New-age QBs square off in final hurdle to Super Bowl

PHILADELPHIA -- They are quarterbacks for a new age, transcending racial stereotypes and tossing aside the accepted notions of how the job should be done once the ball is snapped.

Donovan McNabb never viewed the pocket as some protective cocoon, to be defended at all costs. The Philadelphia Eagles' star demonstrated that a 20-yard run sure beats a 10-yard sack. Imagine that.

Then along came Michael Vick, who took the door that McNabb nudged open and ripped it from its hinges. The Atlanta Falcons have a quarterback like no one that has come before -- an implausible morphing of John Elway's powerful arm, Barry Sanders' jittery moves and Deion Sanders' one-gear-higher-than-everyone-else speed.

Now, they meet again, two old friends who've had such a profound impact on the NFL.

Get ready for McNabb vs. Vick, The Sequel.

And this time, one of them is going to the Super Bowl.

"I don't care what sport you're talking about. It don't get no better than this," said Falcons safety Keion Carpenter, who sat out the season with an injury but can't wait to see what happens in Sunday's NFC championship game.

The buildup to this enticing matchup showed just how much times have changed since Doug Williams was asked, "How long have you been a black quarterback?"

There was plenty of talk about the white stuff -- snow was predicted in Philly, accompanied by all sorts of theories about its impact on the game. Barely anyone mentioned the color of the two quarterbacks' skin, which just happens to be black.

Still, this is a socially significant game for quarterbacks of color. For the first time, two black QBs will meet in a conference final. Either McNabb or Vick will go on to become just the third black QB to start in the Super Bowl, following Williams (1988) and Steve McNair (2000).

The one that traces those historic footsteps most likely will be the one who gets the most help from his teammates -- particularly if the game bogs down in windy, icy conditions, becoming a battle of attrition that must be won with defense and the fewest mistakes on offense.

If nothing else, history shows the folly of turning a game that involves so many into a personal battle between two quarterbacks, no matter how wondrous their talents. Two years ago, McNabb's Eagles hosted Vick's Falcons in a second-round playoff game that had the buildup of a heavyweight fight.

Alas, McNabb had to protect a gimpy ankle, having missed the final six games of the regular season, and Vick struggled against Philadelphia's fearsome defense. The Eagles advanced to the NFC championship game by grinding out a 20-6 victory.

Philadelphia lost the following week to Tampa Bay, the second of what has grown to three straight defeats in the season's penultimate round. Even more galling to the green-clad faithful, the last two NFC title game losses have come at home.

At this point, it's Super Bowl or bust for the Eagles, who carry the hopes -- and the weight -- of an entire city. Philadelphia hasn't won a major sports championship since the 76ers captured the NBA title in 1983. The Eagles' last NFL crown came in 1960 -- six seasons before the Super Bowl was born.

"I don't know who the pressure's on," Vick said, "but I know the pressure's not on us."