We’ll be on easy street and he’ll win comeback player of the year. But, he’s not. He played a great game, but it was a fluky situation and I doubt he can keep it up.

Here are my doubts:

1. Our offensive line still sucks. They will not be able to protect him like they did this afternoon (morning?).
1A. Houston was up big and wasn’t blitzing, this made protection much easier.
2. Houston definitely was not prepared for the spread (nor should they have been). A team that is prepared for the spread will do better against it.
3. Alex Smith has not consistently played like this, he won’t keep it up.

But, at the same time, he did a lot of good things. Here’s why I’m optimistic:

1. The line did protect Smith better for some reason. It’s possible this has to do with the schemes the spread and Smith forced the D into rather than just a temporary slowing of the flood of defensive pressure.
2. Smith was clearly less effected by pressure from the defense.
3. Smith was clearly less effected by pressure from the defense.
4. Smith got the ball to his receivers (6 to VD, 4 to JM, 3 to MC, 2 to IB) instead of just dump offs.

All in all, a great performance from Smith, he made some great throws and he didn’t make too many bad ones. I don’t expect to see Smith like that again, though I do expect him to be deservedly promoted for it. He clearly gives this offense another dimension, and as long as he can take care of the ball, he’s an instant upgrade. If he starts spraying the ball and/or turning it over, we’ve got problems. Hill looked awful in this game, and not much better in the last (at least in the first half, I stopped watching at halftime). I’m also really excited by Crabby’s performance (3 BIG 3rd down catches!). He looks like a stud.

Micro view, we’ve lost two in a row and the division lead. Panic sets in as we fans feel a repeat of disappointment from the past six seasons. Macro view says we’re 3-3, better at this point than any season since 2002. We’re 3-0 in the division and winning the West was always going to come down to beating AZ here in December. So we need be no worse than one game back of them going into that game.

Tonight AZ won a road game that most people had as a loss. We’ll need to do the same to a road team on our schedule, whether that be Sunday in Indy or later in Philly. Our identity is still the same; defense, limiting mistakes while being effective at running the ball on offense and (gulp) special teams. That we now can make our own plays at the QB position adds to this and will assist the success of all those goals.

I think many fans have gone so long without being in a legit division race we’ve forgotten how back and forth it can be. Leading now is nice. Leading in December is what matters. I still like our chances, even more so with Smith throwing as he did today.

i think i’m not a believer in alex smith yet, but this is the 1st time i’ve ever wanted him as our qb. i don’t believe he will have this type of performance against indy, though. now i’m nervous about the cardinals again. today’s cards are not the same team we beat earlier in the yr. that team that played last night would’ve killed us. our offensive line problems still haven’t been addressed and what about the non-existent running game? i still think the yorks are 1 step above al davis. our owners suck. we have no running game and we let sheets go. now we have fools muffing punts because we let rossum go! stupid!! when we were 3-0 i thought we might make the playoffs. now, i don’t.