Does Harbaugh hide Alex Smith?

CBBSports.com’s 49ers beat writer, Michael Erler, disagrees with Greg Cosell’s claim that the 49ers are “hiding” Alex Smith.

In Erler’s blog he points out that Alex Smith is averaging 26.3 passes per game this season. That number happens to be about two pass attempts fewer than Andrew Luck’s average last season under Jim Harbaugh — 28.8 passes per game.

Was Harbaugh hiding Andrew Luck, the best quarterback in college football, last year at Stanford? Of course not.

Here’s Erler’s main argument: “If Tom Brady or Drew Brees was the starting quarterback for the 49ers, would they be averaging more than 26.3 pass attempts? Yeah, probably. But not much more, not with Harbaugh coaching. Dude likes to run the ball.”

Do you agree with Greg Cosell or Michael Erler? For what it’s worth, I happen to agree with Erler.