Stat Pack: Alex Smith Now, Colin Kaepernick Later

If it was guaranteed that the 49ers would face a quarterback controversy this season, it seemed impossible that it would involve a team that owns a 104.84 Offensive Passer Rating. Nevertheless, that's the case as the 49ers bring their 7-2-1 record into New Orleans for a rematch of last year's phenomenal battle in the NFC Divisional Round.

After Colin Kaepernick blazed the Bears' league-best pass defense with a 133.06 Offensive Passer Rating, it seems like Jim Harbaugh is ready to start him over Alex Smith, who currently owns a 104.06 rating of his own. It seems like Harbuagh might put his team in a real pickle, given the last Super Bowl champions to make a quarterback switch based on performance was the 2000 Ravens.

As host Adam Dobrowolski explains in this episode of "Stat Pack" on CHFF, Smith makes the best short-term option, while Colin Kaepernick makes the best long-term option. Dobrowolski points to the facts, including Smith's horrific record when the 49ers allow 24 points or more.

Also in this episode, Dobrowolski discusses which quarterback possibly threw his last meaningful pass as an NFL starter, which coach ended his team's playoff hopes with a poor personnel choice and which player made a Randy Moss-like breakout on Thanksgiving.

Furthermore, he provides some extra Mathletics from one Thanksgiving games, as well as his top six teams through Thanksgiving and his top six matchups for Week 12.

There's no need to determine who the hot hand is here. The flame is always burning on "Stat Pack."

Reference:
For those who are interested in checking out bits and pieces of this week's podcasts, every edition will include a "playlist" of sorts breaking down every segment from the podcast.

0:00 to 28:20 -- Six Pack of Statements

• 0:55 -- Why Colin Kaepernick makes the best long-term option for the 49ers
• 9:15 -- Why Andy Reid, Ron Rivera and Pat Shurmur confirmed their pink slips
• 16:00 -- Why the Patriots' greed may cost them later this season
• 19:15 -- Why Ken Whisenhunt cost the Cardinals their playoff lives
• 22:35 -- Why Blaine Gabbert's days in Jacksonville are over
• 25:20 -- Who Robert Griffin most resembled in his Thanksgiving dominance

28:40 to 36:20 -- Six Pack of "Mathletics" Regression from Week 11 (Rob Gronkowski's historic tight end numbers, Texans Defensive Passer Rating, Bears takeaways, Falcons Offensive Passer Rating, Jaguars scoring defense, The 80-1500-8 Club)

36:20 to 39:10 -- Three Pack of "Mathletics" Regression from Texans-Lions (Matt Stafford's first half passing touchdowns, Texans third-down defense, Texans rushing touchdowns allowed)

39:10 to 43:55 -- Six Pack of the NFL's Best Teams (Houston Texans, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens)

43:55 to 52:30 -- Six Pack of Intriguing Match-ups in Week 12 (Andrew Luck v. Bills pass defense, Russell Wilson v. Dolphins pass defense, Vikings at Bears, Falcons at Buccaneers, 49ers at Saints, Packers at Giants)

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