The Niners won a thrilling (zzzzzzzzzzzz) contest of wills and flags in Sandy Eggo as the backups from SF beat the backups of SD 31-21. 2-2 in these meaningless games, but the takeaway from this game is that no one got hurt.
Colin Kaepernick afro’ed himself into a middling performance that didn’t change any minds about the pecking order. Blaine Gabbert is our starter, Kaepernick is the backup. After that, Jeff Drisekll looked horrible, throwing 2 pick in 3 passes in a bad 3rd quarter stretch. Christina Ponder continues to impress against the backup brigade, throwing passes to WRs and generally looking like he should stick. Over Driskell? Yes.
Other that that, the other hot players coming out of camp are Marcus Rush and Mike Davis. But for two fumbles, Davis would be even more of a shoe-in for the back-up RB spot. That should be his. Carlos Hyde is once again a question mark, and Shaun Draughn is battling a rib injury himself, so Davis, and possibly Kelvin Taylor, will make the squad.
WR is a big question mark as well, but Kerley made a few nice catches from CK. Beyond Torrey Smith and Kerley, we got a lot of young guys. Dres Anderson had a clutch catch on the goal line on the 1st drive, and after that? Unsure.
For the D line, Ronald Blair had another solid game, and the D line in general has played well despite losing Ian Williams, and Dorsey’s uncertain status. DBs as well. No surprises there. I was a little surprised to see Kenneth Acker traded, but we have a soliod group of defenders.
Optimistic? Who knows? I’d like to be, but this season has been way too wacky to be realistic. Will Kappy get cut? No. Despite the hooraw, he’s better than Driskell. Ponder? Well, that’s harder to tell, but I think they carry all three at this point. Kelly can’t afford to be caught short-handed with all the weirdness circling the team. Still think this could be an 8-8 team if they can get healthier and not get too many injuries.
Forty Niners Forever 
Lots of chirping here about the demise of the Niners. I just watched the game and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Gabbert is NOT a lock to start at QB. If he does get it, I think he’ll be on a short leash with Kap waiting in the wings. He looked good to me last night, nimble and athletic, made some good and not so good throws, and twice took the offense on good drives. The offense looked more dynamic with him in there than with Gabbert. I think he’s in the mix. Yesterday I didn’t think so.
4 preseason games, 4 QB’s and 1 TD pass. Not good. I have Driskel on the PS. He had a bad game, Chuck, but be looked pretty good in the previous 2. I think that warrants the further development, because he does have the physical tools. So, because Kap missed a lot of time, Gabbert starts to begin the season with the competition ongoing between the two. I’m agreeing with Chuck on this one, Kap stays. For now.
Beating the Rams is always a good thing, but I’d rather they beat Seattle at least once. It’s probably going to be a rough year, but I’m a lot happier with Kelly in there. At least he exudes some confidence and looks like he knows what he’s doing. As a fan, that’s something to hang your hat on.
Bring on the regular season. Beat the Lambs. Can the Embraceable Ewes.
How does Marcus Rush not make the team? 6 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception. He could be a dynamo on special teams.
Because he is not a run stopper. But I’m with you John. No position is more important than somebody who can apply the heat to the passer. Fred Dean was a designated pass rusher. I’m not going to compare Rush to him but it is hard to deny that Rush is very good at doing just that.
What a great day it would be if we find out that we cut Unca’s new idol.
Take it to Skeeb’s troll.
Badford to the Vikes for a 1st and a 4th. Bad Week at Black Rock for the Vikes: first you downgrade from Teddy to Badford, then you lose a 1st rounder to boot. Wow.
AP, a good defense and pray for rain – the Vikes new credo.
The Santa Clara PD Union is threatening to refuse to protect football fans attending Niner home games if Kappy is not cut today. Now who’s asking for trouble?
Talk about missing the point.
Did Brandon Thomas already get cut from the Lions? That is what I an hearing. We traded him for Curly.
Ok .
The SCPD memo is an overreaction but it’s exactly what I was talking about before when I said this is hardly “no big deal.” Everyone is reacting to it, and do you think the players are stoked about a memo like that? Kaep’s powerless protest is doing NOTHING except dividing the team and distracting them from the only thing they should be concentrating on and that’s coming together as a team and being as good as they possibly can be. Which, granted, isn’t very good. But we’ll never know how good they coulda been because of this dumbass protest bullshit that is a CLEAR distraction to the team…….
