Colin Kaepernick

[BINGO]

I agree. I think if we were trying to maximize Crabtree, I'd probably go with Alex. If we were to maximize Moss/Manningham, though, Kaep is our guy.

I feel indifferent about that. I definitely see the point you are making though. However, I also see the benefit for Crabtree of having a strong arm / accurate QB to take advantage of Mario's and Randy's skill set. The situation would create room for him underneath to run around. At present, defenses are not respecting our deep balls. For one, we do not take many of those chances, and two even when we do we hardly connect on them. Is it the playcalling or simply a matter of lack of confidence from Roman and company with regard to Alex being unable to hit those bombs to Mario or Randy?? I believe it's the latter...! Therefore, in addition to having Vernon running the seam route, and Mario running the go route, that leaves plenty of vacant room on the underneath in which Crabtree could take of advantage of (quick slant or down-and-in) of his YAC ability. Defenses would no longer be able to make it so crowded in the intermediate area (passing situations) making it difficult for Crabtree to exploit.

 

[Bemular]

I feel indifferent about that. I definitely see the point you are making though. However, I also see the benefit for Crabtree of having a strong arm / accurate QB to take advantage of Mario's and Randy's skill set. The situation would create room for him underneath to run around. At present, defenses are not respecting our deep balls. For one, we do not take many of those chances, and two even when we do we hardly connect on them. Is it the playcalling or simply a matter of lack of confidence from Roman and company with regard to Alex being unable to hit those bombs to Mario or Randy?? I believe it's the latter...! Therefore, in addition to having Vernon running the seam route, and Mario running the go route, that leaves plenty of vacant room on the underneath in which Crabtree could take of advantage of (quick slant or down-and-in) of his YAC ability. Defenses would no longer be able to make it so crowded in the intermediate area (passing situations) making it difficult for Crabtree to exploit.

Brilliant! Both Clyde & Crimson make excellent points, but I as well subscribe to this school of thought - (I just think, I don't want the subscription to begin this Monday Night)

Great Post Bingo!

 

[tallglassofwater007]

And the sacks are just killing me these days. It seems like over half the sacks he takes should be avoidable for most NFL QBs, and 3/4 would be avoided by the best. You just never seem to see Alex making a great throw as he's getting hit, the way guys like Eli, Brees, Peyton, and Rodgers do.

I think he really needs to learn to step up in the pocket. He seems to go back to avoid sacks instead of stepping up or sliding up and to the side. It is a subtle thing that all the great QB's are good at. Guys like Vick seem to avoid sacks better than anybody, but then you watch Eli or Brady and they just step up and they don't have to run for their life.

It's probably been mentioned but Kyle Williams dropped a pass that would have put the 49ers inside the goaline.

That one might have saved the game. Looking at the play I don't think he was supposed to even be an option and it was actually a dumb throw in my opinion. If he catches it and gets tackled in bounds the game is over and there is no overtime. I think the entire play call was pretty bad, but then again maybe it just didn't have time to develop since he threw it so soon. That is a mistake though that happens too much in the NFL. Kaep needs to know the situation and either hit someone who is open in the endzone or throw the ball through the endzone into the seats. Bad decision to try and hit Williams right there with 3 guys closing in.

I hope VD has a breakout game....

I would be happy with an average game at this point. They need to be better at finding ways to get him the ball. Guys like Graham and Gronk always produce when the teams know and gameplan to shut them down. Then again, they have Brees and Brady.

 

[Jikkle]

I want to see CK start this game because it's a perfect chance to see where he's actually at.

Going up against one of the best defenses in the league on a national stage is a great way to see if he's ready this season or not.

 

[Bemular]

I want to see CK start this game because it's a perfect chance to see where he's actually at.

Going up against one of the best defenses in the league on a national stage is a great way to see if he's ready this season or not.

No, actually it's not. Your post remind me of Mike Nolan's comments regarding Smith when he decided to start Alex vs. the Colts; who, at that time had one of the top defenses and was among the league leaders in sacks. The problem with that idea is only one outcome really tells us anything.

I'm not sure what you saw from Kaepernick on Sunday, but I saw a QB nervous with the gravity of the situation he had just been thrown into become more confident as the game went on, but no way did I see him acquire a Chicago Bears defense level of confidence.

I'm not at all saying your idea is wrong but if he doesn't have to go this Monday then I would schedule his 1st start vs. a team he is likely to be sucessful against.

 

[yossarian]

I agree Bemular, I think if CK doesn't have to go, he shouldn't. The Bears feast on mistakes, and CK is sure to make a few. This season is too important to waste on throwing CK out there against the Bears -- our defense seems to be slipping a little, Seattle has a young rapidly improving team -- not the time to throw CK out there just to see what he can do.

