Colin Kaepernick will start for 49ers against Jets

San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly named Colin Kaepernick the starter in Week 14 against the New York Jets.

In a 26-6 loss against the Chicago Bears in Week 13, Kaepernick struggled to gain yards through the air. Indeed, it was snowing a lot at Soldier Field, which makes it difficult for quarterbacks to throw accurate passes.

However, Kaepernick missed open receivers and tight ends. He only threw for 4 yards and was sacked five times. Midway through the fourth quarter, Kelly benched Kaepernick and brought in backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

Kelly made the switch at quarterback because he believed the team needed a spark.

“At that point of time of the game we were down a couple of scores and obviously we got to throw it a ton,” Kelly said. “So maybe just see if we can get a spark for the team.”

Kelly also felt that the weather was the only issue with Kaepernick that day.

This week against the Jets, the 49ers must avoid another poor performance on offense. Yes, they can run the ball with running back Carlos Hyde. But San Francisco must complement its strong rushing attack with play-action passes.

The Jets’ seventh-ranked defense is stingy and physical, so Kaepernick must find ways to lead his team into the end zone.

So far this season, Kaepernick has thrown for 1,444 yards to go along with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.