Harbaugh: Alex Smith deserves Pro Bowl

SAN FRANCISCO -- Players and coaches around the NFL will get together in their respective team rooms Tuesday and Wednesday to fill out Pro Bowl ballots.And 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh gave those around the NFC something to think about after the 49ers' 20-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers."A tremendous job by Alex Smith," Harbaugh said. "He was just on the money all night long. Played great. There's no doubt in my mind that he deserves to go to the Pro Bowl. He's had that kind of season. I think he really put an exclamation point on that tonight."
Smith completed 18 of 31 passes for 187 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the nationally televised game.RELATED: Alex Smith 2011 game logs
Smith ranks ninth among NFC quarterbacks in yards passing, but he's sixth in passer rating. And the 49ers currently hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with an 11-3 record.Three players are named to the squad. The game takes place a week before the Super Bowl, so the quarterback from the team that advances that far will not play. Here is a list of the top candidates for NFC Pro Bowl quarterbacks.(Record in parentheses is team record, not necessarily the quarterback's record):Aaron Rodgers, Packers (13-1)
322 of 473 (68.1 percent)
4,360 yards
40 TDs
6 Ints
120.1 ratingDrew Brees, Saints (11-3)
417 of 583 (71.5 percent)
4,780 yards
37 TDs
11 Ints
109.1 ratingTony Romo, Cowboys (8-6)
317 of 483 (65.6 percent)
3,895 yards
29 TDs
9 Ints
102.6 ratingMatthew Stafford, Lions (9-5)
356 of 568 (62.7 percent)
4,145 yards
33 TDs
14 Ints
93.8 ratingEli Manning, N.Y. Giants (7-7)
326 of 529 (61.6 percent)
4,362 yards
25 TDs
15 Ints
91.7 ratingALEX SMITH, 49ERS (11-3)
239 of 389 (61.4 percent)
2,752 yards
16 TDs
5 Ints
91.1 ratingMatt Ryan, Falcons (9-5)
307 of 505 (60.8 percent)
3,698 yards
26 TDs
12 Ints
90.5 ratingCam Newton, Panthers (5-9)
283 of 475 (59.6 percent)
3,722 yards
17 TDs
16 Ints
82.3 ratingMichael Vick, Eagles (6-8)
211 of 352 (59.9 percent)
2,675 yards
13 TDs
13 Ints
80.6 ratingHarbaugh says he believes Smith should be on the NFC Pro Bowl team. What do you think?