The Colts game show how Kaepernick must improve.

Up until today I have been too disappointed in the play of the 49ers to write my own analysis of the failure of the Colts game. (also, until today I have been too busy), but I came across this gem from Niners Nation.  They do an excellent job of illustrating how Kaepernick fell into what I just decided to call the running quarterback curse.  This is when an athletic quarterback reads one route, looks at the pass rush, and decides to scramble before exhausting all passing opportunities and without keeping their eyes down field.

In the past I have praised Kaepernick's ability to keep his eyes down the field while extending a play (which is infinitely more difficult for the defense to stop because the linebackers must stay in coverage but hold contain).  K had demonstrated this best while out running the pass rush towards the sideline, on those plays he only had to know he had enough space behind him to throw.  Against the Colts he was forced to move from his spot inside the pocket, but not allowed to escape to the sideline.  Now K had pressure surrounding him, and his eyes moved from reading the coverage too looking for an escape.  In the process he missed many open receivers like these two on a play where he was sacked.  On this play it looks like K was simply sitting in the pocket and missed both players, but by this time he had scrambled right and been turned back too the pocket by excellent Colts contain (discipline I wish the 'Niners defense could demonstrate).

Great quarterbacks are able to feel the defensive pressure without looking at it, and find the open man as they ran out of time.  Montana used to describe it as feeling color, when the colors in his peripheral vision around him would shift from red (the 'Niners Colors) too other he would quickly dump off the ball because he knew that his blocking had broken down.

Everything about Kaepernick indicates that he will overcome this habit and learn to see the defense even as he buys time.  He will learn that less is more when it comes escaping pressure and use subtle movements in the pocket to maximize his blocking before he runs (the way slow quarterbacks like Brady and Manning do).  Steve Young had to learn the same lessons, and he did.

This is not to say the loss to the Colts is entirely on K.  If the receivers were able to get open before the pressure forced K to scramble this whole issue would be moot.  If the blocking schemes had held up the same is true.  Roman and Harbaugh could have used more run and play action to take pressure off of Kaepernick.

Thank you Niners Nation for the photos I stole. (click the link for a gallery of missed opportunities)