49ers quarterback Alex Smith said after Sunday’s romp over the Bills that he has no concerns about a sprained middle finger on his throwing hand. Coach Jim Harbaugh lacks the same level of confidence.
“It’s very much of a concern,” Harbaugh said Monday, via the San Francisco Chroncie. “We’ll see how it is. Alex, it’s well-documented how tough he is. He talks about it not being a big deal. So we’ll see.”
Some would say Harbaugh is simply trying to keep the Giants guessing, forcing the Niners’ next opponent to prepare for Colin Kaepernick, who has a slightly different playing style from Smith.
Others would say Smith has no desire to surrender a single rep to Kaepernick, given the sense that the guy who was taken one spot after Andy Dalton in the 2011 draft is getting closer and closer to being ready to become the starter.
We’ll know on Sunday whether Smith can go. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for the injury reports, which will begin to show up on Wednesday.