In any other division in the NFL it would seem laughable for a 3-6 team to be serious contenders in NFL betting odds to make the playoffs but that is not the case in the NFC West.
The 49ers are 2-0 with Troy Smith at quarterback and there is real hope for the 49ers now. San Francisco is a team to consider against the NFL odds at Sbg global with the better Smith at quarterback.
Troy Smith
The 49ers are simply a better team with Troy Smith at quarterback. They were a mess with Alex Smith at quarterback. Even though head coach Mike Singletary has done a poor job of coaching the 49ers at least he didn’t screw up by putting the wrong Smith back at quarterback. Troy Smith gives the 49ers a chance to win and a chance to make the playoffs. He passed for a career-high 356 yards last week to lead the 49ers to a 23-20 overtime victory against the St. Louis Rams. He was brilliant on the final touchdown drive that kept San Francisco’s season alive. He passed for more yards than any San Francisco quarterback since 2004. In his two starts he has thrown for 552 yards and hasn’t committed a turnover. He is a monumental upgrade over Alex Smith who can’t lead a football team.
Key Injury
You won’t hear much about an offensive line injury but the 49ers suffered a major loss in the win against St. Louis. Starting left tackle Joe Staley was injured and is out for at least the next four to six weeks. He is a four-year starter and a fixture on the offensive line. The 49ers will have to hope that Adam Snyder or Barry Sims can replace Staley.
Playoff Chances
The 49ers have a chance to make the playoffs as strange as that sounds. This is a key week though as they host Tampa Bay. A win would get them to 4-6 on the season. Then they have a winnable game next week at Arizona against the NFL betting odds. The game at Green Bay is probably a loss but then they host Seattle in a game they can win before going to San Diego for another probable loss. They finish the season though with winnable games at St. Louis and home against Arizona. It will probably take 8-8 to win the NFC West but looking at the schedule that seems possible for San Francisco with Troy Smith at quarterback.