All-Pro defensive tackle Justin Smith was not on the 49ers' field at the beginning of practice Thursday, casting serious doubt whether he will be available Sunday night to face the Seattle Seahawks. Smith played the first four snaps of the second half against the New England Patriots before leaving the game with a left elbow injury. Coach Jim Harbaugh has been vague while discussing Smith's condition, saying only that Smith will play "if it's humanly possible." Smith's situation appeared serious Sunday night, as he could not return to play in the second half. The Patriots scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives without Smith on the field in the third and fourth quarters. "Obviously, anytime you lose a great player, it's going to have an effect on you," 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "You'd have your head in the sand if you didn't admit that. I think some of the issues we had, plays we could've stopped, didn't have any effect with him being out there." Source: Comcast Sports
