During the past few weeks, Alex Smith has demonstrated that his arm is plenty strong enough.

Now, how strong are those vocal cords?
Qwest Field in Seattle, where the 49ers play Sunday, is a famously loud venue. Since 2005, the Seahawks crowd has helped coax an NFL-best 91 false-start penalties out of opponents.
With Smith lining up mostly out of the shotgun, the noise is an extra challenge. It’s hard enough to hear play calls when the quarterback is under center.
“You certainly don’t want to go up there with a high-pitch voice or anything,” Smith joked.
Getting off the ball quickly is a problem for linemen, too. Since Qwest Field opened in 2002, no team has more sacks at home games than Seattle. The Seahawks have 175, followed by Miami (169) and Baltimore (168).
As is their custom before road games, the 49ers practiced Friday with loudspeakers cranked up along the sidelines. This time, it was NFL Films music at full volume. The team has also experimented with blaring static — which mimics crowd noise — and playing with ear plugs as a way of rehearsing silent snap counts.
“As far as the noise is concerned, that’s just something that we have to continue to work on,” coach Mike Singletary said. “Everybody that goes in there has to do the same thing. Thankfully, this isn’t the first game that we’ve been in a situation like that. We just have to do a good job of managing it this week.”
—Despite talk that Frank Gore’s role is diminished in a spread offense, it is unlikely the Seahawks will take their eyes off him. In his past seven games against them, Gore has amassed 1,120 yards from scrimmage. Since 2006, no player has more yards against Seattle.
“With Frank, the possibility is always there to run, and you don’t want to really let him get started,” Singletary said. “So, I would think that would be (Seattle’s) first thought.”
Gore had 207 rushing yards against the Seahawks in Week 2.
—Gore is going for his sixth consecutive game with at least one touchdown. The last 49ers player to do that was Terrell Owens in 2000.
—Left tackle Joe Staley is technically listed as “doubtful” on the injury report, but there’s no hope he’ll play. Staley said he wasn’t making the Seattle trip. He is expected to return Dec. 14 against the Arizona Cardinals.
—Cornerback Nate Clements (shoulder) also is out. Defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer (shoulder) is doubtful while these players are listed as questionable: receiver Isaac Bruce (ankle), cornerback Marcus Hudson (back) and linebacker Takeo Spikes (hamstring).
Singletary said Spikes’ status would be a game-time decision.
—Misha Byrne, an 8-year-old from San Jose, was an honorary 49er for a day. Misha had a bone-marrow transplant for leukemia in January and is now reported to be cancer-free. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he first met 49ers players at the Nov. 12 game against Chicago.
On Friday, he came to practice and ran a few routes as a tight end in the 49ers’ walk-through session as linebacker Patrick Willis and others tried to keep pace.