Quarterback Dilemna

It's no big secret that I'm a San Francisco Forty Niner fan. It's also no secret that this team who in recent years regained their stamina was going to NFC championships and a Superbowl under the leadership of Coach Harbaugh and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Suddenly last year they plummeted. Why?

When this amazing team starting their losing streak last year, and spotty playing I said Coach Harbaugh knows he's not coming back. He's known since the beginning of the season. People attempted to argue the point until the announcement was made at the end of the season. 

Fast forward they have a new head coach Tomsula who has benched QB Kaepernick and brought in second string Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert started his NFL career for the Jacksonville Jaguars. I live in Jacksonville and was extremely glad when the Niners picked him up last year. Why?

I live in Jacksonville with fickle fans and a team who saw a couple years of fame in the beginning of the franchise, since blah. The fans looked at Gabbert as the answer to the offensive woes. A rookie quarterback with no guidance or leadership? 

I laughed but that's how Jags fans roll. After two years of Gabbert getting pummeled for lack of a decent offensive line and protection, in walks Blake Bortles, another rookie with no guidance or leadership. They jumped off the Gabbert bandwagon and jumped on the Bortles bandwagon. Two years in Jacksonville is still losing. One rookie quarterback doesn't make a team. Who will be their next "savior"?

Hold on, I'm leading up to it. San Francisco quarterback Kaepernick has championships and a superbowl under his belt. He was brought in when Alex Smith suffered an injury, with Kaepernick the team became a force. He was the missing link. Now in 2015 San Fran fans have abandoned him, even worse the San Fran offense has abandoned him. Like Gabbert he was a rookie quarterback.

Last week Kaepernick was benched. According to the coach he is being treated as if he's injured, Gabbert is not taking his position. I support that. Gabbert had an awesome game last night and it was especially sweet since I live in Jacksonville to see this former rookie starter making good plays and leading the team to a win. But it goes deeper than that.

After a hard hit he was taken out of the game for two plays while being examined to make sure he didn't have a concussion. Kaepernick's eyes lit up as he pulled on his helmet, entered the field and made two decent plays. The first a pass to a rusher, the second a good throw to a receiver who didn't catch the ball. Why? I don't know, it was a good throw and definitely catchable, yet it ended up as a incomplete pass. 

The past season the offense hasn't been protecting Kaepernick, last night a catchable pass went through the arms of a receiver. I believe the offense doesn't have confidence in him or they're are "behind the scenes" conflicts in the locker room. Long time Forty Niner receiver Vernon Davis was traded to Denver. During the 2013 season Kaepernick and Davis were an unstoppable team, what happened?

I watch my team fall apart and it saddens me. The bottom line, they are a team and need to play like a team. Gabbert had great pass protection yesterday so it's not that they can't protect Kaepernick too or catch his passes. It's their conflict that needs to be settled ASAP. 

Kaepernick and Gabbert are evenly matched QB's and roughly the same age. The Forty Niners should chalk up this season to a learning lesson, forget and don't pressure everyone to get to the play-offs because at 3-6 and number 4 in their division, its doubtful, even if they win everyone of the their games the rest of the season. 

As a fan I don't care I just want them to find their rhythm. The team has a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator, lost Vernon Davis (who wasn't getting much action anyways) and has two young QB's ready for the chance to show themselves. Healthy male competition is a good thing. Allow these QB's to compete for the number one spot,and heck if they have two interchangeable QB's that can work as a benefit for the team, but offensively they need to get their stuff together and play like a team.

And Jacksonville? I'll save their fickle attitudes for another post. I live in Jax and wish for the team to get their stuff together too but everyone is too busy blaming everyone else.

Go Niners! Love you!