49ers Beat Seahawks 40-21 Behind Alex Smith, Coach Sing In NFC West Rematch

The San Francisco 49ers put the hurt on the visiting Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, coasting to a 40-21 blowout behind reinstated quarterback and captain Alex Smith.

Wait, that can't be right. It is? Well, I'll be damned.

Fans welcomed back their favorite 49ers passer with open arms, as the first-overall draft pick from 2005 completed 17 of 27 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns.

So the numbers above are correct, but the reality is that Alex Smith had to play a gritty game to knock off some rust—after being booed by fans upon his introduction.

Roughly two-and-a-half minutes into the game, Smith connected with Vernon Davis for a 42-yard touchdown pass, and the boo birds stopped their song.

Smith showed flashed of the passion that his game has missed much of his career. On one rush, he even ran throwing-shoulder-first into a Seattle defender. It wasn't the smartest move, but it was respectable for its grittiness.

Alex was not perfect, but who ever is? A couple of passes sailed on him and some were behind receivers, but none were intercepted and enough were right on the money.

Play-calling seemed to have improved 1,000 percent since the first matchup, a 31-6 trouncing at Qwest Field that kicked off the 49ers early-season misery.

Quite a few 49ers fans flew off the handle when Mike Singleary thanked Pete Carroll for the tail-kicking they received that day. Is Coach Singletary retarded? Why is he thanking the opposing coach for beating us?

But if they'd read between the lines properly, they would have heard Singletary's real message. Essentially, Singletary was reminding Carroll they'd meet again in December at the Stick. So come on over to our house, and see what's good—in our house.

Singletary praised his players, and told them to enjoy the win, but also to immediately start preparing for the short week and Thursday night's matchup against a hungry Chargers team in San Diego.

Sunday's victory put the 49ers at one game behind the Rams and Seahawks for the division. They have the tie-breaker advantage over Seattle now, and play at St. Louis in about two weeks.