49ers 35, Chargers 38: Grades

SANTA CLARA – On third-and-5 with 3:43 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Niners up by seven, Colin Kaepernick ran out of bounds after losing a yard, stopped the clock for the Chargers and set up Philip Rivers’ game-tying touchdown pass. No, Kaepernick hasn’t thrown a touchdown in the fourth quarter this season. But Rivers threw one today, and Kaepernick helped him do it. Give Kaepernick credit.

KAEPERNICK: D. That’s enough credit. Kaepernick ran well (finally), but he averaged just 4.8 yards per pass attempt and he committed two mistakes that directly contributed to the loss – fumbling near his own end zone and running out of bounds with 3:43 left. Kaepernick keeps making the same game-management mistakes which doesn’t speak well for him or his coaches.

RUNNING BACKS: A-. Six days after concussing himself against the Seahawks, Frank Gore had his best game since 2009. Anything Roman called for Gore worked – Bob Trey O, weak-side lead, strong-side lead, anything. I got to cover only the end of Gore’s career, but it has been a pleasure. What a strong will. Bruce Miller’s fumble in the red zone drops this group’s grade.

WIDE RECEIVERS: F. Anquan Boldin had 61 yards – nothing special. The second-leading receiver was Miller – two catches, 22 yards. The third-leading receivers were Quinton Patton and Alfonso Smith – each had 2 catches and 9 yards. Bruce Ellington had 1 catch for 8 yards and a TD before pulling his hamstring. He has shown nothing as a receiver, but he’s effective on fly sweeps and reverses.

TIGHT ENDS: C. Vernon Davis was important in the run game, both as a blocker and as a down-field decoy. He also made a beautiful 63-yard touchdown catch that was called back due to an illegal chop block penalty against Gore. Davis looked fast, powerful and motivated on that play. Of course, Kaepernick never threw him another pass.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B. Flat-out great in the run game, especially Mike Iupati, who is not-so-good in pass protection, but one of the best run blockers in football – no question. Joe Staley and Anthony Davis didn’t play well. They were flagged three times total for illegal formations.

DEFENSIVE LINE: B. Gave up just 4.1 yards per carry and zero rushing touchdowns despite the absence of NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Ahmad Brooks, Ray McDonald, Glenn Dorsey and Ian Williams.

LINEBACKERS: C. Aldon Smith loafed through yet another game. He is not half the player he used to be. Dan Skuta was the Niners’ best pass rusher. He sacked Rivers once and forced a fumble, but the Chargers recovered.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: D. Yes, they picked off Rivers three times and Antoine Bethea returned one for a touchdown. All three picks were thrown right to the Niners’ defensive backs. Give them credit for not dropping those. But they gave up four touchdown passes. The secondary fell apart once Eric Reid left the game with the third concussion of his two-year career. I’m hard on Reid because the Niners drafted him over better players, but Reid is not a bad player. He is decent. His replacement, Craig Dahl, is a bad player. Beyond bad, actually. He does not deserve an NFL pay check.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B. Perrish Cox returned a kickoff to the Chargers’ 45-yard line late in the fourth quarter and the offense still couldn’t score.

COACHES: F. For the 15th game in a row, the opponent’s coaches made better adjustments than the Niners’ coaches at halftime. Can they make it 16 in a row? Tune in next week to find out!

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.

This article has 686 Comments

  1. The coaching staff had an A++ grade after the first half and a Z– after the second half and overtime, so an F grade sounds about just right.

    1. And special teams should be dropped to a C due to Dawson’s under kicked FG attempt as regulation expired.

        1. I know the distance was tough, but it wouldn’t have made it even if Dawson had put enough leg into it because he hooked it to the right.

          1. More than likely it hooked because he was trying to over kick it. I don’t think you can assume because he hooked a 60 yarder that he also would have hooked a 50 harder.

  2. There is no denying that#7 is not accustomed to getting hit. He panics with defenders too close to him. That disqualifies him from ever being a pocket passer. He especially despises getting hit at all, EVER. That’s why he ran out of bounds late in the game. Gotta be willing to take the big shot if you want to be a pocket passer. He needs to learn that the refs will protect him. How many times have we seen him getting hit this year while he released a pass or right after the throw? I can count them on 1 hand.

    1. Great post twomp 3.
      He’s never going to feel comfortable in the pocket. Next year is going to get worse. I can see the benching now in the middle of the game. Dude just doesn’t have it to be a real throwing threat. Hard to say he ever will.

    1. Ya kno ..

      I was ready to talk smack to the Kaep-floggers, here
      after that 90-yard TD run… but …
      after that called roll-out to the left and out of bounds ..
      well ..
      that was the dumbest play of the entire game !

      Also.. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention
      Vernon’s VERY SWEET touchdown grab ..

      (I was screamin’ at the TV the whole way down the field) ..

      THEN … I saw the flag ..

      An omen !! .. thats what it was… an omen !

      Grant ..

      You don’t know how much it pains me to say this … but ..

      I agree with most of your grades …

      (yeah ..hell just froze over !)

    2. Bay,

      It was a crappy call because in that situation during the last 5-6 games, they’ve called the same play far too often. The way he was throwing tge ball, then running with nobody open, they should’ve allowed him to drop back to throw. Hit Miller in tge flat for 5. Take off and run if nobody is open like he had done all night. You can’t go out of bounds no matter what.
      #7’s problem is, he is not learning from his mistakes. Fumbling twice with the game on the line from the 1 yard line is inexcusable. Continuously running out of bound killing the clock late in games is just dumb. Not being able to manage a clock is sad. He’s made some bonehead mistakes this year.
      I’m not sure he’s teachable. I wish we had Teddy Bridgewater. The guy is going to be a star on a mediocre team.

  3. Said this on Twitter during the game, say it again here right now.

    Not sad #49ers gonna bounce Singletary after yet another game of “get ahead and hold on for dear life hoping not to lose”

  4. E,
    that strategy works when you have your world class defense on the field. Not when you have practice squad players and 3rd stringers all over the place….

  5. “I’m hard on Reid because the Niners drafted him over better players, but Reid is not a bad player.”

    That is one of your fairer critiques of Reid. He is not a bad player, and there were players that have so far been better than him that were taken after him.

    1. “the Niners drafted him over better players”

      That would be true for most players drafted in the first 3 rounds, by every team.

      Not sure that there were that many better safeties available.
      His only problem so far have been the concussions, which are very troubling.

      1. Yowza 690 hits and counting (il do my part to break the 700 mark)

        Once Goldson left for the money we desperately needed a safety. The safeties with the first Rd grade were Vacarro (who was benched this year) Reid, Cyprien, and Elam. Swearinger got drafted in the 3rd Rd but he is more of a punnisher/run plugger . Elam has played alright and cyprien (whom i wanted) is playing in the black hole that is Jax so i cant speak intelligently about him. Having said that I dont think there was a better safety available than the one we got. Drafting Trufant would have gave us a good corner but we still needed a starting safety because as we all know craig dahl sucks.

        1. Charles Woodson was available. Trent Baalke signed Nnamdi Asomugha instead.

          Woodson + Trufant or Rhodes would have been a better haul than Reid + Asomugha

        2. The Reid pick was the right one imo. He played at a Probowl level his rookie year and while his play dropped a bit this season, he is still a good young player just starting out at a very important position. Now the concussion issue is concerning, but if we are looking at it simply from a need/return standpoint, the pick was a good one. Trufant and Rhodes are good players, but the CB’s for the Niners haven’t been a problem for the most part.

  6. MW,
    Kaep not running out of bounds would have run another 40 seconds. The Chargers would have still had near 3 minutes and three time outs and the two minute warning.

    The urgency had to be to get the 1st down. Not hand it to the defense to have them be the hero’s. That defense couldn’t pressure the passer all night. That defense was gassed. It had two practice squad players at CB.

    We need an OC that dials up a play to get five yards. An OC that would have scored from the 4 yard line in the superbowl, an OC that would have called timeout in last years game versus the Seahawks on the 18 yard line. Roman and Harbaugh are solid for sure. But they are not dynamic, not creative. They are sledgehammers, predictable sledgehammers. And that is why they are gone.

    1. Not running out of bounds is symbolic of a QB who has no clue what is happening on the field, similar to not throwing to the FB on the first play of the game against the Raiders, which means the coaches don’t know at any time what he’s going to do because he doesn’t know what he’s going to do which means the players don’t know what he’s going to do so it all comes crumbling down.
      It’s more of the same for the whole year with an occasional 90 yard TD or some other broken play miracle.

      This is who he is: Throwing fade routes to Sherman, delay of game penalties, fumbling on the goal line, etc.

  7. I agree with the overall secondary grade for today as well. They didn’t play well at all that second half.

    1. Bay ..
      yeah .. shoulda made sure to get the 1st down … but
      I guess Roman couldn’t figure that out by himself … but..

      I’m still of the mind that the Jed-ster getting rid of
      The Harbs .. would be as catastrophic as his daddy
      firing Mooch…

      (G-Ro.. yeah .. I’m all for that .. but not Harbs)

      I had high hopes that Jed took after his uncle … but..
      it’s lookin’ more like the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree ..

      (wonder if he has Dennis Erickson’s number on speed dial ?)

      1. MWNiner

        If you are going to kill the snake, you cut off it’s head. If you choose not to cut off it’s head, it will continue to turn around and bite you in the ass or anywhere he can find. Harbaugh has carved his initials in the tree, but it hasn’t worked out for him. I hope that the FO trades or fires him. To me he will remain an embarrassment top mgmt. will have to live with for years…..arrogant TWIT….You won’t be remembered well,….

  8. Thanks MWNiner. It’s not that we lost that bothers me, it’s the way we lost. Right now I just don’t see anything to be positive about – but tomorrow’s another day and things usually look better.

    Have a good evening.

  9. The ck run out of bounds was not smart, but in no way did it cost them the game. SD still had all of their timeouts left and I believe it would have cost them 40 seconds or just one timeout. They scored with 25 left.
    What lost the game IMO was the zero timeouts they had left. And especially one being burned because they couldn’t get the right defensive unit in on time.
    Again another game where it’s just everyone’s fault they lost. Not that they were depleted in the secondary. Or penalties only. The whole second half was what we’ve seen all season. Failure EVERYWHERE!
    I’m not happy that there isn’t a big name qb in FA this season. That’s the only solution to not bringing ck back next season. They better get a qb guru in as head coach. It’s going to be a weird an dreadful offseason. Once again the future is in doubt with 1 bad hire. Smh. The “dynasty” that never was!

    1. MD ..

      hey … think of it this way …

      we lose the last game .. and …

      we just MIGHT .. have a shot
      at that Oregon Duck !

      1. It’s remarkable how giddy so called fans get over their own teams struggles. Maybe it’s time to turn your card in….

    2. “SD still had all of their timeouts left and I believe it would have cost them 40 seconds or just one timeout. They scored with 25 left.”

      This is a hilarious comment. Let’s break it down. If Kaepernick stays in bounds it could have:

      A)cost them 40 seconds.

      Yep, and there were 25 seconds left when they scored. Those 25 seconds wouldn’t have existed if Kaepernick had just stayed in bounds.

      B) or just one timeout

      That’s a timeout that would have completely changed the way the Chargers could attack that last possession, but keeping with what happened on the drive no 3rd timeout wouldn’t have allowed them to regroup after the Rivers sack/fumble.

      1. Funny Jack…… It’s odd how a timeout changes the way they attack, but a horrible call that GAVE Seattle 4 points and a TWO possession lead wouldn’t change how the 49ers approached the rest of the game down by ONE possession. Hmmm!
        My answer would have been B.
        They couldn’t have regrouped after a sack fumble? So you’re telling me as a “coach” they don’t have plays already planned if something like that was to happen? Gtfooh. It’s rivers, not ck and roman. So by your comment I’m taking it that this ONE single play is the reason they lost the game? The way rivers was shredding the defense I doubt one timeout makes a difference in them scoring. And I think a veteran offense could “regroup” with an extra 25 seconds before plays.
        Ok Jack you run with that.

        MW….. Not a fan of bringing him in. Same system Kelly ran, and like us the eagles are likely sitting this post season. We don’t know who the coach will be but if they draft a qb we will need a “guru” to mold him. We have a college qb now that also needs it. Not a qb alive would have helped this team win a Superbowl this year. So it boils down to…. Were screwed with or without ck.

        And oneflop….. Being jacks minion still doesn’t give you cred. Jack knows stats and watches film. Anything other than that. Is his opinion on how things “would or could” have happened. And because he’s a legend in his own mind and a lame blogs ego maniac. Doesn’t mean he’s always right. Dude couldn’t even comprehend a point made two days ago and kept going on with no point. Now he’s trying to make the same one I did. Smh. Roll with it oneflip.

        1. Ninerwhiner,

          The 49ers couldn’t score on either of their possessions after that call in Seattle anyway.

          “They couldn’t have regrouped after a sack fumble?”

          Of course they were going to get another play off, but instead of being able to huddle up and discuss it, they would have been hurrying around which plays a little more to the defenses favor.

          “So by your comment I’m taking it that this ONE single play is the reason they lost the game?”

          No. It played a large role in the loss, but it wasn’t the single reason.

      1. Then why give him a shot?
        I know you want ck gone. But do you think he is gone next season? Or do they keep him for another?

          1. Ninermdumb seems a little a confused. Someone needs to sit the kid down and explain that when the QB turns the ball over or can’t manage a game, there needs to be a change.

            1. He’s here next year, but, if he doesn’t show progress at his craft, that’ll be it….the team won’t be able to afford to pay a mediocre QB the money his contract spells out

        1. @NinerMD

          If the niners keep Kaep next season, Levi’s Stadium is going to look like your avatar….empty seats

          1. I disagree. I am a season ticket holder. I’ll be back. The QB wasn’t great this year. But then again neither was most of the team. You can’t game plan injuries.

      2. Gabbert has been done for 5 years. There’s nothing to see. He’s garbage. If anything, everybody on this board knows Josh deserves the shot, not Gabbert.

        1. He garbage for 5 years? He was drafted in 2011. Do the math genius! And r sat out a year because of an injury.

    3. Could Chris Ault (Kap’ college coach) be a part of a new coaching regime? Not as headcoach, but as a E.Mangini type consultant solely dedicated to work with CK.

      2015 Wish list.
      (still would prefer Harbaugh, with Baalke out as GM.)
      1. GM – Holmgren
      2. If not Harbaugh – Sean Payton (if available)
      3. Chris Ault – QB consultant
      4. V.Fangio – DC
      Keep Tomsula and Rathman.

      1. Chris Ault to consult the read-option / pistol offense???? Are you kidding me??? Ault created the CK we all know and are tired of, why bring him in to make the saga never-ending….read option QB’s don’t last in the NFL, nor do they make it since the transition is too difficult for them…..time to move on from CK, the read-option / pistol, no red zone production, lowest rated pass offense, etc….another decade of rebuilding because JH, in his infinite wisdom, believed that a good athlete, with a good arm would be a championship QB….too bad the good athlete, with the good arm, doesn’t have the capability to read defenses and adjust accordingly.

  10. Does this sound more like a team of ‘pros or a a batch of guy’s waiting for a paycheck. We sucked tonight, and it’s Harbaughs team….’has been for 4 seasons. Sorry, Ck…you hooked your wagon to the wrong mule. I wish you both well in your next stop.

    1. Oregon are you crazy. Harbaugh won division titles in 2011 and 2012, and almost the SB. Landed a wildcard in 2013. And you’re not happy with the results. Since management seems hell-bent, I wonder if Rex Ryan would be an option. And for the record I think a HC is far more important then the GM.

      BTW sorry for your loss. A 21-point lead — I didn’t think it possible you could lose that game.

      1. Harbaugh may be more salesman then coach. That was the vibe I got from him when he first took the job and had those press conferences. Our franchise was so dysfunctional that when they started winning I really didn’t care. And when Alex suddenly became a serviceable QB we went for the ride.

        Obviously changing to CK was a a gamble, which now looks a horrible decision and now Seattle is juggernaut we all thought the Niners would be.

        How do you not run out of bounds? How do you fumble the ball near your old goal-line. Even though he had the big run to make it up, it opened the door.

        Glad the season is over and we can move and hopefully the new regime can either make CK into a serviceable QB, or we can get rid of him.

        1. Yes. Maybe Harbaugh needs to take a year off to reflect upon why everything fell apart and what he can do to be a success the next time he ventures into the NFL arena.

      2. @Mary

        Boy I’m doing great today…Somebody named Mike called me an idiot, and you ask me if I am crazy….No, I’m not crazy, and if Harbaugh had to draft and craft his team instead of having it handed to him, I’d probably respect him more. He started waiving, and trading a good team with a line of BS akin to the ‘Flim-Flam’ man, and as someone I followed during his playing career, even I was fooled. He was a QB, who didn’t disclose his intention to make us a ‘run’ team after Bo Schembechler’s model. He is arrogant, egotistical, and does not love the niners as much as every blogger on here does. I have been passionate about MY niners since 1949, and faithful since then. Am I crazy ? yeah, maybe so, but unlike Moses, I’ve been to the promised land and plan to be there again….more Lombardi’s!! He won in ’12 with Alex winning half the games, and then he benches him for a concussion and then trades him. That was his undoing…from there on, it’s been downhill. Get out of town, coach…go back to schembechlerville where they appreciate boring, non creative football….We’ll recover…we’re the Fortyniners.

