National football conference 2010 playoffs: 49ers hit Packers 45-31

Ever considering that coach Jim Harbaugh gave second-year quarterbackColin Kaepernick the starting up nod above hot-handed Alex Smith, the query has hovered in excess of the 49ers like a cloud.

Did Harbaugh make the correct determination?

The highly effective and elusive Kaepernick presented a resounding solution Saturday evening which has a record-setting functionality inside a 45-31 victory above the Packers inside a divisional playoff game at Candlestick Park.

On the evening when Kaepernick became Keepernick, the 49ers quarterback torched the Packers with his arm and his feet, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for two.

He scored on runs of twenty and 56 yards. The 56-yarder was the longest run by a quarterback from the playoffs, surpassing a 51-yard run through the Titans' Steve McNair in Jan. 2000.

"Guy's taking part in football, guy, he's which makes it take place," 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree mentioned of Kaepernick. "He's a playmaker."

Kaepernick also shattered Michael Vick's mark of 119 yards rushing -- the former postseason rushing record by a quarterback -- by using a game-high 181 yards on 16 carries.

"The offense that we've got produces quite a bit of confusion with all the quarterback we've who can run as quick as he can," mentioned tackle Joe Staley, a part of an offense that gained 323 yards to the ground and 579 complete. "He could also throw the ball downfield. We desire to move the chains any way we are able to, but it really is fantastic to move the ball along with the ground game."

Kaepernick received off to a bumpy start out ¡§C his 2nd pass was intercepted and run back 52 yards for any touchdown ¡§C but he under no circumstances lost his composure, upstaging Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFL's reigning most worthwhile player.

"Anytime your teammates have self-assurance in you plus they really feel very good about what you happen to be performing, it helps make you're feeling like you happen to be undertaking the proper items," Kaepernick explained.

The Packers have been outscored 21-0, inside the 2nd half and had two turnovers that led to 49ers touchdowns.

"It's quite irritating," explained Rodgers, who threw for 257 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. "To go out and perform like that's disappointing. We did not do sufficient on offense to assist our defense."

For that 2nd consecutive season, San Francisco has sophisticated for the NFC championship game exactly where it'll encounter the winner of Sunday's game amongst the Seahawks and Falcons.

"They competed like maniacs," Harbaugh mentioned of his gamers, "and now we have received a further week of operate."

It had been a large day for that Harbaugh loved ones, with Jim's older brother, John, coaching the Ravens to a double-overtime win at Denver.

"That was a authentic football battle," Jim explained with the Ravens' 38-35 victory. "Had an opportunity to view a number of it prior to our game. Truly feel fantastic for John and his crew."

The Packers saw their season open and near with losses for the 49ers. They dropped their opener to San Francisco 30-22 at Lambeau Field.

Saturday's rematch featured Rodgers, a 49ers fan in Northern California who wore a Joe Montana T-shirt beneath his pads as being a kid, and Kaepernick, who was born in Milwaukee and grew up idolizing Brett Favre.

Crabtree caught two touchdown passes for your 49ers, and Frank Gore and Anthony Dixon just about every ran for the score.

Regardless of it becoming his initially postseason start off, Kaepernick was unflappable, even just after the pick-six interception to start out the game. He came back about the up coming possession and orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with his 20-yard keeper for the
touchdown. That came on third-and-8, and -- in contrast to his longer touchdown run -- was not a planned run for him.

"Man-to-man coverage, they doubled Crab, broke down and I saw a operating lane," the quarterback explained that has a shrug.

Place only by Packers receiver Greg Jennings: "We lost to a far better group currently."

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Alabama's Lacy, Milliner, Fluker Type in NFL Draft

Alabama tailback Eddie Lacy, cornerback Dee Milliner and ideal tackle D.J. Fluker are getting into the NFL draft following assisting lead the Crimson Tide to a 2nd straight nationwide title.

Lacy and Milliner announced their ideas to skip their senior seasons Friday at a news conference. Fluker could not be there to the announcement since he was traveling.

It can be a further exodus of talented underclassmen to get a group which has won 3 on the previous 4 nationwide championships. The vast majority of the 4 first-round picks in just about every in the previous two drafts that left Alabama had been underclassmen.

"I enjoy what they've carried out for your University of Alabama but we also acknowledge the truth that from a organization standpoint, these guys are producing fantastic selections about their potential and what they're able to do," coach Nick Saban mentioned.

Contrary to current groups of departing juniors from Alabama, only Milliner is pegged being a positive first-round select.

He was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist and unanimous All-American right after recording two interceptions and 22 pass deflections. He and guard Possibility Warmack, who was a senior, are projected since the Tide's prime present prospective customers.

"I believe although I was right here, I met the many objectives and group affirmations that I set for myself as being a freshman by winning a championship, starting to be an All-American, just becoming portion of the group that generally loved to win," Milliner stated. "I consider I fulfilled all my aims and am prepared and ready to visit the following degree."

Lacy was MVP with the nationwide championship game against Notre Dame immediately after rushing for 140 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He explained he was not a hundred % balanced all season until eventually the title game Monday evening, but Lacy nevertheless ran for one,322 yards and 17 touchdowns though averaging six.five yards per carry.

"We never possess a large amount of many years to perform this place, which means you should go even though you may," Lacy stated. "I would like to come back. This can be a wonderful area. We've got the ideal enthusiasts, but I definitely did not choose to threat coming back and never owning this kind of a fantastic year or perhaps even risking injury. I have had my share of injuries this year. I really feel like you have got to have out whilst it is possible to."

Lacy thinks he "made a rather strong statement" inside the title game, when he manufactured a spin move to the finish zone on the TD catch and on an additional run pushed 248-pound linebacker Danny Spond away with 1 hand.

Lacy was recruited while in the very same class as Trent Richardson, final year's No. three choose by Cleveland, but redshirted after which spent two seasons as being a backup. He's not extensively projected to adhere to Richardson and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in to the 1st round. Lacy explained he was projected like a second- or third-round select in feedback in the NFL, but was extraordinary within the finale. Ordinarily, Saban only suggests projected first-round picks leave early.

"I'm thoroughly supportive of what Eddie's executing," Saban mentioned. "It's slightly bit of the distinctive condition than we have had while in the previous, but it is slightly bit special too. Each one among these scenarios is exclusive to that specific person and what his scenario is. "

The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Fluker began 35 video games for that Tide and was a second-team Connected Press All-American.

He was one of many Tide's top-rated signees in 2009 but came in overweight at about 395 pounds and was redshirted.

"I absolutely really feel like this year continues to be his ideal year being a player, and I truly feel that he's produced an excellent selection about what he desires to perform," explained Saban, including that Fluker has enhanced as significantly as any player to the crew.

The mammoth Fluker, who wears a size-22 shoe, mentioned inside a statement that leaving early "is never ever a straightforward determination when you're taking part in at a spot like Alabama."

"''These 4 many years in Tuscaloosa are the very best 4 many years of my lifestyle and I enjoy every person who assisted me along the way in which," he explained.

Quarterback AJ McCarron, All-America linebacker C.J. Moseley and guard Anthony Steen have currently mentioned they are returning for their senior seasons. Saban did not rule out other juniors quite possibly declaring for that draft in advance of Tuesday's deadline.

The Tide does have promising gamers who've logged a lot of taking part in time behind Lacy and Milliner, specifically. Two freshmen - tailback T.J. Yeldon (one,108 yards, twelve touchdowns) - and cornerback Geno Smith saw considerable action.

"You've got people today that happen to be likely to visit the NFL annually and you have got persons behind them which are likely to do the identical matters when their time comes," Milliner explained.

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