Has the league figured out Colin Kaepernick? Has it figured out Jim Harbaugh? Or are the Niners just not as good as we all thought they were?
Maybe it’s all three.
Kaepernick hasn’t looked great since Week 1, when the Packers essentially let him throw into soft zones all afternoon. In the next two games, he had 277 yards combined. Also, he hasn’t rushed the same as when he was leading San Fran to the Super Bowl and allowed the team to ship off former No. 1 Alex Smith.
Harbaugh’s vaunted defence hasn’t looked the same since late last season. This was a team that used to smother running attacks while also staying strong against the pass. Then, after Seattle blew them out in Week 16 last year, the 49ers defence has looked average, despite coming within a fourth down of winning the Super Bowl.
Maybe the team has become complacent, losing consecutive games for the first time under Harbaugh. There has not been a lot of roster turnover, so maybe the players are starting to tune him out.
These are all problems that need to be fixed – and quickly.
The thing is, this might not be the week for it. The Rams played the Niners better than almost anybody last year despite being far less talented. Combine that with the short week and not having to travel and it’s a safe bet to take the points for the home ’dogs.
Pick: ST. LOUIS +3.5 over San Francisco
Last week: 5-10-1
This season: 20-26-1