Joe Flacco (Bal) vs. Colin Kaepernick (SF)
2012 Stats
Joe Flacco 60% comp pct, 3,817 yds, 22 TD, 10 INT
Colin Kaepernick 62% comp pct, 1,814 yds, 10 TD, 3 INT
Joe Flacco is the latest QB to consider himself elite, only to have the talking heads scoff at that notion and dissect his every move throughout the year. The last QB to do this was Eli Manning prior to the 2011 season. Eli won the Super Bowl that season. Flacco could be next. To do so, he will have to outduel Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers. Kaepernick burst on the scene late in the year, and has made a tremendous splash this postseason. It should be fun to watch these young men go at it with a chance to cement their spot in NFL history.
Joe Flacco has been widely considered overrated since entering the league. I think that can officially be deemed laughable. He became the first starting QB in NFL history to make the playoffs in each of his first five seasons. He has more road playoff wins than any other QB in NFL history. And all he has done this postseason is throw 8 TDs with no interceptions, and lead multiple 2nd Half comebacks versus all-time greats Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. A win in Super Bowl XLVII will propel Flacco into the upper echelon of NFL QBs playing today.
Colin Kaepernick began the season on the bench. During a Week 10 contest, he was thrust into action when Alex Smith went down with a concussion. He has not relinquished the starting job since. The 49ers were playing well with Smith at the helm, but Kaepernick's explosive playmaking ability has made the offense just as formidable as their nasty defense. He has a rocket arm and is every bit as dangerous with his legs as any QB in the league. From the time Kaepernick took over, San Francisco has been a Super Bowl favorite. Here they are. He is one of the NFL's up and coming stars. A win on February 3rd, would give him star status that seemed unfathomable when the season began.
The way Kaepernick has played this postseason, it would be easy for me to say that San Francisco has an advantage at this position. But you can't undervalue what Flacco has brought to the table throughout the last five years of postseason play. Flacco is playing the best football of his career, and has been magnificent during this postseason. As good as Kaepernick has been, Flacco has been every bit as good. The fact that Flacco has been consistently good in the playoffs over the last five years, swings me in his direction.
Advantage - Baltimore
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