Matter of time until Kaepernick starts for good

The 49ers might have ushered a new era with a new quarterback. Colin Kaepernick filled in for the injured Alex Smith last night, and he made a great impression. He was so good that he created a quarterback controversy that Niners coach Jim Harbaugh has to deal with. Harbaugh admitted he would go with the hot hand when Smith is cleared to play. In other words, Kaepernick is starting as long as he keeps playing like he did last night. With Kaepernick throwing two touchdowns and 243 yards in the Niners’ 32-7 victory over Bears in his first career start, there’s no doubt Harbaugh is thinking about the possibilities of what his backup quarterback can do. Kaepernick was off to a good start when he was moving the ball down field in the first quarter. His highlight in that quarter came when he threw a 57-yard pass to Kyle Williams in the Bears’ 3, and he threw a 3-yard touchdown to Vernon Davis to give the Niners a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. Those two sequences in the first quarter had Harbaugh fired up in the sideline. It was clear that he put lot of work in Kaepernick with the idea that he found a quarterback in the future. Kaepernick may be the quarterback of the present if he keeps this up. That means Smith may not get an opportunity to get his job back once he is cleared to play after a concussion. The current Niners quarterback has done a good job under Harbaugh’s watch, but there are questions about him being the right quarterback to win a championship. Smith is known more for being a game-manager. When great teams play great defense on him, he struggles. That was evident in the NFC Championship Game last year when Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Osi Umyeniora sacked the Niners quarterback often. There was a reason Harbaugh pursued Peyton Manning in the offseason. He wanted a quarterback that was going to overcome great defense. He wanted a quarterback that could be better than Smith. If Manning signed with the Niners, there was no way the fourth-year veteran was coming back. If Harbaugh was seeking a replacement for Smith back then, it’s a good bet he is still searching now. He may have found his guy in this game. Kaepernick has everything to offer. He’s a better thrower than Smith. He’s mobile. He is not an interception machine. Those attributes intrigue Harbaugh. There was a reason he was drafted in the second round last year. Harbaugh does not have to make the decision now. There is no timetable to when Smith is coming back. It’s not fair for Smith if he loses his job despite being hurt, but he should know football is a business. It’s about winning. It happens to every quarterback. The coach will always look for someone better if he can find that guy. Niners fans have been pining for anyone to replace Smith. They know he can’t be trusted. They have seen enough after he struggled for a long time. They think last year was as good as it was going to get. It’s understandable. Harbaugh owes Smith nothing. It’s the head coach’s job to make a decision that is best for the franchise, so if he feels Kaepernick is the guy moving forward, that’s what he has to do. It’s hard to make a decision after one game. Anyone can look good in one game. Kapernick has to sustain this, and he will get that opportunity while Smith is still on the injured list. If Kaepernick plays like he did last night, he has earned the right to start for the rest of the year. Kaepernick’s teammates were diplomatic after the game by saying the Niners can win with both Smith and Kaepernick. We’ll see how long that lasts if Kaepernick keeps playing well. Quarterback controversies are never a good thing, but in the Niners’ case, that is not a bad thing. This is about finding a quarterback that helps lead the Niners to a championship. That’s what makes this season interesting. This is Kaepernick’s time now. He can win the starting quarterback job by maintaining this performance. It’s an opportunity he has to seize. Nothing is guaranteed for him. The Niners could look for another quarterback next year if he does not show them something. He is auditioning for a job for now and next year. Kaepernick has already created interest. Everyone wants to find out now if he can perform an encore against the Saints on the road Sunday. If he plays well, there’s no doubt he is going to be the quarterback for the rest of the season and beyond.     The post Matter of time until Kaepernick starts for good appeared first on Bay Area Sports Nut.