Ever considering the fact that coach Jim Harbaugh gave second-year quarterbackColin Kaepernick the beginning nod more than hot-handed Alex Smith, the query has hovered in excess of the 49ers like a cloud.
Did Harbaugh make the appropriate determination?
The strong and elusive Kaepernick supplied a resounding response Saturday evening that has a record-setting overall performance within a 45-31 victory above 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 within the playoffs, surpassing a 51-yard run through the Titans' Steve McNair in Jan. 2000.
"Guy's taking part in football, guy, he's which makes it take place," 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree stated of Kaepernick. "He's a playmaker."
Kaepernick also shattered Michael Vick's mark of 119 yards rushing -- the earlier postseason rushing record by a quarterback -- using a game-high 181 yards on 16 carries.
"The offense that we've produces a good deal of confusion together with the quarterback we now have who can run as speedy as he can," mentioned tackle Joe Staley, a part of an offense that gained 323 yards about the ground and 579 complete. "He may also throw the ball downfield. We desire to move the chains any way we will, but it is terrific to move the ball with all the ground game."
Kaepernick received off to a bumpy start off ¡§C his 2nd pass was intercepted and run back 52 yards for the touchdown ¡§C but he under no circumstances lost his composure, upstaging Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFL's reigning most beneficial player.
"Anytime your teammates have self-assurance in you plus they really feel superior about what you are undertaking, it can make you're feeling like you are accomplishing the best issues," Kaepernick stated.
The Packers have been outscored 21-0, from the 2nd half and had two turnovers that led to 49ers touchdowns.
"It's fairly irritating," explained Rodgers, who threw for 257 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. "To go out and perform like that is definitely disappointing. We did not do sufficient on offense to assist our defense."
For that 2nd consecutive season, San Francisco has sophisticated towards the NFC championship game the place it can encounter the winner of Sunday's game involving the Seahawks and Falcons.
"They competed like maniacs," Harbaugh stated of his gamers, "and now we have received a further week of perform."
It had been a large day to the Harbaugh household, with Jim's older brother, John, coaching the Ravens to a double-overtime win at Denver.
"That was a true football battle," Jim mentioned with the Ravens' 38-35 victory. "Had an opportunity to observe several of it ahead of our game. Really feel fantastic for John and his crew."
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 underneath 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.
Regardless of it staying his 1st postseason begin, Kaepernick was unflappable, even right after the pick-six interception to start out the game. He came back over the following possession and orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with his 20-yard keeper to get a
touchdown. That came on third-and-8, and -- contrary to 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 merely by Packers receiver Greg Jennings: "We lost to a greater group currently."
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