I knew Colin Kaepernick was in trouble when, in response to criticism that he should develop more of a “pocket presence,” he reached out to Kurt Warner over the summer for help in becoming a better pocket passer.

No disrespect to Warner, who played 12 N.F.L. seasons and led St. Louis to a Super Bowl title and Arizona to its first Super Bowl appearance. But Kaepernick’s pocket presence is not what kept defensive coordinators awake at night trying to plan for his special gifts.

That is not who Kaepernick is. Not who he will ever be. Not why he was catapulted to fame in his second season, when he came off the bench in relief of Alex Smith and led San Francisco to the Super Bowl.

On Sunday, a national audience saw flashes of the old Kaepernick and — for 49ers fans at least — a hopeful glimpse of the new. He ran for a couple of first downs, threw two passes for touchdowns and was 22 of 33. Kaepernick did what quarterbacks, whether they play in the pocket or out, are supposed to do: He distributed.