Heading into the playoffs in the 2012 NFL season, all any analyst could talk about was the running quarterbacks.
Colin Kaepernick, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson came into the league this year and did things to NFL defenses that rookies (okay, Kaepernick is a second-year player, but only made 10 career starts) are just not supposed to do.
All three lit up defenses and proved they could run and throw the ball effectively. All three took their teams to the playoffs and everyone on ESPN and around the NFL started talking about how every team needs to get one of these types of quarterbacks.
But now that Joe Flacco has won the Super Bowl over Kaepernick, who was one of those quarterbacks, it helps solidify the argument that teams still need that dropback passer who is strong in the pocket to win. It doesn't mean those other teams can't win, but many in the NFL were noticing this change and felt that was the way the wind was blowing.
Take a look at the recent past winning quarterbacks of the Super Bowl and that tells an interesting tale. The names are ones like Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady. All are classic drop back passers.
If Kaepernick won, there is a chance everyone in the NFL would try to do the same thing. The NFL is known as a copycat league, which is one reason why the Wildcat scheme did so well for a couple years, but then everyone figured it out and it died out.
Not everyone was sold though. Aaron Rodgers said that he felt the pistol offense, or read-option that many of those quarterbacks run is just a fad that will run its course. Others have said that the type of style those quarterbacks play with is just unsustainable considering the possibility of injuries. Robert Griffin III can attest to that as well after having to deal with knee surgery this offseason.
Obviously the quarterback position wasn't in any "real" trouble, but the win (and MVP win) by Flacco truly sets in stone the idea that a strong quarterback who can pass the ball is still the key to winning championships.
No one would be surprised to see Griffin, Wilson or Kaepernick win one someday, especially because they possess the skills to throw as well as run, but if their first instincts are to run, there's a chance things will fall apart when it comes to championship crunch time, as evidenced by the 49ers in New Orleans.
Kaepernick had issues getting the ball to open receivers in the end zone at the end of the game and his inexperienced showed as the 49ers had to take two timeouts before the very end of the fourth quarter, leaving them too little time to comeback.
Flacco was excellent in the game throwing for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he won the MVP award for the 34-31 victory on Sunday night. Prior to the game, news came out that he wanted a $20 million contract as a free agent. After getting the Super Bowl win, that might be a bargain for the Ravens.
HERE are some interesting stats about the Super Bowl and Flacco, as well as links to some of the best commercials from the game, including the Go Daddy and Coke ads and the NFL Network's Deion Sanders commercial.
