"Who's had it worse than 49ers quarterback Alex Smith?

Eli Manning!

Granted, it's tough to pin down which No. 1 overall pick had a more rugged introduction to the NFL, but Smith gives the nod to his counterpart in today's NFC Championship Game pitting the Niners and Giants at Candlestick Park.

As Smith noted this past week, Manning arrived in the NFL's largest media market while drawing immediate comparisons to his brother, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, after he was the top pick in the 2004 draft.

"To be Peyton's little brother, No. 1 pick, you go to New York, playing for the Giants," Smith said. "Obviously, that's a lot of pressure. I don't think anyone's been in the situation he has. Those are pretty unique circumstances. Your older brother is arguably maybe the greatest quarterback ever, and a lot of expectations on you. And then you go to a big city like New York. So, I didn't have to face those things."

Of course, Smith, the No. 1 pick in the '05 draft, has endured his share of slings and arrows inspired by outrageous expectations. He was handed the reins of the franchise of Joe Montana and Steve Young, Hall of Famers who, unlike Smith, didn't have seven offensive coordinators in their first seven seasons.

Smith and Manning have faced their share of adversity, but they've persevered and will face each other today in a rare meeting. The game will mark the second time quarterbacks who were No. 1 picks will meet in a conference championship game. Denver's John Elway faced the Jets' Vinny Testaverde in the 1998 AFC Championship Game."