While Manning-Brady Bowl XV represents what is likely one of the final meetings between two great quarterbacks, Sunday’s NFC Championship Game in Seattle is the fourth meeting of another budding QB rivalry between the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson and the 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick.
The two passers are each in their second season as an NFL starter, and both have played well in the postseason in their nascent pro careers.
Kaepernick led his team to the Super Bowl last season and has won four playoff games overall. He’s not just along for the ride, either. In five playoff games, Kaepernick already is among the career leaders in postseason rushing yards by a quarterback (377). He’s also averaging 8.8 yards per pass attempt.
Wilson has a pair of wins under his belt and has played well — although he wasn’t at his best in last week’s win against the Saints. More importantly, he’s been solid against the Niners. In his three most recent games against San Francisco — all Kaepernick starts — Wilson has bested the 49ers QB in completion percentage (58.5% to 50.5%) and TD to INT ratio (6-3 to 2-5). He’s also burned the Niners deep in each game.
Both passers are flanked by elite defensive units and efficient running backs, but what matters most is this: The Seahawks trounce the Niners when the teams meet in Seattle.
That doesn’t bode well for San Francisco, even if it’s riding an eight-game winning streak. The Seahawks should earn a fairly convincing victory.
