a couple of the key things

The third-year pro is showing much sharper competitive spirit on the field, where he believes two years of these hard knocks have left him poised to lead the 49ers back to the playoffs.

"I really feel like I'm back to playing football," Smith said. "I know what I'm supposed to be doing. The last couple of years, there were a lot of uncertainties going into the season, going into camp. It's hard to deal with when you don't understand what's ahead of you."

"This season, it's nice to anticipate what it's like to play a season, what it's like to go through game weeks," Smith said. "It's nice to have the offense installed before camp starts. A lot of things I'm more comfortable with, but at the same time, I have much higher expectations of myself and this team."

Those expectations include a postseason berth for the 49ers, who went 7-9 last season in their fourth straight losing campaign -- but a major learning experience for both Smith and his offensive teammates.

"I think we'll be there," he said. "We believe we're good enough to take that next step. We've got all the pieces in place, and no excuses."

Article from Yahoo

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