Aldon Smith named NFC Defensive Player of the Month

Despite beginning this page of the calendar on a bye week, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith on Thursday was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November.Smith recorded nine sacks in just three games for the 49ers. On Nov. 11, Smith recorded two sacks against the St. Louis Rams. He torched the Chicago Bears for 5.5 sacks a week later. And on Sunday, Smith was credited with 1.5 sacks against the New Orleans Saints.Smith becomes the first 49ers player to be recognized as a Defensive Player of the Month since cornerback Walt Harris in November 2006. The 49ers have not had an Offensive Player of the Month since quarterback Jeff Garcia in November 2001. Last year, kicker David Akers was selected as Special Teams Player of the Month in December.Smith, a second-year player from Missouri leads the NFL with 16.5 sacks, just one sack behind Fred Dean's 49ers record set in 1983.With 30.5 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, Smith reached 30 sacks faster than any player in NFL history (27 games) since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Reggie White recorded his 30th sack in his 28th game.Moreover, Smith has five games to record more sacks than anyone in his first two NFL seasons. White, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recorded 31 sacks in his first two seasons. Michael Strahan holds the NFL record with 22.5 sacks in a single season (2001).