Alex Smith smiled within the euphoric 49ers locker space seeing that private coach Jim Harbaugh directed inside his focus plus shouted: "Clutch! Clutch!"
That exuberant landscape transpired after Smith brought his team into a comeback victory around Detroit. Three days later, the team's successful streak is an acronym at six and also Harbaugh has grown solely extra enamored together with his quarterback.
"He's every bit that elite quarterback as there exists using within the overall game right now," Harbaugh reported Wednesday.
The 49ers (7-1) subsequent find a different quarterback Harbaugh considers elite, the particular New York Giants' Eli Manning.
Smith and Manning are a pair of belonging to the NFL's ideal finishers that season. Forever associated from the fraternity regarding No. a single overall draft picks Manning with 2004, Smith in '05 they'll skin away from for that very first time that in Sunday's NFC collide from Candlestick Park.
"It's planning to possibly be an awesome analyze regarding us," Smith said. "A great challenger is actually coming in here. This may be a staff (the Giants) that's gamed high-quality footballing for quite a while now."
The 49ers include parlayed his or her success right five-game cause inside the NFC West. The Giants (6-2) have won some in a row, their next such run the following period en option to that NFC East penthouse.
Of these six Giants' victories, three have come by using Manning executing a fourth-quarter comeback, including Sunday's 24-20 triumph at New England.
"(Manning) is doing an outstanding position inside the two-minute felony for most regarding his career," Giants train Tom Coughlin said.
"When he brings your crew 85 (yards) and also 80 (yards) under the last 7 minutes on the fourth fraction (as Manning did Sunday), he has doing a damn fine job."Those two shots off the tee finished within Manning touchdown moves contrary to the Patriots, as well as a new 1-yard game-winner to Jake Ballard along with 12-15 a few moments left.
It's very little consider Manning turns this little league using a fourth-quarter passer standing connected with 121.7. Smith has a high ranking fourth that has a 106.7 mark, whether or not he's tried solely 36 goes within eight mmorpgs (completing 24 regarding 264 yards, a couple touchdowns along with very little interceptions). That fourth-quarter comeback throughout Detroit marked your seventh connected with Smith's profession along with 3 rd in his first three road mmorpgs that season.
"He's handling the sport much better," Coughlin mentioned of Smith. "He's far more confident. He becomes aware or even is convinced that is his team. He's performed superior underneath the tutelage. He's participating in well. He's leading his / her team."
Smith arguably features happen to be much more consistent as compared with Manning, who travelled from accumulating a new gaudy 145.7 passer rating in a very Sept. twenty-five enlighten split rival Philadelphia to help gathering a three-interception hike inside a good Oct. in search of upset decline for you to Seattle.
Manning has not essential any fourth-quarter powerful to visit 3-0 all-time towards the particular 49ers. Smith have missed most of some games: A knee damage placed him out from the 2005 loss at Candlestick, and neck injuries sidelined your pet within the 2007 and 2008 adventures at Giants Stadium.
Manning can be about speed with regard to 4,754 moving yards, which may not you need to be a career high, but a Manning-family best. (Older close friend Peyton's 14-year career is with hiatus due to a new neck of the guitar injury.)
The 49ers might develop the league's stingiest rushing defense, but their pass safety ought to confront its most difficult test in the time against Manning, in particular at ending time.
"It's visiting come down into the last minute," 49ers tight conclude Delanie Walker said. "And we are now have got to finish."
No you've broadcast it out from the fourth quarter the way in which Manning features that year. He is 57 of 83 to get 803 yards. He's thrown eight connected with his 15 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, plus tallied 803 connected with his 2,377 yards.
But no one features witnessed a season like that out of Smith in his NFL career, either. He includes a lover inside Sunday's counterpart.
"I learn they've possessed lots of different coordinators, lessons changes and injuries," Manning explained regarding Smith. "I find out he has worked genuine hard, along with I'm glad for you to notice your pet trying to play at the high level."
He's not necessarily the one one. Just inquire Harbaugh.
For much more within the 49ers, notice Cam Inman's Hot Read blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers .
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