Report: Smith to lose starting gig

According to a report from SI.com, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has informed Alex Smith that quarterback Colin Kaepernick will start Sunday against the Saints in Week 12. According to the report, the decision was made not based on Smith’s health, who is on the injury report after suffering a concussion in Week 10. However, Smith has told ESPN.com that he still has a chance to start based on his practice reps. Kaepernick made his first career start against the Bears and threw for 243 yards and two scores in Week 11. Smith was a limited participant in practice after being cleared from any concussion-like symptoms Wednesday. “I usually tend to go with the guy who has the hot hand,” Harbaugh said, “but we have two quarterbacks who have a hot hand.”

Report: Kaepernick to start over Alex Smith and ‘decision is not based on health’

Colin Kaepernick was surprisingly fantastic last Monday in dominating the hapless Bears, and immediately after the game (and really, during the Monday’s game itself), talk turned to if Kaepernick had effectively Wally Pipp’d Alex Smith.

After Further Review: Giants’ woes begin with poor timing between Eli, receivers

What’s to blame for the Giants’ slide? Pete Prisco’s film work tells him Eli Manning and New York’s receivers are off and the O-line isn’t pulling its weight. The rest of the season will be a chore if this isn’t fixed.