What is wrong with Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers this season? Why have the 49ers digressed this year and what ever happened to the Kaepenrnick that the team drafted?
It seems that Kaep and the team are making an effort to stay in the pocket and move the ball through the air. His success in the past came when he was running wild and free, but he has not been able to have that type of success this year getting out of the pocket. It has been a struggle. Why can’t the team move the ball?
Teams are prepped for the run
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Defenses know that Kaep is best when he is running around, so they do whatever they can to stop him from making plays in the run game. He has not been able to adjust to the defenses that he has been getting. They defenses are prepped for the run and the teams create a gameplan to ensure that Kaep is not running around wild and free through the defense. They often have a spy assigned on him in the game to make sure that he is unable to bust loose.
When the defense has Kaep and his running ability as their number 1 priority to stop, then the team needs to find another way to move the ball down the field.
Can’t hit the checkdown consistently
When his receivers are not open, he has not been able to hit the short or immediate pass consistently. Sometimes he loses patience and tried to make the big play down the field instead of taking what the defense is giving him. Sometimes he just doesn’t see who his open in the passing game. He has to get better at being a pocket passer.
Offensive line struggling
In order to make plays in the passing game, he needs to get the time. Even if he decides to pull it down and run, he needs to get a little bit of blocking. Instead of ducking and diving one defender for a number of yards, he has had to break loose from a few defenders that get into the backfield.
They have to give him better protection. He needs some blocking up front.
Why do you think Kaep has struggled in the pass game?