NFL Week 12: Bubbler gets his Lisch

I'll take the risk of getting egg on my face, but whenever you make a QB change, you always say "he's only started/played X games" right? Have to start somewhere right?

Why bypass the opportunity to increase your chances of winning (that's my view) just to stick with a guy because of loyalty? Marino was given the job over Woodley, a guy who took them to the Super Bowl, with less than one start, right?

 

No. Let him go. This is kinda fun.

 

I fully expect Smith to still have "lingering concussion issues" until Kaepernick starts to play poorly...

Here's my issue with Kaepernick. There are a lot of quarterbacks who play great when there isn't a ton of pressure on them. Alex Smith was king of coming in during the second half when the Niners were getting killed by someone during the Nolan or Singletary eras and lighting it up in the second half. There is also part of me that thinks that Harbaugh can take any quarterback of a certain skill set and turn them into a top player.

 

There wasn't pressure on Kaepernick? Making his first start on Monday night against a defense that normally destroys young quarterbacks?

I think you're right about the "lingering issues." I suspect Kapernick will start Sunday and play well against a Saints defense that sucks.

Then it gets really interesting. Obviously, Harbaugh saw something to take this kid in the second round when most assumed he was just an athletic guy who put up big numbers in a weird offense at Nevada. If Smith doesn't come back in the next couple of weeks and Kaepernick doesn't completely flame out, I don't think Harbaugh would be hesitant to go to his QB of the future a little earlier than he expected.

 

Yeah, I'm not understanding the "no pressure." The 49ers put the game on his arm from the very first play.

 

If Kaepernick had shit the bed against the Bears, most people would have shrugged it off and said, "Well, it was his first start and the Bears defense is awesome."

I would argue that starting against the Saints this weekend is a lot more pressure because now people expect him to go out and play like he did Monday night...

 

I would put Redskins fans in the top 5 in the NFL. I think the Packers, Steelers and Cowboys are the only ones that are clearly better.

 

If he would have shit the bed, a week after the Niners played like shit against the Rams, and the team dropped further in the NFC playoff heirarchy, he likely would have blown the perfect opportunity to put himself squarely in the conversation as the team's starter and its QB of the future. Hell, even if they won and he just played OK, he probably would have blown that opportunity. Instead, he looked great on a national stage and now he can't be ignored. There was plenty of pressure and he played like it didn't exist. If I was a Niners fan, I'd be ecstatic.

 

But how does he really feel, Creosote?

 

I am ecstatic.

 

OK, Fantasy football question...

Do I start Rodgers against the Giants or Kaepernick against the Saints? ESPN projections has it almost as a push. I'm definitely leaning toward Rodgers, but Kaepernick against a bad Saints defense is tempting.

 

You should never be allowed to play fantasy football again for asking such a dumb question.

I'd continue leaning toward the No. 1 player in fantasy football. That would be a good move.