SANTA CLARA — Chip Kelly has made a change at quarterback. Colin Kaepernick will start Week 6 against the Buffalo Bills.
“We need to improve on the offense,” Kelly said. “We wanted to make the change at the beginning of the week. It’s a football decision.”
The 49ers head coach delivered the news to both Kaepernick and Blaine Gabbert on Tuesday. Kaepernick’s response, according to Kelly?
“Let’s go,” the quarterback said.
The 49ers have been floundering since a Week 1, 28-0 victory over the Rams. Gabbert has been dreadful at times, completing 58 percent of his passes, throwing five touchdowns, six interceptions and posting the second-worst QB rating through Week 6 (69.6). Gabbert has thrown for more than 200 yards only once this season and was booed from the first quarter to the fourth last Thursday at Levi’s Stadium.
Losers of four straight, Kelly decided Tuesday was the right time to make the switch.
“It’s not Blaine’s fault,” Kelly said. “It’s as a group offensively we need to be better in a lot of ways…They were both fine, both professional. Obviously, the conversation with Kap is different than the conversation is with Blaine.”
What Kelly is getting at is that the 49ers’ problems on offense go way beyond quarterback. The lack of playmaking options at wide receiver and tight end has Kelly’s offense ranked at the bottom of the league. Gabbert scrambling has been one of the only truly effective plays on offense all season. We’ll leave it up for interpretation whether Kelly took a shot at the way GM Trent Baalke constructed the roster.
“It was really one of the only maneuvers we could make, based on our depth,” Kelly said.
Kelly said the offense won’t change at all under Kaepernick’s direction and schematically will look nearly identical. Kaepernick last played in November of 2015, a 27-6 loss to the St. Louis Rams. Last season he completed 59 percent of his passes for six touchdowns, five interceptions and a 78.5 quarterback rating.
“I have the same expectations for our team: be successful and to score points on the offensive side of the ball,” Kelly said.
Why didn’t Kelly make the change sooner? He contends it wasn’t about Kaepernick’s restructured contract. He maintains his position that six extra weeks of rehab was huge for Kaepernick, meaning getting back into football shape.
“He’s worked as hard any anyone I’ve been around in terms of his rehab,” Kelly said. “I think he’s gotten physically stronger in these six weeks.”
Kelly said the decision was made based on consultations with the coaching staff, and there wasn’t a lively debate on the choice.
Chip Kelly announces Colin Kaepernick will start for the 49ers this week vs. Buffalo
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) October 11, 2016