My point too. I don’t have a problem with him having an opinion and stating it. I have a problem with him doing it in such a way that he is polarizing the fans, the team and the community. Us football fans just want some football and politics left out. If he was sabotaging the Seahawks or the Rams it would be great. Instead, he is sabotaging the 49ers. I wish he would just go away.
Well, maybe he’s right. This is bigger than a game.
This is football not a platform for the ills of the world. All this does if he is gonna continue is hurt our football team. Nothing is going to get done because of this protest and it is a big cover up for his QB inadequacies. Everyone gets his right to protest that’s not even a point anymore.
Exactly. But now he has become Chuck’s idol. This is bigger than the game for Unca.
Wow. You belong with Skeebie, Bergs. If you can’t post like a man, go to the playpen.
If everyone is reacting to it, then it isn’t powerless. It is being talked about. And Kppy did donate a million dollars to various charities. Beyond that, I don’t think there’s raging fights in the locker room over this. If they can’t deal with this, then they are too insulated from reality.
chuck- the problem is the media will keep this shitstorm going until it truly hurts our football team. People can only take so much bullshit. And this protest is bullshit.
This the equivalent of wanting Tebow on the team and thinking the media circus that follows is not a distraction.
Kap said that hair stylists have more education than police. An all time ignorant statement. To think the police did not hear that is equally ignorant.
Kap’s presser after the game sounded like damage control to me and it cost him 1 million dollars. Let us see who he gives it too. I’m going to bet that creates another firestorm.
Kap continues to make the case that he’s a complete moron.
Let the cuts begin! I bet they’re all no-names. We all have to get beyond this Kap thing somehow, someway. What Kap does with his money or his mouth matters little to me. I’m interested in production on the field……period. Well, that’s just me. I know, who cares?
At this point the only way to get past it is cut his ass.
I wonder if this means Rodney King t-shirts will be back in style.
Lemoneir is gone. Whalen, Cajuste and McBryde are gone too. Lynch to suspended list.
Yeah, Rush maybe makes it simply because Lynch is out until October. I think he makes it anyway, but this might lock it up. I like Cajuste, but he didn’t do a ton in camp. I think he’s a big, tough receiver who could be a weapon, but…
Je’ron Hamm had a really good game the other night, and they were targeting him a lot. He looks like a good downfield option at TE, big, agile with good hands. I wonder if they were giving him a serious look to help decide between him and the spotty Bell.
Per Eric Branch on twitter:
Of the #49ers top five picks in 2013, Corey Lemonier is now only selection not on roster (Reid, Carradine, McDonald, Patton).
Well Reid was a #1 Carradine might pan out but both the others haven’t done shit. I think Baalky keeps em so he don’t look so bad.
I think both Patton and McD will do much better with a coach who know how to call plays to keep the offense in rhythm.
berger hopefully you are right we need some good luck on the O.
I’m just bummed I never bought a Rodney King shirt. It would be back in style these days.
Branch said on twitter that Lemonier is gone?
This one surprises me, Garrison Smith is being cut.
Taylor and Cherry waived. Kap seen in work out clothes heading to practice/weight room.
Herm Edwards said he had an afro just like Kappy’s at one time. He also said Kappy would be starting by Week 3. He pointed out that Gabbert had all OTAs, all training camp and most of the preseason without competition and he still was unable to lock down the job.
That’s what I was saying last night. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if Kap end up in there at some point.
Kelvin Taylor had a good game last night. Looks like he runs well inside and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. And he’s Fred Taylor’s kid. All the backs have had pretty good camps, so I was trying to figure out which 3-4 are going to make. Draughn hasn’t played,m so he’s vulnerable. I’d keep Taylor because he’s young and looks to be talented. Davis, Hyde, Taylor and Draughn or Harris. I keep Harris because he had a good camp.
Berg’s just made this post irrelevant. Too bad about Taylor, maybe he makes it back for the PS squad.
Yeah if the team is not going to be very good may as well go young. Older players on a poor team are useless. I hope this year’s coaches are up to the task of bringing up young players. Last year was a horrible waste of everyone’s time.
They cut OT Kelly too.