49ers Vs. Packers: Alex Smith Should Channel Some Tony Romo

If you were to look at ESPN's week 1 analyst-predictions (who will win the games) it looked like a winning slot-machine for many of the contests, including the New York Giants vs. the Dallas Cowboys. Nobody thought Dallas could overcome the Super Bowl Champs, destined to repeat according to many.

I wasn't buying it, and neither was Tony Romo. Despite having poor pass protection at times, Romo persevered, made checks at the line of scrimmage, and beat the blitz when he needed to.

Playing a pressure-heavy team like the Green Bay Packers in week one, the 49ers and Alex Smith should take a page out of Romo's book.

The 49ers offensive line features a new right guard in Alex Boone. We all know that it takes time to gel with your line-mates, especially when it comes to stunts, twists, and exotic blitzes. You need to know who's blocking who when they're coming from unconventional locations.

A team like the Packers likes to send pressure, and last year's 49ers often struggled with "gut pressure", blitzes up the middle of the offensive line. It's not hard to believe that this could be somewhat of an issue entering Sunday's contest at Lambeau Field.

But if Alex Smith can channel his inner-Romo, make the right checks at the line, recognize the blitz, and make plays in spite of potential breakdowns along the OL...he can take advantage of the holes in the defense and turn in a great performance, helping his team beat the "Giant" in Green Bay...much like Dallas did.