Is it time for the 49ers to bench Alex Smith?
49er fans once again have had about all they can take when it comes to the play of Alex Smith.
Following yet another rough performance by his starting quarterback in a 16-14 loss to the Falcons on Sunday, 49ers head coach Mike Singletary said that he never thought about pulling Smith during the game. Why would he? Smith killed two potential scoring drives with interceptions, but coaches don’t make it a habit to pull their starting quarterbacks when their team has the lead. And up until the final seven seconds, the Niners had the lead the entire time.
But while the thought didn’t cross his mind on Sunday, I wonder if Singletary is considering making a quarterback change now. Smith hasn’t been dreadful, but the bottom line is that he isn’t making enough plays in the vertical passing game – or enough plays period. The situation in Atlanta was set up perfectly for him: he had a 14-0 lead, a solid game plan under new offensive coordinator Mike Johnson and a defense that was holding the Falcons to field goals instead of touchdowns. All Smith had to do was keep the chains moving, protect the football and allow the Falcons to kill themselves with dumb mistakes.
But once again, he failed to do that and now San Fran is 0-4 after many pundits (this one included) projected them to win the NFC West. Given how bad the division is, that goal can still be attained but not if Smith continues to play as poorly as he has.
The problem is that Singletary has options at quarterback, but they’re not very good. We’ve all witnessed David Carr’s handy work and Nate Davis is still incredibly raw. The wild card is Troy Smith, whom the Niners signed a month ago after the Ravens dumped him. But he’s coming off a brutal preseason and doesn’t have the accuracy or decision-making to be a starter at this juncture. Despite Smith’s play, he still gives the 49ers the best chance of winning at the moment (however long that is) and Singletary may have no choice but to stick with him.
Then again, why continue to do something if it isn’t working? If Smith can’t produce under Johnson, then Carr, Troy Smith or Davis should get an opportunity. The Niners can’t continue to be derailed by inconsistency at the quarterback position or else this season is about to get longer than it already has been.
It’s now or never, Alex Smith.
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Posted in: NFL
Tags: Alex Smith, Anthony Stalter, bench Alex Smith, David Carr, Mike Singletary, Nate Davis, San Francisco 49ers
Its time for Alex Smith to be benched, Troy can run if trouble comes, and not make stupid mistakes
Out of the 12 other NFC teams, I honestly think that at least 9 of them would win the NFC West.
I feel like Frank Gore is such a good back and I am afraid that by the time the 9ers get a decent QB he is going to be old.
I LIKE DAVIS MYSELF. ALEX SMITH SUCKS HE NEVER GOES FOR THE LONG PASS OR EVEN MEDIUM LENGTH PASS ALL HE DOES IS TRY TO DUMP SHORT SCRENS AND RUN LIKE A BABY HES WACK. I THINK CARR COULD WIN SOME GAMES FOR US IF WE GIVE HIM A SHOT WELL SEE WHAT HAPPENS
Take Smith out, and put Davis in. He can’t do any worse than Smith. I’m tired of watching lame throws from Smith. There’s no effort in his attempts. From what I saw from Davis in the pre-season, he’d be more accurate throwing the ball and faster on his feet than Smith. JMHO.
First you need a coach and not a cheerleader leading this team. Someone who understands and make changes to fix problems when they arise on the football field. This coach cannot do either and Alex Smith was a bust before and now as well. Until the Niners drop him from the roster and fire Singletary they will continue to lose these games. The Yorks are the bigger problem, their football decisions are bad either they overpay coaches and football players and signed them up to long term contracts. They have no football sense in running a franchise, look at their track record so far. I for one wished they sell the team to someone who can bring back our pride.
Next years draft, the Niners have two first round picks and have to spend one on a QB. Who would you take at this position in 2011 NFL draft? Item # 2: Who would you want to coached this team in 2011? you will also need a GM in 2011, same question and answer?? This team needs a handsoff owner, and more football smarts front office staff to make day to days decisions. Otherwise just look at the Raiders and Al Davis, when was the last time they played in a super bowl? look at the mistakes their organization has made in the last 20 years, we are heading down the same path. GET RID OF THE YORKS!!
0-4 I think so. He gets maybe 1 touch down a game and adverages 2 interceptions.He needs to go asap if we still want to compete in our own division. We have the play makers we just can’t get them the ball thanks to A. Smith who is scared to run the ball and panics in the pocket. If only the 49ers fans in San Fran can make a bill board that says Alex Smith your fired, anything to make a statement to get him out, he’s stinking up the place.
