FanPost

Was Colin Kaepernick's supposed "2014 regression" reality?

There has been much debate and commentary about this topic, but as I continue to hear "...and given his less than stellar 2014..." about Colin Kaepernick I am a bit confused. A recent article about our "bounceback candidates" included the preceding quote and I just don't know that he's getting a fair shake, given how the overall season went.

Let me explain myself: 2014 saw him set personal bests in several areas: Attempts (478 which is +15%), Completions (289 which is +19%), Passing Yards (3369 which is +5.4%), Rushing Attempts (104 which is +13%), and Rushing Yards (639 which is +22%). Colin was sacked 52 times - which is 2nd only to Blake Bortles and his miserable O-line. Common theme there? I think so. FYI - Kap was sacked at nearly double the average rate (28).

For reference, he was sacked only 39 times in 2013 (tied for 11th), making this past season a 33% regression in protection.

The only areas he was not career best are Completion % (60.5 with his career avg being 60.1), TDs (19 vs 21 in 2013), overall passer rating (86.4 vs a 90.6 career average), and rushing YPC (6.5 vs career high 6.6 in 2012). For reference, Andrew Luck had a Comp% of 61.7 and the league average for passers with >100 attempts is 62.6% (Tony Freaking Romo topped the list with 69.9%! O-line much, anyone?)

Keep in mind his number of completions were up by 19% while attempts were up only 15% - a clear improvement in efficiency. But since we just couldn't get into the end zone most of the time, these improvements didn't really show up where it counts most - on the scoreboard.

So taking all of this into consideration, I just don't see the whole "big regression" so many people here and in the media are talking about. Oddly, he threw the same number of combined TDs and INTs the last 2 years (29) but swapped 2 TDs for INTs in 2014. I get he threw 2 more INTs and his passer rating dropped a few points, but "huge regression?" I don't think so.

The 2014 49ers offense was - to quote a line from one of my favorite movies - a stinking pile of "diseased rhinoceros pizzle." That was the result of a number of things not clicking, O-line injuries, and a WR corps of possession clones that just couldn't get open.

While I share everyone's frustration with the 2014 season, I just don't think the data support any sort of significant "regression" from Kap. Your thoughts and debate are welcome!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.