49ers rout Packers to book spot in NFC title game

(Reuters) - Quarterback Colin Kaepernick set an NFL rushing record as he outplayed reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 45-31 playoff win over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
Fueled by a sensational 181 yards gained on the ground by second-year player Kaepernick, the 49ers broke the game open in the second half for an emphatic win that put them into the January 20 National Football Conference title game.
San Francisco, who "competed like maniacs," according to coach Jim Harbaugh, will face the winner of Sunday's divisional playoff showdown between the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks with a berth in the Super Bowl at stake.
Kaepernick, who replaced injured starter Alex Smith midway through the regular season, set a National Football League (NFL) rushing record for a quarterback as he used his long strides to run past defenders on scoring gallops of 56 and 20 yards.
The 6-foot-5 Kaepernick also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree in the romp.
"Our offensive line did an amazing job today," said the 25-year-old Kaepernick, who eclipsed Michael Vick's previous rushing standard for a quarterback of 173 yards for Atlanta against Minnesota in 2002.
"They shut everybody down inside. Our receivers, our tight ends blocked great outside and our running backs were running hard so it made it easier on me.'
Kaepernick completed 17-of-31 passes for 263 yards, giving him 444 yards in total offense.
Rodgers completed 26-of-39 for 257 yards, two touchdown and one interception, with his second scoring strike coming at the end of the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
"They played very poised. I thought they competed like maniacs," San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said about his team. "We'll move on with humble hearts and get ready for our next opponent."
Kaepernick started on a shaky note in his playoff debut, tossing an interception on his second pass of the game that was returned 52 yards for a touchdown by Sam Shields for a 7-0 Green Bay lead.
But he recovered quickly, leading the 49ers on an 80-yard drive he capped off with a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 7-7.
"There was a lot of game left," the Niners quarterback said. "It was just a bad decision. I knew I just had to bounce back in order for us to win this game."
The teams traded touchdowns during an action-packed first half, with the 49ers moving ahead 21-14 after turning a fumbled punt return and an interception into touchdowns.
San Francisco took a 24-21 lead into intermission after a 36-yard field goal by David Akers as time ran out.
After Green Bay tied it at 24-24 with a 31-yard field goal by Mason Crosby early in the third quarter, San Francisco and Kaepernick dominated.
In their next possession, the 49ers quarterback faked a hand-off and took off to his right, using his long strides to race untouched into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown that provided a lead they never relinquished.
San Francisco ran roughshod over the Packers, gaining 323 yards on the ground, with Frank Gore contributing 119 yards and a two-yard touchdown matched later in the second half by team mate Anthony Dixon.
Rodgers, who led the NFL in passer rating during the regular season, blamed the Green Bay offense for the loss.
"It's pretty frustrating," said Rodgers. "To go out and play like that is disappointing. We didn't do enough on offense.
"Our defense probably got a little tired out there."
The 49ers, who also reached the NFC title game last year, are trying to return to the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years.
"We're one step closer to where we want to be," said Kaepernick, whose big-play ability kept Smith on the sidelines even after he recovered from his Week 10 concussion.

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NFL-Bold move pays off with record-breaking Kaepernick

Jan 12 (Reuters) - San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh went against the book when he stayed with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick as starting quarterback even after regular Alex Smith was fit to return.
Kaepernick made the move look like a stroke of genius as he wrote a brilliant opening chapter to his playoff career with a record-breaking performance in a 45-31 victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
The strong-armed quarterback set a National Football League standard for rushing by a quarterback by gaining 181 yards on the ground including touchdowns covering 56 and 20 yards.
The 25-year-old Kaepernick terrorised the team he grew up cheering for as a boy in Wisconsin before his family moved to California.
"It's been amazing," the 2011 second-round draft pick out of the University of Nevada-Reno said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
He also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree and had 263 passing yards for 444 yards of total offense that impressed Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player.
"He was running all over the field," said Rodgers, who led the Packers to the Super Bowl title two years ago.
"He's big, strong, athletic, throws the ball well, runs the ball extremely well. We didn't really have a whole lot of answers for him."
Harbaugh had to answer wave after wave of questions when he installed Kaepernick as his regular quarterback after Smith, the 2005 top pick of the NFL Draft, had recovered from a concussion after missing one game.
The 49ers coach saw Kaepernick and his big-play ability as the quarterback of the future who was ready to take over for the steady, but unspectacular Smith, who steered the team into the NFC title game last season.
Kaepernick passed his first post-season test with flying colors and shared the credit.
"Our offensive line played great today. They did a lot of good things up front. Our running backs ran well and our receivers made plays," said the 6-foot-5 (1.96 m) Kaepernick, who eats up yards with his long strides.
"It's a lot easier on me when other people are making plays."
Kaepernick threw an interception on his second pass of the game that turned into a 52-yard return by Sam Shields for a Green Bay touchdown, but quickly recovered his composure.
He led San Francisco on an 80-yard drive on the next series, tying the game 7-7 on a 20-yard touchdown run.
Kaepernick's 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter after a fake hand-off put the Niners out in front for good.
With his best previous NFL rushing effort the 84 yards he gained last month against the St Louis Rams, Kaepernick said he did not consider himself as a running quarterback.
"I don't want to be characterized," he said, adding that he figured he would have opportunities to run against Green Bay.
"We had a lot of plays we put in to try and utilize that, and also open up running lanes for our running backs. It was just another tool for this offense."

