Quite the game by Colin Kaepernick yesterday. On national TV, and in front of the guy whose job he wants, Cappy came into the game throwing darts all over the field. 16-23 for 243, 2 TDs sounds very Smith-like (esp with the 123 yards on the ground), but it sure looked different. Particularly sweet was the bomb to Kyle Williams on his 2nd drive. He couldn’t have handed the ball to him any cleaner as Cappy hit KW in stride for a 57 yard strike to set up a TD on the next play, a nice play action pass to VD for Cappy’s 1st TD as a pro. The next drive featured a 32 yard strike to VD and was capped by a 14 yard run up the middle by Kendall (end zone) Hunter. Drive #4 was puctuated by a 20 yard pass and run by Michael Crabtree, with some touogh running form Frank Gore. All in all, 4 possessions, 4 scores, and a 20 point lead going into the half. For all intents and purposes, the game was over. Not bad for the gangly kid from Turlock.
Leading off the 3rd quarter, Cappy his Mario Manningham on a nice slant that MM took up the field for a 37 yard gain. On 3rd and gola from the 6, Cappy dropped back to pass and looked right for VD dragging across the back of the end zone. he was covered, and Cappy rolled left to buy time, and Crabs read this and cut to the left corner of the end zone. Cappy hit him easily for his 2nd TD pass of the game for a 27-0 lead.
The rest of the game was just handoffs for the most part as the defense laid to waste the Bear offensive line. Aldon Smith had 5.5 sacks by himself, and really, the Niners should have pitched a shutout as Aldon Smith was penalized for trying to get to a fumble on 3rd and 19 after yet another sack by the Niner defense. Jason Campbell, the erstwhile vet, didn’t stand a chance against the Niners intense pass rush. They [pretty much were forced to abandon the run due to the instant deficit, and Campbell rarely had a clean pocket to throw from.
So, what now? I don’t listen to KNBR much, nor do I spent too much time reading other blogs and such, but I’m sure the airwaves are sizzling with conjecture regarding who starts next week. Add to the firestorm the fact that Harbaugh didn’t douse any fires by saying “I have 2 hot-handed QBs” and the controversy begins. Frankly, with Alex Smith not even cleared to play, I don’t see too much reason to take anything from Harbaugh’s comments yesterday. They were made right after the game, and Harbaugh always seems to be struggling with the come-down from his hypersonic adrenaline-fueled coaching high. Until Smith gets cleared, everything WILL be conjecture and innuendo.
I’m fairly certain Harbaugh reinstates Alex Smith as the starter going forward if he is cleared to play. Cappy played as near-perfect a game that anyone could have expected, but one game does not make a ginormous decision like this cone to pass. Although the pressure to perform is ratched up a little bit under Alex Smith’s ass.
Forty Niners Forever 
Chuck, I was listening to Aldon Smith today in his interview.
Kappy is head, shoulders, and a whole fleet of Viking boats above Tolzien.
Is Kappy #1? Maybe this week. The Saints are a great team at home and on fire at the moment. Now they have 2 different style QBs to prepare for.
Sssssssh. Don’t tell anybody that.
Alright, is it Cappy, Kappy, or Kaeppy?
I don’t care, as long as it’s not Krappy…
I get tired of those gay nicknames that end in *y* so I just call him Kap and don’t worry about the *e*.
Same
Top 6 NFL HCs on the chopping block:
1) Jerry Jones
2) Norv Turner
3) Romeo Crennel
4) Mike Mularkey
5) Rex Ryan
6) Andy Reid
Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Turkey and stuffing and sweet yams. I always hated cranberry sauce.
Yeah, Cappy is now, but going into training camp, the competition was open, and Tolzein had some early success. By the end of the preseason, Cappy was the #2.
As far as how he looks in practice? Most people are worrying about Smith. The back up is usually running the scout team.
I know, I get that. You said the same thing in your 4:26 post. My question is why haven’t we heard a single peep about Kap’s talents in practice (and your 4:26 and 5:13pm would explain this) but yet hear all of these players (and JH) gushing about how he does this all the time in practice?
It makes no sense at all.
I have never read that Kap lights it up in practice. Maiocco says Kap is a gamer, he sure was on monday, same players, same plays, vastly different look to the game.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Rufus.
