Here we sit, the 49ers 1.5 games up on Seattle, a recent pounding of the Bears in their rear-view mirror, and an apparent first round bye if they keep up the strong play. The offense is clicking along, the defense has been getting tons of pressure (Aldon Smith leads the league with 14 sacks), and the special teams (minus a couple fake punts) has been getting better. All these great feelings however have taken a back seat to a seemingly self-made quandary which has the airwaves burning, and the bloggosphere absolutely incendiary. The quandary of course is the instant QB controversy that sprung up out of the concussion to Alex Smith in the Ram game, and the subsequent dismantling of the supposedly impregnable Chicago defense by Colin Kaepernick.
The stupid thing to me is this could have been averted by Jim Harbaugh. All he had to say was Smith is getting one more day off to make sure he’s good to go down the stretch. Cappy gets the NO start, and things go back to normal. But Harbaugh seems to be the one holding the gas can at this point. He has baited the fans by calling them drooling idiots who don’t care if they win or lose, called the press liars, and left it to his starting SS Donte Whitner to say Cappy was starting. Which Harbaugh then denied. Alex Smith’s status is still unclear at this point, although it seems that he’s good to go. That his health even matters is up for debate. Cappy played a great game, but it was one game. OK, 1.6 if you include the 2.5 quarters of the Ram game. Even still, based on that, you usually don’t make a quarterback switch based on a handful of quarters.
The point being, there was a whole shitload of unneeded thrash around the team this week. Now if this was Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, I’d certainly understand the impetus to get one’s team in the news by any means. But for all intents and purposes, this is the buttoned-down San Francisco Forty Niners. The classy team finding its way back to relevancy and the top of the football pyramid. Not a grandstanding hottdogging look-at-us kind of team. Harbaugh is really alienating everyone who is a fan of the team, and has made a chilly press relationship even more cold with his recent statements. For no other reason than apparently to leave the Saints in the dark regarding who starts.
So, I don’t get it. I also don’t expect the Saints to be pushovers as some think, due to their poorly ranked defense. They show a bunch of different looks, disguise blitzes, and have been playing better in recent weeks, and are always tough at home. Besides, the Niners are the agents of a lot of their recent problems. The Niners beat the Saints in the playoffs last year in one of the best games in NFL history, Gregg Williams was fired for his singling up on VD in crunch time in the playoffs, Williams was then suspended indefinitely for statements he made (knowingly taped) prior to that playoff game, and the whole Bounty-gate deal.
So, there’s certainly enough on NO’s plate to want to knock the Niners off. Who knows? Maybe this is Harbaugh’s way of getting the pressure off the players. Then again, what do I know. I’m a drooling idiot.
Forty Niners Forever 
ha
OK who nailed the spread? Not me, I called for 16
not me I called 1
You were right about it being a nail biter but a 10 point nail biter.
Damn if it wasn’t RT:
“rtfirefly: 26-17 Niners. I adjust my weekly prediction because of Brees, Kappy and the Superdome”
he won every half time game this season too lol
superbowl here we come !
That’s the imperative now.
Stop with this “it’s imperative now” BS. Winning the SB has been “imperative” since Day 1 of training camp. You just have to face reality that Jimbo thinks Colin gives this team the best chance to win it. Take your medicine and simmer down now.
So he does have to win it, fucktard. I know what Jimbo thinks. He’s wrongo,wet brain.
Twin, Alex has not won a Superbowl and has won only one playoff game in his entire playing history, so get off this crap as though Alex has some wonderful record of playoff wins that Kap has to equal or better. I like Alex and thought he should be the starter right up until I saw what Kap can do against the Bears. Just one game? no, the way he played showed what this O can really do with a more dynamic passer and he did it again today. You need to move with the times bro.
12, this shouldn’t be too hard- whether Alex has long history of playoff victoriies or not- he took them ( or as you would have it, was along for the ride) to the NFC title game in Harbaugh’s first year and had them on track for the postseason again this year. Even suggesting that Colin should not be expected to do better under those circumstances is flat absurd. Again- he didn’t bench Alex so Kappy could give it a good try. Get with it. Everyone outside of this blog knows Colin’s job is to win it all. Now. Not in a few years.
Twin I am not going to keep repeating the same things. Your false mantra of a SB win is a strawman based on your hurt feelings that Alex was benched. Kap outplayed Alex and that is all there is to it whether you agree with that or not.
Get over it and support the team you have since 1974.
Hell of a game
Why the fuck doesn’t Jimbo actually say Colin is the QB? He still hasn’t said it plainly and clearly. Just say it, pal.
I agree Twin, the way Jim has handled this is amateur hour big time.