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Bold move pays off with record-breaking Kaepernick

(Reuters) - San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh went against the book when he stayed with second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick as starting quarterback even after regular Alex Smith was fit to return.
Kaepernick made the move look like a stroke of genius as he wrote a brilliant opening chapter to his playoff career with a record-breaking performance in a 45-31 victory over the visiting Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
The strong-armed quarterback set a National Football League standard for rushing by a quarterback by gaining 181 yards on the ground including touchdowns covering 56 and 20 yards.
The 25-year-old Kaepernick terrorized the team he grew up cheering for as a boy in Wisconsin before his family moved to California.
"It's been amazing," the 2011 second-round draft pick out of the University of Nevada-Reno said. "I couldn't ask for anything more."
He also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Michael Crabtree and had 263 passing yards for 444 yards of total offense that impressed Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player.
"He was running all over the field," said Rodgers, who led the Packers to the Super Bowl title two years ago.
"He's big, strong, athletic, throws the ball well, runs the ball extremely well. We didn't really have a whole lot of answers for him."
Harbaugh had to answer wave after wave of questions when he installed Kaepernick as his regular quarterback after Smith, the 2005 top pick of the NFL Draft, had recovered from a concussion after missing one game.
The 49ers coach saw Kaepernick and his big-play ability as the quarterback of the future who was ready to take over for the steady, but unspectacular Smith, who steered the team into the NFC title game last season.
Kaepernick passed his first post-season test with flying colors and shared the credit.
"Our offensive line played great today. They did a lot of good things up front. Our running backs ran well and our receivers made plays," said the 6-foot-5 Kaepernick, who eats up yards with his long strides.
"It's a lot easier on me when other people are making plays."
Kaepernick threw an interception on his second pass of the game that turned into a 52-yard return by Sam Shields for a Green Bay touchdown, but quickly recovered his composure.
He led San Francisco on an 80-yard drive on the next series, tying the game 7-7 on a 20-yard touchdown run.
Kaepernick's 56-yard touchdown run in the third quarter after a fake hand-off put the Niners out in front for good.
With his best previous NFL rushing effort the 84 yards he gained last month against the St Louis Rams, Kaepernick said he did not consider himself as a running quarterback.
"I don't want to be characterized," he said, adding that he figured he would have opportunities to run against Green Bay.
"We had a lot of plays we put in to try and utilize that, and also open up running lanes for our running backs. It was just another tool for this offense."

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PREVIEW-NFL-Texans' Schaub facing big test against Patriots

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub starts his first road playoff game, at the New England Patriots on Sunday, with the pressure on.
The Patriots, corning in from a bye week, loom as favorites in the American Football Conference (AFC) divisional round clash as they look to go one better than last season when they lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
New England crushed Houston 42-14 in week 14, a result which knocked the Texans off their perch and started a slump which also affected Schaub.
Although the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts in week 15, they ended the regular season with successive losses and then were far from convincing in the 19-13 wild-card round win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Schaub has thrown just one touchdown in those four games and has made three interceptions and given up 10 sacks.
The intense atmosphere of a road game in the playoffs will test all of the 31-year-old's character.
"I think he will be ready," said Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson.
"He's working his butt off like he's done every week. I think just getting his first (playoff) win probably got a monkey off his back because that is something people talked about," he said.
Schaub missed out on the playoffs last year due to injury but his opposite number Tom Brady has no shortage of post-season experience.
Brady has won 16 playoff games, a league record that he shares, for the moment, with Joe Montana.
He has also played in five Super Bowls, winning three of them, but he believes track records go out of the window when it comes to the playoffs.
"I played games early in my career when I had no experience and I did pretty well," he told reporters. "I think it always comes down to who is executing the best and not so much the experience."
The Texans must hope that their outstanding defensive end J.J. Watt can get to Brady and make life painfully uncomfortable.
"He's a force on every play, no matter what play you have called, he can run it," said Patriots head coach Bill Belch of Watt.
"He makes a lot of plays on the backside, disrupts the ball, strip-sacks, causes fumbles, batted balls. He's an excellent pass rusher, quick and powerful.