And to the rest of you clowns as well . . . Happily we ain;t driving to LA this year.
JH obviously is fudging around with the QB situation. BF was right about this being an almost perfect scenario where he can play Kap against NO and say they’re protecting Alex’ health, regardless of whether Dr. Neuro cleared him or not. And, probably be telling the truth, actually. If Kap does play and plays well and it’s a Niner win, THEN its crunch time. But, if Kap’s not so good, hey, Alex can come back the game after and everything is back to “normal”…
As I’ve tried to point out-there is a huge flaw in the protocols since the neurologist is not the guy who has to make the final clearance. As much as I want Smith back out there, the team doctor is not qualified to clear him.As I said-even a nurse can rule him out, but only a neurologist should be able to clear a player.
My usual outsider complaint applies here once again. All last week the media “insiders” were saying Alex would start, then suddenly on game day, the national media guys get the story that Kap is getting the start, Alex had a setback. The “insider” media bulldust here is laughable. Maiocco, Lynch, Barros, all those guys only report what’s fed to them. Meanwhile, apparently in spring next year, one of the dude’s that wrote Game of Shadows (Feineru-Wada) is coming out with a book on the NFL and the concussion issue, supposedly going to be a bombshell of revelations…
I’m sure he’ll just blame Bonds for all the concussions.
The coaches knew enough about him to put all those pass plays in the script instead of “OK backup guy, just don’t lose the game for us.”
They couldn’t know how well he’d escape pressure, and he did like it was second nature, and how well or long he’d stand in to make the play under pressure until he’s in a game. Besides finding his second or third read, those are things Alex has never done well.
The thing(s) that stood out the most for me was his finding a way to make a play and extending the busted ones. And if he does it again in this weeks’ game, Harbaugh shouldn’t change starters until he screws up badly.
Don’t cry for Alex. This is the way starters lose their jobs to the better guy behind them all the time.
Actually name one time anything remotely similar happened. 20-6-1, took the team to the Championship game, headed for the playoffs again, 3rd rated in the league. never happened. And unless Harbaugh went to sleep and woke up as Dick Nolan, ii ain’t happening here.He can make the change to Coiln if Smith’s play forces his hand, until then when/if he’s healthy you go as far as Smith takes them and make decisions afer the season. That’s the smart way.
Smith’s play does force his hand. That’s what all the hoopla is about. Pay attention.
Jerry Jones is on the hot seat? I think Goodell’s got his back against the angry mobs.
What’s he going to do – fire himself? Then rehire himself with a new title…
Happy Turkey Day to everyone!
Jerry’s son is bucking the depose the Old Man. Egg salad best made overnight!
There’s really nothing to see, Flav. Cappy gets very little reps with the 1st team, so I’m sure this was somewhat of a shock to everyone.
Although the game plan was obvious. Chicago came out to stop Gore, figuring the Niners would go run-heavy. They didn’t. THey trusted Cappy enough to let him go downfield.
There was no choice but to throw against that defense, and no way to be unsuccessful. A common fiction is that Chicago has a great pass defense- they do not. Arizona’s is better.
No choice? And no way to be unsuccessful? How do you get away with slinging that bullshit around here?
All the Smith cheerleaders in unison now…
I hate to crash the party of the delusional rah rah Smith boys, but Kaep destroyed that defense. And Harbaugh put more faith in Kaep’s ability to throw on them than he ever would have put in Smith.
Most informed people, including Steve Young, who are not drinking from the poisoned well, think Smith should definitely be the QB. In fact, most are slapping their foreheads, wondering WTF Harbaugh is thinking…
Smith destroyed a better pas defense., BTW.