    2. I woud say “sorry Jim Harbaugh, you hooked the 49er’s wagon to the wrong mule, and it cost the franchise another Lombardi Trophy….”

  11. Does anyone know the rules on this? If the Niners trade Harbaugh, do they have to wait until their season is over, or when football season is over ?

  12. Besides coming cheap why did the Niners sign Blaine Gabbert? What did they see in him? I would like to see him play in the last game.

  13. Historically bad 4th qtr offense. The statistics are mind boggling. For example…

    Number of fourth quarter touchdowns by offensive starters since last year’s wildcard playoff game vs Carolina: 1

    Average fourth quarter scoring by the offensive starters since last year’s wildcard playoff game vs Carolina: 1.3 points

    1 lousy 4th qtr TD in the last 17 games. Time for Michigan to call Jimmy Raye?

  14. The silver lining on this flop of a season was the defensive depth (or so I thought).

    I was really looking forward to the competition between the future pass rushers…. Tank, Lemonier, Lynch, Aldon.

    – Skuta looked the sharpest.
    – Lynch got hurt.
    – Aldon looked asleep.
    – Lemonier continued to dissapoint.
    – Tank didn’t do much (might be better suited to 4-3 outside rush)

    The rush was a flop. River’s was downright giddy about the pass protection.

  15. Well, to (partially) steal the line,

    They are who we were afraid they were.

    Sure wish I’d have turned off the TV after the first half. But, like a traffic accident, it’s hard not to look. I believe this season the Niners suffered the most devastating collection of players lost to injury to their top guys that I’ve ever seen…and the backups weren’t good enough to overcome the shortcomings of the offensive coaching staff. And then there’s the apparently not-too-bright quarterback, and the hard-headed head coach, and a couple of first line guys who mailed the season in (Aldon? Vernon?)… and blah, blah, blah. I sure feel bad for Frank and Cowboy. This team really makes it a challenge to stay Faithful.

    Man, time to go back to frisbee golf on Sundays.

    1. >They are who we were afraid they were <

      You may have summed it up, Rusty. They looked sketchy in PreSeason#3 and had me worried, but I was drinking the Koolaid and thought they'd get better. Not so much this season.
      Reality has a way of creeping in though. So just before Halftime I said "It ain't over" and my wife accused me of being "negative." Yup. Disappointing.

  16. Grant- If you give a TE credit for a beautiful 63 yrd touchdown catch in your grading even though it didn’t count due to a chop block by Gore, shouldn’t the QB who threw the pass also get the same credit? Or are we operating on a selective double standard. Oh and shouldn’t Gore’s chop block penalty that cost the 49ers a TD count against his grade either. How do you begin to rationalize your inconsistencies? Seems you use selective deductive reasoning — lol — to which players you will penalize for game affecting mistakes and how that would count against their respective grades. Do you ever even try to hold yourself to any consistent standard?

    1. Gore’s chop block did not exactly cost the Niners a TD because Staley was already flagged for Illegal Formation on that play.

      1. Allan- That is irrelevant to the context that I used it as an example for. He still committed the chop block and it was called. My point was about if you hold one person accountable for a mistake, you need to have the same standards for every player. Kaeps mistake was made under duress being rushed from all sides while Gore’s was due entirely to him. What Staley did or did not do is irrelevant to Gore.

  17. Not counting yesterday yet, SF is 7th in scoring in the first half. And DEAD LAST in the second half.
    Yesterday was more of this.
    Not sure how anyone cannot blame the coaches for that discrepancy.

    I want Fangio and all the defensive coaches back.
    But I think its time for all the offensive coaches to go.

    And, yes, that includes Harbaugh.

    As much as he was succesfull in SF, it’s clear that what always carried this team was the defense. Once the defense got hit hard by injuries, the team start losing.
    The offense was never explosive and it is clearly regressing.

    I’m okay with a HC change, specially if we can, somehow, keep Fangio.

  18. So I agree with most of the grades but a little harsh as to why Kaepernick got a D. Was it a stupid play to run out of bounds? Sure but it wouldn’t have changed anything it was before the 2 minute warning and the Chargers still had 3 timeouts so to say that one play cost us the game is ludicrous. The fumble was a blind side blitz that he backed into trying to avoid the front side blitz and still think that should have been a helmet to helmet hit, also believe any other QB would have probably lost the ball also.

  19. A better QB would have never been in that situation anyway. Back peddling into the endzone when he should have stepped up into the pocket. Better yet he identifies where the blitz is coming in his pre-snap read and switches the play or hits his hot read. Not sure why we run any pre-snap motion anyway. Krap doesn’t seem to use it to identify coverages or blitzes. It seems like he only uses it to run the play clock to zero.

    1. Howard- Lets use some better QB’s as an example. Rodgers lost a fumble under duress at the end of last weeks game against the Bills which resulted in a safety and sealed the Bills win.

      The week before that Luck lost the ball attempting to get rid of the ball while being taken down close to the end zone that resulted in a recovery and score by the other team in the end zone. Now that was a stupid play, but how may people say he is doesn’t possess football IQ? Every QB will make some stupid plays when viewed after the fact. Most of you will use the examples that Kaep commits to reinforce your own preconceived perspectives with out putting those plays into context.

  20. For the 15th game in a row, the opponent’s coaches made better adjustments than the Niners’ coaches at halftime. Can they make it 16 in a row?
    ————————
    Every week you say this and every week you also fail to mention what type and kind of adjustments should have been made that would have resulted in a different outcome. Be specific.

    1. PLUS after only giving up 7 points in the first followed by 31 int he second you fail to call out Fangio in anyway for the defense completely collapsing?

      1. No call out because they are playing with backups in almost every position. As soon as Cox went down for those couple of plays Rivers threw I think 4 passes in a row to Cromartie.

        1. 31 points in a half is still on the DC regardless if its starters or scrubs. It’s his and the assistants job to make sure that all of the 53 suiting up are ready to play.

    2. AND another thing, you also never suggest or mention that maybe the defenses are adjusting to Kaepernick and not the play scheme.

  21. Ugh. This season can’t end soon enough.

    Remember all that “regression to the mean” blah-blah heard after the 2011 season (usually centered around AS’s break out performance). Here it finally is.

  22. Thank God we were already eliminated from playoff contention. I say that because had we not, I would’ve had a heart attack watching that game last night.

    The offseason can’t come soon enough. Lots of changes are coming, and I’m optimistic that they will be good for the franchise.

  23. The main problem I have with supporting Kaep as our quarterback is his lack of situational awareness. I can handle the poor positional play, but he is incapable of understanding the clear situational decisions that need to be made. Clearly he should have stayed in bounds on that 4th quarter play (just like he needed to last year in New Orleans). He routinely has to have the coaching staff call a timeout when the play clock is about to expire because he is once again completely unaware. Last week against Seattle it was 4th and whatever at the end of the 4th quarter and what does he do, he throws the ball away. If ever there was a time to throw a prayer that was it, yet he can’t comprehend the situation. And there have been countless times where he has failed to throw the ball away and live to fight another play.

    It’s like watching a math student who is learning calculus. They are so confused by it all, that they can’t remember that 1 + 1 = 2.

    The coaching staff probably bears some of the blame since Kaep is a quarterback on training wheels. Are they reminding Kaep that if he can’t pick up the first down to STAY inbounds?

        1. How do you make the mistakes that Kaep makes on a consistent basis? I’m not in the Bay Area, I was watching the game at a sports bar full of Cowboy fans and everyone in the bar knew that you are supposed to stay in bounds.

          He has rarely played a full 4 quarters of football. It is easy to be impressed by his physical skills, but more often then not, the broken plays that he loves to run are just that — broken. One long TD run does not make up for the countless missed plays.

          1. 77 nobody is saying it wasn’t a stupid play. But saying that’s why they lost the game is.
            Did you get that too Jack?

            1. It’s how they lost the the game and the season. It’s another stupid mental mistake that was unnecessary. You just extended the game for the defense and put the defense that made up of 2nd and 3rd stringers on the field longer then they needed to be.
              It’s symbolic of a season and a QB who has no grasp of the situation on numerous occasions. You say you don’t defend him but that’s all you do. All you have to say is you were right 77, you were right the whole season about Kaep. But you’re not man enough to admit it.

              1. ninermd is loof…….I am glad he is re-writing his own history…..
                last 2 weeks it was the o-line……this week he is saying its maybe #7…..

                ninermd is the ultimate troll

              2. Oneniner — Let’s break down this franchise QB that we have:
                He can’t read defenses after the first read, so he doesn’t get any of the WRs involved. He can’t throw with any touch and is highly inaccurate. He’s made Vernon Davis in after thought this whole year. He has no pocket presence so the OL is made to look worse.
                Once teams figured out the read option, the coaching staff has had to dumb down the offense and limit because that’s what he can handle.
                He has no game management skills at all, no awareness that the play clock is running out because the coaches have to call time outs for him.
                He doesn’t hold onto the ball at the goal line, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
                He runs out of bounds to stop the clock, forcing the defense to stay on the field longer. He does nothing to make the players around him better.
                What he can do is run and scramble because the play breaks down because he doesn’t know what to do after his first read.
                Like Harbaugh, he’s smoke and mirrors and eventually the league figures you out.
                He might get better next year, and hooray for him and the team, but this year, last year, and the SB year were missed opportunities that you can never get back again.
                Meanwhile Seattle has a QB that is a game manager on their way to Home field advantage and possibly another SB appearance.

                Thanks Colin!

  24. What stood out for me was how Rivers stayed in the well protected pocket even though he kept on making bad throws.
    Kap (luckily) didn’t throw much but kept running around like a scared kitty.

  25. Colin Kaepernick last 9 starts: 155-267, 1709 yds, 7 TD

    Terrelle Pryor last 9 starts: 153-262, 1766 yds, 7 TD

  26. Injuries, inconsistency,and an inability to form a potent and flexible offense scheme.Sad and frustrating. Now comes change.

  27. I’m beginning to wonder if Aldon is worth the almost 10 million he will be payed next year. Since his return, there is, I think, only one game where he looked dominant. When I include the off field issues, I’m not sure I would be so committed to him that I wouldn’t entertain trading him if we could get a 2nd rounder or above.

    1. Cubus, true story. Aldon can be dominant. But he’s beyond unpredictable, and will want a max OLB contract after next season. If we had to, I’d include him in a package to go get Mariota.

  28. If the Niners hadn’t squeaked out wins over the Saints, Giants and Redskins, this would be a 9-game losing streak.

    1. Well if they don’t blow big leads against the bears and chargers. Fumble at the 1 inch yard line against the rams.. Blow 4th quarter lead against the cards and tank it against the raiders they would be 11-4.. See how that works.. If they didnt have 20 players on IR they would be in the playoffs.. Seasons like this happen when everything negative surrounding the team happens..

    2. And IF the Russians didn’t back down in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis you would be writing about their Hockey team right now.

      The Kap onslaught pile-on is becoming all to common place around these parts. Some of it is deserved and some of it is misplaced such as the detractors who use CK’ post game interviews to form their negative opinion.

      Did Kap contribute to the loss last night? Yes.
      But so did many other players. We left two TD’ on the field by Vernon and Boldin because of penalties. We allowed the Chargers offensive players to run for countless yards because of missed or broken tackles. We relied on many 2nd string players and a RB that relieved Gore for breathers that we signed a couple of weeks ago.

      The specter of their Headcoach leaving and the revelation that the FO tried to trade him at the beginning of the season apparently has been a dark cloud throughout the season as well.
      Not using their draft overstock in 2014 to make a deal for a speed WR that could have helped the offense not be so one-dimensional was a huge whiff.

      But why use other contributing factors for the teams demise when it’s more convenient to pile-on Kap, right? Btw, looks like many here missed the TD pass to Ellington while on the move (same to Boldin that was called back) and his 90 yrd TD run. But why point those out, after all it does nothing to placate the ever growing CK assault.

      I’m not happy with CK’ play this year and I could continue to list other factors for our collapse, but then again who cares – the Kap demolition snowball is rolling downhill at full speed and will continue to roll for the foreseeable future.

      1. Well said, AES! CK is the easy target but I understand some of the frustration about his play and the team as a whole. But clearly some posters here will blame CK for everything. To even blame the lost last night on one bone-headed play that gave SD extra 40 secs while the team put up 35 points is just thinking with hate. There are soooo many other plays last night that have far more direct effect on the outcome of the game.

        1. What you don’t seem to grasp is that the team was ahead, and instead of shortening the game CK extended it. The offense didn’t score 35, but 28. They had a big league and CK’s fumble gave them 7 points. His 90 yard run was not a designed play but a broken scramble again. While it’s impressive, it doesn’t make up for all the plays he misses, and this is not the first time he’s made this mistake. It was a meaningless game for the Niners, so it’s not about the win or loss, but how the QB continues to make small mental errors that have an impact on the outcome of the game.

  29. I could never actively root for the Niners to lose. But I’d sure like to be drafting in the top 12 of every round after next weekend.

    Also, though we talk about allowing Iupati to walk in FA because of his subpar pass blocking…I still think it’d be better to franchise him for 1 yr/$8 mil. He has talent. He’s a top run blocker. And it wouldn’t affect our future cap structure if it doesn’t work out.

    I also wonder if Anthony Davis is the guy who should be moved to another team. He’s always either hurt or healthy and getting whipped. I don’t care what PFF grades him out as, he’s a poor pass blocker and an inconsistent run blocker. My dream would be to move AD in a trade and sign the ultra-consistent Michael Roos, who still has a couple good years left in the tank, and wouldn’t break the bank.

  30. Grant Cohn December 21, 2014 at 8:52 am
    If the Niners hadn’t squeaked out wins over the Saints, Giants and Redskins, this would be a 9-game losing streak.

    I give up.

    1. I think what grant is saying is that the niners have not been dominant in any game, unlike the chiefs!
      The first year with harbaugh the team was tough mentally and pulled through in close games. But somehow you knew they were in control with the defense and game management.
      Not we have a qb that doesn’t know how to stay in bounds.

      1. The chiefs beat one playoff contender in two years. Get over it bud. Alex smith wouldn’t have done any better this year with SF.
        Comments like that, in which I have to reject are the reason I’m called a ck lover…. Lol
        We get you’re not a ck fan, nobody in their right mind wouldn’t put half of the blame on him this season, but you either refuse to post how bad the whole unit is, or you just don’t see it. Getting rid of the qb wouldn’t have helped this team, unless it was manning or Rodgers. Or Brady. If you feel that’s the type of qb we need, then I agree, but Alex smith isn’t that guy either. Let it go dude.

        1. Mdumb you keep your head in the sand because thats the best place for it.
          If you can’t see that CK is limited in developing an offense around because of inaccuracy and overall intelligence, then you are as hopeless as your hero #7.
          Face facts, the 49ers made a bad decision banking their future on Kaepernick. You keep playing the Alex vs. CK card, but end of the day look back at the entire season and tell us with a straight face CK is the future?

          1. And where did I ever disagree with what you’re saying? You’re stating the obvious dummy. You continue to make up your fantasy that I’m this huge ck fan. For vengeance because your hero was sitting on the sidelines with his helmet on. While a better qb at the time was taking them to a Super Bowl.
            So now that I think ck stinks what’s your argument? You moron you can’t make things up and roll with it because you say so. When is that going to get through to you?

            And who bright up the chiefs? Another reason you’re worthless in talking to.
            Although it’s good to see smith still holding on to that ball to long and taking sacks. Sound familiar? Lol
            So please prime monkey. Go back and copy and paste where I said ck was my hero, very accurate, good pocket passer, doesn’t wet the bed vs Seattle, can read defenses like a champ, and needs no work. Please show me.

            I can however go back and repost some problems I’ve stated. And the fact I was called out earlier this season for saying he needs to get better or I’m done.
            But hey don’t let the facts get in your way. You keep making up scenarios. Works well with clueless people.

            Maybe I’m telling you now that if CK is gone and the o-line, calls and penalties continue to suck it won’t matter who the qb is. But since you take that as I’m a big ck fan making excuses. I guess I’ll be saying the same thing next season if they don’t improve also.

            1. Your so stupid because it took you over 2 seasons to figure it out CK was a one trick pony. But during that 2 years you gloated like he was a finished product. Now suddenly you realize he is not everything you babbled about? Get serious man.
              You are one of those guys that believes everything he reads and what’s the latest and greatest shiny new thing. It’s called head in the sand thinking. That’s you Ninermd. Fair weather moron!

