San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) throws against the Houston Texans in the first quarter of an National Football League preseason game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, August 14, 2016. Even handedness wasn’t a concern Sunday after Kaepernick was held out with shoulder soreness that bothered him in the run-up to the game.
Advertisement
But as training camp practices melt away, the best chances for one quarterback to gain separation do too. He said last week that as much throwing as he did to get ready for training camp, it was almost impossible to replicate the same intensity of practices.
The guy who plays is nearly always ahead of the guy who doesn’t, especially when coach Chip Kelly has said the exhibition season will be the largest determining factor.
The only number that really matters, though, is the one on the scoreboard and the 49ers are going to have a really hard time being on the right side of that on a consistent basis no matter who Kelly ultimately chooses at the game’s most important position.
Gabbert threw two incompletions to start the game. Gabbert didn’t seal the deal Sunday, but Kaepernick needs to play and produce an impressive effort when the 49ers play at Denver on Saturday. But instead, he left the quarterback job just as open as it was the day Kelly announced it was open.
“Chip doesn’t really share the science behind it, we just go out and try to execute as quickly as we possibly can”, McDonald said. He was 4 for 10 for 63 yards with a touchdown in what Kelly termed an “up-and-down” performance.
“It’s really a day-to-day thing”, Kelly said. So, we’re going to continue to work on that. After a devastating knee injury in 2014, and a calf injury in 2015, Cruz has been trying to get himself back to where he once was.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) – Matt Forte made a cameo appearance on the practice field for the New York Jets on Sunday and later got cheered by the fans as he walked past the crowd.
And let’s not forget: A quarterback who once rushed for 181 yards all by himself in an National Football League playoff game didn’t play against the Texans because of a sore shoulder. Carlos Hyde figures to be the No. 1 running back but Davis – who also is considered a terrific pass blocker – could become a key piece of the offense.
I don’t know if arm fatigue and dead arm are the same thing, or what, so make what you want of it at this point.
At times we moved the ball well; I thought Vance showed up a little bit-it was good to get some production out of the tight end position. I’m not going to get into what we did call, what we didn’t call.
Now, the 49ers can officially turn their attention to the Broncos and what figures to be an excellent measuring stick for the quarterbacks and the offense as a whole against one of the league’s top defenses. For all the hoopla surrounding the Blaine Gabbert and Colin Kaepernick quarterback battle, not much was decided on Sunday.
-KELLY: I don’t look at it as a leg up.
Advertisement
“We’re just going to judge them on the opportunities to get in there and go”, Kelly said of the competition.