From SI.COM:
“There was something else notable about his game: Not one of his 19 throws (20, actually, if you count one that was negated by penalty) was off-target. His accuracy, in a word, was stunning. I watched the game again on NFL Game Rewind, focusing on each of the 20 throws, and watching each one several times, running it back and forth. Though he threw short much of the night, he did have completions that traveled 10, 11, 15, 20 and 22 yards past the line of scrimmage. Here’s how I graded the 20 throws:
A (perfectly accurate, hitting his receiver in stride): 15 throws
B (accurate, but receiver reached slightly away from body): 3
C (passable, catchable throw; if missed, would have been a drop): 2
D (poor throw that would have been a great catch): 0
F (significantly off target): 0
Smith’s two Cs came on his eighth and ninth passes of the game, early in the second quarter. The first was a sliding-on-his-knees catch by wideout Kyle Williams on a low throw that led him well. The second: a crossing route dropped by Walker — slightly behind him, but Walker erred because he tried to run with it before concentrating on securing it. The final 11 passes (10 As and a B) were all thrown the way quarterbacks are taught: leading the receiver, throwing so the receiver can make significant yards after the catch.
“It’s good you noticed that,” Smith told me. “Putting the ball in the right spot, in the right time, when he’s expecting it, is a crucial part of the passing game, I think. So many guys talk about yards after the catch, and I’ve always believed the quarterback has a huge responsibility there — it’s not just the receiver. A quarterback has to put it on the receiver and give his guys the opportunity to make plays downfield. Joe Montana was great at that. I have a lot of respect for Tom Brady with that now. Watch how he gets the ball to [Wes] Welker in stride, so he can run after the catch.”
It stands to reason, then, that Smith would have a good yards per attempt average. Just how good, I didn’t know until I looked.”
You see, NFear, people who know football don’t dismiss YAC and the skill it takes to allow the receivers to get them
Now Harbaugh is saying he might rotate them week to week and/or during games. Either he’s fucking with the press or he’s having irregular brain palpitations.
And now the word is that Colin is the new srtarting QB=not health related. He’s number 1.
Good luck.
Beat me to it TF..
well let’s not let our feelings be based off a bunch of me-first tweets. As I said, it’s not a surprise at all that JH is milking another free week out out of this. Now, if he stands up there a publicly hands the job over to Kap then I will publicly tell him what a dumb ass he is. No reason to cause drama and problems if you don’t have to.
And he didn’t have to……..
Let’s see what the official comments are, if he has been cleared and JH says he just wants to be sure and give him another week to rest this is a non-story.
Though it would be a huge story brewing between the lines……..
That’s the smart approach Flavor. Wait, don’t speculate.
people freak out about tweets and shit and 50% of them aren’t even true. And the other 50% have a lot of qualifying to do before they become true.
I really think they are just going to say they want to give him another week to chill. And who could blame them for wanting to get a free look at Kap on the road?
If JH stands up and says “Kap is now my guy” then so be it. Though that would be the most unbelievably ignorant way to handle this………..
Agree. Spot-on.
and dude, if you didn’t catch my props a few weeks ago hear them now: the pictures that you sent me from the world series parade that I uploaded to my blog were epic. Fantastic. The one with the confetti falling on city hall is still my cover at facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/craigvaughan77
No problem man.. I shot some epic photos and wanted to share them with someone other than immediate friends & family.. I figured I might as well share them with “Giants family”. I sent Bozo the one he wanted of Mijares’ chick (didn’t get a tittie shot that he wanted but he was satisfied), lol.
Some writers like to start shit just to get their name out there – I see it all the time (John Wilner and Glenn Dickey) immediately come to mind. As already suggested, I think the smart thing to do is wait and see what the coach has to say. Who knows – we’ll see.
The kicker to all this is Smith still isn’t cleared to play. Harbaugh’s just playing fast and loose with what he’s got.
As far as your evaluation of the Chicago game goes, Twin. even you have to think that’s a little over the top, eh?. No way to be unsuccessful? Seriously? Chicago is 11th in pass defense and 1 in INTs. Not exactly chopped liver.
I’m stupid about football, Watched it religiously but never really played it. And I tried to. I just wasn’t any good. But what I saw on Monday night was about 37 guys in the box and single man coverage down field ALL GAME. At that point, those receivers are bowling pins for any competent QB. He had some amazing throws, but he was throwing the regular shit into single coverage all night long…….
That’s why we need to see one more game……..
ESPN is tweeting the the SI tweet was bullshit. Cappy is getting the 1st team reps, but that Smith could start based on practices the rest of the week.
haha, that’s rad. see my 8:52. I should become more reliable than twitter just off that post along.
