Baller Alert’s Team of the Week: San Francisco 49ers

This past Sunday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick faced off with the man that he once knew as his mentor but who, soon after, became his rival. Back in 2012, Kaepernick was just a backup quarterback and Alex Smith was the face of the 49ers franchise. When Smith was diagnosed with a concussion late in the season, Kaepernick finally got to start at quarterback and he quickly turned into a breakout star. A few weeks later, Smith was healthy again and the 49ers had to decide whether to go with their starting quarterback or the backup phenom. Well, I’m sure you all know how that turned out. On Sunday, Colin Kaepernick and Alex Smith met again on the field for the first time since Smith was traded by the 49ers to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. However, this time it was a different type of rivalry. They would not be competing for the starting quarterback spot but rather to help their team to achieve a winning record at the end of Week 5.

The Chiefs were the first to receive the ball and at the end of the opening drive, Alex Smith threw a short pass to tight end Travis Kelce, who ran it into the endzone for a touchdown. The 49ers responded and moved deep into Chiefs territory but were eventually stopped on third down and forced to kick a field goal instead. On the next drive, the 49ers defense held the Chiefs before they could get into the redzone. Kicker Cairo Santos made a 42 yard field goal to make the score 10-3. Early in the second quarter, Kaepernick hit wide receiver Brandon Lloyd with a deep pass which brought the 49ers to the 39 yard line and helped to set up kicker Phil Dawson’s second field goal of the game. On their next possession, Kaepernick made some key third down conversions to keep the drive alive before ultimately connecting with wide receiver Stevie Johnson in the endzone for a 9 yard touchdown. With less than a minute to go in the half, the Chiefs got the ball back and tried running the ball. On first down, running back Jamaal Charles carried the ball but fumbled it after being tackled by defensive end Justin Smith. The Chiefs were able to recover it but lost yardage on the play. As a result, they were unable to make anything happen before the clock ran down, leaving the 49ers up 13-10 at halftime.

The Chiefs were ready to take the lead back once the third quarter started. Their defense came out strong and stopped the 49ers with a quick three and out. The 49ers were forced to punt and running back De’Anthony Thomas returned it for 28 yards, giving the Chiefs great field position. On first down, Jamaal Charles took off on a 26 yard run and three plays later, Smith completed a pass to De’Anthony Thomas, who stiff-armed a defender and ran it 17 yards for a touchdown. On the next 49ers possession, Kaepernick found his receivers Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree to get the ball just past midfield. He then put the ball in running back Frank Gore’s hands, who carried it twice for 22 yards. However, the drive came to a halt after the offensive line gave up two sacks and a penalty, moving them back to the 34 yard line on fourth down. Dawson then came out and kicked a field goal to make the score 17-16. The Chiefs maintained the one point lead throughout the rest of the third quarter as both teams’ defenses were able to effectively stop the other team’s offense. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the 49ers were stopped on third down at their own 29 yard line. The punter came out and the players lined up in punt formation but instead, long snapper Kyle Nelson hiked the ball to safety and special teams player Craig Dahl who ran it 3 yards for a first down. It was a well-executed special teams trick play that successfully kept the 49ers drive alive. Kaepernick then hit wide receiver Brandon Lloyd for 29 yards. On the next two plays, running backs Carlos Hyde and Frank Gore carried the ball for another combined 21 yards. Later on 3rd and 10, Boldin was a yard shy of the first down after his reception and Dawson kicked a field goal from the 9 yard line, giving the 49ers the lead back. The Chiefs got the ball back but the 49ers defense forced a quick 3 and out. On the next 49ers drive, a penalty by the Chiefs helped to extend the offense’s time on the field, eventually resulting in another 49ers field goal and increasing their lead to 22-17. With two minutes left in the game, Alex Smith had one last chance to try and win the game. On second down, Smith threw the ball for tight end Anthony Fasano but it was too high and instead fell right to cornerback Perrish Cox for an interception. With the ball back in his hands, Kaepernick was able to take a knee and run the game clock down to zero, sealing the 49ers’ win over the Chiefs.

Next week, the 49ers will be going back on the road to take on the St. Louis Rams under the Monday Night lights. It should make for an exciting matchup!

Now what’s football without the fine football players hiding underneath those pads and helmets? Each team definitely has its share of cuties and the San Francisco 49ers are no exception! Let’s take a look at QB Colin Kaepernick, WR Michael Crabtree, and OLB Aaron Lynch.

#7 Colin Kaepernick – Quarterback

Colin Kaepernick has only been the 49ers’ starting quarterback for two years but in that short time, he has already led his team to the Super Bowl in 2012 and the NFC Championship in 2013. In addition to his accomplishments in football, he also undoubtedly has one of the best bodies in all of the NFL…tattoos and everything. Yes Lawd!

#15 Michael Crabtree – Wide Receiver

Wide receiver Michael Crabtree has always been extremely talented. In high school, he excelled at both football and basketball and got recruited for both sports. In college, he was recognized as the nation’s top receiver two years in a row. Drafted in 2009 in the first round, Michael continues to be great in the NFL, with his coach Jim Harbaugh calling him the “greatest catcher of all time”. #59 Aaron Lynch – Outside Linebacker

Linebacker Aaron Lynch is a rookie who was drafted by the 49ers this past May. With only 5 games under his belt, he already has the second highest number of quarterback hits and pressures on the team. Pretty impressive for a rookie!