Quarterbacks like Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III entered last season as unknowns. They were both essentially rookies with their relatively unproven at the NFL level. They proceed to take the league by storm and left defenses confused on how to handle them. 2013 could possibly look different as many defensive stars spent the offseason studying how to stop them. This is leaving several coaches concerned that their quarterbacks will be the target of heavy hitting.
As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to face off against the Green Bay Packers, linebacker Clay Matthews has been studying Kaepernick's moves and he is ready to lay a few hits on the mobile quarterback.
"It looks as if as long as that quarterback is carrying out that fake, he loses his right as a pocket passer and rules that govern that," Matthews said, via CSNBayArea.com. "We'll see the hits that are legal and what's not legal, but we think our game plan fits within the scheme of the officials and what we want to do."
The use of "legal" and "not legal" is what has head coach Jim Harbaugh pretty upset. The 49ers coach did not care for the comments by Matthews. He understands the place of trash talking in the game, but he is worried that it might get too serious. He referenced the comments made by former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams once made about the desire to inflict injury. He is worried that will happen to Kaepernick.
"It sounds a lot like targeting a specific player," Harbaugh said. "You definitely start to wonder. A man usually doesn't tell you his bad intentions. You know what's being said publicly, not what's being said privately. I hope their intent is not going to be anything that's not within the rules."
Matthews has been fooled by mobile quarterbacks in the past. His team was taken by San Francisco in the past. The team lost to Kaepernick and company 45-31 in the division round of playoffs. The linebacker certainly does not plan on that happening again, but Harbaugh thinks he needs to re-think his words. Kaepernick on the other hand is not as worried.
"I'm not worried about that," Kaepernick said. "It's football. You're going to get hit."
Matthews is making plans to make hits on the quarterback without getting flagged. He has had discussions with referees about the allowed hits on players and he plans on stretching the limits.
"One of the things that the referees have told us is that when these quarterbacks carry out the fakes, they lose their right as a quarterback, a pocket-passing quarterback, the protection of a quarterback," Matthews said .
The talk between players should make for a very interesting rematch between the two teams. Green Bay might not have known how to handle Kaepernick last season, but this year it is a different tale.