Alex Smith is a second-string quarterback.
And, last week, Aaron Rodgers became the second-ranked quarterback in NFL history.
We all know that stuff about time healing all wounds. But it sure doesn’t seem to apply for Niners fans when it comes to their team’s ill-fated and well-documented decision to take Smith instead of Rodgers in the 2005 draft.
The storyline was much the same when the 49ers met the Packers last
year, but at least Smith had assumed the starting role and played
moderately well.
This time around, however, Smith is on the bench and it’s possible that
he’s taken his last meaningful snap in San Francisco. In contrast,
Rodgers’ already rapid ascent has somehow picked up momentum.
In the past 12 months, the Smith-Rodgers snafu has gone from huge
mistake to an error of Sam Bowie-instead-of-Michael-Jordan proportions.
Rodgers enters Sunday’s game on a stunning three-game streak during
which he’s completed 75 of 100 passes for 934 yards with eight
touchdowns and no interceptions. Last week, he threw the 1,500th pass of
his career, the minimum to qualify for career passer rating in the NFL.
His 97.28 rating ranks second all-time behind San Diego’s Philip Rivers
(97.34) and just ahead of the 49ers Steve Young (96.8), who ranks third.
Niners defensive coordinator Greg Manusky says Rodgers is playing even
better than last year, which is rather high praise. In 2009, Rodgers
threw for 4,434 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Linebacker Takeo Spikes didn’t play in last year’s 30-24 loss to the
Packers — a game in which Rodgers completed 32 of 45 passes for 344
yards with two TDs and 0 INTs — but agrees the fifth-year quarterback
has reached another level.
“He understands where he’s going with the ball before the ball is even
snapped,” Spikes said. “Very few quarterbacks do that in this league
with strong conviction. He does it with strong conviction and you see it
in his eyes. I respect him a lot for that. He’s a hell of a player.”
Cornerback Nate Clements says Rodgers is getting the ball out even
faster thanks to better protection up front. The Packers are on pace to
allow 31 sacks, 20 fewer than last year.
“He’s getting the ball out fast,” Clements said. “Receivers are running
precision-type routes. Defensively we’ve got to try to disrupt the
timing. From a defensive back’s standpoint just get our hands on them in
certain situations.”
Rodgers, not surprisingly, is quite happy in his situation.
A Chico native who grew up rooting for the 49ers, any disappointment he felt on draft day has long since passed.
But he acknowledged some of his Northern California friends are still lamenting the Niners’ mistake.
“From time to time, you might hear that kind of stuff,” Rodgers said.
“But I’m hoping that a lot of my friends are now Packers fans as well as
49ers fans.”
Maybe so.
Just not this Sunday.
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