Everyone's always saying that pro league games are on a whole different level compared to college leagues. But what does that really mean?
Just check out the rookie seasons of these top quarterbacks:
Peyton Manning got drafted and started right away, but he only managed a sad three wins and thirteen losses. Drew Brees and Tom Brady? They spent their rookie years warming the bench, with Brady not even making it past fourth-string. Aaron Rodgers? He had to sit tight for three years before he got his shot.
The whole league knows college games just don't cut it when it comes to intensity. Rookies need time to get used to the pro game's speed and style, especially quarterbacks, who have to nail down some seriously complex tactics. Most teams won't throw a rookie QB into the starting lineup unless they absolutely have to.
"Pulling up seedlings to help them grow" is the perfect way to put it, and it's something every team tries to avoid.
The San Francisco 49ers didn't have many options. Jim Harbaugh decided to go all in, and after some talks, the team's manager and management backed him up.
For Colin Kaepernick, this was his big shot, but reality hit hard. The pro league was like a beast, ready to chew him up and spit him out, leaving him barely any room to breathe.
In the first three preseason games, Colin looked like he was sleepwalking.
In the first game, they got smashed by the New Orleans Saints, 3-24. The second game wasn't any better, losing 3-17 to the Oakland Raiders. And in the third game, they got wrecked by the Houston Texans, 7-30.
Colin's performance was rough, with a pass completion rate under 40%. His short, medium, and long passes were all off, and his accuracy was terrible. He threw seven interceptions and fumbled twice, losing possession nine times in total.
To make things worse, his strong running game from college was shut down. He got sacked, tackled, and hit so many times that he only managed 83 rushing yards over three games.
His college strengths got neutralized, and his weaknesses were on full display.
At the same time, Colin was drowning in the complex playbook, leaving him totally lost. It was a mess: three games, zero passing touchdowns. The only touchdown they got was from running back Anthony Dixon against the Houston Texans.
With a Wonderlic score of 37, Colin's no dummy. In fact, he's pretty sharp. For comparison, the highest Wonderlic score among the top four quarterbacks is Aaron Rodgers' 35. So, the issue isn't Colin's intelligence.
So, what's the real problem?
Time. Or rather, the lack of it. Not enough time means not enough experience, poor adaptation, and being out of sync. It's the same problem every rookie quarterback faces: they need more time and space to grow.
But the San Francisco 49ers are in a tough spot. Their second quarterback is also a rookie, and an undrafted one at that. Compared to him, Colin is already the better option and was the guy they had their eye on early in the draft.
Sure, they could question why they didn't pick up a veteran quarterback after Alex Smith's injury to avoid this mess. They could also wonder why Colin's growth is slower than expected and if they should've drafted someone else like Jack Locker or Blaine Gabbert.
But those questions are pointless now. Instead of blaming and regretting, they need to focus on the present and find solutions. It's still the preseason, and they can fix these problems. Panicking now would be the worst move.
So, for the fourth preseason game, Jim put his trust in Colin again.
Usually, there's a week between games: two days off, four days of training, and then game day. But to prep for the final preseason game, the 49ers did six days of full-on training, focusing on Colin, breaking down the playbook, and practicing over and over.
But when the game started, the nightmare continued.
Colin's first pass was an interception. The offense hadn't even warmed up, and they were already walking off the field, confused.
On the sidelines, Jim was fuming, "Read, read! You have to read the defense! What are you doing?"
That interception was a total rookie mistake by Colin. He calmly threw the ball right into the hands of a San Diego Chargers defender. Even the commentators couldn't help but chuckle, "Did the 49ers' quarterback forget which team he's on?"
Colin didn't say a word, sulking as he walked to the sidelines and yanked off his helmet, stewing in his frustration. Braylon tried to comfort him, but Colin shoved him away.
Geep and Greg exchanged glances, both shaking their heads. Finally, Greg stepped up and cautiously suggested, "Jim, should we try someone else? At least it might change the vibe; things are really bad right now."
Jim scratched his head in frustration and glared at Greg, "We don't have any other options."
Jim had thought about Greg's suggestion, but with the regular season just around the corner, he could feel the pressure mounting. Changing course now might crush Colin's confidence even more. A small leak can sink a great ship, and he couldn't afford to open that door.
So, the next offensive drive had to be Colin. This is the pro stage: either you step up, or you fall apart. No other choices.
The game went on. Luckily, the San Diego Chargers were just as inconsistent tonight, much like the 49ers.
Both teams were making mistakes left and right, with penalties all over the place, making the game not only dull but also constantly interrupted. Maybe the Chargers' defense wasn't pushing hard enough, giving Colin some breathing room; or maybe the experience from the previous games was finally kicking in. Either way, Colin started to find his rhythm.
And then, Colin scored a touchdown.
A passing touchdown, connecting with Braylon Edwards, marking the first passing touchdown for the 49ers in four preseason games.
After breaking the ice, Colin finally found his footing, and Jim's trust paid off. Following the first passing touchdown, Colin scored his first rushing touchdown in the third quarter. During a red zone offense, with no passing options, Colin decided to run it himself, completing a five-yard sprint and scoring his first professional touchdown.
By the end of the third quarter, the score between the 49ers and the Chargers was tied at 17-17. There was still one quarter left to fight for the 49ers' first preseason victory.
But as the fourth quarter kicked off, the Chargers struck first. They had a drive that lasted over six minutes, and while it didn't end in a touchdown, they did manage to get into field goal range. After nailing the field goal, they took the lead at 20-17.
Trailing, the 49ers sent Colin back in, but they went three-and-out, giving the ball right back to the Chargers. However, the Chargers also went three-and-out after a series of mistakes. This back-and-forth brought the game to the two-minute warning, with the 49ers holding possession. A field goal could tie it, and a touchdown could flip the script.
After the two-minute warning, Colin led the offense back onto the field. Despite some hiccups, they managed to cross midfield. Then, the Chargers tightened their defense, forcing Colin into a rushed pass and a passing error, putting the team in a third-and-eight situation.
On third down, Colin decided to scramble out of the pocket, trying to advance the ball himself, but he got hit hard by two defenders, knocking him to the ground.
Colin didn't get up.
The entire 49ers team was thrown into chaos. The medical staff rushed over, and after checking him out on the field, they found his body was fine, but his vision was a bit blurry. To be safe, they needed to run more tests, so Colin left the field with the help of the medical staff. Backup quarterback Luke stepped in as the emergency replacement.
But this time, Luke couldn't be the hero.
With no room for error, the 49ers had to go for it on fourth down. Luke threw an interception, completely crushing the 49ers' hopes and giving possession back to the Chargers.
The game ended 20-17, with the 49ers losing their fourth preseason game, finishing the preseason winless. It felt like a nightmare they couldn't wake up from.
And the disaster wasn't over.
In the post-game check, Colin failed the league's concussion protocol. Because of the concussion, he was required to miss at least four games. When he could return, or if he could return, would be determined after further observation.
Then, the 49ers' misfortune hit its peak: after careful consideration and urgent discussions, the team officially announced that undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Howard would start the first regular-season game.
The news sent shockwaves throughout the league!
When Jim informed Luke of the team's decision, Luke's first reaction was: What's the deal? Why are all the starting quarterbacks getting injured? Is this some kind of Ryan Fitzpatrick curse?
Is this a good thing?