Written By: MATT MILLER of Bleacher Report
Tabbed by the media as the next great quarterback before the season began, San Francisco 49ers' star Colin Kaepernick has hit a sophomore slump. Are we seeing the real Kaepernick, or is this merely a combination of injuries, a lack of experience and outside circumstances affecting his game?
The 49ers have Super Bowl talent and aspirations, but to get back to the big game they need their quarterback to play as well as he did in 2012. What's holding him back and how can the 49ers fix it?
Of the team's leading receivers through 10 games, No. 3 is a fullback and No. 4 was cut after the Panthers' game.
It's important to note just how much the 49ers offense depends on Davis. In the team's three losses, the All-Pro-caliber tight end has three catches for 20 yards and no touchdowns. If you want to point to one stat that backs up the lack of talent at receiver in this offense, look right here.
Davis was the key to the team's passing game against Green Bay—six catches, 98 yards and two touchdowns—but has too often been a non-factor in the team's losses. Two of those games (vs. the Colts and Panthers) were due to injury. Against the Seahawks he was simply shutdown by the pass rush and coverage of the Seattle defense.
So what's the fix?
The 49ers have to get Davis involved early and often in the game plan. With a strong running game, play-action passes are open for Davis. Especially with the 49ers seeing many man-coverage looks with a single high safety. Against these defenses the 49ers can get single coverage on their playmaking tight end and take advantage of his size and speed in a matchup route.
It would also help to unleash Kaepernick, who has been tied to the pocket at times this year. Free the athletic threat to make plays in and out of the pocket, and the offense will open up.
The more Gore, the better
You might not think that running the ball more would help the passing game, but it does. Football is like an oversized chess game, and the run game is knowing how to use your pawns. You set the board and plan your moves with the run game, and then kill the defense with the pass. The 49ers have done this with success in the past—and even in the first half against Carolina—but too quickly abandon the run in the second half.
That's not been a problem in their six wins, though.
Tabbed by the media as the next great quarterback before the season began, San Francisco 49ers' star Colin Kaepernick has hit a sophomore slump. Are we seeing the real Kaepernick, or is this merely a combination of injuries, a lack of experience and outside circumstances affecting his game?
The 49ers have Super Bowl talent and aspirations, but to get back to the big game they need their quarterback to play as well as he did in 2012. What's holding him back and how can the 49ers fix it?
Of the team's leading receivers through 10 games, No. 3 is a fullback and No. 4 was cut after the Panthers' game.
It's important to note just how much the 49ers offense depends on Davis. In the team's three losses, the All-Pro-caliber tight end has three catches for 20 yards and no touchdowns. If you want to point to one stat that backs up the lack of talent at receiver in this offense, look right here.
Davis was the key to the team's passing game against Green Bay—six catches, 98 yards and two touchdowns—but has too often been a non-factor in the team's losses. Two of those games (vs. the Colts and Panthers) were due to injury. Against the Seahawks he was simply shutdown by the pass rush and coverage of the Seattle defense.
So what's the fix?
The 49ers have to get Davis involved early and often in the game plan. With a strong running game, play-action passes are open for Davis. Especially with the 49ers seeing many man-coverage looks with a single high safety. Against these defenses the 49ers can get single coverage on their playmaking tight end and take advantage of his size and speed in a matchup route.
It would also help to unleash Kaepernick, who has been tied to the pocket at times this year. Free the athletic threat to make plays in and out of the pocket, and the offense will open up.
The more Gore, the better
You might not think that running the ball more would help the passing game, but it does. Football is like an oversized chess game, and the run game is knowing how to use your pawns. You set the board and plan your moves with the run game, and then kill the defense with the pass. The 49ers have done this with success in the past—and even in the first half against Carolina—but too quickly abandon the run in the second half.
That's not been a problem in their six wins, though.
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