The San Francisco 49ers are two games into the preseason with a 1-1 record. The team is preparing for the Houston Texans this week, and Coach Jim Harbaugh fielded several questions during a press conference to talk about the team's next game and other topics.
Asked about the quarterback situation, Harbaugh stated that he would not name a starter until before the first regular season game, responding positively about both of his top two quarterbacks. With regards to Alex Smith, Harbaugh feels that Smith is showing a lot of effort as the season approaches. In his words, "I think he's throwing the football pretty darn good. He's working hard on every phase of playing the position."
With regards to quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Harbaugh has been impressed with the adjustments the young rookie made from Week 1 to Week 2 of the preseason: "From game one to game two, there's just more polish that's taken place in terms of how he operates the offense, runs the team in and out of the huddle, mechanics, accuracy, being it the ability to drive the football, to read coverage."
Harbaugh also addressed the team's plan for Friday's third preseason game against the Texans. In Harbaugh's words, "Well, traditionally, historically, the third preseason game in the National Football League, is the game that you game plan like you would in the regular season, where starters play the entire first half, come out of the halftime playing to the third quarter." Harbaugh later confirmed that this is the strategy he hopes to employ on Friday night.
It appears that the 49ers will start developing continuity amongst their starters this week, with the players expected to play the entire first half and part of the second half. Friday's contest should provide a good measure of the team's readiness for their regular season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 11th.