After the loss to St.Louis following two pretty big wins, Jim Harbaugh has decided to stick with Colin Kaepernick as the 49ers starting QB. Based Kaepernick's performance and what Alex Smith has done the last season and a half, would you stick with him or go back to Smith?
Alex Smith vs Colin Kaepernick
- Thread starter AA_Train
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He really cant go back to Smith. It never works out flip flopping between QB's, if you make a switch you have to keep to it.
I think that if you were most teams in the NFL, you would go after Peyton Manning, regardless of your quarterback situation.Harbaugh never wanted to stick with Smith and thus why he tried so hard to get Manning.
Being an avid 49ers fan I break the two down like this
Alex Smith is the type of quarterback who can engineer long drives and run the game efficiently. He needs to be able to work within a system, otherwise he cannot flourish. He has proven he can play good enough to win (with a 19-51 regular season record, 1-1 in the playoffs) but I can tell you that a few of those wins came in large part to their defense preventing other teams from scoring after Smith failed on the previous drive to put the game away. He is a solid, though unspectacular player.
On the flip side, when I watch Kaepernick, I see a gunslinger. He has a cannon of an arm, is elusive and can put points on the board in a hurry. He better utilizes the receiving core than Smith does and I think opens up some room for Frank Gore, too. The 49ers have a fat playbook and Kaepernick has the potential to run most of it quite effectively.
If this was week 3, I'd say Kaepernick all the way. However, is this the time to push him to the forefront, especially when the 49ers are contending for the Super Bowl? HE played great in New Orleans but laid an egg in St, Louis (though I blame some of that on poor play calling from the sidelines). Makes me wonder how he will fair in Foxboro in two weeks when they play the Patriots. I also think back to that playoff game last year against New Orleans, where Alex Smith looked like Steve Young and lead his team to a hard-fought win, then went on to stink it up against the Giants in the NFC championship game.
The quarterback position is a tough one to manage because a lot of it is a "what have you done for me lately" position that impacts the game so greatly. I think I will reserve my answer after the Miami game on Sunday, one they SHOULD win regardless of who starts.
EXCUSE ME? Kaepernick can throw hard and quick. He nearly broke Randy Moss' finger because the pass was too hot.Smith or Kaepernick? Neither, Harbaugh should suit up. 49ers are a good team without a good QB. They could make the season interesting if they traded for Tebow, then they would have 3 QB's that can't throw.
Tell Vernon Davis and Mario Manningham that, they love him.He nearly broke Moss' finger because the pass was no where near the bread basket.
Harbaugh's the same type of coach he was a QB... 1st read, 2nd read, SQUIRREL!!!!
Both players are capable, and the team may run through a bunch more with similar skillsets before they realize that offensive leaders need freedom to function. Smith's never really had it, Kaepernick won't have it with Mr. Intense as a coach, and End Of Days guys like Manning would never submit. Sad, they're not a bad team otherwise.
BTW; Thanks for choosing Denver, Peyton.
Both players are capable, and the team may run through a bunch more with similar skillsets before they realize that offensive leaders need freedom to function. Smith's never really had it, Kaepernick won't have it with Mr. Intense as a coach, and End Of Days guys like Manning would never submit. Sad, they're not a bad team otherwise.
BTW; Thanks for choosing Denver, Peyton.
Smith is a very mediocre QB but Harbaugh screwed up. The issue is not just about who is the better QB. The bottom line is that a player should not lose his job because of injury. If he could do it to Smith, he could do it to anyone else in the starting lineup and that does not sit well with most players. He chose Kaepernick last week over a returning starter who was cleared to play and now he's stuck with him. It's hard to go back because you lose face.
This is not Philly or NY where they need to assess and rebuild. I think it's a bad time to make a change even if Smith was never injured. They should have looked at this in the coming offseason. SF is not going anywhere in the playoffs with Kaepernick.
This is not Philly or NY where they need to assess and rebuild. I think it's a bad time to make a change even if Smith was never injured. They should have looked at this in the coming offseason. SF is not going anywhere in the playoffs with Kaepernick.