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Texans' Schaub facing big test against Patriots

(Reuters) - Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub starts his first road playoff game, at the New England Patriots on Sunday, with the pressure on.
The Patriots, corning in from a bye week, loom as favorites in the American Football Conference (AFC) divisional round clash as they look to go one better than last season when they lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
New England crushed Houston 42-14 in week 14, a result which knocked the Texans off their perch and started a slump which also affected Schaub.
Although the Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts in week 15, they ended the regular season with successive losses and then were far from convincing in the 19-13 wild-card round win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Schaub has thrown just one touchdown in those four games and has made three interceptions and given up 10 sacks.
The intense atmosphere of a road game in the playoffs will test all of the 31-year-old's character.
"I think he will be ready," said Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson.
"He's working his butt off like he's done every week. I think just getting his first (playoff) win probably got a monkey off his back because that is something people talked about," he said.
Schaub missed out on the playoffs last year due to injury but his opposite number Tom Brady has no shortage of post-season experience.
Brady has won 16 playoff games, a league record that he shares, for the moment, with Joe Montana.
He has also played in five Super Bowls, winning three of them, but he believes track records go out of the window when it comes to the playoffs.
"I played games early in my career when I had no experience and I did pretty well," he told reporters. "I think it always comes down to who is executing the best and not so much the experience."
The Texans must hope that their outstanding defensive end J.J. Watt can get to Brady and make life painfully uncomfortable.
"He's a force on every play, no matter what play you have called, he can run it," said Patriots head coach Bill Belch of Watt.
"He makes a lot of plays on the backside, disrupts the ball, strip-sacks, causes fumbles, batted balls. He's an excellent pass rusher, quick and powerful.
"He is a tough match-up with good technique, well coached and he plays hard. He's a factor on every play.

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Chiefs announce coordinators, assistant coaches

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid is wasting about as much time putting together his first coaching staff in Kansas City as he did in finding his new job.
The Chiefs coach announced Friday that former Eagles coach Doug Pederson would be his offensive coordinator and longtime Jets assistant Bob Sutton the defensive coordinator, along with the majority of the staff Reid hopes will turn around a 2-14 franchise.
The moves come one week after Reid was hired by the Chiefs to replace the fired Romeo Crennel, and less than two weeks after he was dismissed following 14 seasons with the Eagles.
Reid announced that Matt Nagy will coach the Chiefs' quarterbacks after two seasons as the Eagles' offensive quality control coach. Eric Bieniemy will work with running backs, Tom Melvin the tight ends, and David Culley will be an assistant head coach and work with wide receivers.
Reid has not announced an offensive line coach. Tommy Brasher will work with the defensive line, but Reid has not announced coaches for linebackers, defensive backs or special teams.
"I'm pleased we were able to get all of these coaches on board," Reid said. "I have relationships with each of them, and I know their past experiences, work ethics and coaching styles. These are high-character coaches, and each one brings something different to the table."
Pederson spent 12 seasons playing quarterback in the NFL, most of them with Green Bay. But he started the first part of the 1999 season for Philadelphia, when Reid has just been hired. He then helped tutor Donovan McNabb, the Eagles' second overall pick in the draft.
Pederson retired in 2004 and began his coaching career, spending two years as Reid's quality control coach and the past two seasons working with the Eagles' quarterbacks.
"Doug has been around the game a long time, and he has great vision," Reid said. "As a former player in this league, he sees the game from a different perspective, and that will be a great benefit for our players. He has a knack for developing talent."
Pederson will inherit an offense that was among the NFL's worst last season with quarterbacks Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. Pederson and Reid both said they'll examine the QB options already on the roster, but they'll also consider free agency, the trade market and using their No. 1 pick in the draft on upgrading the position.
"It's something I've studied the last few days, ever since Coach Reid and I talked about coming in," Pederson said on a conference call with reporters.
"It's a very talented group. It could be an explosive group," he said. "There's some weapons there on offense. Very similar to the circumstances we had this past year in Philadelphia."
Sutton will take over a defense that fared only slightly better than the Chiefs' offense.
A longtime college coach, Sutton spent nine seasons as the coach of Army before spending the past 13 seasons with the Jets. He was their linebackers coach from 2000-05, defensive coordinator for three years and senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for two years. He spent the past season as Rex Ryan's assistant head coach.
"Bob is a creative coach that is going to give our defense a variety of looks and packages," Reid said. "He has a lot of experience and is well respected across the league."
Bieniemy has spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Colorado. Melvin, Culley and Brasher all spent time with Reid in Philadelphia.
Reid also announced that Barry Rubin would serve as the Chiefs' head strength coach and Travis Crittenden would be his assistant. Reid's son, Britt Reid, and Corey Matthaei will be in charge of quality control, and Mike Frazier will be their statistical analysis coordinator.

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