Rick Pedone
Sports

Editor San Francisco in the NFC championship game Sunday at Atlanta is no surprise, but how many had Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the leading rusher this playoff season with 181 yards against the Packers?

A hundred and eighty one yards? From the quarterback?

Sure, the spread option is a new twist in the NFL, but it’s been the go-to offense in high school and college for a decade.

Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers had to know that Kaepernick had good wheels. He must have prepared his team.

Maybe the Packers defensive ends and outside linebackers were sleeping in the film room. Watching them try to figure out what was happening last Saturday in San Francisco was almost amusing, unless you were a Cheesehead.

The last time we saw that many lost and confused souls was when the Big East tried to announce next season’s football schedule. (By the way, the over/under on how many more Big East member changes there will be before next season is at, uh, 15.)

There’s an easy way to slow down the spread option: have the edge defenders stay home!

This advice, of course, will inevitably be ignored a few more times Sunday in Atlanta. It seems like every time Kaepernick fakes inside, the ends flow to him the way Count Chocula goes after the M&Ms.

Given Kaepernick’s success, I’m surprised that Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason isn’t a popular target for one of the 80 or so remaining NFL coaching openings.

Mason limited the Oregon Ducks, who averaged more than 50 points a game from their high-octane spread, to 14 when the Cardinal smacked them out of the national championship picture on Nov. 17, 17-14.

“It’s a containment run defense predicated on making offenses left handed and earning the right to rush the passer,” Mason said after that one.

I don’t know what that means, but it worked.

It’s almost as confusing as trying to figure out what Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o was up to with the fake girlfriend last season.

No matter. As long as Te’o holds the edge when he moves to the NFL next season, all will be forgiven.

The spread should find its way into more NFL offenses, especially with the Ducks Chip Kelly now calling the shots in Philadelphia. Finding quarterbacks like Kaepernick, Seattle’s Russell Wilson or Washington’s RGIII to run it might be more of a challenge.

It’s an offense best used sparingly. We saw what happens to running quarterbacks after they get caught a few times in the NFL when RGIII’s body went left and his knee went right late in the Seattle playoff game a couple of weeks ago.

You know who wasn’t a bad spread option quarterback? The guy who used to play at Florida, Tea something or other …

The Mighty News-Gazette Divine Nine for the last time:

No. 1: The Pats. No. 2: The Kaepernicks. No. 3: The Ray-Rayvens. No. 4: The Falcons. No. 5: Last weekend’s NFL playoff games (three keepers, one clunker). No. 6: Tea something or other. No. 7: Manti’s girlfriend, wherever or whatever she may be. No. 8: The new Corvette. No. 9: The Pro Bowl (We can’t wait!).

The picks:

San Francisco (-4) at Atlanta: The Falcons remain the NFL’s least respected No. 1 seed. Four-point underdogs at home? Ouch. The good news for Atlanta fans is that the Falcons played against Wilson last week and should be up to speed on what is coming from the Niners offense. The bad news is, Wilson had them beat in the second half, and Kaepernick probably is better. Niners by 4.

Baltimore at New England (-9): Even Patriots fans have to be asking how the Pats are nine-point favorites. If there is one AFC team that isn’t intimidated by the Belichicks, it’s the Ravens. Baltimore should have won last year’s AFC championship game, and the Ravens won early this season in Baltimore. It’s looking a little iffy for the Patriots. But, Tom Brady is way, way overdue for that fourth championship ring. It’s time. Pats by 4.

Super Bowl: Pats 28, 49ers 27.

Brian “Big Man” McBride’s Super Sniffer Upset Special: Ravens by 3.

Tom “Captain” Kirk’s Beam Me Up Scotty NFL Prime Time Playoff Special: The Pats by 12, and they win the Super Bowl BIG over Atlanta.

Ken “Young” Jackson says: I had it all the way. Niners, Pats, and, what the heck, Niners in the Super Bowl.

Last week: Invigorated Eagle (3-1, 113-52) and Slipping Simpleton (2-2, 113-52) are all even, and all done.

See ya next season.