Early Super Bowl 47 Storyline: The Quarterbacks

Jan 20, 2013; Foxboro, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) walks off the field after the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Ravens won 28-13. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh talks to quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) during the third quarter of the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

We are still 2 weeks away from Super Bowl 47, but the storylines have begun. We have the obvious ones, such as the Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other. You also have Ray Lewis, trying to end his Hall of Fame career with a second Super Bowl title. Today, I wanted to talk a bit about a story line that isn’t as major as those two, the quarterbacks. We certainly have two opposite type of guys, don’t we?

First, we have the unflappable Joe Flacco. In the league five seasons, he has led his team to the playoffs 5 times, and won a whopping 8 road playoff games. Since his rookie year, he has never thrown less than 20 touchdowns, and never more than 12 INTs. He has been remarkably consistent with his play, and is in the prime of his career at 28 years old. He is looking to cash in, finally, with that big contract, and be considered an elite quarterback. In 2012, especially since Jim Caldwell took over as offensive coordinator, Flacco is doing everything he can to earn that status. So far in the 2012 postseason, he has put up 8 TDs against 0 INTs, and a passer rating of 114.7. He probably has earned the status already, but if Flacco can win in two weeks, he has cemented himself in that status, and will make the money he is hoping for.

On the other side of the field, we have the young superstar, Colin Kaepernick. Watching him play, isn’t it shocking to realize that he is only making his 10th NFL start? In the Super Bowl? I don’t know if it is possible to have a more exciting stretch. He came on for Alex Smith after he was injured, and gave him the “Wally Pipp” treatment, never relinquishing his starting job, going 5-2 in his seven starts to end the year, throwing 10 TDs vs only 3 picks. Then, we have his eye opening play in the playoffs. First, his record setting performance against the Packers, throwing for 263 and rushing for 181. Then the Falcons game planned to contain the run game, so Colin was 16-21 through the air for 233 yards. Kaepernick is a little Steve Young, and some Randall Cunningham rolled up into one, and he is exciting to watch. Is he the new wave of QB that will take over the league?

It will be exciting to watch.