2011...The forgotten QB class

The NFL playoffs are upon us...and all of the attention has gone to the three rookie qb phenoms Andrew Luck, RG3, and Russell Wilson. All three are deserving of praise. They all played great this year and they all took their teams to the playoffs. Lost in all of the fanfare is the fact the sophomore qb class has quietly put together a solid campaign themselves.

Christian Ponder lead his Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs in his second year, and that was without his best weapon Percy Harvin for the important playoff push. Yes, Adrian Peterson deserves the lions share of the credit, but RG3 and Wilson also had 1,500 plus yard rushers to carry them.

Andy Dalton has quietly taken his Cincinnati Bengals to the playoffs back to back years. The Bengals have not done that in lord knows when. He has a stud receiver in A.J. Green, and a solid defense. Dalton has a chance to be good for the foreseeable future.

The San Fransisco 49ers gave second year qb Colin Kaepernick his shot midway through the season, and he did not disappoint. He took the starting job from former number one overall pick and last year's starter Alex Smith. Kaepernick...and the 49ers have not looked back. San Fransisco is more dynamic offensively, and that's a scary thing considering the talent they already have on defense. Kaepernick definately has the potential to be really good for a long time.

And that's not including last year's number one pick Cam Newton...who quietly put together a solid sophomore season. He combined for over 4,600 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also cut his turnovers down. Most importantly, the Panthers improved their record each season with Cam under center. In a division with perennial playoff contenders Atlanta and New Orleans, Newton's playoff debut will be delayed. But surrounded with the right talent, there's no doubt he will make it there...and soon.

Bottom line, the playoffs are full of good young talent at qb. The game is in good hands for a long long time.     follow@plcolter