              1. Again. Proof where I “gloated”
                I had fun with hurt little babies like you who were crushed because smith was dumped. Oh bad fan I am rooting on ck. I guess you are showing your true agenda if you weren’t rooting him on or for two years you hated him even though he took the team further than smith did.
                Keep opening up that mouth dummy. You’re making my Sunday great.

              2. I wasn’t hating like you are now clown. I knew all along he was a one trick pony. I said it after the Bears game two years ago and now look.He’s a running QB, that’s pretty much it. You don’t win championships with those kinda players.
                You and Bay were on here saying he would bring a new dynamic to the passing game. Stretch the field, keep people from loading the box. Attack outside the numbers. Was that a joke or what!
                You don’t remember running your mouth saying those exact things? How convenient.
                Now I’m on here reminding you and serving you up some crow just like when you said Alex would not beat the Saints in the playoffs!
                How quick we forget huh?

          2. You don’t win Superbowls throwing 3 yard passes going 20-25 with 200 yards either apparently. But you would still live to have smith. Again what has smith done that ck hasn’t? They’re both garbaje in Super Bowl terms. Get that through your head. Of course you hated him for two years. Probably celebrated the Super Bowl loss and last years loss. Btw how’s your boy doing today’s
            He’s completed two passes after his first read. Holds the ball to long, and panics from the pocket, misses throws 20 yards downfield. But hey those numbers look good though. After another loss.

            1. notice how all he keeps bringing up Alex or the chiefs to deflect from his stupidity of thinking #7 is a saviour………

              everytime he gets called out – he mentions Alex……this ninermdumb guy is a dolt……I am starting to wonder maybe he does need medical help….

      2. Fan,
        No need to explain to us what Grant is trying to say.
        I think that you have been around here long enough to know that Grant has used the “IF” term to precede his comments for a couple of years now. It started with F.Gore’ post game grades last year and has continued since.

        Nothing new here bud.

    2. Guess you don’t count Miller’s fumble at the one yard line or Boldin’ and Vernon’ TD’s that were called back. Yep, may as well dismiss Patton’ fumble in OT while you’re at it. But hey, I’m sure those points and fumbles did nothing to contribute to the loss in your world.
      It’s all CK’ fault.
      Let’s say it together on 123: it’s all CK’ fault.
      There, you feel better now?

  31. Welp who would you guys like to see as the qb and coach next season?
    I supported harbaugh an ck as long as I could. Took a different approach this season as a glass half full guy.
    I didn’t like it. And didn’t turn on them after week 5. Yaay me. Lol

    But now that the season is done it’s obvious change needs to happen.
    Still won’t blame ck for everything, but he’s not a qb who can make the team better when they stink, and that’s the standard they should have IMO. I gave ck 15 weeks. And harbaugh 4 years.

    My choice is of course holmgren as the coach and WHOEVER he drafts, picks, or wants as his qb will be fine with me. It’s going to be an interesting offseason. Kind of like a mini rebuilding one. That sucks! But I hope our GM is smart enough and didn’t just get lucky with the harbaugh hire.

    1. Well SOMETHING has to change! Whew!
      I’m not in favor of Harbaugh being forced out, but too bad, it’s done. It’s interesting though in terms of CK. What if Jim wasn’t leaving? What would he do about Colin? Unknown. What would he do about Roman? Probably nothing. Then what would get better? We remember that one definition for insanity, right?
      This coaching change won’t be easy for players or fans; it never is. I’m tamping down my expectations too, because rarely does a new regime enjoy immediate success.

      1. I hear ya brotha T.
        I can’t wait to find out why harbaugh would be released. I have to think they’re not fans of roman. But what offense would harbaugh run without him? Is it scheme or calling? I would love for harbaugh to stay without roman but it looks like that’s the problem. He doesn’t want that change. As far as CK. This year has reversed anything he may have improved on. His promise he showed years prior are shot. I don’t know with the same coach he can improve anymore. It’s going to take a miracle worker for him. And those are hard to find. His accuracy was good before.. It’s shot. His game managing was never great, it’s gotten worse. He doesn’t trust the o-line. That’s noticeable. Reminds me of Alex smith. And Alex smith has never gotten over that. He still has happy feet, but found a way out with coaches who use him to release quickly. I don’t want that with ck in future offenses. I want a Big Ben type that stands there till the last second. And ck isn’t that guy. He never will be. But who do they get? Draft a guy have him sit for a year and just play to ck’s abilities next season and scrap the pocket passer project? I think that’s what we see. With a good defense and special teams, and run game. It’s obviously good enough to get you to a Super Bowl and NFC title game, but can it win you one? That’s an obvious NO.
        His best game vs Seattle last week was a game manager type approach. Sucks our rb’s went down, but that still didn’t work. Gonna be an interesting offseason.

        1. “Gonna be an interesting off season.”
          Yeah. There’s an old Chinese curse that says: “May you live in interesting times.”

        2. lol…ha ha…..#7 is no longer the guy….

          just say you know you are always wrong in life ninermdolt……#7 is going to bounce back and prove to you he is the one.

          You pathetic loser, you spent months screaming #7 is god……now that Prime and Fan have fed you crow…..you want to change

          F..k NO……you wanted it – you own it…dumbaxx

          #7 will be a pro bowler next yr – no matter the coach…..mark my words ninermdolt….and you will be back on the bandwagon…..you loser!!!!!

    2. They need to bring Harbaugh back, he still has one year left on his contract. Kaep needs to be the QB. They need to make decisions on people’s whose contracts are up. Our offense needs to pick an identity in the offseason and stick with it. I wouldn’t mind a change at the offensive Coodinator position. Our defense will be healthy next season. Bodies will be rested. Barring off field trouble this team should be back to its self.

      I don’t mind them drafting a QB, you guys have to remember, many of the QB’s coming out of college are running gimmicky offenses. So whoever you plan on drafting will need time to develop. With the fans the niners have, they don’t have that luxury. He’s going to be under pressure to win now.

  32. This game changed when Ellington left the game. The loss of a speedy threat on offense allowed the Chargers to crowd the box and shut us down. I blame Baalke for that.

      1. Lol, I don’t think he cares. He hasn’t drafted squat on offense from a skilled position perspective. Gore and VD are from the previous regime. I believe Baalke was a scout with the team but still. He has nothing to show for the offense.

  33. Long time reader, first time posting, and I would like to preface it with: Despite the dismal season, much attributed to injuries, I think it would be ludicrous to let Harbaugh go. How many coaches has brought their team to three NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance in their first three years? Yes, we had a lousy year, but as mentioned, much can be blamed on injuries. Does’t Harbaugh deserve another year to finish out his contract? Ugh.

    THAT SAID: If a change of coaching is indeed coming, I am so surprised more fans aren’t clamoring for Mike Holmgren. My reasoning:
    a.) Proved to be a winning coach. Won a super bowl and lost another.
    b.) Would work well with Kapernick, as Kap has many similarities as Brett Favre, and I think Holmgren would allow Kap to be the gun slinger that he probably is better at playing then being forced into playing “pocket Quaterback”.
    c.) Kap looked up to Greenbay, Favre and Holmgren and wanted to play for them if not SF.
    D.) Holmgren has killer instinct. How many playoff games did we play against them when they had a lead and kept burying us even though the game was well in hand?
    e.) He has Bay Area ties, in fact has built a home here.
    f.) Not sure on this one, but isn’t he part of the Bill Walsh tree as well? He is certainly West Coast offense orientated.

    Think he would be the perfect coach for SF.

    My two cents….

      1. Thanks CK Elite. Would be curious of what the fans think about the Holmgren idea. What do you think about him and my reasoning?

        1. I think he would fit well. I think when he was just strictly a head coach he was awesome. Then he was given more GM respondibilties the ship sunk.. If he can co exist with Balke I’m for it..

        2. Kaepernick experts who have buried him prematurely would not like the hire of Mike Holmgren primarily because he was quoted as saying he’d prefer Kaepernick over Wilson….

          1. Did he now? Hmmm. If anyone could fix his problems I would think it’s holmgren. But like I said if he’s coach and whover he picks I’d buy into, that includes Gabbertt. :-0

          2. Interesting — didn’t know that. Yet another connection. He is certainly my wish for HC, IF, the front office moves on from Harbaugh. — thanks for your thoughts, Razoreater.

    1. Welcome….. And this guy is going to be the biggest Holmgren advocate on here.
      My hopes is he comes in and if he feels he can revamp kap, I’ll buy in, if he feels ck is worthless and can’t revamp him. I’ll buy in. I can’t see another person out their better to fit here than holmgren.

      1. Thanks for the welcome Ninermd and for your thoughts on Holmgren.

        Anybody else want to take a break from the name calling and add their two cents in on the Holmgren idea, including Grant?

        1. I’d be for hiring him as a “McVay” calming influence within the front office, but not Head Coach….

            1. Age. Is he going to work as hard and put the time and effort that Jim Harbaugh has? Is his ego small enough for Trent/Jed? I think the answers to those questions are no and no….

        2. Careful. One might say.
          ” Get with the times” or “stay current” by mentioning you want holmgren. Happened to me already. You may get an argument out of it. Just to let you know.

          1. I certainly don’t mind a good argument/discussion, but when it lapse into name calling, I loose interest rather quickly. I already went through that stage in life… think when I was around seven or so. Not really interested in regressing. And anyone who results to insulting me by just posting my opinion, well, that is somenone whose opinion I probably wouldn’t think of too highly anyway, so no worries. — but thanks for the warning nonetheless.

        1. Not a fan of the idea. Each team that he has coached starts off real hot and then falls back into mediocrity or worse.

    2. Great idea for sure. At least it would calm the season ticket holders. I Hope Baalke drafts players that fit within the WCO. Quicker/ athelitic lineman and quick twitch WR’s with size. It’s not sexy but it is stable. Remember, sexy got us no where. Now if Peyton were to become available, it would be a perfect marriage as he’s a hybrid Parcells and Walsh student. I’m watching the Saint’s game closely hoping they lose.

    3. fo9,
      Welcome on board.
      Holmgren is my choice as well. This Org is in need of a positive shot in the arm and someone that could provide instant stability and experience – Holmgren fits the bill.
      But not as headcoach, I would want him as the new GM!

      Baalke’ running feud with Harbaugh throughout the season has soured me on his ability as a GM to resolve conflict for the better of the team. Imo, Baalke has his fingerprints on the teams collapse as much as any other player or coach.
      I would like to see a clean sweep of the FO at this point.

        1. MD,
          Holmgren’ issues took the biggest hit when he tried to wear GM/Headcoach hat. Baalke’ lack of leadership this season has been on full display by his disappearing act during the off field issues with players and for the alleged attempt at trying to trade Harbaugh back in March.

          The ongoing behind the scenes issue with his headcoach has been a distraction as well.

      1. thanks ricardo. I’d like to post more, but sometimes the childish and borderline offensive comments zap my enthusiasm. If people just stuck to football and respected the other’s opinion, I’d certainly be more involved, but……

    4. Holmgren is a bad executive, but a heck of a coach. Wins wherever he goes to coach. If he’s genuinely interested in putting in the hard yards a coach needs to do, which from all reports he is, then I agree he should be strongly considered.

      His age is a concern, as it means he’s unlikely to be a long term prospect as a HC. And as razor outlined, he has a history of seeking power of player personnel, which he wouldn’t be given at the 49ers. But other than that I don’t see why they wouldn’t look into it.

        1. Not Scooter, but Holmgren will be 67 when next season starts. Shanahan will be 63 and Sean Payton will be 51.

          1. Thanks cubus. Dang — didn’t know he was that old. Not a fan of Shanahan. He always seems so wound up and tight, and I think that rubs off on his players and staff. I do think Payton would be great too. Class act and smart. Great combination.

          2. Cheers cubus.

            Its a tough call bringing in a coach that is already of retirement age. But Holmgren is a football lifer, and hasn’t been coaching for a few years, so the desire would likely be there. He’s probably got a few good years left in him.

    5. I’m old. I know old. Holmgren is old.

      His great accomplishment in Green Bay was that he was able to control Favre not that he let him run wild as a gun slinger.

      Mike was the quarterbacks coach and then the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, 1986–1991. He probably became the offensive coordinator in the 1989 season after Walsh retired. Yes he is very much a Walsh Tree guy.

  34. Merry Christmas everyone. See you guys down the road. This next season the Niners will have a new coach. One that is better in the critical moments of the game. Hopefully Baalke will have drafted some speed and improved our Oline. And Kaepernick will be our QB.
    There are so many poisonous posters in this room that don’t want ANY of this to happen. So the natural thing is for these losers to quit. Leave the room. Why would they stay? Oh wait, because that’s what losers do. Guys like Prime, Fantroll, Oregon, C of C if you guys had any pride, you’d ride off. Instead you’ll watch the team that is assembled and poison the blog some more.
    Grant, maybe as a gift to us long time posters, you’ll step aside for someone a little more mature. Someone that has less of a TMZ style of writing. More objective. I’d like to read about my football team. In depth strategic insightful writeups. Not articles that are written to turn folks against eachother to elicit blog hits. In the end Grant it is you that is responsible for turning this blog to garbage. Remember hits do not equal quality. It’s like reading the sunday funnies. Enjoy Christmas. Oh wait, you don’t celebrate it.

      1. How can you be shocked Grant? He’s asked you tons of times to stop the double poster which you’ve stated before you wouldn’t tolerate or called out before. He got no response. And now he attacks you and you respond?
        I don’t agree with his last comment, but what he said isn’t far from the truth. When did your class leave the building?

        1. The problem is that the double poster hasn’t exactly done anything to warranthis dismissal MD. He’s definitely shown an incredible lack of class by doing so, but if that was a reason for being dismissed, then 99.9% of the posters on here would be gone simply because we have had our moments at being classless…including me.

          1. It does when Grant would call them out in the past. It is classless. So that shows what type of blog Grant runs. And your product reflects you personally.
            That’s all I’m saying. Especially when you give the notion you don’t care for that stuff but let it continue anyways.

          2. Just because Bay claims there’s a double poster doesn’t mean there is one. He’s an idiot. What else is there to say?

    1. Wah wah wahhhh. Put a sock in it, nobody wants to hear you cry. Maybe if you weren’t such an annoying little crybaby with a biased mancrush on Kap, you would actually get some respect.

      1. Lol this coming from someone who laughed about a cancer patient and is a total blantent racist. Boy you are a special kind of stupid prime. No wonder you make up story’s.

        1. You keep backing a racist. A problem your country just doesn’t get. Once again put your head in the sand and pretend it’s okay Ninerdumb!

          1. Lol just stop prime.
            You’re like al sharpton using the race card and sweeping the fact that black males kill each other more than anyone else under the rug. Get real.

            1. The same country that is killing itself over race? How many killings in your country over race happen a year?
              I don’t think we rely on you guys as much as you think. We are doing just fine and if you think the US is our only alliance, pick up a newspaper once in awhile thats not written by an American worst name on the blog guy!

              1. On a different level, how about grateful that our huge military doesn’t devour your country and your allies on a much grander, race killing rage?

              2. Are you serious Razor? This is about your military prowess? Dude, everything is not about war. Thats your first problem. The remaining ones you might have to seek medical attention!

              3. Lol wtf? Now you’ve gone to canada vs the US?
                And yet you’re watching an American sport, using our language, I don’t know genius how many racially motivated murders do we have? Dude put the cnn and Fox News down. It’s poison. Wow! You just keep making my day better.

              4. Yeah I’m the one going nuclear with a canada vs US post. Boy you are truly amazing. How on earth did you learn to write or type? Smh.

          2. Who brought up the political post? Do you even read the start of threads Ninermdumb. Comprehension something you don’t understand Bay’s caddie?

            1. Lol idk who brought up Americans killing each other and how we Americans think you need us. And go……….

    2. YOU are responsible for turning this blog to garbage with your continuous hypocrisy and nonsensical comments. Do us all a favor and forget this blog exists.

    3. Bayarea, I usually have no beef here with anyone. I enjoy reading your posts and like your interactions with this blog. I must say though, we should leave religions alone. It’s not cool. I don’t celebrate x-mas either. What does that make me? Not a good look.

    4. Bay,
      As a longtime 49er fan I can appreciate your hardline stance as a 49er fan, but taking a shot at someone’s religious beliefs is crossing the line bud.

      Your comment had my attention and to a small extent my agreement until the last line.

    5. bay:

      Wow. Up until the last two sentences, that was a tediously typical bayareafanatic comment – agenda-driven, hypocritically pointing fingers at others for doing the same things you have done, and intolerance for any opinion that disagrees with your own. That sort of nonsense was bad enough, but taking a shot at Grant’s religion was beyond the pale. You need to man up and apologize.

  35. I can’t wait to see the plan York has devised and watch it unfold. Either he’s a genius or petulant pup suckling daddy’s teat….

        1. I milked a cat once. You wanna hear a story? My sister had a cat, and the cat birthed a litter of kittens. Must have been 12 of them, and there was this one little runt…this little sweet little… little-engine-that-could runt…who wanted to get up there and couldn’t really get access to the teat. I went in and just simply, you know, just sqeezed into a little saucer, then took the saucer and fed it to Geppetto– that’s what I named him.

