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49ers notes: Falcons confident they can contain Kaepernick

Published: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 3C
Last Modified: Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 - 6:25 pm

SANTA CLARA – Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson said Thursday he and his teammates are confident they can stop the 49ers' Colin Kaepernick despite struggling against other mobile quarterbacks this season.

Seattle's Russell Wilson, for instance, threw for 385 yards and two touchdowns and ran the ball seven times for 60 yards in a losing effort against Atlanta in Sunday's divisional playoff game. And Carolina's Cam Newton had a combined 202 rushing yards in two games against the Falcons in the regular season.

"I think we've done some good things against the running quarterbacks," Robinson said on a conference call. "We've been hurt by some running quarterbacks, and we've done some good things against some running quarterbacks. If we want to continue to play, if we want to continue to be the team we know we can be, then this is the time for us to stand up on Sunday and do whatever it takes to get this win."

Despite giving up all that yardage, the Falcons went a combined 3-1 against Wilson, Newton and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III. The lone loss came against Newton's Panthers in Carolina on Dec. 9. Atlanta knocked Griffin out of the Oct. 7 game with a concussion.

The Falcons' defense finished 24th in the NFL in yards allowed during the regular season, but Atlanta ranked fifth in holding opponents to 18.7 points per game.

"I think they're a very good situational team on defense," 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. "I think the numbers show that – in the red zone and on third down."

Robinson said that of the quarterbacks Atlanta has faced this year, Kaepernick is most like Newton. Newton was picked No. 1 overall in 2011; Kaepernick was the 36th draft pick that year.

"I would say probably Cam – from his size, his strength, his speed," Robinson said of the comparison. "He's a bigger quarterback, very long strides, and he's very strong, very good arm also. This is a guy that we also have to worry about in the pass game. He's not a guy who's going to drop back, tuck it and run. You look at him on film and he can throw the ball pretty well."

Hold the hankies – Robinson said Falcons coaches keep a running tally of which players have the most penalties, and that he and his teammates are told the count every Wednesday when they walk into team headquarters.

Perhaps that's one reason Atlanta finished with a league-low 55 penalties this season, just over half of the 109 called on the 49ers. San Francisco tied with Oakland for the seventh-most penalties this season. The St. Louis Rams led the league with 130.

"We know who has the most penalties on this team, we know who has the least amount of penalties on this team," Robinson said. "The phase that we're at right now – penalties are going to cost you. … We take pride in being the least penalized team in the NFL."

Roman may stay – The chances that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh can keep his staff together for a third straight season grew when the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, and not Roman, as their coach.

Roman was roommates with new Jaguars general manager David Caldwell at John Carroll University, where Caldwell was a linebacker and Roman was a defensive lineman.

Last year, the 49ers lost just one assistant, offensive quality control coach Bobby Engram, who took a job as the receivers coach at the University of Pittsburgh.

Oh, captains, my captains – The 49ers' honorary captains for Sunday's game will be former owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., former defensive end Charles Haley and former defensive tackle Bryant Young. DeBartolo and Haley are among 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2013 class.

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.

Read more articles by Matthew Barrows



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