QB Drew Brees and the Saints showed they could in fact move the ball against a stout San Francisco defense as they went 78 yards on the opening possession. However S Donte Whitner laid a massive hit on Saints RB Pierre Thomas forcing the game's first turnover and knocking Thomas out of the game, setting the tone for the rest of the contest. The Saints would hand the ball over two more times in the 1st Quarter and all of a sudden San Francisco jumped out to a 17-0 lead behind a pair of TD passes from QB Alex Smith. Brees would battle back in the 2nd with two TDs of his own including a beautiful 25-yard strike to WR Marques Colston that got them back in it before halftime with the score 17-14. It would be a defensive battle for most of the second half and saw the 49ers holding on to a 23-17 lead with less than 5 minutes remaining (despite a 5th New Orleans turnover early in the 3rd inside their on 30 they only resulted in another FG). However the potent Saints offense could not be held in check any longer as RB Darren Sproles gave his team their first lead with a 44-yard catch-and-run for a TD to make it 24-23 with 4:02 remaining.
It was at this point that Alex Smith played the best football of his career. Smith, largely considered to be a bust after being selected number 1 overall 7 years ago, drove his team right down the field with the help of TE Vernon Davis (also considered something of a bust) before Smith retook the lead for his team, scoring on a 28-year QB Keeper up the left sideline on 3rd-and-7 with 2:11 to go. Drew Brees answered right back with a 66-yard TD to TE Jimmy Graham barely 30 seconds later which many (including myself) thought would be the killer blow to the 49ers great season, taking a 32-29 lead. Smith however silenced all of his critics in the final 1:37 of the game by marching right back down the field with the help of another huge completion to Davis of 47 yards with 0:31 left on the clock. Smith then completed his second comeback of the game with a 14-yard TD to Vernon Davis with less than 10 seconds remaining that was a mirror image of the famous Steve Young to Terrell Owens TD against Green Bay in the 1998 playoffs (complete with tears).
I have to tip my cap to Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers. I didn't think they would be able to slow down Drew Brees and the Saints (and was partly correct as Brees passed for 462 yards and 4 TDs). However, as they've done all year long, the 49ers forced 5 turnovers while committing only 1 themselves. I was most impressed with Smith who finally showed all the ability that persuaded the Niners to make him the first overall choice in 2005. After watching this game I think the 49ers will have a real chance to win the NFC Conference Championship game next week if they can continue to play with such tenacity for their coach Jim Harbaugh.
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