Duncan,
I 100% agree with your comments! No doubt, the Smith experiment has completely backfired but the Singletary experiment has failed too. It was Sing that put Smith in this position in the first place because of his own stupid, old school (back in the 80’s) philosophy. It was Coach Sing that has tried to put Smith in a run, run, run, run, run, check down, run, run, run, etc. philosophy. It’s no secret that Smith is only comfortable in the shot gun but Sing has been too stubborn to change his Ditka style team. Sing (and Smith) are slowly going down in a blaze of glory. I can tell you that Sing will not make a change at the QB position. He’s already had to rightly give up on his OC. There is no way a hyper ego-driven, type A peronality will admit two mistakes.
Against the Falcons, the 49ers were competitive on both sides of the ball and seemed as though the coaching was somewhat improved. I took pleasure in the OC Michael Johnson’s game calling exploited the best of a conventional offense and the West Coast Offense. Using Gore more as receiver in certain sets to take advantage of his all around skills- good hands and route-running. The new 49ers offense, still functioning under Singletary’s flawed vision, meekly stretched the defense horizontal and vertically for the first time this season. As a result some running lanes opened up for the backs. A solid improvement for the offense.
Singletary, however, once again looked like a dazed man. When Singletary ran uncontrollably out on to the field before the half to call a time out, breaking his headset which probably wasn’t plugged in anyway, showed again that Singletary was out of the head coaching element. Oh well, just something the 49ers will have to live with. .
ERD, here is an informational nugget for you:
From Jed “Boy Wonder” York, this was excerpted from a recent Forbes interview:
Q: So, what have you done to position the team to achieve such a lofty goal?
A: York: I think the most important thing is, you know, you have to start with your leadership. And Coach Singletary is the epitome of the San Francisco 49ers. He is winning with class. That’s how he played as a player. That’s how he’s conducted himself after his playing days and as a Hall of Famer. He brings that to the locker room. He makes the 53 guys in our locker room, you know; take a step up every day. He continues to get them to progress.
Not anymore young Jed-I York. Do you know your corporate sponsors and the city of Santa Clara are watching what you do next with keen business interest?
We all think the same A.smith sucks sucks sucks we all see it so i dont know why the coachs dont do nothing about it this sucks Alex Smith needs to break his leg or somthing to get him the hell out of here he sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The 49ers should have never drafted Alex Smith, but what’s done is done. Alex Smith has had his chances and no longer can the excuse be used that he has had 7 offense coordinators in as many years. Time to lay that excuse to rest. Alex Smith just does not have the “IT” factor or even the ability to properly manage the game. He needs to be benched today and released at the end of this year. I would rather see Nate Davis get a chance to play. I believe the kid has potential.
Mike Singletary is not a head coach. He is more of a position’s coach or at best a defensive coordinator. The league is no longer a pound the ball league. Of course you still need to be able to run the ball, but it is vitally important that you are capable of airing it out. Mike Singletary has to see what everyone else is seeing, Alex Smith is not a “winner”. If I remember correctly, Mike Singletary mentioned he wants winners, but right now, he’s starting a loser.
they need to bench smith if they even thick they can make the playoffs alex smith looks like he trying to lose these games on purpose.
I have been a 49er fan for over 30 years get rid of alex smith 49ers can still win the divison we need a quarter back who’s not losing on purpose bench him now before its to late
Been a niner fan since 1979 and I am amazed alex is still in there. He has proven himeself to be ineffective and makes bad decisions at critical times. There has got to be a better QB on our team or we are in serious trouble
Get David Carr in there!
Give him a chance – he’s always been in sucky teams. With the Niners, I see good happening.
Where’s a GM now that we need him. Someone needs to sit down with Singletary and read him the facts of life. It’s admirable that he sticks with Smith. It’s lunacy to continue failed strategies in the face of losses. I firmly believe, Singletary is the worst nightmare of a coach. Stuck on old ideals, unable to change, continues to support failed players and strategies.
Singletary needs to relive history and keep company with Art Shell in a retirement home.
TIME TO BENCH ALEX SMITH!!!!!!! Put in David Carr
before another season goes down the tubes.
YES! IT IS TIME TO BENCH ALEX SMITH!!!!
How much longer do we have to see the horrible and risky passes (do you see how he gets Vernon Davis WRECKED!), poor decision making and arrogant comments…WTF?!?
As a 49er fan, I would prefer to see us take a chance on one of our other QBs than continue to play Alex Smith with the same predictable results.
The rest of the team has stepped up. It is time to make a change.
I won’t watch till they get rid of Alex Smith. Again, another bad performance with a team that could show a lot of prinuse with a better quarterback.
Sorry, call me a fair weather fan but the management of the 49ers doesn’t deserve our support at this point!
Alex did it again!!! drove down the field at the end of the game and threw a INT. Let David Carr practice with the first team offense and start next sunday.