49ers Notebook: Alex Smith named NFC Offensive Player of the Week

San Francisco 49ers QB Alex Smith completed 18 of 19 passes against Arizona on Monday night. (US Presswire)

QB Alex Smith has been named NFC player of the week following his remarkable performance in leading San Francisco to a 24-3 win against Arizona on Monday Night Football.

Smith completed 18 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three scores without an interception. He needed one more pass attempt to officially qualify for the NFL single-game completion percentage record, but his 19 attempts were the most ever in a single game with just one incompletion. Smith finished with a career-best 157.1 passer rating.

“We're always happy for the other man's success,” OC Greg Roman said during an interview on KNBR 680. “We'll always, as a team, honor those people who receive those awards. Well-deserved on Alex's part, just a great performance.”

It is the first award of its kind for Smith, who is in his eighth season since being drafted No. 1 overall out of Utah, and the first player of the week honor for a 49ers player on offense since Frank Gore in 2009.

“Alex was very sharp playing quarterback,” Roman said. “He took it one play at a time, stayed very sharp. I think he had a real understanding of what the Cardinals were trying to do and was very good, very efficient with his reads, very accurate, and the guys made plays, the wide receivers made plays.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh was caught off guard when he saw Smith's final statistics.

“Yeah, that registered, that he was on a hot streak. Did I know exactly what his statistics were? No, I wasn't,” Harbaugh said. “That it was only one incompleted pass? Yeah, I was surprised by that.”

Time off: The bye week comes at exactly the midway point for the 49ers, who won't play again until Nov. 11 at home against St. Louis. Coach Jim Harbaugh gave the team six days off following their win against the Cardinals.

“The approach is just -- they have a bye. We're going to take a small breath right now,” Harbaugh said. “And then trust that we'll do the right thing over the break. Guys will continue to work out and we'll get back to work next week.”

The 49ers also had an usually long break between their last games as well, as they played on a Monday following a Thursday game the week before.

For a team among the healthiest in the NFL, the breaks have been just added luxuries.

Davis a team-first guy: Vernon Davis caught just one pass in the last two games combined, but his performance in each game earned him a thank you from Roman.

The coaching staff has been pleased with how Davis has embraced the team-first approach.

“Do we appreciate a guy being a great player and a team player? Absolutely. Vernon has been that,” Harbaugh said. “And there are some things that some defenses are doing, there's no question about it.

“Just look at the tape, look at the action. They're focusing a lot of attention on Vernon Davis, even before he gets into a route.”

Follow 49ers reporter Kyle Bonagura on Twitter @CBS49ers and @KyleBonagura.