The San Francisco 49ers recorded a dominating 34-0 victory at the New York Jets to improve to 3-1.

The 49ers had a +26.4 advantage in The Trench Counter, averaging nearly twice as many yards per play, 17 more first downs while winning the turnover battle 4-0. San Francisco had a +25 edge in Total Rushes/Completions.

Alex Smith went 12-for-21 for 143 yards, while backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick scored the first touchdown of the game on a seven-yard run.

The 49ers rushed nine different players, combining for 245 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries.

Carlos Rogers returned a Santonio Holmes fumble for a touchdown to begin the fourth quarter, extending the 49ers' lead to 24-0 and put the game seemingly out of reach.

Mark Sanchez went 13-for-29 for 103 yards as the Jets struggled to move the ball throughout the game.

Anthony Davis is having a breakout season in his third year for the San Francisco 49ers.

"He always had the 'dogness' in him," Frank Gore said. "I knew he was going to be all right his rookie year because of how mean and nasty he was."

Davis was the 11th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.

"In my opinion he's one of the premier right tackles in the game," Ryan said this week. "You've got a guy who's got all the athleticism you look for: a power player, he finishes, he's good in pass protection and a tremendous athlete."

"I've got a long way to go. I'm 22 now," Davis said. "I don't take praise well, because I feel they're trying to make you complacent. Because I'm not near where I want to be."

Of Alex Smith’s 92 pass attempts, only four have traveled 20 yards or more downfield to a wide receiver.

Smith has also targeted Vernon Davis with three deep balls.

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills is the only other quarterback who has attempted fewer long balls than Smith.

The 49ers' new additions of Mario Manningham and Randy Moss was expected to stretch the field vertically.

“We’re still trying to get on the same page,” said Manningham, whose 9.4-yards-per-catch average is well below his career mark (14.1). “We’re not fully on the same page like we want to be – me and him, or him and the other wideouts. But I feel like we’re getting there.”

The Minnesota Vikings gave the San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the 2012 season, winning 24-13 behind a strong performance from Christian Ponder.

The Vikings had a +9.1 advantage in The Trench Counter, going 7-for-14 on third down while also recording just one penalty for 10 yards. Minnesota also had a +18 edge in Total Rushes/Completions, as they rushed the ball 41 times against just 20 for the 49ers.

Ponder went 21-for-35 for 198 yards and two touchdowns to Kyle Rudolph, along with an additional 33 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Adrian Peterson rushed 25 times for 86 yards. 

Alex Smith went 24-for-35 with a touchdown to Vernon Davis and an interception.

Mike Singletary struggled when he was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

But Singletary believes his second stint as a head coach would be better.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't think there would be a next time," said Singletary, Vikings special assistant to the head coach/linebackers. "How long will it take? I don't know. When the Lord is ready, I'll be ready."

The 49ers had an 18-22 record under Singletary before he was fired.

"I didn't have a lot of experience, but they gave me the job. And the experience I got will help me on this journey. The next time around, I'll make sure I have everything in order. I'll be better prepared for the challenge."

Alex Smith leads the NFL in sacks since the start of the 2011 season with 51.

Ben Roethlisberger is second with 48, followed by Blaine Gabbert with 45 and Aaron Rodgers with 44.

“Alex Smith has grown into a man,” Phil Simms said on “NFL Monday QB” on CBS. “Of course he’s being taught well, but he’s just gotten physically stronger. When you look at his first three or four years, I didn’t think he was strong enough to be an every-week starting quarterback. He is now.”

Alex Smith has been a more productive quarterback since the arrival of Jim Harbaugh as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Smith has a 93.6 passer rating from 2011 through Week 2, which ranks him seventh in the NFL.

Smith has won 83% of his starts since Harbaugh arrived, up from 38% in 50 starts over his first six seasons.

Some of Smith's turnaround has been how he has reduced his interception rate while taking a lot of sacks.

When Harbaugh was quarterback of the Colts in the mid-1990s, his production was incredibly similar to Smith. Harbaugh always had a sack rate of at least 30% higher than an average, an interception rate of 70% of league average or lower and below league average in passing yards per game.

The linebackers and defensive line of the San Francisco 49ers receive a majority of the credit for their strong defensive play, but their secondary is also one of the best in the NFL.

"It's not really a competition thing," Dashon Goldson said Thursday. "It's more guys want to get it done. It's being in position and putting themselves in position and seeing what they can pick up from the film in order to get their hands on the ball. It's not really guys competing with one another, it's seeing if stuff can break down and competing that way. Everybody is playing within the scheme, and they know it will come their way."

"Like I tell the players, corners have to answer the bell on the deep ball each and every game," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "They go to the ground, everybody just thinks it's an incomplete pass. ... It's the corner's job to do that."

Goldson has frequently played more like a third linebacker in their nickel coverage than as a safety.

"We still have to be sound on the run game with that extra player and stop the pass," Goldson said. "It's a compliment when we're able to bring another DB on the football field and get it done."

The NFL has retracted a $15,000 fine to Alex Smith for wearing a San Francisco Giants hat to a press conference during last season's playoffs.

Smith has instead been given a warning.

“So it’s weird,” Smith said. “I could wear a Polo shirt after the game and they’re not going to fine me.”

Randy Moss will make his first return trip to the Metrodome as a visiting player on Sunday.

The Vikings will host the 49ers in Week 3.

"I'm just very fortunate to go back to where it all started," said Moss. "We had some great times in Minnesota, so I look forward to hearing the Metrodome rock. Now I'm with the away team, and I look forward to a good game."

Moss never played at Minnesota during his time with the Raiders, Patriots or Titans.