 

[FourBeeDen]

No, actually it's not. Your post remind me of Mike Nolan's comments regarding Smith when he decided to start Alex vs. the Colts; who, at that time had one of the top defenses and was among the league leaders in sacks. The problem with that idea is only one outcome really tells us anything.

I'm not sure what you saw from Kaepernick on Sunday, but I saw a QB nervous with the gravity of the situation he had just been thrown into become more confident as the game went on, but no way did I see him acquire a Chicago Bears defense level of confidence.

I'm not at all saying your idea is wrong but if he doesn't have to go this Monday then I would schedule his 1st start vs. a team he is likely to be sucessful against.

Bem, you have to take in to consideration that last week, Kap did not get that much reps in practice to prepare for the game... This week, with the uncertainty of Smith's availability, he will get those reps in practice and the Niners' staff will treat the situation as having Kap as the starter...

 

[ChrisPozz]

I want to see CK start this game because it's a perfect chance to see where he's actually at.

Going up against one of the best defenses in the league on a national stage is a great way to see if he's ready this season or not.

It's the way for fans to see him and the way for them to determine with their own scale if they think he might be ready or not. I would argue that watching how he watches and handles film work, how he works with the coaches in the classroom, how he converses with teammates, and then how he takes everything that happens before they suit up out to the practice field and performs there is a better process in figuring things out. Then if he is satisfactory in doing those things, then watching him play against a VARIETY of defenses is the best way from there in just STARTING to determine if he might be ready for the big time.

In other words. It's a long, long, process and one that is easy for fans to rush, but one that I think is ultimately alot more detailed and complicated than just seeing him play in one game against a top defense and thinking you're anywhere in the ballpark of a clear picture after just one game.

 

[Bemular]

Bem, you have to take in to consideration that last week, Kap did not get that much reps in practice to prepare for the game... This week, with the uncertainty of Smith's availability, he will get those reps in practice and the Niners' staff will treat the situation as having Kap as the starter...

Point taken - Consideration given. Yes, Colin is currently getting QB1 reps vs. a version of the defense we expect to the Bears play. And, as a result of those reps I expect Colin will achieve a higher level of "practice" timing, understanding and confidence. Unfortunately, all of that can be destroyed and made detrimental to Colin's development real quick by a defense like the Bears.

Keep in mind, besides the pressure the Bears are going to put on Colin, he will be applying an equal amount of pressure on himself to prove HE is the guy which will inevitibly lead to its own mistakes in addition to the ones the Bears defense will create.

Anyone in the business of QB development will tell you the #1 common attribute of a great QB is confidence - and that is what we will be toying with if we unnecessarily start him on Monday.

Again I'm not saying it would be a certain failure, I would simply wait for a more favorable opponent where the expectation of success and thus confidence building is more likely.

 

[NinersFan80]

Point taken - Consideration given. Yes, Colin is currently getting QB1 reps vs. a version of the defense we expect to the Bears play. And, as a result of those reps I expect Colin will achieve a higher level of "practice" timing, understanding and confidence. Unfortunately, all of that can be destroyed and made detrimental to Colin's development real quick by a defense like the Bears.

Keep in mind, besides the pressure the Bears are going to put on Colin, he will be applying an equal amount of pressure on himself to prove HE is the guy which will inevitibly lead to its own mistakes in addition to the ones the Bears defense will create.

Anyone in the business of QB development will tell you the #1 common attribute of a great QB is confidence - and that is what we will be toying with if we unnecessarily start him on Monday.

Again I'm not saying it would be a certain failure, I would simply wait for a more favorable opponent where the expectation of success and thus confidence building is more likely.

And how do you know he won't rise to the occasion?? He might be good at handling the pressure and won't make mistakes and therefore his confidence will rise. It can go both ways. Yes the Bears defense is really good but our Oline needs to be able to give him some sort of time. But he can also succeed just as much as fail. Based off of his interviews and how he comes about everything I don't think his confidence will be shot if he makes a mistake, I think it will only make him want to succeed more instead of cause him to make more mistakes and hurt his confidence

 

[Bemular]

I agree Bemular, I think if CK doesn't have to go, he shouldn't. The Bears feast on mistakes, and CK is sure to make a few. This season is too important to waste on throwing CK out there against the Bears -- our defense seems to be slipping a little, Seattle has a young rapidly improving team -- not the time to throw CK out there just to see what he can do.

Yep, I agree.