    1. I don’t understand the logic of not having already fired Jim if they just plan on doing it anyway. I figured they’re only holding onto him for the possibility of a trade otherwise they should have just canned him when they were eliminated.

      1. I would assume it is because they don’t want to pay him out. If he was to accept the Michigan deal he would need to seek a release from the 49ers, and it would be accepted on the proviso the 49ers don’t need to pay out his last year. If he is traded, they don’t need to pay out his last year.

        1. They only owe Harbaugh money if he signs a contract for 2015 that’s under the cost of his current contract.

    2. cubus,
      I have my reservations about the 49ers FO bringing the Michigan offer to Harbaugh.
      Wouldn’t the 49ers FO be in violation of tampering here?

      I could see Michigan voicing their desire to hire Harbaugh as their next coach, but for them or the 49ers FO to put out any behind the scenes workings and $ figures seems to be a form of tampering.

      1. Don’t know for sure, but it could be that a college offer doesn’t apply to a potential tampering claim. Where do you see potential tampering?

        1. cubus,
          I don’t know for sure if there is an indictment of tampering here. I posed my comment as a question.

          But my thinking is that if players/agents cannot negotiate with other teams until after the season is over, shouldn’t this apply to coaches as well?
          Like I said, just asking.

          1. You are right for the NFL. You have to wait until the season is over. But for college, I don’t believe there are any restrictions.

  36. Does Harbaugh fumble the ball on the four yard line. Does Harbaugh fumble the ball into the endzone? Does Harbaugh fumble the ball in overtime? Does Harbaugh cause a penalty on VD’s touchdown? Does Harbaugh run out of bounds? Changing HC doesn’t cure what ails this team.

    I have heard lots of names already to succeed him, I don’t like any of them. Holgrem is a WCO coach, CK is not a WCO qb. Turner is a fine OC he is not a HC. McDaniels he has maybe the best QB of all time (I will take Montana myself), coming here he has to work with a QB that has brain farts.

    Next years wish list:

    Play caller
    Brain surgeon to extract CKs intelligent brain and installs smart brain.
    Speed
    Returner
    Probation Officer
    Gossip inhibitor

    1. Undercenter,

      The problem with Harbaugh is that he truly has lost tge respect from sone veterans on the team. He won’t cut Roman loose and his philosophy of sitting on leads is horrible. He has worn out his welcome with the disharmony with the owner. He’s done. Get him out of here.

      1. Jordan – I don’t know if he has lost the locker room and if he has, yes its time to go. If there is a conflict in management that isn’t on Harbaugh that’s on York. Harbaugh is a winner not very many of them around.

        1. Under… It’s obvious with the off field issues and lack of play this season he’s lost the lockeroom. Even if this team was healthy. If they played with this effort it wouldn’t have mattered. They could be tired, but that’s on the coach too.

          1. MD – I am not stating what so ever that Harbaugh is perfect. He certainly has some frustrating flaws. As far as the locker room, I am going to have to wait for that. The character issues off field is more on Baalke then Harbaugh. I too get very frustrated with Harbaugh, but you are going to have to impress me with a replacement before I get on board. Holgrem would be fine except his way would not be at all conducive to CK’s skill set. I like Turner a lot as an OC but he left us once so I got a problem with that.

            I have way more issues with Kaep and his brain or lack there of then I do with Harbaugh.

    2. Why keep
      A qb over a HC? It’s not like ck is the answer right now. I’d think the HC is more important than a qb who needs a lot of help.
      If they’re putting this franchise on this qb they and us fans are in trouble.

      1. We may never know the full extent of the FO/locker room fallout, but I do know that it has been a contributor to many of the teams ills.

        I only found out a few weeks ago that some players were still using the practice locker while other players were using the new stadium locker room during home games.
        Not sure if Harbaugh/FO allowed this as a convenient to all players or if there was a rift that caused factions to be created among the players.
        In any case, I don’t see how this act could provide team unity.

        1. The veterans tended to stay in the practice facility, and the younger players moved to the grander facility. On it’s face, that separated the leaders from the players that needed leadership the most. York wanted them to all move to the stadium facility.

      1. Just heard that if Carolina wins and Saints lose, Saints are out of the playoffs. Brees was just intercepted with 2:28 left. Will Payton be available??

        1. cubus,
          I like the idea of S.Payton as 49ers headcoach as well and he would be my first choice.

          I just wonder how some of the veteran players (or FO) who were here as part of the “headhunting for pay” case would take to Payton as their coach. I know that their DC (Gregg Williams) was the main culprit but Payton was suspended because of his complicity.
          Just a thought.

        1. I think they should fire every headcoaches in this awful div. Urghh… a 6-9 falcons is still in the hunt for a div title.

    1. Saints: most experts had them winning the Superbowl and a lot of those same experts thought we would have a tough road with the injuries and the Harbaugh saga.

    1. If that game doesn’t make Reid and Dorsey concentrate on finding some reliable weapons for Smith and making over that secondary, then nothing will.

  37. as a San Diego native…
    there is a part of me which is celebrating the Charger win
    however, …
    I must ask: did Colin (2 sacks and 1 fumble) Kaepernick
    wear his silly garb (earphones, sweatshirt, snap brim hat)
    to his postgame press conference… again? Please tell us
    that he did not kiss his bicep after the 90-yard TD run…..

    What was it that Raider Sio Moore called him? a chump…

    The Super Bowl monkey sez: ” If the shoe fits, wear it.”

        1. Thanks 77.
          Hasn’t happened yet. But I’ll be truckin in next week to watch maybe gore’s last game as a niner.

          1. It bums me out that they didn’t trust Gore more. He has the will to win. Not many Niners get to go out on their terms. I hope he gets one last hurrah with the team.

  38. does anybody think the problem with the front office and harbaugh might be his refusal to get rid of roman.could his bringing in all these asst offense coaches be him trying to help roman and it just didnt work.finally would he, could he let roman go and stay on as head coach?

  39. I’ve been pretty forgiving of Kaep, willing to write off this year and see if he can improve next year. But in all honesty I don’t think he will, unless they bring in a HC that designs the offense completely around his strengths.

    My reasoning is he’s now had over 40 starts, but he still struggles with:

    – One of the most basic game management needs of the QB – play clock management. He still forgets to look at the play clock pre-snap (requiring the HC to call TOs for him), and he continues to make mistakes such as not running the clock when they have the lead.
    – Standing tall in the face of a pass rush, and being willing to absorb the hit to make the pass.
    – General pocket awareness and movement – he drops his eyes to see where the pass rush is, rather than having a natural feel for where it is. This is one of the reasons he takes off running so often and misses open guys as a result. He also fails to manoeuvre in the pocket to avoid the rush and help reset his blockers.
    – Footwork. He throws off balance way too often, and just relies on his arm strength. This does not help with his accuracy.

    I just don’t see him overcoming these issues, as he’s shown little to no improvement in any of these areas. I haven’t even bothered listing his issues going through reads, as I think he has shown some minor improvement in this year, though has regressed as the season went on.

    As I’ve said about other players and positions in the past, some guys just have natural football skills/ minds, others do not. Kaep does not have a natural feel for/ understanding of football. He’s an athlete. You can get by with athletic skills at some positions, but QB is not one of them.

    Its a good thing they were able to sign Kaep to a contract that isn’t too onerous to get out of. Because I think 2015 will be his last as a 49er, as I don’t think Baalke will hire a coach that runs the read-option almost exclusively.

    I hope I am wrong, and that Kaep can turn it around and learn to be a better pocket QB. But they would do well to have a Plan B in place next year.

    1. I agree with you. The issue, I don’t know of any QB’s who can come in and successfully run an offense. I hate the situation that York has put this organization in. This is still a good team. There are a bunch of issue that need to be taken care of.

    2. I am starting to feel the same way with CK but I don’t want to join the pile -on-CK crowd just yet. There are sooo many other facors that contributed to the demise of this team this season. It will be interesting to see what the new HC will do with him next year. Like you, I will be hoping that he can have a better year and show big improvement with his pocket plays if he still the QB of this team.

    3. Well said Scooter. I have reluctantly come to a similar conclusion.

      Many point to all of the other issues, for example, two of yesterday’s fumbles and the penalties that stopped touchdowns. These were not Kaep’s fault and in every game you can point to failures by others. But the odds of all eleven players on the offense playing virtually error free are probably not even as good as a pitcher throwing a perfect game. The QB is the most important position on the field and the unquestioned leader on the offense. He has to be able to get the best out of the offensive players and at times make the best out of a bad situation . When I think of Kaep, I see a player who has the physical ability to play QB but is not actually a QB, due to the lack of mental and leadership abilities.

      I posted earlier about Kaep’s poor game situational awareness. I don’t know if people still say this, but I was just remembering that years ago we used to say that the QB has to be the smartest player on the field. Can any niner fan answer with a straight face that they consider Kaep to be one of the smartest players on the field for the 49ers?

      1. Based on his school grades and wonderlic score, I think he is a smart lerson but right now he is not showing that he has football IQ needed for a QB to succeed in the NFL.

          1. Ricardo – CK is highly intelligent, he just does not have football smarts – yet. He has an amazing skill set but unfortunately he at this point in his career he does not understand sound fundamental football.

            1. Yep. It will be unfortunate if he cannot develop that part of his game because like you have said, he has an amazing skill set. Man if Gore can only pass some of his football IQ to CK.

              1. Joe Staley is a smart football player and an intelligent human being, but Saturday night he forgot to stay close enough to the line of scrimmage two or three times. Not smart.

                Frank Gore is supposed to be a football savant, but every once in a while he goes low on an engaged defensive player. Not smart.

                These are two of “the hart of the 49er’s team” players.

    4. You’re right, Kaepernick is a hyper-athletic young quarterback struggling with the metamorphosis from a college spread offense to consistently delivering the ball from the pocket, and it’s those same attributes that inhibit his growth. If he ever does get into the pocket passer club, he could actually live up to Jaws’ incredulous statement awhile back….

      1. IF is big word…….with many intangibles attached to it. 3 years and counting now to see “IF” he can.

      2. That’s the upside, and that is why they should stick with him next year and see if he can get it with another HC.

        1. Or try to trade him at the draft and get something for him. I don’t think the 49ers can afford another year trying to develop him into something he is not.
          This team has a good blue print in which to build around. It’s blue collar. Not sure a running QB fits the entire surrounding personnel. A new coach will want to buy his own groceries.

          1. That’s another option, but very risky when you don’t have anyone else on the roster. And this isn’t looking like a particularly strong QB class in the draft.

            Say what you want about Kaep, but he does have more wins on the board than losses, and he’s led his team to two NFCCGs and a Super Bowl. You can win games with him, if you don’t put the game on his shoulders. Plenty of QBs can’t even do that.

            1. Or run an offense more suitable for him. Rolling him out, a little read option, read option passes, etc.

              1. Yes, whoever is brought in will likely need to develop a playbook that uses Kaep’s strengths. However, as I said in my original post I don’t think they will bring in a coach that will develop a playbook heavily focused around read-option. Too specific, and yet to be proven it will work long term in the NFL.

            2. Those wins were all great. But what now? There are still major flaws in his mechanics, fundamentals, leadership and game management. It’s a lot to ask for him to improve in an offseason. Besides, I don’t think you can fix them all at this stage of his career.

              1. I expect whoever they hire as head coach/ offensive coordinator will be hired with an expectation they will work with Kaep. Even if they bring in a backup plan, which they should, the expectation will be to turn Kaep around if possible.

                Like you, I don’t think they’ll have much luck doing so, but I’d be surprised if Baalke and York are willing to just give up on Kaep one year after signing him to a $100M+ contract.

            1. I think at this stage of football you either have the intangibles or you don’t. (Accuracy, fundamentals, leadership)
              As for who they can get for him via trade, I can’t answer that but pretty sure teams needing a PR boast could use a marketable guy like CK.

        2. Scooter, you’re suggesting there’s a cure. I don’t know, I’ve read hundreds of posts this year devoted to analyzing CK and his problems. Generally when you spend that much time and 15 or 16 games down the road you’re still talking about the same problems, regrettably, nothing is likely to change.

          I think they should draft a good QB this year to challenge CK and best man wins the job.

          1. Name a good QB in this draft that will be available. Keep in mind, they have to win a SB in 4yrs or these people will be disappointed.

            1. I’d be happy with improvement and competent QB play after two years.
              Garrett Grayson is worth looking into, but he needs to shorten windup, raise his release point, and lead his receivers better.

            2. Ain’t that the truth. Sports can be a full-time job — thank god I don’t follow college. Most people except a few think I’ve become a fanatic — heaven forbid if you step out of gender-appropriate labels.

              Jack when you start wearing a skirt and carrying a handbag I’ll worry about you!

          2. No, and if you read my original post you’ll see I don’t think there is. But I’m a hack, and happy to admit it, so what I think means nothing. I’m suggesting the team has too much invested in Kaep to give up hope just yet that he’ll get it.

            I completely agree, however, they should bring in a Plan B, whether it be via draft, free agency or trade.

            1. I don’t disagree with you Scooter. The issue I have is when people say, the niners need to have someone take over for Kaep. But they can never name a legitimate QB in college(who will be available) or a QB in the NFL that will be available that’s better than Kaep. No one ever answers when you ask, who the niners should trade or draft. In reality, there are no QB’s better than Kaep available right now.

              1. There’s been names floated around here by some, such as Sanchez, Glennon, Fales to name a few….

              2. I suggested yesterday that if they bring in McDaniels they should look to trade for Garoppolo. Not sure how receptive the Pats would be though. Another trade option may be Nick Foles, though I probably wouldn’t go down that road.

                Brian Hoyer and Mark Sanchez could be a targets in FA, or if Hue Jackson is brought in look for Jason Campbell to come along for the ride.
                Sam Bradford will likely be cut, and could be an option. These guys are all backup types that might have the potential to take over if Kaep fails again next year.

                One guy I think may also be worth looking into trade options for is Ryan Nassib.

                Not a big fan of the guys available in the draft, but I’ve not looked too deeply into it as yet.

              3. I do not think any of those QB’s could beat out Kaep. It will be the Alex Smith situation all over again. Drafting and trading for QB’s to replace him, only for him to beat them out.

              4. I think Garoppolo is the best option, but would BB bite on VD for him straight up? Like you, I’m not so sure….

              5. If Gore was under contract for another year, we could trade both him and Davis to the Patriots.

              6. I’m thinking Madison Bumgarner for QB. Kinda long throwing motion, but velocity and ball placement are excellent!

      3. Wow, just let it go. HE IS NOT YOUNG, and he will never live up to that statement. He may not even be in football in the not to distant future.

  40. Good read Razor. I particularly liked the following:

    “Essentially, memorization can only take a player so far during game situations. To truly thrive at the next level, one must be able to anticipate what the opposition is attempting to conceal and then make split-second adjustments.

    So how difficult is it to truly master an NFL playbook? According to Redish, “it’s like trying to play a musical instrument that’s scheming against you.”

    But when I mentioned football smarts earlier, I wasn’t referring to this advanced level. I’m talking about more basic things like:

    1) Knowing when to stay inbounds to take time off the clock.
    2) Knowing when the play is over and throwing away the ball so that you don’t lose yardage.
    3) Knowing that it is late in the 4th quarter and on 4th down realizing that you can’t just throw away the ball (better to throw up a prayer).

    1. Jack:

      A bit enigmatic. Is this your opinion or do you have a reference.

      On another note: Do you think that, for Harbaugh to accept another NFL head coaching position, he will demand control over the players on the roster.

      1. Their owner announced that Philbin will be back next year in the locker room after their game today.

        1. Their owner announced that Philbin will be back next year
          ——————-
          That would suggest that Harbaugh’s next team has already been chosen. What are the odds that Ross actually prefers Philbin over the prospect of Harbaugh? Probably pretty low so if he’s willing to commit to Philbin at this point that tells me he already knows he isn’t getting Harbaugh which most likely means Harbuagh in some way or another has made a decision.

  41. I hate to say this but I am rooting for the Cowboys to win there last 2 games so they could potentially host the NFC championship instead of Seattle (if both teams make it that far). I think they are the team in the NFC that has the best chance of beating the Seahawks in the playoff. They have a good OL that can protect Romo and pound the ball with Murray and Dez that can give Sherman some trouble.

    1. I’m with you, brother. Anything as long as it keeps the Seahawks from having home field advantage.

      1. It is the biggest compliment I can give the Seahawks, they have passed the Cowboys as the team that I hate the most!

    2. If Seattle goes into atl. I have a hunch it will be the upset of the year. They’re playing good right now.

      1. MD,

        I’ve looked at pts and yds allowed by offense and defense. But Atlanta’s total defense is #32 and their offense is 7, Rushing is 25th & passing 5. Seahawks are #1 Def.; #10 in Off.; #1 Rushing and #29 in Passing. I think they’ll have trouble putting up points and our run game should flourish. Not to mention Wilson scrambling. Also we’re 1 in toxic diff. and while they are 6; there is a disparity. Hawks should have more explosive plays. I don’t see it happening.
        But stranger things have happened.

        http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000438231/article/toxic-differential-seattle-seahawks-denver-broncos-pacing-nfl

    3. Then you also need the Lions and the Packers to tie their game. Now that’s a long shot or the Rams to beat the Seahawks.

