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| Alex Smith winds up for the most important throw of his career. |
I have been a San Francisco 49ers fan ever since I moved to the city way back in 2004 (I have since moved back to Canada). That was also the first year of me becoming a football fan. I did some minimal research and just decided to go with the team whose city I lived in. To say that the first season was tough would be an understatement; the team went 2-14 and I sat through every game, every single excruciating game. I could have just given up then, after all, I was moving back to Canada and would not owe the 49ers anything really. Why did I decide to remain a fan? Was it because I already watched an entire season and grew to like some players? (Brandon Lloyd was my favorite, he caught some huge passes in the 49ers 2 wins which were both in OT and both against the Cardinals). Was it because I fell in love with the 49ers legacy, which I had learned about throughout the season? To be honest, I have no idea why I didn't just pick a new team, but for the better part of 8 years I almost wished that I did. Then this season started, and the 49ers reminded me that sticking through the shit has its payoffs (mainly, that once they finally became good I would appreciate the team a lot more).
It all started with a home game against the Seahawks in which Ted Ginn Jr. broke 2 punts for TDs effectively making a close game turn into a 33-17 rout. At that time my thoughts were that in the NFC West, anything can happen and that maybe just maybe this year the 49ers would break through. That optimism turned to anger the next week when the team blew a big lead against the Cowboys, the 49ers' long time rival (check the 80's and 90's if you don't believe me. That anger disappeared though, because San Francisco would not lose again for 10 weeks. Jim Harbaugh's crew rattled off 9 straight wins including an amazing comeback against the Eagles, last second heroics from Alex Smith against the (then undefeated) Detroit Lions, and an incredible back-and-forth game against the Giants which the 49ers won with a defensive stand in the last minute. By this point it was clear that San Francisco would make the playoffs, and for a few weeks that is all I cared about as I enjoyed life as a football fan for the first time. The game that San Francisco made its return to prime-time with a win over the Steelers was the game that I started wondering: "Can this team actually make some noise in the playoffs?". Throughout the year analysts, experts, and writers were claiming that the 49ers' style would not work, not without a dominant QB. In their opinion, Alex Smith would be the reason that San Francisco would eventually fail. Now the playoffs had started, and everyone was excited to watch a Green Bay New Orleans NFC championship. Wait? What? We are just going to write off a San Francisco team that has been proving everyone wrong since game 1? 'Drew Brees is too good' they said, 'they wont stop him'. Didn't San Francisco have a top defense this year though? 'Does not matter, Alex Smith will kill their hopes' they said. After Brees and the Saints ripped apart the Lions (a team San Francisco barely beat) everyone was hopping on to the Saints bandwagon. I had my doubts heading into the game too, but I would not stop believing because this team earned at least that much; support from a fan base used to excellence and subjected to 8 years of mediocrity.
The game started off like everyone predicted. Drew Brees marched the Saints down the field with ease and it looked like a sure scoring possession for the Saints. Donte Whitner had other ideas. He delivered a vicious tackle on Pierre Thomas that not only knocked him out of the game, but knocked the ball from him as well. The fact that Patrick Willis got to the ball first should not have surprised anyone, and suddenly the crowd was into it and the early Saints threat ended. The teams exchanged punts before Alex Smith hooked up with Vernon Davis for a long touchdown. Shortly after that the 49ers picked off Brees and returned the ball to the Saints 5 yard line. This time Smith threw a pass into the end zone to Crabtree for an almost unbelievable 14-0 lead. To make matters worse for New Orleans, they muffed the kickoff and the 49ers recovered it. "Punch it in" I kept saying to myself. I am well aware of what Drew Brees is capable of and I wanted as much points on the board so that hopefully, when Brees made his move it would not be enough. The game was getting very chippy too, with massive shoving matches occurring between the players on almost every play, you could sense that these two teams did not like each other. After the 49ers settled for a field goal, it only took Brees 7 minutes to make the score 17-14. So much for that wonderful start. The 49ers managed to stop the Saints and go into the second half with a small but precious 3 point lead. At halftime Harbaugh must have really inspired the team because they came out and played a lock down 3rd quarter, in which they held the Saints to no points and added 3 of their own for a 20-14 lead. Had someone told me what was about to happen I would not have believed them. The teams exchanged field-goals and for a while it looked like San Francisco would win how it had all year: by shutting down the opposition. then Darren Sproles broke a few tackles and dashed into the endzone for a 44 yard touchdown that gave the Saints their first lead at 24-23 with 4 minutes remaining. I have no idea what it was like to be in the stadium, but I have a pretty good idea from listening to the crowd. All eyes turned to Alex Smith as he walked out onto the field. All year everyone had questioned how this exact moment would pan out. How would Alex Smith respond if he had to drive the 49ers into a position to win.