 

[Bemular]

And how do you know he won't rise to the occasion?? He might be good at handling the pressure and won't make mistakes and therefore his confidence will rise. It can go both ways. Yes the Bears defense is really good but our Oline needs to be able to give him some sort of time. But he can also succeed just as much as fail. Based off of his interviews and how he comes about everything I don't think his confidence will be shot if he makes a mistake, I think it will only make him want to succeed more instead of cause him to make more mistakes and hurt his confidence

<jsmh>

 

[Jikkle]

Look I'm not suggesting if CK performs well or bombs against the Bears that he's Joe Montana or he's Ryan Leaf.

My point is if he can take a week of preparation look relatively sharp all things considered for a young QB making his 1st NFL start it may suggest he's ready to start. That doesn't mean he won't have bad games or make mistakes but if you can be competitive against the best you can be competitive against anyone.

If he falls on his face then it means he likely needs some more time in the oven and if it damages him mentally and his confidence he not going to amount to much of a QB anyways.

The problem is the odds aren't great that Alex Smith will take us and win a Super Bowl. He's style of play will win games and I'm not trying to say he sucks but every path to the Super Bowl you're going to run into a great defense that you need the QB to pull the game out for you. The Giants had us last season, Packers had the Bears before that, Saints had the Vikings, and so on.

So if CK is ready to go and we can get him plenty of game experience to be ready for the playoffs then he might be the dynamic playmaker we need.

 

[clyde_carbon]

If you're not ready to play CK7 against the Bears, then you are not ready to see him as the starting QB period.

 

[49ermann]

I agree Bemular, I think if CK doesn't have to go, he shouldn't. The Bears feast on mistakes, and CK is sure to make a few. This season is too important to waste on throwing CK out there against the Bears -- our defense seems to be slipping a little, Seattle has a young rapidly improving team -- not the time to throw CK out there just to see what he can do.

+1

This is not the time or the place to see what we have in Kapernick. The time for that will be during next off season and preseason. But Smith should only play on Monday if he is 100%. One game isn't worth risking a season. It doesn't look as if Cutler is going to start and if we consider ourselves a contender, we should beat the Bears in a Campbell vs Kapernick match up.

If Smith comes back and plays the way he did against Arizona and the start of the Rams game then it is time for Kapernick to sit and learn. The defense is slipping a bit. They cannot get off the field in crucial situations. It is time for the offense to carry a bigger load for the team.

 

[RobertPhD01]

Smith may have the OK to start on Monday!

 

[yossarian]

If you're not ready to play CK7 against the Bears, then you are not ready to see him as the starting QB period.

I don't think that's true at all. Like, not even a little bit. I don't think midseason when we're 6-2-1 and a number of tough games ahead is the time to pull a healthy Smith and start CK7. That doesn't at all mean that I don't think he can start or that he is incapable of winning the job in training camp next year.

 

[TobyTyler]

I want to see CK start this game because it's a perfect chance to see where he's actually at.

Going up against one of the best defenses in the league on a national stage is a great way to see if he's ready this season or not.

No need. I can already answer that for you; he's not.

 

[clyde_carbon]

I don't think that's true at all. Like, not even a little bit. I don't think midseason when we're 6-2-1 and a number of tough games ahead is the time to pull a healthy Smith and start CK7. That doesn't at all mean that I don't think he can start or that he is incapable of winning the job in training camp next year.

I'm not talking about next year, I'm talking about THIS year. If you don't think CK7 is ready to start against the Bears, then you better stop talking about him starting at all this year.

 

[1911Alaska]

I think he really needs to learn to step up in the pocket. He seems to go back to avoid sacks instead of stepping up or sliding up and to the side. It is a subtle thing that all the great QB's are good at. Guys like Vick seem to avoid sacks better than anybody, but then you watch Eli or Brady and they just step up and they don't have to run for their life.



That one might have saved the game. Looking at the play I don't think he was supposed to even be an option and it was actually a dumb throw in my opinion. If he catches it and gets tackled in bounds the game is over and there is no overtime. I think the entire play call was pretty bad, but then again maybe it just didn't have time to develop since he threw it so soon. That is a mistake though that happens too much in the NFL. Kaep needs to know the situation and either hit someone who is open in the endzone or throw the ball through the endzone into the seats. Bad decision to try and hit Williams right there with 3 guys closing in.



I would be happy with an average game at this point. They need to be better at finding ways to get him the ball. Guys like Graham and Gronk always produce when the teams know and gameplan to shut them down. Then again, they have Brees and Brady.

Actually in the after game interview Kapernick stated that that play was designed to get the ball to Williams. Not sure what happened he just wasn't expecting it so quick or something. But either way though I think it was a poor play call for that moment