Sports Then and Now

The final games of the 2010 season may be Alex Smith's last chance as quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.

The desire to keep the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl playoff hopes alive are resting heavy on the shoulders of Alex Smith, as he fears failure this season could mean he is without a team at the end of the campaign.

Coach Mike Singletary has turned to Smith as the 49ers, with a 4-8 record, know their clash with Seattle Seahawks is a must-win game and a defeat could eliminate them from play-off contention and the Super Bowl 2011 odds reflect this.

Quarterback Smith is back after a five-game absence from the 49ers line up due to injury. Singletary claims Smith gives the side a better chance of winning, and the player knows failure to make it into the Super Bowl play-offs could bring the curtain down on his career with the 49ers, who he joined as a Number 1 pick in the 2005 draft.

Smith claims his coach told him he is the number one quarterback for the remainder of the season as he can do anything in the playbook, unlike his rivals for the position who only arrived in September. The player will want to repay Singletary’s faith by throwing the touchdown passes that catapult the 49ers into contention for the play-offs, although the Super Bowl betting odds 2011 suggest their hope of going all the way are slim.

“He made it very clear that was his thinking – that we’re going into this game and I gave us the best opportunity,” Smith said of his coach.

“He made the decision, I’m going to get ready to play. We’re all going to get ready to go play.”

San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis has stated he wants to see continuity at the quarterback spot now Smith has got the jersey. He claims the decision for Smith was made for the “betterment of the team” and now all the squad must strive to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.