  42. Jameis Winston has been found to not have violated any school codes. Now he can focus on football and beating the Ducks. Go NOLES

    1. How would it be possible for a star quarterback to violate any school rules at Florida State? The idea boggles my mind.

      “We will consider an appeal but right now we feel a little duped,” Baine Kerr, one of the woman’s lawyers, said in an emailed statement. “At some point we have to recognize that Florida State is never going to hold [Jameis] Winston responsible.”

      1. It wasn’t up to FSU. It was up to a 3rd party former Supreme Court justice, that both attorney’s agreed upon. Maybe her lawyer should have done a better job of vetting the judges.

  43. Anyone just see Beckham’s 80 yard TD? What a double move he just put on, didn’t lose any speed and completely fooled the DB. Man I love watching him play.

    1. That’s the first thing that jumped off the screen when looking at his film Scooter. You did well….for a hack; > )

      1. Had to get one right eventually! I’m surprised the 49ers aren’t banging down my door asking me to come on board in the scouting department :-P

  44. Peace On Earth.
    Good Will To All.
    Merry Christmas Everyone.
    Happy Hanukah
    Solicitous Solstice
    *(No particular affiliations required to particate; ahem)

  45. OMG I think Dallas could have HF Advantage. (sob) BUT, who would have thought the Redskins would beat the Eagles and that the Eagles would be 9-6.

  46. Since I’m bored waiting for the last game to start, here’s something I’ve been wondering about.

    Kaep is Harbaugh’s pick. Harbaugh was an NFL quarterback. What did Harbaugh see in Kaep that made him think he would be a successful NFL quarterback? The key word here is NFL.

    1. Athletic ability, strong arm, size. They’ve dropped the ball with this kid. He needs a fresh start with a new coach and system.

        1. What will haunt us? The cap space? The botched fumbles and ill advised interceptions? The poor game management?
          If the AZ Cardinals can win with a great defense and QB’s like Stanton and Lindley, I think we can too.

          1. Arizona has speed on offense. What do we have? No real threat. Just Like 2011. No real threats at WR. We’ve been lucky to make it this far. It’s just sad our defense hasn’t been rewarded with a championship.

            1. Big you can have speed WR’s possession WR’s and or combination of both. If you don’t have an accurate QB, what does it matter?

              1. Actually a tall, long armed speed receiver with innate leaping ability requires less accuracy….

              2. True but the threat of speed changes the complexion of an offense. Look how the team lost its ability to keep the defense honest. Why do you think frank gore was beasting so hard? The linebackers and secondary couldn’t cheat.

            2. The Niners got WRs that were possession type guys, and needed a QB that could read defenses and pick the right guy. A solid QB would have had no problems having success with the WRs because they would find the mis match, as opposed of going with the first pre-meditated read.

              Before I got the all-22 pass, I was just moaning and groaning about Kaep. And they I subscribed after loss to the Rams and all those sacks and now you can see why the offense is so dysfunctional.

              You can not run an offense when the QB bails on the play as fast as Kaep does.

              Just look at how Rivers hangs in the pocket until the last moment to throw the ball last night. You never see Kaep do that. He’s still making the same mistakes from last year. He’s not young anymore.

              When Harbaugh goes, the pressure is really going to be on him. If he still plays next year, he will have an even harder time with new receivers and new schemes. He can’t learn the one he’s in for 4 years!

              1. Just throw it up in the air right Razor? Hail Mary help eliminate the need for accuracy.
                Please between your spread smash idea and now this, maybe you should stick to the defensive side of the ball

    2. Baalke had Alex Smith out the door. Then Harbaugh played a game of catch with Alex, and proclaimed him a very good quarterback. Camp Alex and the magical 2011 season was born.

      That very same offseason Harbaugh flew to Nevada and played a game of catch with Colin Kaepernick. He’s played more games of catch since then with perspective QBs.

      These might actually be verbal interviews… whether the quarterback knows it or not. The catch exercise brings the recruits guard down, answering Harbaugh’s probing questions more candidly then in a normal interview situation. (Group therapists have been using volleyball this very way for years)

      To speculate a bit… Harbaugh is all about will and effort. He believes motivation and focus can overcome any deficiency. He saw the upside, and dismissed major downsides (like pocket experience and vision) as things that can be ironed out.

      The other end of the coin… Kapernick seems younger then he is. It’s an allusion many in the press still labor under. He’s only 3 years younger then Alex.

      It’s easier to groom good technique in an 18-21 year old then a 24-27 year old. From a brain/eyes/body developmental standpoint, Colin stopped being a “kid” (as many still describe) a year or two before he left college.

      If you get them too late.. “once a 94mph pitcher that shuts out everything in his peripheral vision, always a 94mph pitcher that shuts out everything in his peripheral vision” comes to mind.

  47. As the RayDuhs game ended, the announcer said that the last time that the Bills won in Oakland was in 1966. That’s when Daryle Lamonica was playing for the Bills the year before they traded him to Oakland. That there is paleo.

  48. I have to admit I was wrong about Kap. I thought he would grow into a smart QB able to read defenses, become an accurate passer, and show pocket awareness. Add all that to his arm and physical skills he would be almost impossible to defend. It turned out he has not grown at all from what he was in college. A rocket arm, and great legs are useless in the NFL unless you can read defenses and throw accurately while on the move.

    Having said that, I don’t think the front office made it any easier for Kap to succeed this year. I believe the coaches thought the addition of Johnson and Lloyd meant that they could have four or five wideouts in a spread formation and have Kap making throws with his rocket arm up and down the field. What they did not realize was that Stevie Johnson had lost a step and Lloyd no longer had the ability to separate from the defense. That meant that Kap was stuck with a bunch of possession receivers. Kap’s legs could have kept the defenses honest but as soon as teams figured out that Kap was not running this year, they decided to stack the box against the run and dared him to pass. The results were predictable. Add the injuries to Davis and the O line and the season was shot.

    Kap can still win in the NFL, but he needs at least one speedy wideout to stretch the field, and use his legs to keep the defenses honest. I know this increase the risk of injury, but that is the only way to win with him. If he gets injured, so be it.

    If you want a Tom Brady / Andrew Luck type QB, then draft one and build the team around him. As long as you want to roll with Kap, then let him do what he does best.

    1. That’s nice. I knew he sucked from the beginning. I knew he would choke and decline. I knew he would ruin this team after we lost the Super Bowl and I was next to certain he would lose it. It was so ridiculous that I had to limit my exposure to my favorite team. I stopped going to games. I could not stomach Kaepernick as the 49er QB and all the stupid fans who supported him. It didn’t want to participate in the mass insanity. The coach’s new QB might as well have been the emperor’s new clothes. In terms of sports, it is the most irritating/traumatic experience as a fan to watch a bunch of meat heads trade away a Super Bowl win to give some overblown rookie his 15 minutes of fame in order to endorse products. He should have been a male model.

      1. I guess you won’t be going to any games any time soon. Just leave us “stupid” fans to cheer on our team. You’re not a real fan. Unless kaepernick hurt you or your family personally, there’s more to your rant.

        1. Just because most fans are now realizing what CK is, no need to get all pissy Big. It is what it is. He’s not a franchise QB.

              1. That’s part of the Dukes role, and when utilized seems to be effective. Unlike the James boy….

              1. It’s a team sport. This isn’t ufc, boxing or golf. Every player is dependent on someone. To blame him is ridiculous. This season was doomed before it started.

          1. Prime, I just don’t like being called stupid for no reason. If you accept it, that’s on you, But I’m far from stupid.
            Some people are still stuck on you know who while he’s doing nothing where he’s at?

            1. I never said you were stupid. I’m just commenting on how people have changed their perspective on CK. I think the hype fooled a lot of people.

              1. Yeah prime that pesky Super Bowl an NFC title game hype. Boy what suckers. Winning playoff games on the road, breaking records with his legs, making big throws durin games. He’s young, made mistakes that helped lose the game. But damn if anyone thought he’d be the franchise qb for years to come.
                Now Alex smith. Man that guy should have never left. Years of horrible play, is sitting on the couch this year for the playoffs and still can’t beat a playoff caliber team. THATS the guy we should have kept. Oh boy!

      2. Jeez..Kaepernick must’ve really must terrified u.lol…Dude it’s just football..He’s a qb..not the devil..not the anti christ..haha..Some fans take things too seriously….

      3. I Do not agree a Super Bowl win was traded away. It Was not and is not going to happen. Our current QB #7 and our last QB #11 cost us Super Bowl Championships. I was watching #11 in the Chiefs game today while thinking about #7 in last nights 49ers game when I realized how much time and energy I have wasted supporting these two freaking bums over the last however many years. All I can do is hope someday the team will have a QB that can get it done because #11 was NEVER going to be the answer and #7 is NOT the answer.

        1. perhaps you can splice the DNA from a giant gorilla with the DNA’s from Steve Young and Joe Montana and create Mighty Joe Young. lol.

          The QB you want doesn’t exist. Even the myth that most of you believed Joe was never really existed. Thats the problem with 49er fans no QB they ever have in the present can ever live up to their standards of the past.

  49. If Roman and Harbaugh know and have known that they are on their way out what was their motivation to run anything but the most basic of offense?

    1. This season or since they’ve been eliminated? The motivation for this season was simple – winning SB’s is every player and coaches goal, and having a SB ring on your finger is attractive to any prospective buyer. Since they have been eliminated, if they knew they were gone there would not be much motivation aside from personal pride.

  50. BW once wrote “big fumbles happen at the end of big runs.”

    What would have been Vance McDonald’s biggest play of his young career was marred by a fumble.

    Same with Patton last night… a great play destroyed by a fumble. One of the top runs in Bruce Miller’s career ended in a fumble last night too.

    I’m hoping its just young player syndrome, and at some point Patton and VMac’s play becomes more instinctive.

  51. I’ve decided that I want us to not only satisfy the Rooney rule but take advantage of it by hiring Todd Bowles. He will upgrade our defense and get us schemed up to dominate any team in this league defensively. Let him choose his own coordinator. He is one of the top defensive minds in tge game and he deserves a shot. He’s ready.

    1. The 49er defense is just fine. The next head coach will be a young offensive mind according to reports. McDaniels/Gase/Shanahan.

          1. Broncos OC? Didn’t we try to lure that guy a couple of years ago. He turned us down and is now playing for Denver. How many more years does he have left? Lol

    2. I’m staying with Bowles. I’ll let him decide who his offensive coordinator is going to be. He probably won’t make it past the Rooney rule but he could have this defense at the t for the next 5 years. I hate Seattle but they are good and they aren’t going anywhere.

    1. Michael George Holmgren (born June 15, 1948) is an American football coach who will be about 67 come this June 15th. He’s so laid back he snores.

  52. I’m sure the greatest Troll on this sites history is still here under one of his many names. But here’s MM blog and our old friend Darren at it again. Looks like he made a friend. Any bets this Richard guy is DS or maybe even Hof? Lol

    Hey faye, why are you against Qbs that throw for a lot of yards? You feel they’re like what, taking it out on the opposition? A QB should not throw 300 yards? Why is a game exciting just running the game? I want a game like that, I’ll go to a high school game. NFl is about passing.
    Reply2 replies0

    7 hours ago
    Richard Jones
    You lied to me Darren. I have been duped by someone Thought to be my friend. Most likely your only friend here. Your word is worth nothing Now Darren. You have zero credibility. I will not forgive. I will not forget. You are a Sadistic person and should be a Mental patient. I’ll pray for you Darren. You will Get Yours someday. I promise!
    Reply1 reply+1

    5 hours ago
    Darren5000
    Wow, Richard, that was done to me on 49ers paradise, webzone dot com, ESPN, NFL, guess what? didn’t do a thing. You just wasted your time. You will get yours as Bea Arthur would say God is going to get you. Too bad our bay Area QBs are afraid of fame and success.

      1. Do any of them force you to take an extra man out of the box, or pay extra attention to them?

        1. No, but both Baldwin and Kearse should. They’re both vastly underrated in terms of how much of an impact they can make during a game.

          1. Mid:

            I wonder how much of that is due to Wilson. His scrambling increase the play time leading to inevitable break downs by the secondary. Those breakdowns are what mostly result in Baldwin and Kearse looking better than they are.

            1. Agree and disagree with that Cubus. It’s true that Wilson is probably making them look better then they are, but at the same time it’s up to them to get open and make the play, which they have.

        2. None of them are particularly good WRs in their own right (not bad, but nothing special), and as such do not warrant “extra attention” per se. But each of them has enough speed to provide a vertical threat on any given play, and the speed to get the DBs hips flipped and running hard if they play them tight.

          I know where you are going with this, and yes, Wilson’s ability to extend plays and find the open player is also a reason teams need to worry about these guys getting deep on them.

          The Seahawks main approach to taking an extra man out of the box is using 3 WR sets. They do a good job of mixing up run and pass out of 3 WR sets. Something the 49ers didn’t do a good job of this year – they passed a lot of 3 WR sets.

  53. The 49ers and Seahawks entered week 12 tied at 6-4.

    Russell Wilson- 86-136, 63%, 1217 yds, 8.9 ypa, 7 TD, 1 Int, 2 rushing TD’s, 5-0 home field advantage throughout with win next week.

    Colin Kaepernick- 80-134, 59.7%, 806 yds, 6.0 ypa, 3 TD, 5 Int, 1 rushing TD, 1-4 and sitting at home no matter what happens next week.

      1. Exactly! Wilson has a dependable running game ..we don’t..he can get those hard first downs.extend drives..without it all being on Wilson..It’s a great setup….

      2. I’m asking about the running game because if you look at seattles season Wilson wasn’t that good. Until it seems after the Dallas game they decided they are going to run the ball and regain it as their strength. Pressure was lifted from Wilson with the option. Wilson is a far better scrambler than ck. But I noticed Wilson’s numbers went up when they started using his legs and lynch as their threat.
        SF never made that commitment to run first this season. It’s as if they decided no matter how bad things get, priority one is to make him a pocket passer. No adjustment when it didn’t work.

    1. The difference is just as the analyst pointed out last night, “The seahawks want to be the BEST scrambling team.” Meaning the know Wilson is better on the run, so they run plays to his strengths.

      Wilson does have a higher football IQ than Kaep. The seahawks know Wilson’s limitation and design plays that limit those limitations.

      1. How can you design any play for Kaep if you have no idea if he’s going to run it? First play of the Raiders game as an example. How do you design a running play if you don’t even know if he will run in the right direction? How do you know if he can get the play off in time?

          1. Okay so during that first play in the Raider game, the problem was that he didn’t get the play on time? ON THE VERY FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME?

        1. He doesn’t go through his progressions really well but he makes up for it with his pocket awareness to buy time so the play can break down and he can scramble around and make plays.

    1. I’m in favor of Hue Jackson as an OC, but I guess I would take him as a head coach as well. I do not trust McDaniels or Gase. Not that they are not good coaches, I think Brady and Manning make them look a lot better. We already know Peyton runs his own offense. If he didn’t he may have been in a niners uniform.

    1. Right. A bunch of failed retreads are available. The speculative ‘leading candidate’ lasted less than two seasons in his previous HC job and seemed “over his head” and lost and embattled. He got less effective and relevant as the pressure mounted.
      So just make the change first and then start looking around for “some guy.” Excellent plan, Jed.

  54. Believe it or not, fleas can take up residence in your home even if you don’t have a pet. Mostly, I am proud and satisfied that our house is less roach-friendly than our neighbors. Bed bug control is a very difficult process and should not be attempted on one.

    1. There has been an extremely annoying flea known as “Mary” on this blog. We’re having one hell of a time eradicating her. Bug control is a measure many on here would be very interested in if you have someone in mind….

  55. Grant, a Niners off the field lowlights timeline this season would make a worthy column. Make sure to include:

    Kaep “this the cap you all hating on”
    Kaep-Miami follies
    Harbaugh “trade” to Cleveland
    Vernon holdout
    Harbaugh contract non-negotiation
    Aldon’s suspension
    When will Bowman return?
    Ray Mac witch hunt
    LMJ follies
    Harbaugh “lost the locker room”
    .
    .
    .
    And that’s just leading into the season opener.

    You’re welcome.

    1. Chip Kelly didn’t have the pressure to win as the next niners coach will. Expectation are high, winning a Super Bowl soon is a must.

      1. Iupati gone; V.D. gone; Crabtree gone; Gore gone(most likely); Cowboy gone ;Harbaugh gone; Roman gone(please)-we are coming off at best a mediocre season,yes expectations are high but hiring fresh blood with the hope of infusing Life into an anemic offense may carry some weight here(BTW,I love Holmgren but no way he and Baalke don’t clash) .A Superbowl expectation is the standard,but even the FO must adjust to the reality of our situation.

