The NFL season is well past the halfway mark, and many teams are scrambling to get a spot in the playoffs.
However, the playoff race is not the only thing in the NFL that is drawing attention. It is the question of who should be the starting quarterback for a few of the best and worst teams.
When San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick started his first NFL game last Monday against the Chicago Bears, there was much anticipation to see how he would perform. Kaepernick was filling in for the injured Alex Smith, who had suffered a concussion the week before. Kaepernick would be facing one of the league’s best defenses.
Instead of crashing and burning under the Monday Night Football lights, Kaepernick torched the Bears, throwing for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Kaepernick’s first game’s stats were better than both Hall of Fame 49ers quarterbacks Joe Montana’s and Steve Young’s first starts. But, it wasn’t just his stats that were impressive that night; it was Kaepernick’s raw talent.
His ability to throw the ball hard and on target, to look at every option as he goes through his progression and use his legs to break free from pressure make him much more favorable than injured Smith.
Even though Smith has been a consistent starter the last few seasons, making minimal mistakes and leading the 49ers to a fumble away from the Super Bowl, Kaepernick has shown in his limited opportunities that he is the quarterback the 49ers have been waiting for.
Smith, a former first round pick, has taken seasons to get to where he is today, and while being injured doesn’t warrant being replaced, Kaepernick is the more explosive and talented quarterback.
However, Kaepernick is still young and Smith is a proven leader. In the playoffs, good leadership is the most important factor in getting to the promise land.
49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh should not take this knowledge lightly. He should start Kaepernick the next few games until Smith has fully recovered from his concussion. Then Smith should be the guy taking snaps until the season is over.
Either way, the 49ers are in a way better position than the New York Jets. The 49ers have two talented quarterbacks in their controversy. The Jets have Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.
The Jets head coach Rex Ryan has refused to give up on Sanchez as the starter, doing everything he can to squash any Tebowmania in New York.
But, after the dismal season put together by both the Jets and Sanchez, Sanchez ran into his own lineman on Thanksgiving and fumbled the ball. Maybe Ryan should consider a Tebow shake-up.
Yes, we all know that Tebow is probably a worse quarterback than Sanchez, but at this point, who cares?
Tebow always seemed to find a way to win in his short stint with the Denver Broncos. He took a losing team to the playoffs. While the Jets playoff hopes may be a long gone, how much could it hurt to start Tebow? Not much after this season’s performance.
It makes you question why the Jets brought Tebow to New York in the first place.
Chasen Doerr is the senior journalism major and the opinions editor for the Daily 49er.
