Film Review - Colin Kaepernick First Half

49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick took over for an injured Alex Smith with 6:31 remaining in the second quarter and the 49ers trailing the Rams 14-7.  The next couple of posts will cover his performance on each called pass play, detailed following all22 film review.  This first post will focus on  the first half.

Pass Call #1 - 1 & 10, SF 31 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick scrambles for 10 yards.

- After lining up tight Vernon Davis motions out wide.  This is a PA pass with Davis and Moss running vertical routes, Walker running a 15 yard in and Bruce Miller in the right flat.  After the play fake Kaepernick looks to his right, Alex Boone has been beaten quick to his outside forcing Kaepernick to move to escape to his left.  He takes a quick look downfield to Moss and sees that he is doubled and takes off for the first down.

Pass Call #2 - 1 & 10, STL 43 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick incomplete to Davis.

- This is another PA pass with Moss running a vertical down the left sideline, Davis running a deep drag to about 18 yards deep, Crabtree on a 14 yard in, and Miller in the flat.  Kaepernick does a good job of standing in the pocket.  He checks deep to Moss who is well covered, the flat to Miller who has the outside linebacker slightly off, and then throws the ball to Davis. Davis was well covered on the play, but Kaepernick had a tight window and tried to fit it in, but ends up leading Davis too much.

He had Miller open for a short gain, but took the chance on the downfield throw to Davis.

Pass Call # 3 - 3 & 10, STL 43 yard line - Play result - 15 yard completion to Kendall Hunter,   nullified by Goodwin holding penalty.

- The play call here is 4 verticals with Hunter leaking out underneath to his left.  The Rams do a great job of disguising the coverage out of their dime package.  The pre-snap look is cover 2, but as the ball is about to be snapped CB Cortland Finnegan who had been lined up in the slot bails to the deep middle, and the 2 deep safety's step up into the curl zones creating a post snap cover 3.  Kaepernick does not make the proper post snap read on this play.  With verticals against cover 2 the QB will pick a safety to target, and against cover 3 the QB read is the saftey over the middle.  As a result of the misread Kaepernick is looking to his left, but it is well covered, and he is missing Kyle Williams streaking down the right hash uncovered.  Kaepernick eludes the oncoming rusher with a stiff arm and flushes to the right, where he finds Hunter adjusting his route in the scramble drill.  Kaepernick puts a nice pass on the money for a 15 yard gain.

Unfortunately, due to the extended time Kaepernick had the ball in the pocket, Jonathan Goodwin is called for holding nullifying the play.

Pass Call #4 - 3 & 20, SF 47 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick scrambles left for 4 yards. 49ers forced to punt.

- On this play LE Chris Long quickly beats Anthony Davis around the edge, forcing Kaepernick to bail out to his left where he picks up 4 yards.  The only open receiver had the pressure not gotten there so quick is Mario Manningham running a shallow cross about 5 yards deep from left to right.

Pass Call #5 - 1 & 10, STL 40 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick incomplete to Gore

- This is a called screen play to the left side.  The ball hit's Gore in the hands, but it appears that he is looking upfield prior to securing the catch.  It is probably a good thing anyway as Finnegan has split the linemen, and is in position to stop Gore for a loss if he makes the catch.

Pass Call # 6 - 2 & 10, STL 40 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick 3 yard completion to Davis.

- On this play Kaepernick has curl/flat combo routes on both sides, Crabtree/Williams on the right, Manningham/Gore on the left, and Vernon Davis running a short curl route over the middle.  Kaepernick goes quickly to Davis, but he also has Williams open in the flat on the right side on a pass that may have gone for a first down based on the trailing position of the defender on Williams.

Pass Call #7 - 3 & 7, STL 37 yard line - Play result - Kaepernick incomplete to Crabtree

- This play shows 10 yard curl routes on each side by Crabtree and Manningham with Kyle Williams running a seam down the middle from the left slot and Davis draging from right to left.  Kaepernick quickly goes to Crabtree on the curl and it is knocked away by the corner who had tight coverage.  For the second time in the first half Kaepernick misses an opportunity to go deep as Williams is running free down the middle of the field.

Net result - 1-4 for 3 yards passing, 2 carries for 14 yards, and 2 missed shots down the field.