Big congratulations are in order for 49ers rookie Aldon Smith as he was named the Pepsi Rookie Of The Week for Week 5. Smith had two sacks in the 49ers rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The last 49ers rookie to win such an award was Patrick Willis, who took home the award four times during his rookie season.
It is a vote of popular opinion, but it says something that he nabbed the award over a field that included Cam Newton, A.J. Green, Andy Dalton and Doug Baldwin. The 49ers have been in the media a lot this week and I have to think that helped. That's not to say his performance isn't deserving of the award, but you know how popularity contests can sometimes roll.
Let's hope this is the first of many awards for the 49ers outside linebacker/nickel defensive end. The team will need a strong showing from him this Sunday as he could be in line for a lot of playing time. The Lions pass the ball a lot and the 49ers will likely spend more time in their nickel defense than any other formation. It will be another test of his endurance and skill.