And Twin you should stop being so hamstrung to the public media. Every morsel of information should be translated, not automatically processed………
LOL – exhibit A.. 7 whole minutes for ESPN to debunk a tweet. Hilarious.
Yeah, too funny. It’s the 24 hour news cycle in action.
Cappy made some very good passes against a very good defense. One game, though. I’d like to see how he does in NO in a very hostile environment, but is this really the time to be auditioning him?
As we stand right now, the Niners are the #2 seed, and having that bye week would be great. Can they afford to give him Cappy the reins for a try-out?
Again though, with Smiith not cleared, we’re still jerking off.
I have to admit some doubts about how this is playing out. As many of you know, I have had serious doubts about Smith, but he actually HAS played pretty well this year, and to lose your job after suffering a concussion seems like a problematic message to send to the rest of the team. I get that many of them may more enthusiastic about CK than AS (especially, Crabtree…), but it still seems premature. And yet, if you really think this is your best shot at a SB, and realizing the make up of your team is temporary (age, salary cap, etc.) it might be the best route.
I suppose that resting AS another week for health concerns could give JH the back drop to see what CK brings to full game #2. Either way – it seems a dicey call. As much doubt as I have about Alex’s ability to take us to the promised land, I do respect his total commitment, and that he’s been shat upon more than once. But then again, it’s a business, so in the end ya gotta deal with it. And it’s the QB position, the most important position on the team – unless you’re Singletary.
Interesting stuff, any way you slice it. If my prediction holds true about this weekend’s game (losing, regardless of the starter), then even if CK starts, Smith might find himself the starter the following week.
Hey Phil – whatup? No word on the All-Consuming-24/7 QB controversy 2.0?
Lol, kicking back with a bowl of popcorn barley. I’m in the Flavor camp- start Kap in NO, see how it goes then let coach make the call.
But the level of analysis here has been great. Pass the salt…
Maiocco says Kap starts against NO “and beyond” and his sources say Alex won’t fight it. This seems to be more than Jim Trotter’s tweet:
http://www.csnbayarea.com/football-san-francisco-niners/niners-talk/Impulsive-Harbaugh-goes-all-in-unnecessa?blockID=804951&feedID=2800
I seem to recall a big uproar over the whole Manning thing and Harbaugh’s handling of Smith at the time. That whole thing seemed to be worked out pretty well. So I’m not going to rush to any conclusions. Also, if Smith still had symptoms Monday night, I sure as hell wouldn’t be giving him the ball on Sunday.
Until I hear it directly from harbaugh, I’m taking it all with a grain of salt.
I’m actually more concerned right now about T. Brown, Culliver and Goldson being hurt and ‘limited in practice’, than in who starts at QB.
This could turn into a real track meet.
Early prediction: Kaep starts, 49ers win a crazy game, 41-38.
Copy it.
(I’m in a pithy mood)
The line went from 2 1/2 niners to even with Kap starting.
I just saw Alex Smith holding the football for the Charlie Brown balloon at the Macy*s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At least he still serves some purpose.
Interested to hear if Alex has been cleared to play by the team doctors.
I’d like to hear all this from Harbaugh. It makes no sense why he would go all-in with Kap. None. Why not take a free look at him on the road and just tell everyone that they’re giving Alex another week to rest?
If Kap dominates in NO then he can go the route of the QB switch if he feels Kap is THAT much better than Alex.
Like I said, tweets are all a bunch of bullshit. It’s just a bunch of guys trying to scoop something regardless of the facts.
If JH is quoted and heard saying that Kap is now *the guy* from here on out I’ll finally believe it. But it is completely unnecessary to make this huge public change at QB right now. The risks are so great……..
Right agin
Flavor I agree a free second audition is the safe route, but I have to say I admire Harbs guts if this is true and I agree with it.
Alex has been cleared from concussion symptoms, still won’t start.
According to who?
Poor Deetroit can’t finish a game to save its life. Go RG III!!!
From ESPN’s Ed Werder…”Alex Smith medically cleared following concussion testing but 49ers proceeding with plan to start Colin Kaepernick against Saints.”
One shot deal at this point.
If he falters we have a solid plan B.