      2. Ridiculous. That expectation is long gone. Whoever comes in now will be in 100% rebuild mode. The Super Bowl window slammed shut hard when Kaepernick was chosen to start. The best players will be moving on or retiring. To say winning a Super Bowl is a must now is to completely misunderstand the situation. It’s over. Whoever comes next will start from the beginning. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but Super Bowl is far, far out of reach now. So, again, your statement is utterly ridiculous, as are your expectations in the face of the realities of this team.

        1. Josh,

          I think your statement is ridiculous. The window is not closed. This roster is entirely too talented to say that. We had more injuries this year than we can even count. We need to get healthy #1. Sorting everything else out will come in time. We’re not talking about years. We can be healthy by the start of training camp.

        2. Dint know about the window bein shut.
          Look at it like this.
          The defense was missing 3 all pro’ the whole season and still ranks top 5 in the league. No doubt in my mind if healthy they would have been #1 this year. An that means we would probably be in the playoffs.

          2 our offensive woes can be fixed. And could have been better this season if they had stuck to the running game first and kept the ball out of ck’s hands most of the plays.
          This offseason will be huge in getting the proper tools they need to be successful again. My concerns…..
          Who’s the coach and what offense do they run?
          Who’s the qb that will fit this offense?
          Gore for another or Hyde-Hunter combo with a speedy as the third?
          Keep Johnson to replace MC and trade for a burner in FA?
          What to do with the TE? Keep Davis or hopefully draft or get a possession guy in FA?
          The O-line? Retool some prices? Are they going WCO or smash mouth O?
          These guys aren’t a WCO o-line.
          No the window shuts if the ownership destroys the continuity of the way this offense is built. And they destroy it by not bringing in an offensive mind with a clear vision on what he wants. We can say bring in a WCO minded coach, but I’m sure he will want to change some positions up, will Baalke overrule that? And go with what he feels best? We will see. But IMO.. It starts with the qb and o-line. Neither are WCO worthy.

          1. I really enjoyed that read md. My only discrepancy would be the o line argument. Iupati most likely will be gone. That will leave us with Staley, martin, Kilgore, Boone and Davis. They are all athletic enough to run the WCO. Remember, it’s a timing offense. 1,2,3 the ball is out or 1,2,3,4,5 it’s out. Even on the run plays. They’re are a few more tosses, sweeps and off tackle runs. Remember what the Packer offense looked like with Favre? That’s what it’ll look like with Holmgren. But they need two big TE’S like a Chamura and Franks, possession guys who can get 1st downs and out jump people in the end zone. Ck can run this offense. He’ll learn it’s nuances and it’ll help him progress through his reads. Look at what it’s done for Alex. He wasn’t the best progression qb either. Reids offensive philosophy help him. I think kap would beast in a system like that after learning it.
            I’m done with the two play let it roll or kill offense. How about taking the training wheels off and letting him take his lumps. At least we’ll know what we have.

    2. Helfrich has gone on record many times that the Oregon job is his dream job and that he has no desire to move up.

    1. Only watched and read a little, but he stands out to me. Kiper guessed a couple of weeks ago that he’d go top 15.

      1. Yeah Brotha -looks as if he will be around somewhere near our pick,big, strong, fast,hands reminds one of Fitzgerald.

  56. They’ve GOT to get the new coaching staff in place asap so that some roster decisions can be hashed out with Baalke; that’s step#1. Then they can strategize FA ahead of the draft. Baalke will still lead the process, especially the first year, but the new staff has to have some input so they can develop their scheme.
    It sure sux to be discussing coaches, roster moves, FA & Draft while the regular season is still underway. #Irrelevant.

    1. A just a couple weeks ago you were defending all this mess and calling people who saw the obvious unworthy of using a computer and keyboard. I’m having a tuna sandwich in honor of you for lunch.

      1. No. I called out some complainers, but not the complaints. Never ‘defended the mess’ at all. For instance, Jack’s been critical of CK for over a year, but he brings reasonable arguments and supports them as best he can. Others here just throw stuff.
        Besides, even simple reading comprehension of the post you’re replying to would show that at the moment I’m focused on the future as it is, not how I wish it was.
        Have whatever you want for lunch, I’m headed to Bistro Don Giovanni myself. Bon appetit.

    1. I wonder if QB play that bad could make the OC look like he hasn’t made any adjustments?

    2. It’s not Kaepernick’s fault that he isn’t flourishing, because he can’t be what he is not. It is Harbaugh’s fault for starting him and having no viable backup. Still, Kaepernick needs to be traded away for the sake of everyone when Harbaugh goes. It would make the entire team fresh. Cut the losses and start fresh in a new stadium. Things will turn around if an actual NFL coach, QB and team is assembled together.

      1. They have to clean house a bit. Get rid of Harbaugh’s boys. That one move of going with the Hot hand backfired. Forget this blog’s haters for Smith, Alex was respected by his teammates and lost his job because of an injury and not his play. CK was hot and cold the year he took over too. This is not anything new. The minute most defenses figured out the read option, he and Harbaugh have no answers.

        They need to either go with Gabbert or bring in a new experience QB, like how AZ brought in Palmer. Lean on the defense while the offense sorts itself out.

        Copy Seattle’s formula. Draft for the O-LINE and Defense first. Stock up on RBs, then build outward. The QB will be unsettled so don’t burn picks on a WR until you know you have someone who can throw the ball consistently and accurately.

  57. Someone refresh my memory.

    How does it work if we’re trying to get a coach from a playoff bound team? I’m not clear on the timing. I think we can officially talk with the candidate any time after the regular season is over. Can the candidate commit to joining the 49ers after the regular season ends but before the current candidate’s team is out of the playoffs. I think they can, but would appreciate confirmation.

    1. Playoff head coaches are off limits. Coordinators can be spoken to if we get permission from them and their teams. Obviously, most playoff head coaches don’t switch jobs. They’re in the playoffs their jobs are secure for the most part.
      hiring can only happen after those coaches teams are eliminated obviously.

        1. cubus:

          Assuming NE and Denver are the 1 and 2 seeds, then the 49ers can speak to their coordinators during the bye week.

  58. Well it appears the board consensus is that Kap sucks, Harbaugh needs to go, the owner is an idiot and Baalke can’t find talent. After 3 years of NFCCG’s and a SB appearance, one bad season has led some of the genius’ of this forum to determine it’s time to clear the decks.

    So my question is where are you going to find the replacements? Or better yet, where are you going to find replacements with the winning percentage this Coaching staff, QB and GM have put together the previous 3 years?

    Kap is an easy target, I get it. He’s been inconsistent, and the Thanksgiving game against Seattle was so bad it brought national media attention to the idea he’s regressed or is as good as he’s going to get. Meanwhile his previous two years he was a top ten QB in rating and QBR while some were saying he wasn’t getting it. It’s easy to look at a season of inconsistency and determine a player doesn’t have it; what isn’t easy is to try and figure out why his play dropped and how to replace him. I don’t see many answers for that, just statements borne out of frustration.

    Before you throw Kap out the door just remember how many games he won in both the regular season and playoffs, and how dysfunctional this season has been across the board.

    Same thing with Harbaugh. He has been a top 3 HC in terms of wins before this season, has had success everywhere he’s Coached and will be the most sought after Coach in the game if he is indeed fired next week. How do we as a fanbase decide a Coach with his record has to be replaced after one bad season? Not everybody feels this way, some are resigned as I am, to the fact he’s going to get fired or traded due to a personality conflict between him and the Owner/FO, but some are actually saying it will be good to get rid of a HC who took his team to 3 straight NFCCG’s and a SB appearance. I don’t get it.

    Baalke, the GM some here believe can’t find talent has put together one of the most talented teams in the game. There isn’t one poll you will find that doesn’t have them in the top 5 of drafting prowess the past few years. Yet on this forum I read how he can’t find WR’s, he can’t draft offensive players, he blew the 2012 draft. Well folks look around the league and you will see that there isn’t a team out there that does it perfectly. All you try to do as a Scouting staff is find out as much as you can about a player and combine that with the on field production. The rest is up to the player and that is why the draft is always a crapshoot. What you can’t deny is the fact the Niners are one of the best in the league at acquiring talent both from the draft and FA and the results on the field have backed it up before this season.

    There’s no doubt this has been a frustrating season. From the offseason arrests and accusations, to the season long black cloud of injuries, the constant rumors about strife between the Coach and the FO, the season long funk of the offense. It’s been a miserable year, but one miserable year does not trump 3 great ones.

    I’m sick of reading all the negativity and nonsense here, and am down to skimming through a few posts from people I respect and enjoy reading thoughts from. This used to be a great forum; now…not so much.

    1. Rocket – Total agreement. Some of these people have forgotten that FA’s did not want to come here and could not get coaches to come here. One season where everything that could go wrong did.

      1. undercenter,

        We aren’t that far removed from a team that was among the worst for nearly a decade. It’s amazing how quickly some “fans” forget that and overreact to one bad season. The grass is rarely greener on the other side.

      2. Every QB has a bad season, or more depending on how long you play. If we get rid of a QB every year they have a down season, for whatever reason, we’ll end up like the Browns or Raiders. You can’t change head coaches after every bad season either. That logic is terrible.

        1. You are correct KY49er that every player has bad seasons. The problem with Colin Kaepernick is that its not so much a bad year, but the level of his game he has not elevated. Teams game planned to take away his athleticism and forced him to be an accurate/pocket passer. What would you say the results have been?

          Now moving forward, he has to reinvent another part of his game where he can switch from a running QB to a pocket passing QB. You have to be able to do both when the scheme presents itself.

    2. Rocket:

      I for one appreciate reading your knowledgable posts and hope you continue to post.
      With regards to Harbaugh the consensus outside this blog is nearly 100% that he will be gone – so it’s natural for us to speculate and list our preferred candidates.

      With regards to Kaep, I defended him to my friends that watch the game with me up until the Thanksgiving game. I have since soured on him because as I’ve posted several times, he is letting the complexity of the pocket game affect basic football fundaments (i.e. the learning of calculus has confused him so much that he can’t remember that 1+1 = 2).

      However, I’m not necessarily calling for Kaep’s release. What I want to see is a well thought out plan from the FO on how they plan to proceed. If that plan involves bringing in an offensive-minded head coach that they believe can work with Kaep, then fine. If that plan involves releasing Kaep but making sure that they get a servicable veteran and have a plan to draft a rookie QB, then also fine. If that plan includes a good trade that involves Vernon or possibly even Aldon (it would have to be a really good trade) also fine. I realize I just dictated the terms of the plan, but it was for illustrative purposes.

      What most amazes me about this season is the number of injuries. Once the season is over, I plan to do some research on the 49ers injuries relative to previous seasons and relative to other teams. I just can’t believe that we are losing so many players, and not all of them are the old guys.

      Hope you continue to post as you generally provide a balanced viewpoint which I enjoy reading.

      1. Cubus,

        I appreciate the kind words and you have been a good addition to the forum. In regards to what you said:

        Kap has struggled at times this year, especially after the first Seattle game, but what tends to happen is focus turns completely to the negative side when the team starts losing more games than they win. Up until that Thanksgiving game, Kap was having the best statistical season of his career, even with the Oline problems, the inconsistent running game and the offensive funk, he was having his best year and the team had a winning record. What has happened now, is that the team has lost 4 games in a row and people are looking for targets to blame. Kap is the easiest so he gets the most. Meanwhile everything he did before this run of losses is forgotten and rhetoric becomes deafening.

        To your second point, there is nothing wrong with having a plan. The problems begin when people just call for someones head and don’t have any idea how to replace them. Almost everybody on here is down on Kap, yet no one gives any reasonable replacement ideas or seems to understand how hard it is to find a QB who can win consistently in this league. It’s just blood lust and anger with little rationality.

        It’s also one thing to read people’s crazy ideas on here, but I get the feeling that this is how Jed York is treating this. He wants Harbaugh out and really doesn’t have a plan on how to replace him. I hope I’m wrong on that, but after hearing they will be ridding themselves of Harbaugh within 24-48 hours after the season is over, I find it hard to think otherwise. There have been rumblings over the course of the past couple of years that Jed and Trent think this team is talented enough that pretty much any competent HC could have success and if true, that is dangerous thinking. I am very concerned about the direction this team may go.

        The injuries were the culmination of 3 years playing deep into the postseason imo. This is why it’s so hard for teams to keep going back to the playoffs year after year. Their is so much parity in the league that injuries can derail a season quickly. When you add the off field drama to the equation, it becomes easy to see why they are a 7 win team right now.

        I really am amazed at how quickly this forum went downhill. It used to be a really good place to discuss the team, but it’s now transformed into trolls, agitators, rhetoric and every resemblance of a sports call in show. Grant has completely mailed in his commitment to the content and the blog’s functionality. There’s nothing left but whining and bitching with a few coherent posts in between. It’s really to the point I read a handful of posts and move on, but I will still contribute once in awhile as like I said there are a few here I respect and enjoy reading the opinions of.

        1. “Kap was having the best statistical season of his career”

          Only because he was throwing more. His YPA and TD % were both actually down from the year before.

    3. rocket:

      Thanks for the much needed doses of perspective and common sense. Unfortunately, I think your message will fall on deaf ears.

      This offseason is going to be rough. Having to watch the Seahawks’ likely repeat is not going to be fun. Hopefully, Baalke will be as successful in finding and hiring a HC as he was last time.

      1. I agree CB. It’s going to be a very long and tumultuous offseason and everything I said above will fall on deaf ears to most in this forum.

        This is still a very talented team and if they hire the right HC, I think they can contend again very quickly, but who knows at this point?

    4. What you call negativity I call reality. QBs are supposed to get better not worse. Forget the stats and just look at the games when he was a starter. He’s always been inconsistent and lacked game manager skills. He often made up for it with some crazy broken plays, but as Cosell has mentioned repeatedly, and you fail to embrace, you con consistently run an offense that way. Russell Wilson is the exception because he’s more elusive then Kaep, and flat out smarter.
      It’s a hard position to play and maybe Kaep is not cut out to do it full time.

      There’s no joy in watching this team be driven into a ditch. But hey we’re in the ditch now so let’s start working on getting out of it. First step is to assess the QB for what he is now, not what he did before. Maybe he stays, maybe he goes. All we know is change is coming!

      1. Fan,

        Your reality is tainted. I don’t know how else to say it. We have gone back and forth at each other lately and there is no middle ground for you. You have been hating on Kaepernick for a long time now, going back to the whole Dolphin cap nonsense.

        Kap has struggled this season; so has the offense as a whole. From the time Roman decided to clean out the garage and pare things down, it seems this offense lost it’s direction. You have decided it’s all on Kap, while I see a problem with the offense as a whole. Kap has played his part, but no moreso than the Oline, the inconsistent running game, the dropped passes, the seemingly simplistic passing concepts that are easy to defend against. It’s all part of a package that involves more than a QB missing some plays. For all the people on here like yourself ranting about inaccuracy, Kap is sitting at 60% completion percentage even with the most drops in the league. With all this talk he can’t go through progressions, he has done just that multiple times throughout the season for those that actually take the time to look at it. Your comment about him lacking game manager skills is the most ironic however considering that is exactly what he did in the game against the Chargers.

        I want this team to win games. I honestly don’t care who is playing as long as they win. That is why I support the guys who have shown they can. If you can tell me who they can bring in that’s clearly better than Kap and provide me proof that they can win as much or more than he can, I’ll be happy to agree with you, but you can’t and haven’t. You are throwing stuff at the wall with your calls for Gabbert, Alex Smith, Colt McCoy, Sanchez etc. You are the guy who always wants the backup because you are frustrated. It doesn’t work that way in reality fan.

        Wanting to dump Harbaugh and his Coaches is a new one for you but I’m not surprised. You are and always have been reactionary and emotional with your opinions.

        1. What dolphin cap are you talking about? When the QB struggles the team is going to struggle. That’s realty my friend.
          I want the team to win too and if Kaep was playing well that I would have no problems.
          Forget about the accuracy percentage. Can he make that throw when he needs to. He can’t. He’s unpredictable — a definition of inconsistent.
          He forgets the play that he called. He has horrible game management skills. It starts with him. He’s at the near bottom so what’s wrong with trying a new QB? They can’t do any worse!
          On that note — Have a Merry Xmas Rocket. Stay safe and no matter what we’re all fans!

          1. You were very angered over the picture of Kap in the Dolphin cap. That’s what I’m talking about. Your animosity toward him has been going on for a long time even when he was winning consistently.

            The game management problem has been an issue throughout Harbaugh’s time here. Alex Smith had the same problems with Delay of game penalties and timeouts. It’s been an ongoing problem that didn’t begin when the switch to Kaepernick was made.

            Trying out a new QB is considered when the Coaches believe the starter is the problem. The fact they have stuck with Kap should tell you that they don’t think he’s the problem, or at least not the only one.

            Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well, and to everyone else here too.

