Kaepernick hurt the Packers with 181 yards rushing and two TDs in a playoff victory FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Atlanta Falcons defenders plan to send a punishing message to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, something an embarrassed Green Bay Packers defense forgot to do in a 45-31 blowout loss -- when Kaepernick was running for a quarterback-record 181 yards.
"If you get the opportunity to blow up somebody and make a statement, that's what you want to do,'' safety William Moore said. "They're a physical team, too. Their receivers block down the field.
GOOD FIT FOR VICK: Will Kelly keep Eagles QB?
"We're going to go out there well-prepared. Keeping the quarterback in the pocket, we have to go in there and keep contain on him.''
Fellow safety Thomas DeCoud, whose grandfather John Thomas was a 49ers offensive tackle from 1956-1962, shared the same message. He hinted the Falcons might utilize a spy -- a defensive player dedicated to shadow Kaepernick to keep him from getting outside and running for long gains.
"You definitely want to set the tone and send a message if he's a guy that likes to run the ball: 'We're going to be here.' You want to put some tags on him if he keeps the ball in his hands,'' DeCoud said. "With a quarterback of this caliber who can tote the rock like he can, you always have to be accounted for -- have somebody account for him in the rush or in the back end. Somebody has to have eyes on him to make sure we keep him in the pocket. "If a guy is blitzing, make sure you get him on the ground," DeCoud added. "That's definitely going to be a part of what we need to do and how we need to get this 'W.''' That's easier said than done after Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson gashed the Falcons for 445 combined passing and rushing yards, including 275 yards and four touchdowns in the second half.
"Kaepernick is more of a one-read-and-go type guy, whereas Russell was using his feet to get to his second and third reads to come open,'' DeCoud said.
"Kaepernick most resembles RGIII. In terms of speed, he has comparable speed to RGIII, because you could see when he played against the Packers, he ran away from them on that one (56-yard) touchdown run.''
PHOTOS: Famous playoff field goals and infamous misses 
The 1972 Dolphins were perfect at 17-0, but in their Super Bowl VII win over the Redskins, kicker Garo Yepremian provided one of the biggest gaffes in Super Bowl history. His kick was blocked, he recovered, then tried to pass in haste, only it was deflected into the hands of Mike Bass (41), who took it to the end zone for Washington's only touchdown of the game.
AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Bills kicker Scott Norwood (11) walking off the field in dejection after missing wide right on a 47-yard field goal on the last play of Super Bowl XXV, giving the Giants a 20-19 win.
Chris O'Meara, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Giants kicker Matt Bahr (9) made five field goals in the 1990 NFC Championship Game, including this game-winner as time expired to beat the 49ers 15-13.
George Rose, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, middle right, is lifted in the air by teammates Rod Rutledge (83) and Ken Walter (13) as Jermaine Wiggins (85) celebrates after Vinatieri kicked the winning field goal in overtime to beat the Raiders 16-13 in a 2001 AFC divisional game. This all happened because of the infamous Tuck Rule.
Matthew J. Lee, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
The Patriots, huge underdogs heading into Super Bowl XXXVI, completed a stunning upset of the Rams after Adam Vinatieri hit a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired to give New England a 20-17 win.
Anne Ryan, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Adam Vinatieri (4) was clutch for the second time in Super Bowl XXXVIII, connecting on a 41-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining to give the Patriots a 32-29 win over the Panthers.
Rob Schumacher, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
The play Tony Romo might never live down. Can't hold on to the snap on a 19-yard chip shot field goal, can't scramble his way into the end zone, Seahawks hold on for a 21-20 win over the Cowboys in a 2006 NFC wild card game.
John Froschauer, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
With one field goal in overtime, Garrett Hartley sent the Saints' sideline into a celebratory frenzy and the franchise to its first Super Bowl after a win over the Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship Game.
Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
With five seconds remaining, Jim O'Brien (80) kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Baltimore Colts a 16-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V.
AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Gary Anderson, who hadn't missed a field goal all season, missed from 38 yards as time expired in the NFC Championship Game. As a result, the game went into overtime, where the Falcons completed a stunning win over the heavily favored Vikings, 30-27.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
In Brett Favre's last game as a Packer, the Giants' Lawrence Tynes (9) sent Favre and Co. packing after a game-winning 47-yard field goal in overtime at Lambeau Field, giving the Giants a 23-20 win in the 2007 NFC Championship Game.
Eileen Blass, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
To complete the greatest comeback in NFL history, Bills kicker Steve Christie made a 32-yard field goal in overtime to give Buffalo a dramatic 41-38 win over the Oilers in a 1992 AFC wild card game.
Rick Stewart, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt (13) was furious after missing a what would've been a game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter of a 21-18 loss to the Steelers in the 2005 AFC divisional playoffs.
Darron Cummings, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
The 2011 AFC Championship Game could've been the Ravens' to win, except kicker Billy Cundiff (7) missed the game-tying field goal to send it into overtime, sealing the win for the Patriots.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Jets kicker Doug Brien (6) could only hang his head after missing a 43-yard field goal as time expired, sending the game into overtime where the Steelers won 20-17 in a 2004 AFC divisional playoff game.
Michael Conroy, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Thanks to a botched snap by snapper Trey Junkin, Giants kicker Matt Bryant couldn't attempt a winning field goal kick against the 49ers in a 2002 NFC wild card game. Instead, place holder Matt Allen (12) took the ball and heaved a prayer unsuccessfully down field in the final seconds, as San Francisco held on for a 39-38 comeback win.
Paul Sakuma, AP Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (9) ended Peyton Manning and the Broncos' season by hitting the winning field goal in double overtime of a 2012 AFC divisional playoff game.
Joe Mahoney, AP
No comments :
Post a Comment