Super Bowl XLVII: Colin Kaepernick shines in losing effort

Colin Kaepernick couldn't fully lead the San Francisco 49ers back from a 22-point deficit against the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, but his performance in the game should make Niners fans very excited about the future. The second-year quarterback went 16-for-28 passing for 302 yards and a touchdown, and added 62 yards and another score on the ground against a fired-up Ravens defense.

Kaepernick's numbers put him in good company. He and former 49ers quarterback Joe Montana are the only two signal callers to pass for more than 300 yards and run for more than 50 in a Super Bowl.

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Down 28-6 after Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff of the second half 109 yards for a score, Kaepernick led the 49ers on an 80-yard drive capped by a 31-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree. In the fourth quarter, Kaepernick snuck around the left side of the Ravens' defense for a 15-yard touchdown run that finished of a 76-yard drive and pulled the 49ers within two points. Unfortunately, the young quarterback wasn't perfect.

Kaepernick made a poor decision and throw on a first-half interception into the waiting hands of Ed Reed. He also misfired on two pivotal plays near the goal-line. Kaepernick overthrew Randy Moss on a two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game late. Then on 4th-and-5 on the Ravens' 5-yard line with just under two minutes remaining in the game, he couldn't hit a covered Crabtree on a flare to the outside of the end zone.

Still, if the 49ers had been able to pull off the comeback, it would be hard to argue for anyone else to take home MVP honors. Kaepernick was very accurate for the most part, and as elusive as always. San Francisco may be going home in defeat, but they will be among the favorites to go back to the Super Bowl in 2014, with Kaepernick a major reason why.