People are down on JaMarcus Russell. They write me all the time saying, among other things: he stinks; he was a wasted pick; he’s inaccurate; he can’t grasp the playbook; he plays without passion; he can’t make the grader.

And my response is wait a minute. Just hold on one minute. To my way of thinking he’s a rookie. You can’t count last season. He is a rookie on a bad team that’s gone through the worst kind of turmoil. It is unfair to write him off this soon, especially when he has the arm he has — a shot gun. Just unfair.

In his case I say give him time, give him the same break 49ers fans initially gave Alex Smith, the same break you’d give any rookie QB asked to carry a bad team.

Does this mean I won’t criticize him if he louses up tomorrow? No it doesn’t mean that. I get paid to write the truth. But I won’t write him off. I’ll say he had a bad day. I won’t say he’s a bust.

— Lowell