This is an epic moment in 49ers history. We’ve all wondered if and when Colin Kaepernick will become the 49ers starting quarterback. If he starts against the Bears Monday night and plays well, the Colin Kaepernick Era starts and the Alex Smith Era ends. The transition could happen that fast. You’ll hear Harbaugh say things like: “The offense has momentum going with Kaepernick. This is no knock on Alex, who…
SANTA CLARA – Here is what Jim Harbaugh said at his Monday press conference about the possibility of Colin Kaepernick starting against the Bears. Q: Will Kaepernick get the bulk of the snaps in practice this week now that Alex is hurt? HARBAUGH: We’ll see. It all depends on when Alex is cleared to come back to practice. Q: Do you reach a point of no return during the week…
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers tied the Rams 24-24. Here are the grades for Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick. Quarterbacks: B. Alex Smith played like Alex Smith before he got knocked out of the game. He was efficient. He completed seven of eight passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. He threw short of the first-down marker on all three of the third downs he faced. And he took two…
SAN FRANCISCO – Here’s what Vernon Davis said in the locker room about Colin Kaepernick after the 49ers tied the Rams 24-24. Q: How do you think Colin Kaepernick fared? VERNON DAVIS: I think he did a great job. Colin is talented, so talented. He wants to do well. He wants to make plays and help this team. I would give him a B+ for going out there and taking…
SAN FRANCISCO — If you were calling plays for the 49ers in the second half, would you call designed runs for Colin Kaepernick – his specialty – or is it too dangerous? The third string quarterback, Scott Tolzien, is not active.
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers are down 14-7 at halftime and Alex Smith is out with a concussion. Here’s the question: Do you think Colin Kaepernick can lead the 49ers to a comeback win? Why or why not? He was 1-for-4 for three yards in the second quarter.
SAN FRANCISCO — Alex Smith was just walked off the field with his head down. He walked through the Giants old dugout with three trainers to go the locker room. He has a concussion and he’s not coming back to this game. JoLonn Dunbar hit him in the head on a first-down scramble. It’s on Colin Kaepernick to bring the 49ers down from a seven-point deficit.
Let’s ask more serious questions than the ones I previously posed: Alex Smith vs. Andrew Luck. That one is interesting but hypothetical. Here are some real questions with real consequences. 1. When do you think Colin Kaepernick will take over for Alex Smith? 2. Do you think Kaepernick is good enough ever to be the the No.1 QB of the 49ers? Please give reasons with your answers.
The 49ers rushing offense ranks No.1 in yards per game and yards per carry. That’s great, but the offense is scoring half-a-point less per game than last season. Why is that? One of the reasons is Greg Roman. He doesn’t get the ball enough to his best skill player and biggest scoring threat – Vernon Davis. Davis scored 4 TDs the first three games. He has scored zero since then…
There’s been a lot of discussion around here the past few weeks about whether Alex Smith has lost confidence as a result of Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman mixing backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick into games. Against the Cardinals Monday night, Kaepernick did not play, and Smith happened to play one of the best games of his career. After the game, Jim Harbaugh was asked if he ever felt Smith’s confidence…
Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt spoke to Bay Area reporters Wednesday morning on a conference call. Here’s what he said about the 49ers. Q: Calais Campbell was talking on the radio yesterday about how much he and Darnell Dockett hate the 49ers. Does that represent your whole team’s view of the 49ers? WHISENHUNT: I certainly can’t speak for the whole team, but I think one of the things I…
SANTA CLARA – Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said Friday about the 49ers’ 13-6 win over the Seattle Seahawks Thursday night. Last night you talked about it being the most physical 30 minutes. RB Frank Gore was talking about playing through bruised ribs. Can you just talk about how well he played with that injury and what you saw out of him last night? “Yeah, great game from Frank. Tough…
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers beat the Seahawks 13-6. Here are the grades for the 49ers’ offense. Quarterbacks: D. Alex Smith did not have a good game, but he did lead one touchdown drive in the third quarter and that was all the 49ers needed to beat the Seahawks. Smith was five-of-five on that drive for 60 yards and a touchdown. On the other drives, he was 9-of-18 for 90…
The 49ers will beat the Seahawks 12-6 tonight. If the game was in Seattle on turf, I would have to favor the Seahawks in a short week. But the game is at Candlestick, and the grass field will negate the great quickness and speed of Seattle’s defensive front. Both the 49ers and Seahawks will run more than they pass. Marshawn Lynch will carry the ball 30 times for 80 yards, Frank…
SANTA CLARA – Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll spoke to Bay Area reporters Tuesday on a conference call. Here’s what he said. Q: What are you impressions of your rookie QB, Russell Wilson? CARROLL: He’s an amazing young man. He has been impressive since the first the first time we ever talked to him. Russell’s never taken a step sideways. He’s just been right on point with his identity, with…
SANTA CLARA – At his press conference Tuesday afternoon, I asked Greg Roman five questions about Colin Kaepernick. Here’s what Roman said. ME: Why are you playing Colin Kaepernick so much? What are you hoping to get from him that you aren’t getting from Alex Smith? ROMAN: Colin’s doing a nice job in his understudy role. There are times when Colin can bring in a different dynamic to the game,…
I’ve been thinking a lot about how the 49ers should use backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick. I think he deserves playing time. He’s one of the best weapons on the offense. I don’t think he’s going to play much against the Seahawks, though. I expect Jim Harbaugh to go conservative, rush Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter more than 30 times combined to get the offense back on track, so to speak….
SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the defensive meeting room Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said about the 49ers 26-3 loss to the Giants. Q: How do you think Alex Boone did at left tackle after Joe Staley got hurt? HARBAUGH: Did fine. I don’t think any of us had our best day. It certainly wouldn’t be very human if it didn’t hurt today. But there’s no time. You’ve…
The 49ers’ offense played 61 snaps against the Giants. Here’s a playtime breakdown for the 49ers’ offensive skill players. Vernon Davis: 61 snaps (100%) Michael Crabtree: 49 (80%) Alex Smith: 45 (74%) Frank Gore: 44 (72%) Mario Manningham: 41 (67%) Kyle Williams: 34 (56%) Delanie Walker: 21 (34%) Kendall Hunter: 17 (28%) Randy Moss: 17 (28%) Colin Kaepernick: 16 (26%) Bruce Miller: 11 (18%) Will Tukuafu: 4 (7%) Garrett Celek:…
SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers just lost 26-3 to the New York Giants. Here are the grades for the 49ers’ offense. Quarterbacks: F. This was Alex Smith’s worst game under Jim Harbaugh. Smith threw three picks – the most he’s thrown since 2007. In the first half he missed a handful of open receivers. Then he tried to force a few passes and got picked off. At the end of…
