Colin Kaepernick took the snap and dropped back looking left and then right before sending an errant pass that was tipped high into the air, landing into the waiting hands of the Indianapolis Colts defender.
Kaepernick walked off the field void of emotion as his team had just been handed a 20-point beating on their home field. The 49ers dropped to 1-2 and looked nothing like the NFC Championship team from one year ago.
Yes, it’s obviously Week 3, and it’s a long season ahead. But after seeing what the Colts did to the Niners, they may have some serious problems and it starts with a quickly aging Frank Gore.
During the first three games, Gore has rushed for a total of just 142 yards with 82 of those coming in the game against the Colts. 82 yards sounds like a productive day at the office but when you consider the Colts have the 27th ranked rushing defense and on average had allowed 136 rushing yards through their first two games, Gore’s day seems less impressive.
The Niners defense is still solid but if they want to return to last year’s form Kaepernick, who has five turnovers in the past two games, has to take care of the ball.
The hometown Buccaneers (0-3) managed not to tear their fans hearts out on the last play of the game. Instead, they let them suffer through an entire game of inept offense and questionable play calling.
This is a team with a good amount of talent on both sides of the ball, especially on defense, but they have no identity on offense. Do they pound the ball with Doug Martin or let Josh Freeman show what he can do in a contract year? It seems like the Bucs real problems lie internally, with the recent rift between Freeman and Head Coach Greg Schiano over “captain-gate” amongst other things. Nevertheless, the Bucs are a penalty and a missed field goal away from being 2-1. Then again, some people think the Browns are just a quarterback away from making the Super Bowl.
Speaking of the Browns, Brian Hoyer, filling in for injured Brandon Weeden, put hope in the hearts of Cleveland fans, even if it was only for one afternoon. Hoyer tossed 321 yards and three touchdowns as the Browns upset the Vikings in Minnesota. But before we crown Hoyer the messiah or even award him the starting job over Weeden, remember that he also threw three interceptions in the game and was aided to victory with two special teams trick plays that resulted in a combined 10 points.
The game of the day took place in Cincinnati, where the Bengals went up by 14 before watching Green Bay flip the table on them with 30 unanswered points. But to Cincinnati’s credit they didn’t quit. A 58-yard fumble recovery run back for a touchdown by cornerback Terence Newman and an impressive defensive series sealed the four-point win for a Cincinnati team that looks to be a very strong playoff contender.
The play of the day came in Tennessee when Jake Locker cocked back and heaved a 34-yard almost Hail Mary to rookie Justin Hunter, beating the Chargers 20-17. The play would have never been made if the Chargers had simply held on to a sure- thing interception on a tipped ball just one minute earlier.
After three weeks of NFL action, four of the NFC playoff teams from last season: the Packers, Falcons, 49ers and Vikings are all under .500. The Seahawks and Broncos look to be far and away the two best teams in football. Meanwhile, the Chiefs and Dolphins are 3-0 and somehow, someway those Jets are 2-1. Hey, they don’t call it Week Three for nothing.
Nathan Krohn can be reached at nathan.krohn@spartans.ut.edu.