            1. Okay back to the fighting — I don’t recall having a huge issue with the dolphin cap, other then it just shows bad judgement.

              At least Alex would know to call a time out. Kaep doesn’t.

              You and Bay will be the last ones in the Kaepernick Fan Club. Which one of you is going to turn off the lights?

              1. You went on about that cap incident for a long time.

                Kap has called timeouts previously. For all we know the Coaches told him not to worry about it going forward and that they’d call them if needed. You just don’t know. The key here is that these problems have existed from day one of the Harbaugh regime. This is not a Kaepernick specific issue as you are trying to portray.

                The only fan club I will ever be in is the one for players who help this team win. I wouldn’t support Kap if he had a losing record or had shown an inability to play at this level.

          2. Rocket kap is your hero, it’s all his fault. So what the o-line stinks. He should throw the ball away right away or check down in a matter of 2 seconds. He doesn’t need to try and run to make a play. Just take the sack and he’s good. Look at his pocket awareness. The guy has been a pocket passer his whole career, and now he’s going backwards. He is supposed to throw 40 times a game and ignore the running game. Get real. You’re a kaepernicker!
            Get rid of him, harbaugh, Baalke, roman, and ck’s agent for just being his agent.

            1. He sure is MD. I’m in the process of getting his name tattooed on my bicep and will be inviting him to my New Years Eve party.

    5. All very logical points Rocket but you are too enamoured with what CK did in years past. Those were all great wins. But that’s over now. The focus now is how his game has progressed. It has not. What he has done in the past has no bearing on future potential. CK has a lot of work to do. He doesn’t need to get back to the way he played 2 years ago. He needs to develop a whole new game from 2 years ago. That means better accuracy, leadership and overall become a more complete technical and fundamental QB. Can it happen. It’s tough for those type of QB’s to reinvent what got them here in the 1st place. How do you ask an athlete to be a NFL QB full-time?

      1. Prime,

        I don’t subscribe to the theory that a player gets figured out, or that his game has regressed. A player rarely has the success Kaepernick has had without having the talent to play the game at a high level. The offense has been inconsistent from the start of Training camp. That is where the problems lie imo. Whether it was changes to the system, changes in the way they wanted Kap to play, or the Oline to play, something happened this offseason that affected this offense in a bad way. All season they have lacked an identity. The experimenting with multiple WR sets, the going away from the run too often, the complete drop off of effectiveness from the first half to the second, the continuing red zone struggles, the poor pass protection, the inability to run the ball consistently. It’s just been one thing after another all season long. It’s not just about the QB.

        I don’t disagree that Kap needs to improve. He makes mistakes, but you know what? I see QB’s make similar mistakes every week. Drew Brees has cost the Saints at least 3 games I’ve seen this year with interceptions. Joe Flacco was a new level of bad against Houston yesterday. There are numerous examples around the league of QB’s playing poorly and costing their teams wins. There is no magic formula that can fix the problems here. What it comes down to is a commitment to a style of play and the perfecting or as close as you can possibly get, of that system.

        You know why Russell Wilson looks so good? Because they don’t ask him to do very much. He doesn’t sit back an go through progressions and he isn’t a traditional pocket QB. If you watch their games, they run the same plays week after week, and the big plays are made when WIlson runs out of the pocket and the receivers get open on the scramble drill. They work on that repeatedly, in fact that was the first thing they worked on in training camp this year according to Carrol. They don’t try to be clever. They run the ball, they use the read option, and they practice getting WR’s open for big plays when the QB leaves the pocket. We can, and have won many games with a similar mindset here. Up until this season, the offense was a lot like Seattles, and while not flashy, effective enough to go to the NFCCG for 3 straight years. I’m not sure what was done in the offseason, but it backfired big time and is the biggest reason this team is where it is right now imo.

        Maybe you and fan will be proven correct and Kap is as good as he’ll ever be, but I think there is a greater chance that Kap was one symptom of a season long sickness. Who ever they bring in as HC needs to put a system in place that fits what these players can do or nothing will change.

        1. Rocket says ” I don’t subscribe to the theory that a player gets figured out, or that his game has regressed”

          Tell that to Matt Leinert, Daunte Cullpepper,Rex Grossman, Byron Leftwich, Vince Young.

          1. Out of all the players you listed, Culpepper is the only one who had remotely the level of success that Kap has in the same period of time. Culpepper’s career was shortened due to injury.

    6. Rocket, good and thoughtful post, as usual.

      I posted further up that I am swinging towards the “Kaep may not be the answer” crowd, and I think there are enough warts in his game to have serious question marks over his future. He is at his best when he doesn’t have to carry the team, when you don’t make him the focal point, and when you simplify the game for him. That isn’t a guy you pay like a superstar. I still have hope, but it is flickering. Next year is put up or shut up for him. And I would definitely bring in a backup plan.

      With the coaching staff, much like yourself I am simply resigned to the fact that Harbaugh and Roman won’t be here next year. But I also think it isn’t a bad thing – or more specifically, it is a lot better than continuing with a toxic front office/ head coach dynamic. I think Harbaugh is an excellent coach, but his personality makes him difficult to work with and rubs a lot of people the wrong way. As a result I think he’s a bit like Bill Parcells and is a guy that is best in relatively short doses to turn an organisation around, then (hopefully) leave it better than when he found it.

      It is going to be very hard to find someone as good as him as a coach. I’d say highly unlikely. But that doesn’t mean they can’t find a good coach to replace him. Aside from making sure whoever they hire is good at what they do, the front office also needs to make sure the new HC can work with them to heal any fractures that Harbaugh’s abrasive style may have caused, right throughout the organisation.

      With regards to Baalke, I’m right there with you, as you know. Boggles my mind some of the unrealistic expectations fans have with regards to scouting and finding players.

      1. Scooter,

        You are one of the people who’s opinions I respect, and I feel no different now. It’s fine to have an opinion or feel a certain way based on what you’ve seen. What I disagree with is the hyperbole and stereotyping that comes into play with some on here, and the constant regurgitation of dislikes whether the player is playing well or not.

        I support Kaepernick because he’s given me little reason not to up until the past few games. I don’t throw out the number of wins and playoff wins on the road he’s put up because he played a bad game on Thanksgiving. I saw improvement in his progression reading the first few games of the season. I saw him play extremely well in a spread passing offense against AZ early in the season. He has put together some good performances, but because the team is losing, the emphasis is instead put on the negative.

        I am not saying Kap is a franchise QB and the team didn’t give him a contract befitting one. What I see is a kid who has transformed himself from complete QB novice to one who could win consistently in the span of a year and half. Now he’s struggling and the team is losing. What I see next will determine my conclusion on him. Will he take the next step and win like he did the past two years, or has he maxed out his ability to play at this level and is destined to be a fringe starter or backup? To me that decision cannot be made at this time.

        1. Congrats Rocket. You’re now one of the kaepernickers. How dare you come with an overall look at this offense? It’s a waste of time with prime an 77. You know why they’re bitter, and he’s not coming back so get use to it. Kap is your hero and he needs no work at all on his game. It’s also his fault the defense gave up 28 points in the second half vs te chargers. Only if he would have just stayed in bounds. Smh

          1. Thanks for the welcome.

            All the fuss made when he ran out of bounds was hilarious to read. Those 30-40 seconds were all the difference even though the Chargers would have had more than 3 minutes, all their TO’s and the 2 minute warning regardless. Ok.

      1. No I didn’t. I picked a Saints- Colts SB actually. Probably even worse than picking the Niners.

              1. Because it was boring. People pick the same teams as the year before all the time and it never happens. Maybe this year will be different.

              2. Seahaks are not winning the Super Bowl with that passing game.
                I doubt they beat arizona with a healthy qb, I doubt they beat Dallas, I think they would struggle big time vs Detroit’ front 4.
                If NE gets through Denver. They will be your Super Bowl champions.

                I had SF vs NE.
                Now that this disaster of a season is done and my Niners are horrible, I’m picking
                Dallas vs NE. And watch for some favorable calls for it to happen. That’s an NFL dream of a Super Bowl

              3. Lynch carried the ball only 10 times against the Cowboys. Lynch is carrying the Seahawks right now. He’s the MVP of the league.

          1. What were you thinking, LOL?!?
            Ummm……I picked the Saints and Ravens.
            (Doh!)
            But I didn’t put any money on it.
            (Yay!)

    7. Rocket,
      I’ve always respected your ‘takes’ and still do. And must confess that I count myself among the group that want to see change.

      But my reasons may differ from some of the others in that my biggest contention with Baalke is that he allowed the dissention between him and JH to carry over into the locker room and to the playing field.
      That Baalke could not make any concessions or completely thwart any notion of a rift between him and his headcoach makes him complicit of the team downward spiral this season.

      Harbaugh’ departure has probably been in the making since last spring and seems to be a done deal.
      I would love Harbaugh to stay on as headcoach but there is to much water under the bridge and the only resolution is a clean break.
      But having said that, Baalke must be held accountable for being a part of the teams meteoric decline.
      My thoughts of letting Baalke go might be more a knee jerk reaction than reasonable logic, but like you, I’m upset that our best coach in over 20 yrs is leaving and that our GM couldn’t step up to the plate to stop it.

      1. AES,

        Your reasoning is due to the drama in the background and I can understand that. My rant(s) above were based on the attitude that everything about this team is bad and needs to be changed in the minds of so many.

        I really can’t understand how egos or personality conflicts trump success, but that is what seems to have happened. I don’t know who is ultimately responsible but it’s a damn shame that a group of talented people are going to go their separate ways because they can’t get along. A lot of great bands in music history have broken up too soon because of situations like this; now we get a football example.

        1. Rocket,
          Agree on all points.
          btw, Is Harbaugh tantamount to Lionel Richie leaving the Commodores and finding success, or David Lee Roth leaving Van Halen and fizzling out?

          I think he’ll be Lionel Richie, just saying ;>)

  59. We can’t ignore the fact that our offensive line was never healthy for 2 full games in a row this year. Unfortunately, we have no depth there at all. Therefore, we had no continuity there and our pass protection combined with #7’s last of pocket presence was a disaster waiting to happen. #7’s alarm clock is about 1/2 second too slow as it reelates to the pass rush. He often decided to run too late this year. A direct result to attempt to be a better pocket passer. That didn’t work out so well.

    1. I want Dahl to finally be released, but now that I see that his release would result in $1.7 million in savings in 2015, I demand that he be released. :)

    1. So what happened to the Hot hand? Does he need to ICY/HOT? Did defensive coordinators figure him out? KAEP looks like a shot boxer! He’s Tyson grabbing for his mouthpiece. Is he going to bite Russell Wilson’s ear? Maybe he should tattoo his face!

      1. In CK’s defense,it was not the hot hand that Harbaugh got excited about, it was the hot legs. But of course, running QB’s don’t stay hot for very long. Too many great athletes on defense and too many smart defensive coordinators in the NFL to fool with a one trick pony player!

        1. We replaced a no trick dead horse with one trick pony. The team was screwed before the move and now.

      1. I would like to give Kaep another shot for one year, but not at his current salary level. At the same time, look at what the Bears did with Cutler? They actually benched him and he’s getting paid more that Kaep!

      2. I’m expecting a trade for one of those three, but Kaep will most likely be the starter for at least the first half of the 2015 season.

        1. You think? Why? If he’s cold and no longer is combustible, why wouldn’t Baalke just trade him for one of those “hot” quarterbacks?

          1. Never said anything in that regard Razor. Trading Kaep without a surefire replacement is beyond stupid and would cripple this franchise instantaneously, but trading for for Foles, Sanchez, or Glennon plus drafting a QB during the first three round of the draft would put some heat on Kaep’s starting seat.

            1. So it is your contention that Foles, Sanchez or Glennon would usurp Kaepernick in training camp?

              1. Foles and Glennon would give it a great race to be the week starter.
                CK as has been documented is not a very good practice player. Now we know why.

              2. Really? All the reports I received from training camp pasts were the competitions all ended with the challenger on his knees puking, begging for mercy. Maybe I under estimate these men of whom you speak….

              3. Again Razor, I never said that. If you look at my 12:03 P.M. post, you’ll see that I said that Kaep will most likely be the starter for at least the first half of the 2015 season.

              4. Razor when it comes to physical attributes and feats, CK wins hands down. But throwing the ball with accuracy is a different story. I mean if Alex Smith beat him out then what does that tell you. Intelligence plays a factor.

              5. Or he could finish the 2015 season hoisting up the Lombardi Trophy Razor. I’m leaving all options open.

              6. Alex Smith the veteran held off the rookie out of Nevada for what, a season and a half, with a holdout? Amazing….

              7. Kaepernick was hand selected by a whisperer and it took a Canadian whistling Willie to show him the error of his ways. Ha!

              8. And now that pompous American a hole will be fired at years end. Poor Jimmy should have never defied the football Gods and given the job to another due to injury. Crying shame but karma can be cruel!

              9. There’s no crying, mythological gods or karma in the NFL, maybe in the CFL. Harbaugh is not poor, he’s a rich American in high demand. Can you say the same about yourself? Have you been offered any head coaching jobs, maybe the Alouettes? Such a cute name….

        1. Jack:

          I find it difficult sometimes to keep up with all of the posts so perhaps you’ve already stated what you think the FO should do with regards to Kaep. What is your plan for Kaep?

              1. Baalke doesn’t have a better choice on the roster, and it will take some time to get a rookie up to speed.

              2. With a new regime, any quarterback on the roster would need to get up to speed, and the earlier the better. Why would he need to wait on a rookie, when he could trade or sign another quarterback like Sanchez, Fales, Glennon, etc.?

              3. Sanchez is not better than Kaepernick, and I’ve never said he was. I only used his name as a cautionary example prior to Kaepernick getting his new deal. Not sure whey you keep bringing his name up.

                Glennon is a good one, because his passing numbers as a rookie last year were about on par with what Kaepernick put up last year.

                Would have been nice to have had Fales in camp this season, but Baalke went with two CB’s instead.

              4. My bad Mr. Hammer. Memory not what it used to be evidently, because I could have sworn you were under the impression that Sanchez would provide a greater chance of victory on the field of battle than Mr. Kaepernick….

                Glennon/Fales could be had relatively cheap and with a full off season, an increased chance of making you look like a genius….

              5. Depends on who the next coach is and their QB preferences hwaits. I like Grayson out of Colorado State, but that doesn’t really mean anything.

              6. Since Baalke has handcuffed this franchise by not having a better a choice on the roster, why should he be above scrutiny?

              7. Welp, he hired the wrong coach, signed the flash in the pan prematurely, signed Gabbert as the plan b, whiffed an entire draft class. I’m not satisfied with the amount of scrutiny over his head….

              8. I think the main areas of scrutiny lie with his decision to extend Kaep before his rookie contract was up, trading for Gabbert, whiffing on WRs in the draft (though Ellington could change that trend), and not getting along with a winning coach.

              9. Hasn’t Harbaugh had a great record. In fact, I’d say his coaching job in 2011 was the greatest of all time. If acts of greatness forgive the failures, I’m not sure why Harbaugh isn’t afforded the same privilege….

              10. I never said that he wasn’t Razor. I’m praying that Harbaugh returns next season because, other than maybe Payton, the options to replace him absolutely suck.

              11. Good choice, but he currently is one of the highest paid executives in the NFL and is all but guaranteed Newsome’s spot when he retires or leaves.

            1. Regardless of anything that gets said from management to the next head coach between now and the draft about Colin’s status as starter will mean nothing. What round they draft a QB in next spring will tell us what our new coach thinks of Kaepernick and just how much longer he’ll in fact be the starter.

      1. Jack tends to change some of his opinions frequently although not quite as much as Grant. At least Jack backs his up with a factual argument.

  60. Stats of QB’s their 4th yr in the league:

    Peyton Manning
    66.3% completion %
    27 TDs / 19 INTs

    Tom Brady
    60.2% comp. % 23Td’s 12 INTs

    Drew Brees
    65.5% 27 TDs 7 INT

    Eli Manning
    56.1 / 23 / 20

    Alex Smith
    60.5 / 18 / 12

    Colin Kaep
    60.6 / 17 /10

    I find it hard to believe his career is over. Especially when his number are similar to Tom Brady’s

    1. KY pardon my French but take those stats and shove them where the sun don’t shine.
      If those stats can project the development of those elite QB’s onto CK then you should bottle it up and sell it. Otherwise keep dreaming!

        1. So those stats are saying what, that after 4 years QB’s progress and develop into winning QB’s? And that’s an objective cold hard fact from inception in the NFL game?
          You stat guys are a joke!

          1. It says QB’s take time to develope. Will Kaep be as accurate as Brees – probably not. As smart as Manning – probably not. Have ice cold veins like Brady – doubt it. But his career is over because of one bad season, stupid.

            Once again, you can give your opinion but they are like arse holes. You can not deny facts. Sorry bud

            1. I don’t think anyone is saying his career is over. But his game needs to change dramatically to have a future career in the NFL. Those statistics don’t show much. Every player develops according to their environment. The problem with Kaepernick is he has a skill set that the game has found easy to defend.

