Fox analyst Howie Long thinks the seeds to start Colin Kaepernick were planted last year soon after the 49ers’ NFC title game loss to the Giants. The Hall of Famer talks about that, the Patriots’ dynasty and the comparisons between the coaching Harbaughs with The Post’s Justin Terranova
Q: How much credit does Jim Harbaugh deserve for making the switch to Colin Kaepernick?
A: Alex Smith had them one snap from the Super Bowl, and that made it such a gutsy move. I believe that decision was made right after (last year’s) NFC Championship Game in Harbaugh’s head. I think he made the decision that we have to be more dynamic on offense after going 1-for-13 on third down and completing one ball to a wide receiver, and he took a lot of heat for it.
Q: How do you think the Falcons will react after that wild win over the Seahawks?
A: I looked at their postgame footage and it almost looked like a locker room of relief because that playoff win has been so difficult for Mike Smith and Matt Ryan to get. … You can go in different directions: ‘I am so relieved and now everything after this is gravy’ or ‘I finally got this monkey off my back, now we’re 60 minutes away from being in the Super Bowl.’
Q: What similarities do you see between the Harbaughs (Jim and Ravens coach John) that have made them so successful?
A: I have three sons and they are all different, and I am sure Papa Harbaugh would tell you the same thing about his sons. You can tell from their postgame press conferences that John is more traditional and Jim as a quarterback was fiery, quick-tempered and you see all those things in him as a head coach. They are different guys, but it’s a remarkable accomplishment.
Q: Do the Ravens have enough left to play with the Patriots?
A: You’re looking at a team that’s taken over 170 snaps the past two weeks. How tired are they? Emotion, the level of the game, that lifts you up. You can go places physically and mentally you couldn’t imagine as a player, but the Patriots can beat you in so many different ways: the running game, their up-tempo fast-paced Oregon offense that they consulted with Chip Kelly on.
Q: How impressive is it the Patriots keep putting themselves in this position?
A: It’s a modern-day version of the Roman Empire that’s coming in a transient, salary-cap league through three generations of players, multiple schemes and multiple players. A fourth Super Bowl win would put them in a category in all the years of professional football on a very short list.