Smith is the new prime meridian of quarterbacks. If your quarterback is below him, you need to think about looking for a new quarterback. ... Kaepernick, like most NFL quarterbacks, is going to excel with spotless protection. That's happened the last two weeks. The 49ers did a nice job setting up their big plays and run game by going pass-wacky early against the Ravens. Defenses are daring Kaepernick to beat them. He had a few throws in the game that reminded everyone why he was such a sensation in 2012. ... This Peyton Manning season remains fascinating and a good Rorschach test for NFL analysts. You can find some promising throws the last two weeks from Manning. You also can find more head-scratching decisions than we've never seen from him before, and a coach who is sometimes afraid to let Manning make a mistake. ... Josh McCown's final three drives against Denver proved to be a master class in wasting opportunity.