San Francisco coach Mike Singletary doesn't buy all of the gesturing Peyton Manning does at the line of scrimmage. "All the gestures and stuff is for you to get caught up in. Sometimes, it doesn't mean a thing," Singletary told the San Francisco Mercury News. "I just think it's important for us as we go into this game to focus on our technique and really focus on the communication, and I think we'll be fine."

An investigation looking into tampering charges committed by the Jets in relation to Michael Crabtree is still going forward, according to a source. Details as to who has and hasn't been interviewed are not yet clear.

Coach Mike Singletary made the announcement Monday that Alex Smith is the team's new starting quarterback after sitting down with Shaun Hill, according to an Associated Press report. Smith, who hadn?t played in nearly two years, completed his first six passes and finished 15 of 22 for 206 yards and three touchdown passes to tight end Vernon Davis in the second half of San Francisco's 24-21 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.

$.01 -- With the Indianapolis Colts continuing their blistering, dominating start, it's a fair time to ask the difficult question. I know it's considered blasphemous by many to even suggest it, but I think it's becoming clearer with every passing week that Tony Dungy was holding back the Colts. For as truly great of a man as Dungy is, and as good of a coach as he proved to be, the Colts had grown stale and predictable under their long-term coach. The franchise needed some freshness, some new juice, and found exactly what the doctor ordered in Jim Caldwell and his staff. It's a very delicate balance to know when to walk away as a coach, or when to push away as an owner. Dungy won a Super Bowl and installed a program that developed into the most stable, winning, fundamentally solid team in the NFL during his tenure. He's as much a father figure as a coach, the kind of man you want your sons to emulate and/or play for. But as every parent knows, there's a limit on how often the same message can be effective without losing some ears. The Colts, successful as they were, needed a new voice to shake things up a little. Dungy was humble enough to see that and moved on to other things. General Manager Bill Polian was smart enough to realize that Caldwell was the voice they needed, a bridge between harmonious continuity and needed changes. Peyton Manning has never looked better, the defense has never played with such consistency, and there is a palpable energy and urgency that was missing the last couple of seasons. The Colts are better off for having made the change and have clearly established themselves as the best team of the year thus far. The real test comes in January, where Dungy disappointed more than he reveled. $.02 -- Congratulations are in order to Dick Jauron and his Buffalo Bills, for winning two straight games despite playing some dreadful football. A week ago they forced six Jets turnovers and still barely eked out an overtime win. This week, despite being outgained nearly 3-to-1 by the Panthers and netting just eight first downs, Buffalo once again let the opponent beat itself in knocking off the Panthers 20-9. Two missed field goals, three Jake Delhomme interceptions, some poor Delhomme reads, and some ill-timed secondary breakdowns doomed Carolina, which thoroughly dominated all facets of the game except the scoreboard. The Bills might not be a very good football team, but they're smart enough to seize opportunities and make the other team play just as poorly. They did this with a backup quarterback, both starting safeties out, and an almost comedic inability to run the ball; running back Marshawn Lynch was hit in the backfield on 11 of his 17 attempts, and Fred Jackson got tackled in the end zone for a safety on a play where his center and right guard blocked one another and not any Panthers. These sorts of wins can't possibly last, but it says something for the embattled Jauron that his players haven't quit in the face of adversity. $.03 -- Sometimes the final score isn't the most important thing that comes out of a game. The San Francisco 49ers might have lost to the Houston Texans on Sunday, but in the process they appear to have finally found the long lost Alex Smith they coveted with the #1 overall pick in the 2005 draft. The beleaguered quarterback came in to relieve the woefully ineffective Shaun Hill and nearly led the Niners to a huge comeback win. Showing no signs of the shoulder issues or accuracy issues that led many to conclude his career was over (myself included), Smith was poised and appeared to have great chemistry with fellow bust-in-waiting Vernon Davis. Their three touchdown connections came too late for former coach Mike Nolan, even too late in this game to overcome a messy first half where the Texans clobbered them, but I saw something positive in both Smith's performance and the way the team responded to him. That's a very nice silver lining to a black cloud that has descended upon Mike Singletary's team after such a sunny start. $.04 -- During an interview I heard this past week, Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the blackout rule and if it should be altered or eliminated in light of the current economic plight. The Commish gave a resounding "No," citing the importance of gate receipts and the impact on the in-stadium vendors but also the appearance of empty seats on television broadcasts and the negative connotations. I don't dispute his argument, but he badly erred when the question of affordability was broached. Goodell mentioned prior recessions and rough patches and how the NFL has always continued to thrive. What he failed to mention is that the price of an average ticket has risen at nearly 500% the rate of inflation over the last decade (though to be fair it has leveled this season). A Chargers ticket that cost $14 in 1999 now costs $38; the same seat in Cleveland Browns Stadium that cost my friend Bill $40 when the Browns came back now costs $75, plus a doubling of parking costs at the stadium lot. By way of comparison, a ticket for the same seat to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers that cost $18 in 2002 -- to watch one of the worst teams in NBA history, no less -- now costs $24, and the Cavs are the only Cleveland team that has actually improved in the last decade. Mr. Commissioner, you are asking people whose wages have decreased to pay higher prices for the same product. If they can't, you punish them by not letting them watch it on free television, a medium that pays the overwhelming majority of your bills. Instead of keeping lower-earning fans in the fold, you're alienating them. I'm not a business mogul, but the concept of building brand loyalty and value for the product are universal recipes for success. The NFL stubbornly refuses to acknowledge this, arrogant that no other sport will ever touch it in popularity. I would remind Roger Goodell that 30 years ago baseball was the unabashed king of American sports, and now it's a distant third in market share in most places. Fan-unfriendly behavior helped contribute to that decline, and it appears the NFL is hell bent on traveling down that road itself. $.05 -- Sunday night provided verification that the Giants have some serious work to do if they want to win the NFC. Unfortunately for coach Tom Coughlin, his team got fat playing bad teams and wasn't ready to handle the increased level of difficulty with New Orleans and Arizona. The secondary that keeps on giving isn't getting any better, and once again the G-Men couldn't adequately handle the very sort of exotic blitzing that is their own trademark. Make no mistake, these Giants are still very good. They're just not the elite team we all suspected they were with their 5-0 start. Don't look now Giants fans, but very quietly the Dallas Cowboys are just one game back after a very impressive