Five 49ers' QB Performances Worse Than Kaepernick's
If you didn't watch the San Francisco 49ers game last Sunday, good. You saved yourself some hair-pulling and pillow-punching from watching Colin Kaepernick throw pick after pick after pick (after pick).
Just by looking at the box score, you'll know it was a long game for the 49ers - Kaepernick was 9 for 19 with 67 yards and four interceptions. No touchdowns. His passer rating was a career-low 16.7 for the day.
While that is a terribly low passer rating, I dug up some poorer performances from previous 49ers quarterbacks to make Kaepernick feel a little better.
Here are five worse QB performances in a 49er uniform since 1960:
5. Alex Smith (Oct. 9, 2005)
Yes, the man who Kaepernick replaced behind center had a far worse day in his career. It was week five of Smith's rookie year, a 28-3 loss to Peyton Manning and the Colts. Smith threw 23 times, completing just nine passes for 74 yards (no touchdowns). He also completed four passes to the other team for interceptions, lowering his passer rating to an 8.5. Boy, those were some dark times for Niner fans.
4. Steve DeBerg (Sept. 24, 1978)
Speaking of dark times, here come the 70's. DeBerg started against the New York Giants and lost 27-10 - not a terrible defeat. The real embarrassment was DeBerg's 4.4 passer rating. He was 11-33 with 112 yards and four interceptions in the loss. He somehwat made up for it with a goal line rushing touchdown. Also: O.J. Simpson ran for 88 yards in this game.
3. Tom Owen (Dec. 1, 1974)
Owen had a rough day on Dec. 1, 1974. the 49ers lost 7-0 to the Cleveland Browns on a fourth quarter touchdown. Owen didn't help much with his 6-23 completions, 74 yards, and five (FIVE!) interceptions. His passer rating was a horrible 0.9 and I'm sure this day still haunts him in his sleep.
2. John Brodie (Oct. 22, 1961)
The Great John Brodie had one of the worst quarterback performances ever by a 49er on this day. His passer rating (0.0) could not have been lower in an ugly 31-0 shut out by the Chicago Bears. He was 3-10 with just 23 yards and a couple interceptions. Fun fact: Mike Ditka ripped the 49ers secondary apart that day with four catches, 107 yards and two touchdowns.
1. Jim Plunkett (Sept. 19, 1977)
Even great QB's have bad days - just less frequently. Plunkett had a tough day against the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing 3-13 with 30 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 shut out. His 0.0 passer rating (just like Brodie's), could not get any worse. Just three years later, he won a Superbowl with the Raiders and he was the game MVP. See? It can get better, Kaepernick.
