Can Alex Smith Be a Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback?

The San Francisco 49ers did a magnificent turnaround in 2011 when they won the NFC West with a 13-3 record just one year after finishing with only six wins.

That wasn’t their only achievement as they kicked the New Orleans Saints out of the playoffs in the divisional round.

Undoubtedly, Jim Harbaugh was the mastermind of that transformation. He was like a fresh breeze for the 49ers, giving them the morale boost they needed and getting the most from his players with his insightful planning and his motivational skills.

With the head coach-quarterback relationship being more and more important in the modern NFL, Harbaugh knew he had to make Alex Smith a winner in order to turn his team around. And so he did. Smith enjoyed his best season as a professional player, and the 49ers became a recognized force in the NFC.

Smith had career highs in pass completion (61.3), quarterback rating (90.7) and interception percentage (1.1 percent). Without impressing, he played effectively and managed to be one of the most consistent signal-callers of the season.

We have to say though, that his task was made a lot easier by the defense of San Francisco, who arguably was one of the best, if not the best, in the league. The 49ers were leading at halftime in 10 of their 13 regular season wins. Overall, their defense allowed only 14.3 points per game and 308.2 yards per game.

That, however, doesn’t shrink Smith’s contribution. The fact that he turned the ball over just five times speaks for itself. Additionally, Smith was able to move the chains whenever the team needed him to.

But with the Lombardi trophy now in the 49ers’ crosshair, Smith will have to switch to top gear. The question is, is there a higher gear for the former No.1 overall pick? Is there still room for further improvement, or has he reached his full potential?

Before the 2011 NFL season, how many really believed that Smith could guide the 49ers to the NFC championship game? I remember a lot of criticism and doubt and it’s very hard to recall any praise for the 28-year old passer.

Last year’s outing was a small redemption for Smith, but he still hasn’t convinced many that he can go to the big game, take the field and win. Even now, he’s not considered a top-10 quarterback.

When is the last time that a quarterback ranked this low won a Super Bowl?

It was probably Eli Manning in 2008 (who now is considered an elite passer by the majority of the NFL world) or Brad Johnson in 2002. That’s only two times in the last ten years.

Alex Smith still has a lot to prove, and this year won’t be easy for him. The 49ers know how to win without expecting big things from their man under center, but at some point he’ll have to take his game to the next level.

Smith showed against the Saints that he can win in crunch time, under heavy pressure. Now he needs to show that the 49ers and their fans can rely on him at any time—that’s the type of quarterback that usually gets the silverware.