9ers 8-2-1
Sweet
so sweet it’s sickly sweet. And we are back in second place by a half a game.
Enjoy it now. Three of the next four weeks are road games in St. Louis,foot deep snow or 50 degrees in Foxboro?, then following up with the grudge match in Seattle.
Fantastic, championship wins over the Bears and the Saints.
The season is far from over, though.
actually RT the playoffs are just about set since the Squawks lost today, don’t see any way they win enough and we lose enough for us not to win the division and truthfully I think based on the play of our new QB we can score with anybody, even Brady in the snow, and he has to deal with our D, good luck with that..
I’m just urging caution, 12th. I’m not as confident as you about beating the Pats at home in December, nor do I think the games in StL or Seattle will be any easier than today.
Seattle is definitely a tough battle, no division team is a gimme on rthe road, NE kinda has their own good QB, 12. But they should be 11-4-1 with any QB.So that will be good enough, Colin shouldn’t be expected to win a playoff game, that wouldn’t be fair.
I agree with both of you, those games are tough no matter who is QB, I am just saying I feel at least as confident with Kap as I did with Alex.
Twin, I’m on board with you in terms of how this has been handled, But your “Super Bowl or Bust with Kap” Mantra is just dumb. Last year, Smith didn’t get them to the cusp of the SB by himself anymore than anyone else. The QB is the most important piece of the puzzle but he’s not the ONLY piece.
I am a Smith supporter and I can’t believe a coach would switch out a dude who QB’d 20-6. But whatever, if he thinks this move is the right one then that’s why HE is the guy coaching the team and YOU and ME are the ones typing on our keyboards.
Kap is one of the guys, just like Smith was. But he seems to make the team better. And that’s all that JH cares about. And that’s all we all should care about. Super Bowl win or not.
couldn’t have put it better myself Flav and I might add I appreciate how you see things as a fan even though it isn’t the way you thought it would be.
thanks. I’ve never been one to hold on to the same dumb argument forever. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong, just fess up to it and move on. If you aren’t an idiot that shouldn’t be too hard to do. If you are an idiot, or you have another agenda, then it will be difficult for you to let something go. That is the blog world in a nutshell.
I didn’t think this was going to work and it still might not. I still feel like it was unnecessary. But Kap has BROUGHT IT in 2 hugely clutch games. Alex, bless his heart, has come a long way but there is no way IN FUCKING HELL that he does what Kap did in his first 2 starts. Zero way.
If you mean these two games, no way it can be said Alex wouldn’t have won them. If you’re referring to Smith’s first two starts as a pro, wake me up when that team was 20-6-1 when he took over.
Well at least we have one adult in the room.
Ferret’s here?
To Smith’s detractors HE was 19-31 before Harbaugh. Now the team was 20-6-1 with him as the QB and suddenly he’s just one ‘o the guys. There’s virtually no precedence for this move but what’s “flat dumb” is to suggest that a guy taking over under these circumstance should not have extra expectations. If you don’t, you’re an easy dude to please.
Yeah, makes me wonder what Kap will be under the same Harbaugh.
No precedent, Jack? Earl Morrall had been a SB QB and undefeated in 1972 when he was benched. Shula knew he was a good soldier but he’d found a better QB.
Earl passed for over 20000 yards. Still benched.
I’ll researh the actual circumstances and get back to you.but if you found one from 40 years ago, good on ya…
Ok,I thought that was fishy, It’s not the same at all, Griese was injured in the 5th game of the season, against the Chargers, and did not play again until the 14th and final game, against the Colts, in a mop up role. He did not play in the divisional playoff game against the Browns but was called on in the second half of the AFC championship game against the Steelers. He started and played the entire game in Super Bowl VII.
Not even close. Maybe go back 80 years next time..
Morrall played five years with Miami and started a total of 12 games.
Miami was the last stop of his career.
Helluva lot of guys have come through here who were claimed to better than Smith. Helluva lot of coaches as well. Jed nearly pulled an Eddie with a “He’s gioooooonnnne” about Alex at Harbaugh’s first presser. He’s been baaaaaaaaaaaacck more than Freddy Krueger. I don’t think I’d crow about his benching quite yet…
I have to agree with TF. The pressure is on for Kappy to win the Super Bowl. I expected to win it with Alex. If Kaep is an upgrade why would that change? I am firmly on the Kaepernick bandwagon and confident as ever for the 49ers!
I would say because to expect a SB win with 6 games to go with Tom Brady would be stupid never mind Alex Smith or Kap.
I call bullshit! Twinfan can be called a lot of things but he’s never been a fence sitter. All you’re doing is trying to be on whatever side works out.
