49ers beat the Saints, 36-32

Just one year ago, Alex Smith was surrounded by calamity.His 49ers were finishing up their ninth season without a playoff berth, confusion filled the front office on who would be the future head coach, and grumbling could be heard throughout the city over the concern that there would never be a return of their once storied franchise.Adversity is nothing new for the franchise quarterback...

Considering the circumstances and the two fourth-quarter touchdown plays, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith played the best game of his career. However, he couldn't have done it without plays labled, "whack" and "bang." With the 49ers trailing 24-23 with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter, offensive...

The 49ers signed Alex Smith to an affordable one-year contract before the year with some incentives that weren’t necessarily “likely to be earned.” But the team is happy he earned them. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Smith will get a $1 million bonus for leading the 49ers to the playoffs. The terms of the bonus:…

In one triumphant afternoon, playoff first-timer Alex Smith joined a pair of 49ers Hall of Fame quarterbacks with his own indelible postseason moment. Joe Montana had ''The Catch.'' Steve Young had ''The Catch II.'' Now, Smith added another epic play to the 49ers' storied history: ''The Grab.''

The Saints haven’t lost a game since the day before Halloween, but Alex Smith and Vernon Davis scared the pants off of them. Powered by Smith, who threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns and another on the ground, the 49ers defeated the Saints 36-32. TD passes to Vernon Davis (seven catches, 180 cards) and Michael Crabree [four catches, 25 yards] and a David Ackers field...

All year long, there was one big question about the San Francisco 49ers. No matter how well their defense played, people wondered if Alex Smith was a good enough quarterback to lead them deep into the playoffs. No matter how well the 49ers ran the ball, people wondered if Smith would eventually be their downfall. No matter how good a job Smith did of protecting the ball and putting...

What may be the most diametrically opposed concepts of football is going to be taking place in San Francisco, a city that ruined my psyche with it’s plethora of drugs, bums, and general aimlessness. This weekend will not be aimless. It has already been lamely compared to “objects in motion stay in motion until they hit immovable forces”, blah blah blah. OK. Here’s what this...

Alex Smith completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis with 9 seconds left just after Drew Brees had put the high-powered Saints ahead, and the resurgent San Francisco 49ers capitalized on five New Orleans turnovers for a thrilling 36-32 playoff victory Saturday.

Thirty years after Joe Montana authored a fairly memorable play in 49ers ' history, Alex Smith mirrored the legend. In some ways, he might have even trumped him by delivering not one but two clutch scoring plays with a...

Late-game heroics, stingy defenses and blowouts highlighted this weekend's divisional playoff matchups. 49ers beat Saints 36-32 The Saints haven’t lost a game since the day before Halloween, but a four touchdown night from quarterback Alex Smith and 180 yards receiving from Vernon Davis was downright scary. While Drew Brees (458 passing yards, four TDs) had success against...