He responded pretty well, completing a few short passes before unleashing a bomb to Davis that brought the Niners to field-goal range. "Milk the clock, do not let Brees get the ball back" I kept telling to myself, so imagine when Alex Smith pulled a Steve Young and outran everyone for a long touchdown, it was a sense of happiness (San Francisco now lead 29-24) and dread (Drew Brees has 2:11 to win it) at the same time, I was having difficulty breathing normally. 34 seconds later I thought the season was over. Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham connected for a 66 yard touchdown, and successfully made a 2 point conversion to make it 32-29 New Orleans with 1:37 remaining and San Francisco holding only one time-out. Instantly I got flooded with texts and BBMs about how the Saints were going to win and the place I was watching the game at (my cousins place) was literally exploding with happiness (a few others were watching the game with us). The only person not yelling excitedly about what Graham had just done was me. I was sitting on the floor, hood on, anger etched on my face as I watched replay after replay of the season ending. "Why like this?" I kept saying to myself as Fox cut to commercials they showed Alex Smith talking to Harbaugh, it was all on him now.
I cannot imagine what Alex Smith was going through as he jogged out on to the field. The weight of an entire fan base was squarely on him, as was this magical season the team had. The room had quieted enough that I could finally hear the sounds of the game, and what I heard was incredible. As San Francisco broke the huddle the 49ers faithful, rising as one and delivering a loud roar that blanketed the field. If it could have spoken, the roar probably would have said: 'We waited almost a decade for you to be good, and we want you to know that we appreciate what you've done for us this year, no matter what happens you never gave up, you fought to the end, and if you have to go down to this great Saints team in a game as good as this, so be it'. Its almost like the players knew. Smith completed 2 passes to Frank Gore that brought the 49ers to the 33. I have watched all of the great moments in 49ers history and I was hoping that for once, I could experience the thrill too. Whether its 'the catch', 'the drive', or 'the catch II' the videos always brought me goosebumps, the next play did too. Smith dropped back and found Vernon Davis again (Davis was a monster today, this article does not do his performance justice, 7 catches, 180 yards, 2TDs) on a 47 yard pass that brought San Francisco to the Saints 20 yard line. This was well within David Akers' range and I began to mentally prepare myself for overtime. But wait! Smith completes a pass to Gore to the 14 and then spikes the ball. 'They have 14 seconds' I think to myself, 'Harbaugh's going to take one shot before resigning to over time'. Smith took the snap, then did a 3-step drop and fired the ball over the middle to Vernon Davis who got popped by Saints safety Roman Harper just as the ball hit his hands...and HE HELD ON! (the range of emotions I experienced in that 5 second play would take up about 10 pages, so those caps will have to do).
I know it took only 5 seconds, but it literally happened in slow motion, Alex Smith just did what everyone said he could not do (and he managed to do it twice), march a team down the field late and win a game. Davis and the offense celebrated as the stadium went to raptures (the announcers got the call spot on, letting the crowd noise tell the story) then Vernon Davis ran, tears and all, and gave Harbaugh a hug. I would be lying if I said I didn't tear up a bit too, and I did. Once the game ended I sat there in disbelief, a wave of happiness I had not experienced since the heyday of the Sacramento Kings. How appropriate that this game happened on the 30 year anniversary of "the catch" which gave birth to a dynasty (here's hoping this catch by Davis does too). My buddy Cabrock is a huge fan of the Saints and was a class-act throughout the game as we exchanged messages, I know that what he is going through right now is probably tough, but he should be proud of this Saints team for how they played all year. In what may very well prove to be the game of the century, the 49ers reminded me why I stuck with them all this time; because the feeling I had at the end of that game (and even now as I write this) will stay with me forever, and if you don't think that its worth it, then I suggest you start watching sports.
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