The San Francisco 49ers made a change at quarterback last week, going from Blaine Gabbert to Colin Kaepernick, but that didn’t result in a change of the team’s fortunes. Instead, they were wholly dominated by the Buffalo Bills, and will go back to the drawing board on Sunday when they play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sunday’s game will be broadcast by FOX, with kickoff set for 4:05 p.m. ET. A live stream will be available online via FOX Sports GO, though it will require login credentials from a cable or satellite provider.
While the switch to Kaepernick didn’t lead to a win, he can hardly be blamed for the defensive meltdown that occurred against the Bills. The 49ers allowed Tyrod Taylor to throw for two touchdowns and 179 yards while rushing for 68 yards. They sacked him three times, but were unable to even make him lose yardage on those sacks.
Worst of all, they allowed LeSean McCoy to run roughshod over them, amassing 140 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Bills scored 45 points in the route over the 49ers, while Kaepernick threw for 187 yards and a touchdown and led the team in rushing with 66 yards on the ground. He did not throw an interception, and did not lose a fumble.
The 49ers are going to give him more time, and next he’ll face a Buccaneers defense that has been surprisingly decent this season. The Buccaneers rank 10th in the league in yards allowed, though if they don’t make an early stop, they usually give up the big play, as they allow 28.4 points scored per game.
That leaves some room for Kaepernick to thrive, though he hasn’t thrived in a long while. In 2014, he completed 60.5 percent of passes for 3,369 yards with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. That season was the beginning of his decline, culminating in his benching in favor of Gabbert last season and him not earning the starting job this offseason.
San Francisco ranks 31st in the league in points allowed, at 30.8 per game, but where the team is startlingly bad is the run defense. The Dolphins rank 31st in the league with 882 yards allowed, while the 49ers have allowed 1,046 yards on the ground. That’s 174.3 yards per game allowed on the ground.
The way forward for the 49ers is unclear. Carlos Hyde has developed into a dependable running back, and the 49ers rank fifth in the league in running the football, but it’s not winning them games.
The Buccaneers aren’t faring much better at 2-3 on the season, and they are now a man down with wide receiver Vincent Jackson going on injured reserve this week after tearing his ACL.
Division-wise, the 49ers play in the tough NFC West and there seems to be little chance they can come back and compete. The Buccaneers play in the NFC South and though the Atlanta Falcons are on a hot streak, the division is kind of a mess. This game probably carries a lot more meaning for the Buccaneers than it does the 49ers.
Below is all you need to know to watch Sunday’s game.
How to Watch Buccaneers vs. 49ers on Sunday
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
TV: FOX
Announcers: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale
Online: Sunday Ticket, FOX Sports GO