49ers name Rattay starter

[ISiddiqui]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2141244

San Francisco 49ers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/clubhouse?team=sfo) coach Mike Nolan announced Tuesday that Tim Rattay (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5241) will be the Niners starting QB entering this season, ESPN's Pedro Gomez is reporting.

Alex Smith (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7177), drafted No. 1 overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL draft, is ranked second on the depth chart followed by Ken Dorsey (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6577).

Smith has struggled mightily this preseason, completing just 5 of 16 passes for 43 yards. He also has been sacked four times. Rattay, meanwhile, has completed 13 of 19 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.

Last season, Rattay passed for 2,169 yards and had 10 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. The 49ers finished 2004 with an NFL-worst 2-14 record, allowing them to take Smith with the top pick.

[korme]

Drew Brees, Phil Rivers all over again?

[dervack]

Looks like they want Leinart if he's the #1 pick again.

[Butter]

Alex Smith is definitely not a system QB... definitely not. Definitely. Stop smiling, I'm serious.

[Lathum]

Drew Brees, Phil Rivers all over again?
Very doubtfull. They just don't want Smith to get killed.

[Lathum]

Looks like they want Leinart if he's the #1 pick again.
are you serious?

[Draft Dodger]

Drew Brees, Phil Rivers all over again?

I picture Smith as more the Ryan Leaf type...

[dervack]

are you serious?
No.

[Raiders Army]

I picture him as a Jeff George guy.

[Lathum]

No.
whew

[HomerJSimpson]

I picture him as a Jeff George guy.

I really don't picture guys at all. I'm more likely to picture Angelina Jolie or even Julie Bowen. What a minute, what are we talking about?

[Elvis]

This is a Carson Palmer - Jon Kitna situation. I think Nolan is making the right move.

[yabanci]

After watching Smith in his first two preseason games, this comes as no surprise. He's clearly not ready to start yet.

[TroyF]

Very doubtfull. They just don't want Smith to get killed.

Exactly.

Rattay did most all of his damage against Denver third stringers. Give him that offensive line going against first teamers and we'll see how good he plays.

Maybe he still finds a way to get through it, but I have my doubts. Smith will still get his share of PT this year.

[Raiders Army]

I really don't picture guys at all. I'm more likely to picture Angelina Jolie or even Julie Bowen. What a minute, what are we talking about?
I know you picture the Fridge instead of Angelina Jolie! Admit it!

[sovereignstar]

are you serious?

Tell that friend of yours to get you a sarcasm detector for X-mas.

[ISiddiqui]

Yep, they want to protect Smith. I was happy that the 9ers made a smart move. It would have been a baaaad idea to have him start the year, IMO... especially with that O-Line.

[cthomer5000]

Very doubtfull. They just don't want Smith to get killed.
This is a Carson Palmer - Jon Kitna situation. I think Nolan is making the right move.
I think these sum it up much better than "Drew Brees - Ryan Leaf." The 49ers simply have nothing going for them this year and need help in about a million places. Let the kid get really familiar with the playbook, let Rattay get his brains beat out, and maybe the O-line will sort of be coming together by the time Smith is starting some games midway through the year.

[clintl]

Agree. And Rattay can play. He's not worst starting QB in the league.

[cthomer5000]

He's not worst starting QB in the league. I wouldn't go that far... can you really name a worse one for us?

[miami_fan]

I wouldn't go that far... can you really name a worse one for us?
AJ Feeley.......oh wait never mind :D

[ISiddiqui]

Well we have no idea how good (or bad) J.P. Losman really is.

[clintl]

He's definitely better than Feeley. He's better than anyone the Bears have now that Grossman is out. He's probably better right now than Eli Manning (that won't be forever, though). He's as probably as good as Ramsey and Boller, and maybe even Kerry Collins. Considering the injuries and the horrible state of the offensive line last year, Rattay had a decent season. He has a good, accurate arm, and seems to know what he's doing. He just doesn't have much talent around him.

[Vince]

I don't know that I'd go as far as to say Rattay is as good as Collins, or even Eli Manning. But the rest? Yeah. Rattay is better than anyone the Bears will roll out there, Ramsey, Boller and Feeley.

[cthomer5000]

I don't know that I'd go as far as to say Rattay is as good as Collins, or even Eli Manning. But the rest? Yeah. Rattay is better than anyone the Bears will roll out there, Ramsey, Boller and Feeley.
Yeah, fair enough. So he's arguably the 29th best starter in the league. http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Eaglesfan27]

I don't know that I'd go as far as to say Rattay is as good as Collins, or even Eli Manning. But the rest? Yeah. Rattay is better than anyone the Bears will roll out there, Ramsey, Boller and Feeley.

Yeah, I thought saying that he was better than Collins was going too far. However, a case could be made that he is better than any of the others.

[Vince]

Yeah, fair enough. So he's arguably the 29th best starter in the league. http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif
I'll take what I can get out of this team :)

[Vince]

Dola -- and who knows? Rattay might play well this year. I've always thought that he was one of the best backups in the biz. I was excited about he and Barlow last year. That...well, it didn't work out like I had hoped :)

[clintl]

Yeah, I thought saying that he was better than Collins was going too far.

I didn't say he was better. I said he was maybe as good. His stats from last year with inferior talent don't look that different than Collins' when you take into account the difference in games played.

[Eaglesfan27]

I didn't say he was better. I said he was maybe as good. His stats from last year with inferior talent don't look that different than Collins' when you take into account the difference in games played.
Fair enough. My thinking is a bit fuzzy tonight. I just re-read what you wrote.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Rattay will torch the league this year. Mark my words.

[KeyserSoze]

Yeah, fair enough. So he's arguably the 29th best starter in the league. http://dynamic.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

Which makes the QB one of the best positions of the 49ers.... :D :D (I´m a 49ers fan).

With the 49ers OLine I think is the right move. I dont know if Alex is good or bad, but with this line he would be beaten badly. It´s better to preserve him and let Rattay be destroyed (sorry) :p

[Pumpy Tudors]

Even though I'm 1200 miles away, I still bleed a little Tulane green (so what if I didn't attend Tulane?). Ramsey and Losman are 600,000 times better than that Tech bastard Rattay. :D

[Alf]

Rattay will torch the league this year. Mark my words. OK, I mark

[Darkiller]

No matter how Rattay fares, this teams will be Alex Smith's in a matter of time.

It could be week 8, it could be next season (don't forget that Alex is just 21 years old, and a Junior coming out of college so this is no big deal that he sits what would have been a Senior season in college..)

At worst, he'll be fresh off 22 years old next summer, a year of NFL/49ers system learning, and will start.

There is no way the #1 overall pick in the Draft, with the biggest contact in NFL rookie history (6-years $49,M) sits two seasons.

Like I said NO MATTER how Rattay does in 2005, Alex Smith will start next season at the LATEST.

Economics baby.

[clintl]

Next season is fine. This season, he needs to watch and learn and not get killed. If Rattay gets hurt, I'd rather see them play Dorsey, as much as he sucks, than play Smith.