Trent Dilfer has seen the true Colin Kaepernick light, or Kaepernick has just improved significantly.
Or the Green Bay Packers continue to bring out the best in the San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
InsideBayArea.com reported Friday that Dilfer, an analyst for ESPN, admitted that he over-dramatized Kaepernick's struggles after a 10-9 49ers loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 10 of the NFL season.
San Francisco and Carolina are set to meet again in the NFC Divisional Round playoffs on Sunday.
After the teams' first meeting, Dilfer criticized Kaepernick's performance, in which Kaepernick completed just 11 of 22 passes for 91 yards. Dilfer told an ESPN audience that the 49ers signal-caller is a "remedial passer after his first read is taken away."
During a national conference call Friday with media, as reported by InsideBayArea.com, Dilfer backed off his original statement about the state of Kaepernick's game.
"I wish I could change that word because it was such a hot-button word," Dilfer said. "The kid knows I love him. I see him in the offseason and I'm always very supportive. I think he's a great competitor."
It's unclear whether Kaepernick does know that Dilfer does love him. When asked about Dilfer's comments after the first San Francisco-Carolina meeting, Kaepernick clearly was agitated.
"I think you should ask him if he knows what my progression is first before he says that," Kaepernick said with a stare, ESPN reported.
"He's not in the building with us," Kaepernick said. "So what he's saying really doesn't affect me at all. I'm worried about what this team thinks and what I'm doing in here with my teammates."
Dilfer said he saw no need to go any further with Kaepernick on the topic.
"I know I wouldn't want someone who criticized me to come and confront me at any point when I was playing," Dilfer said.
According to InsideBayArea.com, Dilfer said his original criticism had more to do with the 49ers offense, saying they had a "circa 1970s passing game" - a heavy run game with play-action that looks to spring only one or two wide receivers.
"They're mad at me for saying that, but they don't have a real complex passing game that has multiple progressions built-in, protection adjustments, a lot of layers to it," Dilfer said.
Dilfer added that both Kaepernick and the Niners offense has looked difference since wide receiver Michael Crabtree returned from an Achilles injury in December.
Also, Kaepernick's best games this season have come against the Packers. He has completed 43 of 69 passes for 639 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in the two games combined. Kaepernick also rushed for 120 yards total in the two contests.
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