As the NFC Championship game draws closer, it's time to compare quarterbacks. We couldn't wait to find out the results, so we predict the quarterback that will give their team the better chance to win.
First things first, you can't find out if these predictions come true if you don't know when the game kicks off. The NFC Championship game will start at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 20 and will be televised on FOX.
Okay, now for the quarterback comparison.
Collin Kaepernick vs. Matt Ryan
If it comes to flash and dash, then Kaepernick has the advantage as Ryan is more of a fist pumper when he celebrates. The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback even has a verb trending it's called Kaepernicking, you can read about it here. Ryan is all about winning and this year he's trying to prove himself.
Regular season numbers doesn't matter anymore so these are their playoff numbers after one game.
Kaepernick: 17/31, 263 Passing Yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 181 Rushing Yards, 2 TDs
Ryan: 24/35, 250 Passing Yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
Behind the Stats
Kaepernick's numbers are pretty straight forward. Minus the interception, it was pure domination from his behalf. The Green Bay Packers were not ready to deal with Kaepernick's game and they paid for it dearly.
On the other hand, Ryan's numbers look poor, but he left 41 yards for the most crucial part of the game. Don't know what happened to the Seattle Seahawks' defense in the final drive, but Ryan tore them apart.
With three passes in 23 seconds, Ryan set the Falcons up for a field goal keeping them alive in the playoffs and Super Bowl hunt.
Who to Trust?
This is a tough question.
Yes, Ryan is the veteran with more games and more experience. However, Ryan hasn't dominated in the playoffs the way he has in the regular season. They barely won their first first playoff game, which has been their M.O. all season long.
How the Seahawks got back into it after being down 20 speaks a lot about the Falcons' team, but the lasting memory left is the one of them winning.
Kaepernick surprised many with his first playoff performance. When he threw the interception in the first drive of the game, many worried the second-year man out of Nevada was in for a rough one.
Now, with both quarterback having receiving weapons and tough running backs, the edge has to go to Kaepernick.
Russell Wilson, quarterback of the Seahawks, saw gaps in the Falcons' defense that allowed him to keep plays alive and run for first downs. Kaepernick's ability to scramble will be problematic for the Falcons if they don't keep their eye on him.
Making it worse for the Falcons, Kaepernick has a strong arm. If any 49er receivers get behind defenders, if Kaepernick is given time in the pocket, expect him to use the rocket of an arm that he has to hit receivers.
The Falcons will have to disguise defenses in hopes of getting Kaepernick to panic and miss targets all day long. If they let him run around then the Falcons can kiss their Super Bowl chances goodbye.