win over a very impressive Atlanta team. $.06 -- Highlight of the week: Tracy Porter's Pick 6 in the Saints amazing comeback victory over the Dolphins. It wasn't the snazziest play of the day (that would be Reggie Bush's 5-yard touchdown flight), but it epitomizes just how far the Saints have come. Down 24-3 with less than 10 seconds remaining in the first half, Porter's heroics capped off a 43-10 shellacking that kept the Saints unbeaten and spreads genuine fear into opponents. This is the fourth time this year the Saints pass defense has been the story of the game, and all in a positive light. New Orleans won on a day where Drew Brees barely brought his "C" game and the Dolphins defense consistently got pressure on him. In past seasons, Sean Payton's Saints invariably lost games like this, but with playmakers like Porter and Darren Sharper in the secondary and the high-priced end (Charles Grant and Will Smith) healthy and earning those checks, this is a very different animal. One that apparently feasts upon Dolphins. $.07 -- Five random quickies: 1. Lost in the Bears abysmal defensive performance was yet more of a pervasive issue with their offense: the inability to get play calls in promptly. Jay Cutler consistently gets less time to get presnap views of the defense than any other quarterback, and they seldom are set for the cadence with more than five seconds on the play clock. 2. Losing Leon Washington is really going to hurt the Jets. As much as I like Shonne Greene, he doesn't offer the versatility or quickness that Washington effectively used to fundamentally change defenses. 3. Derek Anderson completed his first five passes, and then put up the following line: 7-for-24 for 44 yards, one interception and two fumbles. Tell me again how Brady Quinn, or even Brett Ratliff, could be any worse... 4. The Raiders/Jets tilt was an ugly blowout, but it did feature quite the punting exhibition. Shane Lechler boomed five kicks that averaged over 52 yards per kick, dragged down by a coffin corner beauty that only went 43. Steve Weatherford only got three cracks at it, but all three wound up inside the 15. Hey, some of us appreciate punters! 5. You know it's a bad NFL weekend when the Patriots are annihilating the Buccaneers 35-7 with loads of time left, yet CBS had no better games to switch viewers to watch. $.08 -- Non-football thought of the week: Major sporting events take place this week. The World Series finally begins a day after the NBA regular season tips off, and I could not care less about either despite being an avid sports junkie. Baseball at Halloween is just ridiculous, making a sport where the games seem interminable have a season that is interminable. It doesn't help that I live in "flyover country," where no baseball team has any chance of competing for a World Series berth more than once a decade or so. I will watch some NBA action, just to get my fix in, but I don't get emotionally invested in the NBA season until after Christmas. No games played before then have any importance, other than the cumulative win totals that decide playoff seeding down the line. At least in basketball's nine-month season, actual action happens in darn near every game at a pace that lends itself to television for the casual viewer. Baseball has become brutally unwatchable. Here's a fun game to play during the World Series: take a stopwatch and time the actual "action" time -- from the moment the pitcher throws the ball to the moment the play is decided. Last year some wiseacre did that in Game 2, which officially clocked in at 3 hours, 13 minutes. Actual time of "action" -- 17 minutes, 41 seconds. Roughly 85% of your time is spent watching grass grow while listening to Tim McCarver. Thanks, I'll pass on that... $.09 -- 5 college football thoughts: 1. Iowa's last-second win at Michigan State won't earn style points, but this Iowa team is really starting to resemble the 2002 Ohio State team that kept racking up "How was that game that close?" wins on their way to the national title. Underestimate them at your peril, SEC champ. 2. Shortly after Clemson pulled off the huge upset over Miami, I got the following text from an AFC West scout at the game: CJ Spiller top overall running back hands down after this. Spiller did indeed have an amazing all-around game, but if he's the clear-cut #1 running back, this is going to be a real bad year to need a running back in the draft. 3. I don't know which is worse: Nebraska committing eight turnovers, or Iowa State needing every last one of them to beat the Cornhuskers in a game that should set back recruiting at both schools for a few years. 4. There is no way, no way, that anyone can honestly rate USC higher than Cincinnati. Part of the deal of having the BCS is that the regular season has to mean something. USC lost to a team that is 3-5, while the Bearcats are undefeated in a Big East conference that is arguably more top-heavy than the Pac-10. Just because USC has more talent does not matter; they blew their chance by losing to Washington and cannot be rewarded for that. 5. My alma mater, Ohio University, blew their shot at a MAC East title by losing 20-11 to Kent State and rushing for -9 yards. That night our MAC first place volleyball team got pounded at Western Michigan. Both bad Bobcat bombings can at least partially be blamed on a virulent flu bug that ravaged both squads. Get well soon Cats! $.10 -- Scouting Report: Colt McCoy, QB, Texas. 6'3", 205 pounds, 4.8ish 40. Positives: Very athletic field general with strong legs and quick feet. Quick, compact release and can throw on the move. Good accuracy with nice zip out to 25 yards. Plays in a system where he is used to hitting moving targets and making good presnap reads. Excels at feeling pressure and buying time with his legs, extending plays and keeping his wits. Has an innate sense of where to go with the ball, almost never forces passes into coverage and does a great job choosing the correct option. Knows when to throw it away or just run forward to salvage a big loss. Not a great runner but can chew up some yards with his legs, has some shiftiness and good vision as a runner. Very tough, plays hurt. Has a calming aura in the huddle. Well-respected leader who stresses the positives. Has consistently gained muscle and arm strength during his Texas career. Has every intangible a coach could want. Will have over 50 collegiate starts under his belt at an elite program. Negatives: Comes from the same one-read shotgun spread offense that has produced numerous prominent NFL disappointments (Vince Young, Alex Smith, Tim Couch). His accuracy is good but not pinpoint a la Kurt Warner; receivers will have to break stride at times instead of catching it on the dead gallop. Does not throw a great deep ball, really loses zip beyond about 25 yards. Throws an inordinate amount of ducks for a guy with a high completion percentage. Arm strength has improved but his longer throws lack zip and urgency; needs to throw from a wider base with more leg drive when in the pocket. Very quick to tuck and run -- by design, must learn to continue through progressions beyond two. Body has taken a lot of abuse and hard hits. Not a dynamic locker room presence, which works for some but will not work for others. NFL Comparison: Jeff Garcia the younger, Kyle Orton with speed. Forecast: In draft terms, bears an eerie similarity at this point (late Oct.) to Brady Quinn; could go in the top five overall, could fall to the 30s. Questions about arm strength and the transition from his college offense make him more high-risk than some teams want in the 1st round. Grades right now as a second rounder but demand for quarterbacks likely keeps him in the first. --Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com Catch me every Monday at 5:05 ET, 2:05 PT with Papa Joe Chevalier at papajoetalk.com Watch for more scouting reports and an updated mock draft later this week!