              1. Mr. Hammer has made that determination from his bunker, deep underground at his football command center. Unless of course there’s a proviso I overlooked….

              2. FDM,

                I disagree. His game needs to become more consistent as in he needs to keep the same level of play from week to week. He’s won with his game; he won this year with his game. He didn’t win when he had a poor day with accuracy or throwing picks. That is the part he needs to clean up and improve on.

                As for having a skill set that’s easy to defend, I don’t think the Chargers would agree with you right now. Nor would the Packers.

              3. Wrong
                Prime monkey
                77
                Oneflop
                Hammer
                Have said his career is over.
                And for monkey…
                Tom Brady came in and won a Super Bowl in the beginning.
                Ck was a foot away.
                Those stats aren’t great. They show the progression in their 4th year. But you don’t care, you’re still bitter. That must suck!

              1. I am saying that Kaepernick will go down as a flash in the pan.

                A thing or person whose sudden but brief success is not repeated or repeatable.

              2. That’s not the same thing as saying his career is over Razor. Just look at Michael Vick.

              3. I just knew there was a proviso I overlooked. Career as a STARTING quarterback is over. Gotcha, thanks….

              4. Michael Vick was a starter, then a back-up, then a starter, then a back-up.
                Vince Young is out of the league.

              5. The kid just need to find the middle ground. This place is full of extremist. I ONLY posted those numbers to say, he’s not finished. He just needs more work. Could this be the beginning of the end yes. Could this be the launching pad yes(See Drew Brees’ 3rd to 4th year numbers.) we don’t know but to throw a QB away for one bad year is crazy.

              6. “I am saying that Kaepernick will go down as a flash in the pan.

                A thing or person whose sudden but brief success is not repeated or repeatable.”

                That isn’t the same thing as stating that his career is over. He’ll be in the league a while.

              7. As a back up, until the starter struggles. Rinse, repeat. Sure sounds like his career as a starter if I’m to understand you correctly. Better to join the SF Giants now, then to redefine flash in the pan to kap in the pan….

              8. Razor, sometimes you have a tendency to infer an extreme viewpoint when someone expresses an opinion.

                In this instance Jack has said he thinks Kaep’s performance level has already peaked back in 2012. He has not said he thinks Kaep will be out of the league, or be a backup. You have inferred that, taking Jack’s opinion and assuming an extreme viewpoint – if Jack thinks Kaep has peaked, he must therefore think he is absolute garbage and will be out of the league.

                You did the same thing last year with regards to Kaep’s contract status when Jack and I said they should wait to extend him.

              9. Scooter, what you call extreme, I call clarification. Either he’s not starter material or he is. Either he was worth signing or he wasn’t. Someone made the determination that he was. The other Jack(Harbaugh) was quoted as saying Kaepernick was the one. Jaws was clear. Madden was a fan. Al Davis liked him. Trent says he just needs a hug. Flash in the pan? Already? I’m not convinced just yet my friend….

              10. And that is fair enough, razor. I’m not completely convinced he won’t pan out just yet, though I am strongly leaning towards the negative.

              11. It doesn’t happen often, but I have to disagree with you here Scooter. Jack has made it pretty clear that he doesn’t think much of Kaps future by using the phrase “flash in the pan.” He’s leaving himself an out now with this exchange with Razor, but you don’t call somebody a flash in the pan or compare them to Terrell Pryor unless you are saying they just aren’t that good. Jack has a way of playing both sides at times to keep from being wrong and that is what he’s doing here.

              12. From what I have read of Jack’s comments, he clearly doesn’t believe Kaep is currently a good QB, or likely that he will progress into a good QB. That is different to saying he is rubbish, his career is over, or he will be a career backup.

              13. “He’s not very good”

                There we go. A clear opinion with no wiggle room. That’s all Razor was looking for.

              14. @Rocket, exactly!

                @Scooter, doubt crept like a spider within the cobwebs in my mind Thanksgiving day, but I need to see a little more….

                @Jack-When your career as an educator in football is over, you might try your hand in politics….

              15. The two of you couldn’t figure that out based on what I wrote?

                It still doesn’t mean that I think he is done in this league. There are plenty of bad QB’s as both starters and backups.

              16. Per the Merriam-Webster dictionary: one that appears promising but turns out to be disappointing or worthless.

                I would strike the worthless part for this subject.

    2. KY, go back and check the previous year leading up to the 4th and were those other QB’s trending up or down in their 4th year?

      1. Drew Bress was very up and down his first few years. Tom Brady declined from previous years. The only consistent one was Manning

    3. Unfortunately it apears Kaepernick he is closer to Alex Smith. They both are so limited it kills their teams chances of winning the big one.

      1. Yup! The only thing that Alex has going for him is that at least he’s coachable. He’s smart and understands the game, and if you put good players around hiim, he can help the team win.
        It doesn’t matter what you put around Kaep. He’s going to play himself out of the league if he doesn’t learn the nuances and rework his footwork and delivery.

              1. “No points but the salaries of winners reflect just that.”

                So you consider Jay Cutler a winner?

              2. They are not great but no terrible either. Well Matthew Stafford isn’t. I agree Kaep is at a crossroad but his career as starter being over. No I’m
                Not on that train. I need to see more. This organization as a whole is unstable this year.

              3. You say that salaries are reflective of winners, yet one of the guys I just mentioned has had 2 winning seasons in 9 years and the other has had 2 in 5 years and has an overall losing record.

              4. The salaries are simply the cost to sign a QB in today’s market. Winning is all that really matters and there are few that have won more than Kaepernick has.

              5. Not many have made it to an NFCCG nevermind a SB mid. They should be so lucky to choke if they could even make it that far. And no I don’t agree with your view of choking.

              6. John Elway felt the same way until he actually won the Super Bowl.

                What’s your definition of choking if it doesn’t include predetermining where you’re going to throw and not taking what the defense gives you?

              7. Choking is when you are paralyzed by the moment. You freeze or screw up. Kap didn’t choke in fact he was quite confident. He made a throw he thought he could complete to win the game and it didn’t work out. You can say he made a bad decision or was too cocky, but he didn’t shy away from the moment. Very different from choking.

              8. You can say he made a bad decision or was too cocky, but he didn’t shy away from the moment. Very different from choking.

                Shying away from the moment isn’t the only thing involved in choking. If that was all that it entailed, then Tony Romo wouldn’t be known for choking.

              9. Tony Romo has a history of playing poorly in big games Mid. He got his rep from not playing well on the big stage or as big as he’s been able to make it. Kap having a pass tipped and intercepted is not in the same zip code.

              10. Rocket — If you can relive the playoff games that Kaep played in, you would huh? And still they didn’t win it all. He still made the costly play that lost those games, much like Romo.
                But guess what? Romo and the cowboys are going to the playoffs. Niners are not. Why? Because Kaep single handedly gave away a couple of games with bad decisions. Let’s start with the was easy ones — Bears and Rams, and yes playing atrociously on Thanksgiving against his rival Richard Sherman.

              11. Now romo is going I the playoffs huh?

                He’s been there before and is 1 for ever.
                Goes to show you what a dominate o-line and running game can do to help the qb.
                Can you honestly say ck had that this season?
                Can you say this is the first time since harbaugh the running game was slightly above average? And the O-line slightly below?
                Funny how it all is “coincidence”
                77 you have points on ck’s pocket presence, and reads. His accuracy is off this season but you don’t just lose accuracy. He was pretty accurate the past two years. With the right coach he can be good, in fact I remember the same comments about young. And dude hardly ever ran after getting comfortable as a pocket passer.
                Whoever the next coach is if they’re trying to keep ck, he better be damn good and be able to adjust if he doesn’t catch on quickly. And play call to his strenghts

              12. Tony Romo has a history of playing poorly in big games Mid. He got his rep from not playing well on the big stage or as big as he’s been able to make it. Kap having a pass tipped and intercepted is not in the same zip code.

                And Kaep doesn’t? I seem to recall a fourth quarter meltdown of his. Sorry Rocket, but predetermining where he was going to throw to instead of taking what the defense gave him is the essence of choking.

            1. At the beginning of the year everyone said Kaepernick finally had weapons on the outside with Johnson, Crabtree, Boldon, and Lllyod. Now at the end of the year, they were not very good. I don’t think Vernon Davis and all those other guys suddenly had a bad year. Maybe its more on the QB.

              1. FDM,

                I was excited about the additions because I thought they would be a big part of the offense and were a sign of a concerted effort to develop a better passing game. Other than a few small examples, they really didn’t use the additions all that much and Vernon Davis became invisible.

                As to your idea that it’s more on the QB, I just ask who was throwing all those TD passes to Davis last year, who gave Boldin his best statistical season since his days in AZ, who made Crabtree look like a #1 WR two years ago? Now maybe Kap got brain damage over the offseason and doesn’t know how to throw to people he threw to many times before…or maybe there are other factors involved like injuries to those receivers, a change in scheme, a different plan for picking out which receiver to throw too. This is not as simple as you and a few others want to make it out to be.

              2. Basically the Kaep lovers just don’t want to put down their rosy sunglasses, not even for a second. You can tell them the sky is blue and they will say no it’s not. And if it is blue, it’s the O-Line’s fault and the defense and the WRS for dropping passes.

                SMH.

                How much more evidence do you need that Kaep sucks?

              3. Looks like a lot of people were wrong too. Add in most thought VD would be a huge part in the passing game, and now you have 3 possession recievers and one that should have gotten more time. Why they underused Lloyd is baffling to me.

        1. Fan,

          Bullcrap, #7 has been a winner as a starter and he has room to improve and will improve. Watch what a decent offensive line that he has confidence in does for him. He has to improve that common sense football IQ. I can’t believe the guy is slow in that area. Alex looked like a world beater yesterday against Pittsburg. He still not able to do what we know he can’t do. Beat playoff teams. He’s just good enough to get you beat all the tine by teams over .500.

          1. Alex has a worse line then Kaep, with a lot less weapons. He’s not a great QB, but at least he won’t throw away the game.
            #7 is what he is. It doesn’t matter what you around him, he can’t read defenses. You give him a great O-Line, then they team will just blitz or disguise coverages. He’s a lost cause.
            You love to rip on Alex so why should that stop now?

            1. Worst offensive line than ours? PFF can grade individuals all they want. Their o-line is not worse.
              And with the weapons again.
              Says who? On paper?
              Charles is better than any weapon we have on offense this season, their tight end is far better than ours. Their receiver (Bowe) is another Boldin. Who can MC be better than on KC’s roster? Nobody. Again if Alex smith is failing with a better rb, O-line and gameplan. What makes you think he would
              Do better on this team? Let Alex go dude. It’s not young replacing Montana.
              ZERO TD’s to a wr. For over a year!!!
              He won’t lose you the game, but he damn sure doesn’t win it either

              1. Their receiver (Bowe) is another Boldin.

                Not even close. He’s dropped so many passes and underwhelmed so much that it’s rumored that the Chiefs are thinking about moving on from him.

              2. And their OL is worse MD. You can’t name one guy on their OL that you’d take him over someone on our OL.

                ZERO TD’s to a wr. For over a year!!!

                And no 4th quarter TD passes from Kaep since the playoff game against Carolina. Both QBs are one in the same.

          2. “At least he won’t throw away the game?” Fan you must have missed the steelers game yesterday???? What about the game against us? What about his last Raider game? Need I go on? Please champion a different QB while you rip #7. You lose all credibility propping up #11.

            1. The Steelers game was more decided by the lack of help in the receiving corps and that putrid secondary more than anything Jordan. Also, Smith slaughtered the Raiders in his last game.

              1. The steelers game was not lost due to lack of receivers. Smith threw for over 300 yards to multiple receivers. He didn’t get it done in the redzone, Pitt adjusted to his first read passing attack and he wet the bed. He was flustered and took off with he slightest bit of pressure. No they lost that game because they shut down Charles and made smith beat them with his arm.
                Great stats except in the scoring department.

              2. I watched the game MD. He had zero help in the red zone and the patchwork OL was overwhelmed by the stingy Steelers D. I lost count on how many times it was said that Smith had nowhere to throw to during the broadcast.

                No they lost that game because they shut down Charles and made smith beat them with his arm.

                And the drops by the receiving corps plus the shredding of the Chiefs secondary had nothing to do with it. Right.

  61. I’m all for trading Harbaugh at this point. I’ll be sickened if we only get a 4th for him, keep Kaep, and pick up McDaniels as coach after his failure in Denver. I’ve watched every minute of the games in the bad years and don’t know how i’ll do it still without some hope.
    I still think this needs to be a package deal where Harbaugh takes his mistake Kaep with him. If he wants to go to Oakland, he needs to take Kaep and we want Carr.

  62. prediction: neither Jim Harbaw nor Colin K.
    will ever win a Super Bowl. Ever.

    If Harbaw skips out on the pro ranks now and
    retreats to Michigan, Pete Carroll will laugh his head off.

    ” The Four Year Wonder ” …
    Who thinks that he will last more than four years at
    either Michigan or Oakland…??? bury him in his khaki pants.

    1. Seems I was right when I speculated that in terminating McDonald’s contract, the Niners were sending a message to Aldon. But I wouldn’t have guessed that Aldon is hitting the bottle again. Oh well..

    2. I’m beginning to think that it would be in the team’s best interests to try to Aldon Smith.

      1. Did you mean trade Smith?

        There are a bunch of pretty good looking outside pass rushers in the 2015 draft, so wouldn’t be the worst idea.

        1. I’m a fan of Lorenzo Mauldin. Was parent less and homeless by the age of 10. Raised his younger siblings by himself until they all went to foster homes. He’s done well at UofL. Just graduated last weekend. Good kid. Good size.

      2. I forget who first floated the idea, but Aldon and our first pick to a team that would get us a pick in the top five. I haven’t done the research to see if any of the teams likely to pick in the top five need a pass rusher. But if Scooter is right about the quality of pass rushers in the 2015 draft class, those teams might prefer to draft the rusher. OTOH, if they traded with us, they could get Aldon and still have a first round draft pick likely in the top 15. Actually, that sounds pretty good to me.

        1. The Raiders, Titans, and Jaguars need a pass rusher, but they may prefer drafting Randy Gregory and converting him to an OLB.

        2. Take away Aldon’s off-field issues for a moment, if you had to pick between Aldon Smith, who is a proven commodity in the NFL as one of the best and most dangerous pass rushers, or a top 5 pick at OLB/DE, you’d go with Aldon.

          The only thing that would hold up a trade for Aldon is his baggage. Even so, I think the 49ers would be able to get some pretty good trade offers.

      1. Scooter,

        If he broke his probation it fits the pattern of bad decision making and behavior they cut McDonald for.

            1. If as part of his probation he isn’t allowed to drink, then he should be gone.

              I know it is counter to what happened with McDonald, but if they are going to get rid of him I would really hope they try and trade him rather then just cut him.

              1. When I said the other day that knowing Aldon he would likely do something before the start of next season to test your theory they wouldn’t get rid of him, I didn’t think it would be so soon.

            1. His probation officer is a guy whose first name is “Skid”. He’ll probably just get a warning.

          1. That’s what I’m waiting to find out Scooter. I’m not sure what the terms were or what he and the team agreed to after he wrapped his car around the tree and went to rehab.

              1. If Ray was dumped on the Last Chance Wasted Rule, then you’d have to think Aldon was given that ultimatum too.
                Now the No Drinking was surely a Court requirement, and so far Aldon hasn’t been hauled before a Probation Judge. If he made a No Drink agreement with the Team, and /or if his Probation gets revoked, it seems like the team would have to make some move.
                On a separate note, the details of the RayMac case portray an uh, um, interesting lifestyle. World Class professional athletes spending the day drinking; OK Billy Martin, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, & Max McGee but in a different era. Then too how about this woman? Drinks herself unconscious, wakes up, wonders if she was molested while asleep, so then spends the rest of the day hanging and drinking and ?? with those guys? Huh? Too weird.

          2. Scooter, I’ve been a naughty boy most of my life. For years I always received coal in my stockings, until recently it’s been gas due to global warming. I am an expert in how probation works. Think of probation as a get out of jail card. As long as you stay within the parameters of the probation, the card is valid. If however you fail to meet any requirement, such as urinalysis, breath test, hair test, blood test, NO DRINKING, have a job, etc., your card is no longer valid. Aldon Smith is in big Seahawk droppings and I’ll even go as far to say, he won’t be playing in the NFL next year, pending appeal….

  63. Well, these days we hardly have the time to dwell on anything. Every day there’s a new crisis.

    Since Harbaugh came it’s like living through a stock market boom/bust cycle. One thing though – the busts are always larger than the booms.

  64. I saw yesterday how Menilik Watson of the Raiders gave a girl with cancer his game check for Christmas($37,000).
    I mention it because shamefully, off the field, we are the old school Raiders and they are the opitome of class, though they’re losing. You don’t read about Raider players every week. We stole all the police blotter headlines this year.

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