Add all those issues up, and it would be easy for a young quarterback’s confidence to be shaken. On ESPN’s NFL Matchup, Merril Hoge argued that that’s exactly what has happened. Hoge showed tape of Kaepernick appearing to hesitate when he needed to pull the trigger on passes, perhaps because he’s second-guessing himself. On the play on Sunday when Panthers safety Mike Mitchell sacked Kaepernick, Hoge showed that Kaepernick dropped back, looked in the direction of an open Vance McDonald, and then inexplicably held onto the ball and got sacked.

 

Kaepernick?s struggles may be affecting his confidence | ProFootballTalk

I want to add Mitchell made another big play in that game with his hit/strip of Vernon Davis. From Yahoo Sports:

 

Davis took a hard hit from Panthers safety Mike Mitchell with 7:19 left in the first half near the goal line on an incomplete pass targeted for him. The team announced early in the second half his evaluation revealed a concussion.

 

Yahoo! Sports

Mitchell always has been and always will be a head hunter.

Mitchell always has been and always will be a head hunter.

I especially appreciated Mitchell's taunting of Rams QB Bradford after the latter suffered season-ending injury hustling out of bounds.

I especially appreciated Mitchell's taunting of Rams QB Bradford after the latter suffered season-ending injury hustling out of bounds.

 

Come on. That wasn't taunting. He didn't even know he was hurt. He jumped up immediately after making the tackle to celebrate it. While I thought the celebration was a bit much it had NOTHING to do with the QB being injured.

 

Check out the play.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000266211/Tempers-flare-as-Bradford-leaves-game-with-injury

Mike is playing his way into a big contract next year. Pretty sure he's on a one-year with Carolina.

Come on. That wasn't taunting. He didn't even know he was hurt. He jumped up immediately after making the tackle to celebrate it. While I thought the celebration was a bit much it had NOTHING to do with the QB being injured.

 

Check out the play.

 

Tempers flare as St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford leaves game with injury - NFL Videos

If it wasn't taunting, then why did the NFL fine Mitchell $7,875 for ... uh ... taunting on that particular play?

 

See the fourth paragraph of the following story:

 

Carolina Panthers? Mike Mitchell says NFL is targeting him for fines | Carolina Panthers | Rock Hill Herald Online

Mike Mitchell's rate of pay will triple from this year to next. He is a factor both on and off the field in the Panthers improvement.

If it wasn't taunting, then why did the NFL fine Mitchell $7,875 for ... uh ... taunting on that particular play?

 

See the fourth paragraph of the following story:

 

Carolina Panthers? Mike Mitchell says NFL is targeting him for fines | Carolina Panthers | Rock Hill Herald Online

 

Do you agree that he didn't know about the injury at the time?

Nobody knew about the extent of the Bradford injury at the time. What we don't know is whether Mitchell's octagon-like celebration came after he possibly heard Bradford cry out in pain. Mitchell was only concerned with striking the right pose for the TV cameras and maintaining said pose for several seconds for his "stellar pursuit" at the end of the play. Refs blew the post-play by assessing 15 yards on Dahl but nothing for Mitchell's punk behavior.

If it wasn't taunting, then why did the NFL fine Mitchell $7,875 for ... uh ... taunting on that particular play?

 

See the fourth paragraph of the following story:

 

Carolina Panthers? Mike Mitchell says NFL is targeting him for fines | Carolina Panthers | Rock Hill Herald Online

 

 

No, no, no. You said he taunted Bradford. He got fined for taunting the bench. It had nothing to do with the injury as you claimed.

No, no, no. You said he taunted Bradford. He got fined for taunting the bench. It had nothing to do with the injury as you claimed.

After reviewing the tape several more times, here's where I'm at: Let's ask ourselves this question: Why did Mitchell act like King Kong on the sidelines after the play? Was it because he had a hand in forcing a QB out of bounds near the line of scrimmage on a second-down play? No, that's a regular occurrence in football. More likely it was because Mitchell saw -- by the way Bradford tumbled awkwardly out of bounds -- that he (Mitchell) played some role in inflicting pain on the opposing team's QB and decided to celebrate such in the face of the enemy.

 

At moments like these it's nice to have someone like Kyle Turley on one's team -- someone who would have clothes-lined Mitchell while he was acting like a fool just a few feet away from Jeff Fischer.

No' date=' no, no. You said he taunted Bradford. He got fined for taunting the bench. It had nothing to do with the injury as you claimed.[/quote']

 

So at first he wasn't taunting but just celebrating. Now he wasn't taunting Bradford just the bench.

 

Which is it?

I like Mike, every time I have ever talked to him he's came off as a great guy. I hope he continues the roll he's been on.

After reviewing the tape several more times, here's where I'm at: Let's ask ourselves this question: Why did Mitchell act like King Kong on the sidelines after the play? Was it because he had a hand in forcing a QB out of bounds near the line of scrimmage on a second-down play? No, that's a regular occurrence in football. More likely it was because Mitchell saw -- by the way Bradford tumbled awkwardly out of bounds -- that he (Mitchell) played some role in inflicting pain on the opposing team's QB and decided to celebrate such in the face of the enemy.

 

At moments like these it's nice to have someone like Kyle Turley on one's team -- someone who would have clothes-lined Mitchell while he was acting like a fool just a few feet away from Jeff Fischer.

 

So at first he wasn't taunting but just celebrating. Now he wasn't taunting Bradford just the bench.

 

Which is it?

 

 

I've known and watched Mike play since his freshman year at CCH. Kid is very excitable and when I think of the word "histrionics" I think of Mike. It's just what Mike does. In no way do I think a)he even knew Bradford was hurt nor b)would ever celebrate an injury.

 

As to the "which is it" question - the league called it taunting. That's fine. He wasn't "taunting" because of the injury.