As 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick ran for an NFL-record 181 yards in the divisional playoff win over the Packers, he heard a sound that was music to his ears: Players on Green Bay’s defense getting on each other’s cases about why no one could stop him.
In a long profile by Peter King of TheMMQB.com, Kaepernick reveals that during that game, the Packers’ defenders began yelling at each other about why nothing was working against the 49ers’ offense.
“It got to a point,” Kaepernick says, “where we could hear [the Packers’ defenders] arguing while we were in our huddle. ‘You’re supposed to do this,’ or ‘You have to do this, then the other.’ At that point, our offense was like, It’s over. As soon as you start turning on your teammates, you’re not going to be productive. You know you have them in the palm of your hands.”
Kaepernick’s memory of the 49ers’ Super Bowl experience against the Ravens is obviously not so pleasant: On his last pass, Kaepernick believes Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith should have been flagged for contact with 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree.
“I’m not going to comment on it, but you’re asking the question for a reason,” Kaepernick told King of that play. “Still not really over it. It feels like something was stolen.”
That’s a feeling Kaepernick can get out of his mind with some more performances like the game he played against the Packers.