'Superman' celebration suits Kaepernick
BY STEVE REED
Divisional Playoffs - San Francisco 49ers v Carolina Panthers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Colin Kaepernick raced into the end zone, then pretended to rip open his shirt with both hands, imitating Cam Newton's ''Superman'' touchdown celebration.
Three years of frustration had come to a head.
''Just a little shout-out,'' Kaepernick said.
To whom?
''I think you know the answer,'' Kaepernick said with a grin.
Kaepernick said he ''will never forget'' that he was selected 36th overall in the NFL draft in 2011, 35 spots behind Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 pick that season.
On Sunday, he threw for a touchdown and ran for another as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Carolina Panthers 23-10 to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the third consecutive season.
''That's not the first, nor will it be the last, time somebody does that,'' Newton said of Kaepernick's copycat display after the game.
Anquan Boldin had eight catches for 136 yards and Frank Gore had 17 carries for 84 yards for the 49ers, who will visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday in an effort to earn a return trip to the Super Bowl.
''I think we're the two teams that everybody was looking at from the beginning,'' said Kaepernick, who threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis just before halftime, then scored on a four-yard run in the third quarter. ''It's going to be a knockdown, drag-out game.''
The 49ers will have their hands full. They split two games against the Seahawks this season but lost 29-3 in September in Seattle.
The 49ers were missing receiver Michael Crabtree in that lopsided loss. Crabtree had only three catches for 26 yards against the Panthers, but Boldin said Crabtree drew plenty of double teams that allowed him to get open.
''That's the great thing about our team: We have weapons all around,'' Boldin said. ''You try to take one guy out, and you still have two or three guys left who can make big plays.''
The 49ers held Newton in check, intercepting him twice and sacking him five times. Newton finished with 267 yards passing and had 54 yards on 10 carries, but the Panthers only found the end zone once - on a 31-yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith in the second quarter.
''Terrible ending to a great season,'' Newton said.
Post a Comment for "'Superman' celebration suits Kaepernick"