Week Two: Colin Kaepernick vs. Ben Roethlisberger

The San Francisco 49ers confidently defeated the Vikings, but the Niners have a much greater test this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger. Pretty much every sports analyst picked the Steelers to win this game by about six points. I’d be more inclined to agree with the majority if it wasn’t for the great improvements the 49ers made last week. Specifically, Colin Kaepernick looked much more patient and mature as a quarterback than he did last season.

We all know that Carlos Hyde and the defense were the stars of the week one victory. However, Kaepernick’s strong poise and leadership allowed everybody else to succeed. That’s the formula the Niners will use this entire season in order to become the team that we expect to see.

People who doubted Colin Kaepernick in the offseason said that he needs to repair his game. It seemed like an endless conversation of critics calling him a bad passer, impatient, and over-hyped. Those who believe that couldn’t be more wrong.

Colin Kaepernick definitely was not a bad quarterback last year. It simply doesn’t make any sense to think that. There was a multitude of reasons why the 49ers finished with a disappointing record. The biggest issues actually had nothing to do with Kaepernick. Mainly, the sloppy defense last year was the catalyst towards all of those ugly losses. Plus, every single one of us learned that Jim Harbaugh didn’t mesh well with the organization or the players. To make matters worse, Greg Roman’s play calling was absolutely horrendous. But go ahead and keep putting the blame on Kaepernick’s ability.

Jim Tomsula was promoted to the head coaching position because the organization believed he was best for the team. So far, Tomsula certainly seems like the right man for the job. His coaching style is much player-friendly than Harbaugh’s was, and the team clearly meshes well with Tomsula. He’s the type of head coach who will bring the best out of his players. That was obvious with the great, cohesive performance the 49ers had against the Vikings.

Recently, Tomsula commended Kaepernick’s great ability. Basically, Tomsula said that Kaepernick is a talented quarterback who was never broken, and they need to utilize his skill set properly. That’s exactly what the apparent problem with Kaepernick was last season. The coaches didn’t make strategies for him very well. With a handful of new coaches, the Niners seem to have the pieces that will make Colin Kaepernick the best player and leader that he can be.