5 years who has performed at least above average and has done well in the PO for a guy who has almost no experience, and has had ONE good game


not even if in that game he threw for 600yds and 7tds


its ludicrous, and we're about to find out who's smarter, that coach, or I