Ever because coach Jim Harbaugh gave second-year quarterbackColin Kaepernick the starting up nod more than hot-handed Alex Smith, the query has hovered above the 49ers like a cloud.
Did Harbaugh make the appropriate selection?
The highly effective and elusive Kaepernick presented a resounding solution Saturday evening having a record-setting functionality within a 45-31 victory more than the Packers in the divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park.
On the evening when Kaepernick became Keepernick, the 49ers quarterback torched the Packers with his arm and his feet, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for two.
He scored on runs of twenty and 56 yards. The 56-yarder was the longest run by a quarterback while in the playoffs, surpassing a 51-yard run from the Titans' Steve McNair in Jan. 2000.
"Guy's taking part in football, guy, he's which makes it transpire," 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree mentioned of Kaepernick. "He's a playmaker."
Kaepernick also shattered Michael Vick's mark of 119 yards rushing -- the prior postseason rushing record by a quarterback -- by using a game-high 181 yards on 16 carries.
"The offense that we've generates lots of confusion together with the quarterback we've got who can run as rapidly as he can," stated tackle Joe Staley, a part of an offense that gained 323 yards to the ground and 579 complete. "He also can throw the ball downfield. We choose to move the chains any way we are able to, but it really is wonderful to move the ball together with the ground game."
Kaepernick received off to a bumpy get started ¡§C his 2nd pass was intercepted and run back 52 yards for the touchdown ¡§C but he never ever lost his composure, upstaging Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFL's reigning most useful player.
"Anytime your teammates have self confidence in you and so they truly feel very good about what you happen to be accomplishing, it can make you're feeling like you happen to be undertaking the ideal elements," Kaepernick mentioned.
The Packers had been outscored 21-0, inside the 2nd half and had two turnovers that led to 49ers touchdowns.
"It's rather irritating," stated Rodgers, who threw for 257 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. "To go out and perform like that may be disappointing. We did not do sufficient on offense to assist our defense."
To the 2nd consecutive season, San Francisco has sophisticated towards the NFC championship game in which it's going to encounter the winner of Sunday's game concerning the Seahawks and Falcons.
"They competed like maniacs," Harbaugh mentioned of his gamers, "and now we have received a different week of operate."
It had been a large day for that Harbaugh household, with Jim's older brother, John, coaching the Ravens to a double-overtime win at Denver.
"That was a authentic football battle," Jim stated on the Ravens' 38-35 victory. "Had an opportunity to observe several of it ahead of our game. Really feel terrific for John and his group."
The Packers saw their season open and near with losses towards the 49ers. They dropped their opener to San Francisco 30-22 at Lambeau Field.
Saturday's rematch featured Rodgers, a 49ers fan in Northern California who wore a Joe Montana T-shirt below his pads being a kid, and Kaepernick, who was born in Milwaukee and grew up idolizing Brett Favre.
Crabtree caught two touchdown passes for your 49ers, and Frank Gore and Anthony Dixon each and every ran for any score.
In spite of it getting his initial postseason get started, Kaepernick was unflappable, even just after the pick-six interception to begin the game. He came back to the up coming possession and orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with his 20-yard keeper for the
touchdown. That came on third-and-8, and -- not like his longer touchdown run -- was not a planned run for him.
"Man-to-man coverage, they doubled Crab, broke down and I saw a operating lane," the quarterback explained that has a shrug.
Place basically by Packers receiver Greg Jennings: "We lost to a far better crew nowadays."
investment chance
No comments:
Post a Comment