Super Bowls are often decided by quarterback play, which is what makes Sunday’s matchup of 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco so fascinating.
Flacco definitely has the advantage in terms of experience.
He led the Ravens to the playoffs and won at least one postseason game in each of his five seasons. During those five postseasons, Flacco has collected eight playoff victories.
By comparison, Kaepernick has only started nine NFL games, including this postseason.
That being said, I still give my edge to the 25-year-old first-year starter.
Clearly, Kaepernick is something special. Only two other quarterbacks have gone to a Super Bowl with as few starts.
If this NFL season has proved anything, it’s that having an experienced quarterback is overrated.
An unprecedented three rookie quarterbacks led their teams to the playoffs. Add in the three second-year QBs to make it, and you see the learning curve for young quarterbacks is not as steep as it used to be.
The era of making young quarterbacks watch and learn from the bench for a season or two before getting to play is quickly ending.
Even in limited playing time, Kaepernick has already proven he has all the talent in the world.
He has a rocket for an arm despite a baseball-throwing motion, has excellent touch and is as dangerous running in the open field as anyone in the league.
Despite all that ability, it is Kaepernick’s poise that makes him so special.
This is a quarterback who has made 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh look like a genius for gambling on a young, playmaking quarterback instead of sticking with veteran Alex Smith.
This is a quarterback who started only seven NFL games before starting his first postseason game — a four-touchdown performance in a 45-31 victory against Green Bay.
This is a quarterback who did not flinch when his team was down 17-0 on the road in the NFC Championship game, but instead rallied his team back to a 28-24 victory.
A week before the biggest game of his life, Kaepernick is openly thinking about whether he wants to trademark his signature touchdown dance as “Kaepernicking.”
Some would call that a problem, a lack of focus and evidence Kaepernick is not mentally prepared to lead his team Sunday.
Judging by his play, I would argue it only proves he is a young player who isn’t letting the moment get too big for him.
That is exactly why he is ready for Sunday.
It is unclear if Kaepernick is supremely confident or just too inexperienced to know he is supposed to be nervous.
Either way, 49ers fans should not care. He is a player on a major roll, and if he wins his 10th career NFL start, the Vince Lombardi Trophy will be on its way to San Francisco.
Flacco and the Ravens are top-to-bottom a more experienced team than the 49ers, but that will not matter. Kaepernick is special, and I predict he will be booking a trip to Disney World after Super Bowl XLVII.
In this Jan. 20, 2013, file photo, San Francisco 49ers' Colin Kaepernick runs past Atlanta Falcons' Kroy Biermann during the first half of the NFL football NFC Championship game in Atlanta. The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers meet in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)
