San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) watches game from the sideline during the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick Park on January 12, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif.
Poll
How much confidence do you have in 49ers kicker David Akers?
Your vote has been counted, thank you for voting.
While watching Colin Kaepernick coolly lead the 49ers back from deficits of 17-0 and 24-14 in Sunday's NFC Championship Game in Atlanta, I wondered what would have happened if Alex Smith hadn't suffered a concussion this season?
Would Kaepernick have gotten a chance to play significant minutes, a chance to start?
Could Smith have rallied the 49ers from 17 points down Sunday?
While Smith proved his mettle last postseason, it's hard to imagine him leading the rally against the Falcons.
Jim Harbaugh's decision to switch quarterbacks at midseason was the 49ers' play of the year – maybe for years to come.
• Imagine the 49ers down by three or fewer points to Baltimore in the final minutes of the Super Bowl.
It's fourth and two at the Ravens' 26-yard line. From there, it's a 43-yard field goal. Do the 49ers send in David Akers, who's about as shaky as a leaf in a tornado, or does Harbaugh go for the first down?
It's a dilemma no 49ers fan wants face Feb. 3, but it's possible after Harbaugh, with really no alternative, said Monday he's sticking with his struggling kicker, who missed another field goal Sunday in Atlanta.
In a do-or-die situation, look for the 49ers to run the read-option on fourth and short. At this point, Harbaugh likely has as much confidence in Akers as the kicker has in himself – little to none.
Today's poll
How much confidence do you have in 49ers kicker David Akers?• Behind him 100%.
• Keep fingers crossed.
• None.
Vote above or leave your comments in the comments field; or go to www.sacbee.com/sports
Weekend poll results
Will you bet on the Super Bowl?• Yes, at a Nevada casino: 11%
• Yes, with a bookie: 7%
• Yes, with a friend: 20%
• No, I don't gamble: 62%
Total votes: 354
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.
• Read more articles by Victor Contreras
What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com
Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)
Here are some rules of the road:
• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "Report Abuse" link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.
• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.
• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.
• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand.
• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.
• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.
• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.
• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.
• Don't flag other users' comments just because you don't agree with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.
You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "Report Abuse" link to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.
Order Reprint
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.