"Alex Smith's confidence? Fine. The 49ers' passing attack? Resurrected. Michael Crabtree's and Randy Moss' big-play ability?

They sure looked dangerous against the Arizona Cardinals.

The 49ers answered all the nagging questions about them Monday night with a 24-3 romp over their most bitter rival, giving them a two-game lead in the NFC West entering their bye week.

Smith nearly pitched a perfect game, going 18 of 19 for 232 yards, the best completion percentage in NFL history for a quarterback with at least that many attempts.

He got plenty of help from Crabtree and Moss – and some shoddy tackling by the Cardinals' defensive backs. Both receivers turned short passes into touchdowns, with Moss' score covering 47 yards and proving the 35-year-old wide receiver still can outrun rookies.

Smith's near-perfect 157.1 passer rating surpassed his 156.2 mark in an Oct. 7 blowout victory over Buffalo, a game that statistically had been the best of his career.

After Smith threw for 303 yards against the Bills, however, the 49ers' passing attack went into hibernation for the next two outings."