The 49ers pulled quarterback Shaun Hill at halftime of the team's loss to the Texans. San Francisco was trailing 21-0, but the final score, 24-21, was much closer. Alex Smith, the first overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, came in at quarterback in the second half. Smith finished the game with 206 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

San Francisco rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree recorded the first reception of his NFL career on Sunday. In the first quarter against Houston, Crabtree grabbed a four-yard pass from 49ers quarterback Shaun Hill. The catch came on the team's third offensive series of the game and it was the first time the rookie had been targeted. On San Francisco's next series, Crabtree caught an 18-yard pass from Hill on third down.

The Texans are going to put top cornerback Dunta Robinson on 49ers rookie receiver Michael Crabtree on Sunday. Crabtree will be making his professional debut against Houston.

Michael Crabtree is set to play in a football game for the first time since the January 2nd Cotton Bowl. His teammates have been giving him a hard time this week. "They've been on me everywhere I go," he said. "It's like 'rookie, rookie, rookie.'" Crabtree said there is no anxiousness about making the leap. "When you're out on that field, it's just football," he said. "So I'm not really too worried about where I'm at or who I'm playing."

San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith had the same shoulder surgery that Sam Bradford will ultimately need. "We've been trading phone calls," Smith said Thursday. "He called, twice. When you've torn ligaments in your shoulder, it takes time to heal. It's different than other positions. When you take hits like that, it impairs your ability to throw the ball."

The 49ers might start rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree on Sunday against the Texans. Crabtree worked hard to learn the team's playbook and workout during the team's bye in Week 6. "I don't think that it's going to be too big for him," 49ers coach Mike Singletary told the San Jose Mercury News. "To me, even though he's come in late, he looks like he's ready." Crabtree, the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft, finally signed with San Francisco on Oct. 7.