Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

For the sixth time in franchise history our San Francisco 49ers are Super Bowl bound after their thrilling 28-24 win over the Atlanta Falcons. There were plenty of ups and downs throughout the game, with the 49ers looking like the inferior team in the first quarter. But like the game against the Green Bay Packers, Colin Kaepernick and the Niners defense came through when it counted most to advance to the NFL’s biggest stage.

The 49ers NFC Championship win resulted in plenty of stories. Kaepernick etching his name along aside Joe Montana and Steve Young as 49ers QB’s leading their teams to the Super Bowl. The awaking of the sleeping giant that is Vernon Davis and a defense that at first looked like they were overmatched, but once the offense gave them some rest, proved to be the dominant defense they have been all season.

The NFC Championship win will be remembered as The Comeback. The 49ers were down by 17 points after the first quarter, but never gave up or lost confidence against the Falcons and very loud crowd inside the Georgia Dome. After virtually no offense in the first quarter, Kaepernick managed to gain 233 pass yards and throw for one touchdown. Falcons QB Matt Ryan showed pose in the first half, but had two decisive turnovers in the second half that spurred the 49ers comeback.

Fittingly, veteran Frank Gore ran in the go-ahead touchdown to give the 49ers the lead for good with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter. Gore has been through the good and the bad since joining the team in 2005 and to see him advance to the Big Dance was very rewarding.

The Falcons put up one last, edge of your seat effort to win the game in the final minutes. But the 70-yard drive came up short at the 49ers 10-yard line with a pass batted down by LB NaVorro Bowman on fourth down.

The sure joy, happiness, amazement, excitement and…hell, any super duper way you can think of describing it, insert here, whatever you feel, whatever you want to call it, stand up 49ers Faithful, our team is headed to the Big Bayou for the Super Bowl!

Stay tuned to Niner Noise all through the Super Bowl for full coverage of the Quest for Six.

Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What a week for the National Football League. A double overtime thriller, a few young guns lighting it up , and a historically great quarterback finding a way back to a place he calls home, people in Hollywood couldn’t come up with a better script. Records fell, stars rose, and we are coming even closer to the pinnacle of the sport. As a San Francisco 49er fan it’s hard to imagine anyone who’s go it better than us… nobody. (more…)

Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Candlestick Park has seen plenty of historic postseason performances, but before the San Francisco 49ers abandon the stadium after next season it was treated to one more classic. This time it was from Colin Kaepernick.

On the games fourth offensive play between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers, it looked as if the inexperience of Kaepernick was coming back to haunt Jim Harbaugh. Kaepernick threw an interception that was returned 52 yards for a touchdown by Packers cornerback Sam Shields. However, by the end of Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round playoff game, Kaepernick made Harbaugh look like a genius, while also humiliating Green Bay’s defense with an NFL postseason record 181 rushing yards. Kaepernick scored an amazing four touchdowns in route to the 49ers 45-31 win over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The Niners advanced to their 14^th NFC Championship game in franchise history.

With Kaepernick’s brutal takedown of the Packers defense with 263 passing yards for two touchdowns and 181 rushing yards for another two touchdowns, he engraved his name along side Joe Montana, Steve Young and yes, Alex Smith for postseason performances. But the 49ers franchise, and the NFL for that matter, has not seen before the type of performance Kaep had against the Packers. It shouldn’t surprise us that he shook off his interception early in the game. With his confidence and offensive line, he knew he could still trust his arm and when he needed to, use his legs if nothing was open. He had touchdown runs of 20 and 56 yards.

Not only did Kaepernick set the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback with 181 yards, but he also had the most rushing yards in 49ers postseason history. Not to be forgotten, Frank Gore ran for 119 yards and a touchdown to help the 49ers finish with a total of 581 yards that broke their previous postseason record of 505 yards set in 1984. Michael Crabtree grabbed nine passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns for his best postseason game of his career. But Kaepernick was star of the show and stole the spotlight from Aaron Rodgers who finished with 257 passing yards for two touchdowns.

The celebration won’t last long for Kaepernick and the 49ers as they await the winner of the Atlanta Falcons vs. Seattle Seahawks game to play in the NFC Championship next Sunday. I am not one to cheer for a division rival, but here is the Seahawks Sea-sucks winning, just so we can have a revenge game on Sunday.

Stay tuned to Niner Noise for full analysis of the 49ers win.