Need a New Bandwagon?

Well, Tebowmania is going into hibernation. One loss doesn't make me "right" any more than the win two weeks ago made me "wrong," but I stand by my opinion of Tim Tebow. He's great in spots, awful in others. He's a great guy who has a place in the NFL, but I wouldn't bet my franchise on him. I really don't have an interest in piling on a quality human being any more than that. So, that's all I'll say about him.

Now, though, who will America cheer for now that everyone's favorite underdog is watching at home?

The Patriots are the complete opposite of an underdog. They are the dominant franchise of the last decade. So, if you want to pull for dominance and greatness (nothing wrong with that), there's New England.

The Giants have a pretty big bandwagon of their own: the biggest market in the country. They have a nice history and a pair of Super Bowls. Eli Manning won one of those Super Bowls, meaning there's no monkey on his back. So, there's not much of an underdog feel there, either.

The Ravens? Well, I guess that depends on how you feel about Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, and John Harbaugh. There are mixed feelings out there about all those guys. Maybe if the Ravens hadn't won Super Bowl XXXV, I'd feel good for the city of Baltimore to get an NFL title again, but that's not a story now. Baltimore just doesn't have a reason for me to jump on the bandwagon.

Then, there's San Francisco. While we were all caught up in Tebowmania, we may have overlooked a great underdog story out west. This isn't even about the proud 49ers' franchise that has fallen on hard times, including a 6-10 campaign last year. This is about the quarterback everyone had given up on. This is about Alex Smith.

I'm not saying he's elite yet, but my opinion of Alex Smith changed Saturday.

Alex Smith was taken first overall in the 2005 NFL Draft. In the seven seasons since, he has played for seven different offensive coordinators and three head coaches. He's dealt with some frustrating injuries and the lofty expectations that come with playing quarterback for the same franchise that had Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Excuses aside, there was no shaking the fact that Alex Smith had underachieved. His numbers were somewhere between "unspectacular" and "terrible."

Aaron Rodgers was taken 23 spots behind Smith in the 2005 NFL Draft and has emerged from Brett Favre's shadow to become an elite NFL quarterback and Super Bowl champion. The fact that Rodgers is a California kid and a product of nearby Cal-Berkeley didn't help matters as many local fans wanted Rodgers from the beginning and have groaned about Smith since draft day.

While no other quarterback in that draft has found great success, many had had more successful careers than Smith entering 2011: Jason Campbell (25th overall), Kyle Orton (106th), Derek Anderson (213th), Matt Cassel (230th), and Ryan Fitzpatrick (250th).

Smith's rookie contract expired after the 2010 season, but the 49ers brought him back on a one-year deal. They mainly did this because there were few better options available and little time to find a trade after the lockout ended. It was truly Smith's last chance to deliver before San Francisco moved in another direction at quarterback. Smith won the starting job and the respect of new head coach Jim Harbaugh, and a great redemption story began.

In a season that saw guys like Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford put up video game statistics, Alex Smith quietly put up career highs in yards (3,144), completion percentage (61.3), and quarterback rating (90.7). His modest total of 17 touchdowns was one short of his career high, but he only threw 5 interceptions (which would be a career low, but he threw 4 in 2007 when he only played 7 games). None of those numbers are amazing, but they were a step in the right direction for Smith.

Oh by the way, he led the 49ers to 13 wins, their most since 1997. He also led an offense that tied an NFL record for fewest turnovers with 10.

The regular season stats, though, aren't why I'm on the Alex Smith bandwagon. It was this weekend's win over the Saints. Going toe-to-toe with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees, Smith got it done when we were all expecting him to fall short like he had for the previous six seasons.

When Smith scrambled for a 28-yard touchdown to give San Francisco the lead, I was impressed. After Brees gave the Saints the lead and Smith marched the team back down the field with under two minutes to play, I was stunned. When Smith fired a strike to Vernon Davis to win the game, my jaw hit the floor.

Was it a brief moment of glory or the beginning of
something great for Alex Smith? I'm anxious to find out.

This guy who was considered a bust and a joke five months ago just completed seven of nine passes down the stretch. He led his team on fourth quarter scoring drives of 80 and 85 yards. He rushed 28 yards for one of those touchdowns and threaded the needle for another to get the best of Drew Brees.

Wow.

Did I just see a star born? Time will tell. Those two drives, though, made me a believer in Alex Smith. He made precise throws, made great decisions under pressure and got the win. That was cold-blooded. That's what champions do.

It was asked on Twitter this week why people are all about Tebow and nobody talks about Smith. I think the reason for that is that Tebow, despite his flaws, has had some spectacular game-winning moments (the touchdown run against the Jets and the pass to beat Pittsburgh) and he was also a highly-decorated media darling in college, too. Smith isn't spectacular, and he really wasn't on the national media's radar until his final season at Utah. Despite those 13 wins, he hadn't really had a "big moment" in the NFL until this weekend. Saturday, though, he made a play for the ages.

Could it be a fluke? Of course. No names have come up in big moments before. Then again, maybe this is the beginning of a new chapter in San Francisco 49ers' lore. I'm anxious to see what's next.

So, if you need a new underdog to cheer for, join me on the Alex Smith bandwagon.