The 49ers will go back to Plan A in an effort to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.
According to multiple sources, the Niners will bench quarterback Troy Smith in favor of Alex Smith for their game against visiting Seattle (6-6) on Sunday. With a loss, San Francisco (4-8) will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
Alex Smith started the season’s first seven games but separated his
non-throwing shoulder in a 23-20 loss at Carolina on Oct. 24. Troy Smith
took over in his absence and directed a pair of fourth-quarter
comebacks in his first two starts, victories over the Broncos and Rams
in which he became the first Niners quarterback to have a quarterback
rating over 115.0 in back-to-back games since Jeff Garcia in 2003. As a
result, he earned the starting job after Alex Smith was medically
cleared to play.
But Troy Smith has since struggled. In his past three starts, he’s
compiled quarterback ratings of 51.5, 61.7 and 64.4. He completed 10 of
25 passes for 194 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 34-16
loss to the Packers on Sunday and has completed 39 percent of his
attempts (14 of 36) dating back to the second quarter of a 27-6 win
against Arizona on Nov. 29, compiling a rating of 31.4 during that span.
After Sunday’s game, coach Mike Singletary said he didn’t considering
switching quarterbacks. But Singletary didn’t commit to Troy Smith
starting against Seattle when asked at his press conference Monday.
Alex Smith has completed 143 of 242 passes this season for 1,554 yards
with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. In his five starts, Troy
Smith completed 66 of 126 passes for 1,023 yards with four touchdowns
and three interceptions.
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