It looked like the NFC Championship Game was going to end with a 49ers game-winning drive. Down six points, Colin Kaepernick and company were moving down the field with ease. They were already in the red zone. And then, Richard Sherman happened.
With 30 seconds left one on first and 10, Kaepernick threw a fade to Michael Crabtree. Unfortunately, he was covered by Sherman, a guy who's constantly reminded people that he thinks he's the best cornerback/person. Sherman justified that attitude by flicking the pass away from Crabtree, into teammate Malcolm Smith's open arms to all but seal the game for the Seahawks in a 23-17 win.
After showing off the talent, Sherman flourished the hype, taunting Crabtree and using the universal symbol for choking. He took a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for that, but it didn't matter. The game was over. Save your stale, old-fart whining about "class." It can't be called arrogance when the talk's backed up.
In non-Sherman matters, the two young quarterbacks in this game used their mobility differently. When Colin Kaepernick ran, it was when he had an opening, moving forward for substantial gains like his huge 58-yard dash. When Russell Wilson turned to the run, he was using it as an evasive tactic. He extended plays or tried not to get hit behind the line of scrimmage, doing as much as he could to avoid a critical loss. Wilson had a game total of zero rushing yards.
Though Kap surpassed him on the ground, Wilson had the cleaner game, with no interceptions and one lost fumble. (Another came on a botched handoff to Marshawn Lynch, though the blame was more ambiguous for that.) He threw to receiver Jermaine Kearse on that haphazard fourth down free play for a 20-17 lead, after the Seahawks were still deciding whether or not to go for a field goal. But Sherman was the loud exclamation point on Seattle's win, and now he'll say whatever he wants to an eager Super Bowl media for two weeks.