It’s only been said about 946 times that the change wqs made to give them a better chance to win the Super Bowl. They were headed to the playoffs when he took over and went to the NFC title game last year. What Super Bowl did you have in mind? 2018?
The key word is chance, same as applied to Alex. You go on as though the SB is a forgone conclusion if Alex stayed as the starter.
i’ve never suggested that at all. Hell, Peyton Maniing is 1 for 11 trying for it. Might be one of the un-clutch postseason QBs ever. The expectations for a guy who replaces the QB who went to the title game the previous year and had them on track for the postseason this year and kiinda higher than taking over the reins of a 2-6 team. I ‘ve read the posts here- the Super Bowl was expected with Alex.
I didn’t make that assertion. New year, new team, new opponents yet you make the claim that because the team made the NFCCG last year they have to do that or better with Kap taking over, that is an utterly stupid statement but you own it.
How bout Jake Plummer, Jack? Recent enough for you? I didn’t make that decision, Coach Shanahan did. Ask him after he wins the division with RG III.
That’s a chalk malk in your favor. That’s why I wanted the Niners to hunt Plummer down and sign him.
2006? Interesting choice. Cutler took over, went 2-3 and Alex knocked their ass out of making the playoofs in the final game.We’re all hoping this works out better than that. RT.
we just won again ! imho we regress this year ! i predict a 12-4-1 record !!! 🙂
lol, we still might be.
oops i meant 12-3-1
Sounds like NoFear is upset that I’ve been correct all this time!
Bergs you made sure you can be correct no matter the outcome.
Make that two that are mad I was correct the whole time!
not mad, just saying how it is.
How could I be wrong? I rooted for Alex when I saw he was a much better QB than the coaches he had. That was obvious when he got Harbaugh for a coach. I still root for him. I still say he is a good QB. He leads the league in QB accuracy. Now we upgrade with Kaep, who is the home town hero here in Reno. I don’t care so much about being right as much as being lucky to be able to watch this for my 49ers!
I will give you this Reno, you said Kap coming out of college was a good QB, you also said Alex should not get hurt. Beyond that you have pounded week after week anybody who said Niners needed a more dynamic QB to make use of the rest of the offense not being used to it’s potential. You said week after week Alex was the starter period and that Kap would get his chance in TC next year. After Kap took over the Rams game 14 down and brought them back and almost won, and probably deserved to lose anyway, you began mumbling a little about Kap looking ok in relief. After he destroyed the #1 defense in all of football, despite Twins nonsense about Arizona being better (its a stat Twin, I know you believe those) you sat fully on the fence gaining splinters by the minute. Now Kap has done it again you were right all along. Yeah ok, those months of you trampling on anyone elses opinion of Alex were all a figment of my imagination. Whatever.
Jack, get over it. Kappy has started 2 games, one against the Bears without Cutler, and the next in the Superdome, the Super Bowl home this year, over Drew Brees.
Just get over it, will you. Alex is still there and will play before the season is out.
Get over what? Criticising a QB who’s winning? Never seen that around here..
Listen, folks. Get used to it, You know the drill.
And you bitched about it endlessly. Now you become what you hated? Maybe it was always more aboout you being right.
Maybe?
Just trying to make it snarkier than mean. My Canadian accent came through I see.
I had full confidence Alex would win the Super Bowl. If I did not have the same confidence in Kappy why should we make the switch(of course, it is not my call). What is even better is knowing that if Kappy gets an injury it doesn’t derail our season. We probably have the best QB situation in the NFL. Somebody tell me that is not cool!
that is something we agree upon, QB depth is probably the best in the NFL now.
Well it might be if Alex doesn’t start a snit over his benching. If not, I think Alex would make a good #2. I read somewhere it was Alex who was thought to be the source of the leak to SI about who was named starter. If so, that can’t be good.
Actually, I’m kind of miffed that Alex has taken the benching so well. I’m glad he has but I could not have handled it so well.
What a load of crap- ther’s nothing at all to suggest that Smith has been anything but class througfhout the ordeal. Aikman couldn’t believe he’s taken it the way he has. In fact, most can’t believe it. I think there are a lot of guys out there who would sugar Jimbo’s gas , fuck his old lady, and set fire to the barn..
The other thing is Harbaugh has not yet named a permanent starter. I think we all agree it is Kaep but Harbaugh has the last say.
Alex has been an absolute professional during this and every other setback he has dealt with. If he is needed he will come off the bench and give it his all, after all he is playing for his next contract. He is in an infinitely better position for his next team than he was when he was ready to leave the team when Harbs took it over and has made another bunch of millions to boot. Not too shabby for a back up.
