So, basically, Smith was playing against a D that anybody with a semi-accurate arm could have picked apart.

If that were the case, shouldn’t Shaun Hill have been more successful than Smith?

I think the biggest differences were that (1) Smith had nothing to lose, so he had more confidence in his initial reads and that (2) Smith is actually able to move.

When allowed to throw repeatedly, Smith performs. He did the same thing at the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 before he was injured. He’s good in a two-minute type, up-tempo offense.

I really hope that Smith starting means that the 49ers will spread the field out more (even if it means just moving Davis and Gore out to the slots/wide). I don’t expect them to abandon the run, but imagine what Gore can do if the 49ers can establish some kind of success on intermediate routes (i.e. 10-20 yards down the field).

Kind of desperate criticism there. Carson Palmer didn’t do much against them the week previous, what’s the excuse on that one?

Anyway, regarding VD, defenses have to pick their poison. No, LBs can’t cover him alone. But they can try to put corners on him, which is when the Niners start running screens and slants with him. Put safeties on him and open up the deep routes. The point is that if he’s going good, you have to have both DBs and LBs accounting for him every play.