Niners coach Mike Singletary was publically noncommittal regarding his starting quarterback this morning.
An hour later, his quarterbacks were nonexistent.
In the latest twist in Operation Sealed Lips, quarterbacks Alex Smith and Troy Smith weren’t in the locker room during the nearly hour-long media availability today. A team spokesman said the signal-callers were in meetings.
The 49ers can wait until Sunday’s game at St. Louis to announce their starter, but a quarterback — or quarterbacks — must speak with the media prior to the game. The team’s last day of media availability this week is Thursday.
In the absence of Alex Smith and Troy Smith, reporters descended on tight end Vernon Davis’ locker.
The 49ers have had six starting quarterbacks during Davis five-year career. He was asked about the possibility of, in effect, playing with two starting quarterbacks in the same game.
When asked, Singletary didn’t rule out the possibility of both Alex Smith and Troy Smith playing against the Rams.
“I mean, Singletary calls the shots,” Davis said. “I just have to … whether we like it or not, we have to deal with it. I mean, I’ve never had a situation like that were we’ve had to use two quarterbacks in a game. But if you do it, there’s nothing I can really say.”
• If the Niners win the NFC West title with a 7-9 record they also figure to earn plenty of ridicule from the national media.
LB Takeo Spikes, who could pursue a post-playing career in broadcasting, is ready for the punchlines.
“I don’t worry about what this person may say, what that person may say. If they had the opportunity to be in our shoes right now they would love to,” Spikes said. “But they can’t. That’s why they’re sitting behind a desk, holding microphones and making opinions. One day I’ll be that person but until that day I’m going to take advantage of my business here.”
• With LB Travis LaBoy out with a season-ending knee injury, it appears rookie LB Thaddeus Gibson could be active for the first time this season against the Rams.
The 6-2, 243-pound Gibson, a fourth-round draft pick (116th overall) by the Steelers, was claimed off waivers on Nov. 2.
Gibson, who left Ohio State a year early, was a second-team all-Big 10 selection as a defensive end in 2009.
“We’re looking at that this week,” Singletary said when asked about Gibson’s status for Sunday. “And probably, play on a limited basis.”
• RB Anthony Dixon was still limping today after spraining his left ankle in Thursday’s 34-7 loss at San Diego. The rookie said he expects to play in St. Louis.
• The Niners signed OL Dennis Landolt and K Fabrizio Scaccia to the practice squad.
Landolt (6-4, 306), a third-team AP All-American at Penn State last year, spent time on the Giants’ practice squad before he was released on Oct. 9. He went undrafted.
Scaccia has never been on an NFL roster. He was on the UFL’s Sacramento Mountain Lions for the 2010 season and made 12 of 16 field-goal attempts, including a 53-yarder which tied a league record.
He has also played for the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League and the semi-professional St. Lucie Bobcats. He made a 68-yard field goal with St. Lucie in 2009. Click here for the visual evidence.
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