The NYGs are whuppin’ up on the Pack. Funny how as soon as it goes bad they want to fire the coach that keeps them going through those terrible slumps.
year after year too
Berger, you spent seven years saying you weren’t sure if Smith was a good QB. You were just sure no one else should point out his problems. Then you decide to say Smith is good, and then Smith is OK but whatever Harbaugh says is good enough for you. Now you say you wanted it to be Kaep anyway. All that just proved what a know-nothing fool you are.
NoFear- With injuries and poor coaching there was no way to rate Smith’s over all QB play, except his rookie year which was awful. He looked fantastic under Turner and then came the injuries along with more bad coaching and a new system every year. While you were hanging Alex I was hoping for better coaching because I always saw flashes of brilliance from him. It did not take long with Harbaugh to see we had a good QB. Since you think Nolan is the best coach in the NFL it would be hard for you to feel the same. You’ve told us often he is a coach killer, I think Nolan killed himself. I’ve been a Kaepernick fan since before anybody here even knew who he was. This is just a lucky win win situation for me. I’m sorry you don’t share my elation. I wish you could, it is an awesome feeling!
He looked average under Turner, a huge improvement over his rookie year.
I’m happy enough that Harbaugh meant what he said about competition for every position and the best player plays. Alex is improved from his earlier days as most players do improve with enough experience.
I’m happy enough that Harbaugh saw in Alex what I saw in Alex, not enough, and was bold enough to risk his rep and make a change early enough to get Kaep up to speed in the playbook and prepared in time for the playoffs.
I’m happy enough that Harbaugh benched the coach-killer before he killed another one. Although Harbaugh was in a better position to prevent it than the previous fatalities.
NoFear and 12th- If phrasing it that way makes you feel better, cool! It does sound funny. The funny part is I think you guys are serious.
I’m happy to see the change too and take my hat off to Harbs for having the guts to do it. Flav brought up the idea that Harbs probably thinks he deserved all the credit for Alex’s huge improvement. I don’t know if Harbs thinks that and he may well, but it might also be true to a large extent. The way he has Kap ready to go in this type of game speaks to his QB coaching ability.
Well Bergs you like stats, dazzle me with Alex’s amazing second year stats.
Let me say this Bergs, stats notwithstanding. Except for some rare but compelling moments in games, and I don’t mean to diminish those moments, Alex has been an average/slightly above average QB week by week on a very well coached and strong team. I know his stats as well as anyone and the teams win/loss record under him the last 1.5 years, it’s impressive. The fact remains that he is bested by Kap as a QB because he has shortcomings in his game that in my opinion would prevent the Niners from winning a SB if we were fortunate enough to make it there compared to what Kap brings to the table.
A controversial opinion perhaps but I have voiced it consistently. I don’t flip flop until I can see the logic in something, then take it on the chin and move on.
12th- I do not see it as Alex lost his job, I see it as Kaep took it. Since I have had the fortunate experience of watching Kaep for many years I can say he is definitely a winner and has special skills that most QBs do not have. Watching it translate to the pro game is especially fun to watch. There are not many QBs Kaep would not beat out, especially one that leads the league in accuracy. BTW, didn’t you guys tell me for a long time that Alex Smith is not accurate?
I agree Kap took it, Alex did nothing wrong to lose his job, the other guy has a bigger upside. Alex was inaccurate for years, last year he was good and this year after Tom House great at the short and intermediate passes, his long ball was still inaccurate. To answer your question no I didn’t tell you that.
ok , so we can’t take a minute to savor another big win !
i think i see a good battle here ! before long two natural enemies will have to fight it out ! nolan vs. alex smith ! smithlover vs. nolanlover ! nofear vs. twinfan ! i say we give both an autographed picture of their hero and put them in an empty room together ! the one who shoots their load the furthest wins !
funny shit!
Well, even a Smith hater- and I know who you are, you can’t hide- has to admit he’s a resilient motherfucker. If he’s a coach killer, he’s the Jeffrey Dahmer of coach killers.
Well if your ‘hater’ reference is to me, I’m not a fan of Alex, you are correct.
Resilient? Yesterday you said he had no pride. Is that the same thing?
They’re not mutually exclusive.
Yeah, it’s all about Alex. That’s why they play the game.
now that was some funny shit!
It’s always been all about Alex for you folks, RT. It was about 50 to 1 haters outnumbering the “apologists” on the Insider. You guys never quit and hounded and attacked Alex supporters non-stop. Then last year most disappeared and didn’t return in numbers until Alex was hurt..
true