49ers stick with Kaepernick at QB
Colin Kaepernick will start at quarterback for the 49ers on Sunday.
Coach Jim Harbaugh i nformed reporters Wednesday of his decision to go with Kaepernick over Alex Smith against the Rams.
“We believe Colin has the hot hand,” Harbaugh said.
Kaepernick started the 49ers’ win over the Saints while Smith remained on the sideline recovering from a concussion suffered Nov. 11 in a game against the Rams. Kaepernick also was the starter for the 49ers in their win over the Bears the previous week.
Harbaugh made the move despite Smith’s 19-5-1 record as a starter since the beginning of the 2011 season.
“Alex is a class act,” Harbaugh said. “We would expect hewould be ready to go in and play.”
Smith could argue he had the “hot hand” completing 18 of 19 passes at Arizona on Oct. 29 and 7 of 8 attempts against the Rams a week later before he left the game with a concussion. Jaguars get Babin: The Jaguars won the race to claim former Eagles defensive end Jason Babin off waivers in an attempt to improve their pass rush. Three teams tried to land Babin, NFL.com reported, but the Jaguars had the second-highest position on the NFL’s waiver claim list and took advantage of it.
The Jaguars will pick up the remaining $1.69 million on Babin’s salary this season. He’s scheduled to make $4.225 million next season under his current contract.
Babin, 32, had 18 sacks last year but 51⁄ in 11 games this season. Fine line: Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was fined $30,000 by the NFL for kicking Texans quarterback Matt Schaub in the groin during their Thanksgiving Day game. Suh denied that the kick was intentional, saying he was just falling awkwardly when he flung his leg up behind him and caught Schaub. ... Vikings defensive end Jared Allen was fined $21,000 by the NFL for his blind-side hit on Bears guard Lance Louis, multiple media outlets reported. Louis tore his ACL on the play. Extra points: Broncos QB Peyton Manning leads all vote-getters in balloting for the 2013 Pro Bowl. Manning has received 586,523 votes from fans, NFL.com announced. Voting continues online and from enabled mobile devices through Dec. 17. Patriots QB Tom Brady (534,020) followed Manning. ... Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden received clearance to practice this week in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.