49ers QB Alex Smith led a valiant effort to get his team back into their game against Houston yesterday, and even though he couldn’t quite seal the victory, he was rewarded with the starting nod at quarterback from here on out by head coach Mike Singletary, barring injury or poor play.

Smith is a former #1 overall pick and has shown flashes of talent through his years in San Francisco, but injuries have cost him dearly, pushing him to the brink of receiving his walking papers earlier this year. He does have significantly more talent than QB Shaun Hill, who he is replacing, but it remains to be seen if Smith can pull it all together without getting hurt during the team’s remaining games.