Alex Smith directs the play for the impressive 49ers
Alex Smith threw two of his three touchdown passes to Vernon Davis as the 49ers made it their best start in nine years with a 48-3 win against Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carlos Rogers returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown and tight ends Davis and Delanie Walker each caught TD passes of 20-plus yards in San Francisco's third straight win since blowing a late lead in a September 18 overtime loss to the Cowboys.
Frank Gore ran for a touchdown in his second straight 100-yard rushing game, but a late injury to wide receiver Joshua Morgan put a dampener on what had been a near-perfect day.
Effective
Josh Freeman never found the flow that made him so effective in the rout here last November and the Bucs (3-2) were a step behind in a short week after beating the Colts on Monday night.
Tampa Bay lost their cool, too - and a share of the South lead in the process. A testy Bucs coach Raheem Morris received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty with 9:05 left in the third quarter for yelling in the face of line judge Mark Steinkerchner.
Just more than five minutes later, safety Sean Jones had a late hit to Kendall Hunter's head after the play was over. Linebacker Dekoda Watson was flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty four seconds into the fourth quarter that set up Davis' second TD catch.
Smith made his mark, going 11 for 19 for 170 yards and no sacks or interceptions before giving way to rookie backup Colin Kaepernick midway through the fourth.
San Francisco came out of half-time with an 80-yard, seven-play scoring drive capped by Davis' 23-yard TD grab. Walker caught a 26-yard pass for the 49ers' on their opening drive of the game.
David Akers kicked field goals of 37 and 27 yards.
Even the kickers did their part to give San Francisco solid field position. That worked out nicely for Smith, who these days is generating constant cheers from the Candlestick Park crowd that has let him have it with boos so many times in recent years.
Released
One of his shining moments came when he had nearly gone to the ground under pressure and he released the ball at the last second and found Morgan on the left sideline for a 13-yard gain. Morgan made five catches for 75 yards before the injury.
It's those kind of situations where the old Smith would have been clobbered or sacked for a big loss. His decision-making has been spot on so far.
Rogers' third interception of the season, on a pass intended for Kellen Winslow early in the second quarter, stopped any momentum Tampa Bay might have gained after Gore fumbled deep in Bucs' territory.
Rookie Chris Culliver thwarted the next Buccaneers' drive with his first career interception.
Dashon Goldson provided a nice block on Freeman as Rogers stepped into the end zone on the right side, then Goldson forced a fumble by Mike Williams late in the third that was recovered Ray McDonald.
Smith completed his first four passes including the TD strike to Walker on the team's opening drive when the tight end beat three defenders.
These 49ers, alone atop the NFC West, are determined not to waste another strong start the way they did two years ago.
Smith was part of the team that began 3-1 in 2009, but wound up dropping their next four games and five of six on the way to an 8-8 finish.
Freeman went 17 for 33 for 187 yards with two interceptions and two sacks.
Source: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_7233391,00.html
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