The old adage generally strikes true though when it comes to QB's. If you think you have 2 QB's you really have none. It's not a position you can flip flop with. If you make a switch you need to stick it out.Sorry Elmo, this isn't pee-wee football, this is the big leagues my friend. The coach goes with who he thinks gives his team the best chance to win.....end of story :nod:
Tell Wally Pipp that. I think his replacement worked out pretty well. There are three positions in professional sports that are "what have you done for me lately" positions and they are Quarterback, Goaltender and Closer in Baseball. This is because their performance or lack there of has a profound impact on their team. As much as a coach wants to be loyal, they are paid to produce winning teams and sometimes they have to push different buttons in order to make the machine run. As for how they will do in the playoff with Kaepernick, it's tough to tell but I think the only thing Smith has on him is experience.Smith is a very mediocre QB but Harbaugh screwed up. The issue is not just about who is the better QB. The bottom line is that a player should not lose his job because of injury. If he could do it to Smith, he could do it to anyone else in the starting lineup and that does not sit well with most players. He chose Kaepernick last week over a returning starter who was cleared to play and now he's stuck with him. It's hard to go back because you lose face.
This is not Philly or NY where they need to assess and rebuild. I think it's a bad time to make a change even if Smith was never injured. They should have looked at this in the coming offseason. SF is not going anywhere in the playoffs with Kaepernick.
See, he's got the right idea.Sorry Elmo, this isn't pee-wee football, this is the big leagues my friend. The coach goes with who he thinks gives his team the best chance to win.....end of story :nod:
Harbaugh will have some splaining to do when this plan blows up in his face.Sorry Elmo, this isn't pee-wee football, this is the big leagues my friend. The coach goes with who he thinks gives his team the best chance to win.....end of story :nod:
Smith had them on the edge of a Super Bowl appearance last year. He isn't a premier QB and he never will be but he gives them the best chance to win...not Kaepernick. You don't need a premier QB to win the Superbowl but you need one who isn't going to lose it for you.
Kaepernick may have more long term up side than Smith but their chances of success in the playoffs this year are greatly reduced if they stick with Kaepernick.
No way Jose.Coach's always have explaining to do and they pay for it by getting fired. He's playing Kaepernick because he feels he's the better of the two and can win with him short and long term. No different than Rex is NJ. Even Sanchez would look like a superstar in SF, if he had all that talent around him :nod:
Smith > Sanchez.
I agree about the abundance of talent in SF and the lack of it in NY but I think that Harbaugh is operating as if there is so much talent and his defense is so solid that it sort of doesn't matter who is QB on that team.I'm just saying there is a ton of talent in SF....I personally can't stand Sanchez but he's not as bad as that team makes him look. No O-line, no recievers and no running back...you try and be a QB in that situation.
Let's look at the stats
In 8 completed games this season Smith is 6 - 2
Smith is 1 of 6 QBs in the league with a QB rating over 100 (4 of the 6 are future hall of famer QBs).
He has 13 TDs and only 5 picks.
He averages just under 200yds passing per game but that is not a reflection on him since he tops the league in completion percentage (70%). Their emphasis is on the running game.
Is Harbaugh going with the QB he thinks can get the job done...maybe...or maybe there is some other personality conflict or difference of opinion with how the offence is run.
But Smith did not deserve to lose his job based on his play.
If this question was asked 2weeks ago when Alex came back from injury, I would have said Smith should get his starting job back
But having seen Kap play well against the Saints and Bears I think he should be the starting QB
There's still 5-6 games left in the season so we'll see
But having seen Kap play well against the Saints and Bears I think he should be the starting QB
There's still 5-6 games left in the season so we'll see
What will they be called in 2014? SF 49'ers, or Santa Clara 49'ers?
Or how about Santa Clara Raiders? One move is sure to happen (SF). The other might happen, or the Raiders will be going back to LA, again.
Or how about Santa Clara Raiders? One move is sure to happen (SF). The other might happen, or the Raiders will be going back to LA, again.
Let's face it, both teams are desperate for new stadiums and the money is in that area of the peninsula just as much, or perhaps more, than in SF.
Imagine if you lived there: NFL football every week for 16 weeks plus the play-offs.
Imagine if you lived there: NFL football every week for 16 weeks plus the play-offs.
Looks like its pretty even between the two QBs. Upon further analysis, I think San Francisco has two capable quarterbacks, however, Kaepernick is more dynamic and has better physical tools (a 94mph throw for example). Seeing the near-collapse against new England, i think the problems with the quarterbacks lies in how the team is coached. Harbaugh completely changed his offensive and defensive scheme to try to play hang on football when he had the pats by the throat. If he had kept his foot on the gas pedal, they would have scored 50 points easily and had they been able to capitalize better on the New England turnovers, maybe 60. All this on the road against the league's hottest team. With Kaepernick, there is the ability to score lots of points for a defense that doesn't really need them and the ability to score points quickly in close games, something Alex Smith cannot do with any regularity. Go Kaepernick!!!
Sure I've also heard of the tuck rule and Drew Bledsoe who won the AFC Championship game when Brady was injured in the first halfEver hear of Tom Brady?
