Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Last night the football universe bore witness to one of the best and most bizarre editions of the greatest championship game on the planet. Super Bowl XLVII had everything except overtime and a wardrobe malfunction (come on Beyoncé, we were all counting on you). At the center of this football classic was a duel between two quarterbacks that could have easily been Raiders if it were up to Al Davis.

For decades Davis preached the philosophy of production over percentages. In stark contrast to the ever popular West Coast offense that calls for high percentage short to intermediate throws that act as extended running plays, Davis always wanted throwers willing to wing it down field in hopes of gaining huge chunks of yards as quickly as possible.

For years Joe Flacco struggled to find his rhythm as an NFL thrower cut right from the Davis cloth. Given his size, arm strength and desire to put the ball 15+ yards downfield seemingly every time he drops back Flacco is a QB Davis surely admired. In keeping with Davis’ philosophy, Flacco isn’t likely to ever be among the NFL’s top tier in completion percentage. But in yards per attempt you’ll find Flacco in the top 15 of that category almost every year.

2012 will go down as the year in which it all clicked for Flacco. In the postseason he revealed himself to be a big game quarterback with the knack for throwing the ball over the heads of hapless defenders en route to hoisting a Lombardi and earning a Super Bowl MVP.

Of course Flacco’s QB counterpart in that memorable game in New Orleans was a man Davis most definitely had designs on prior to his passing.

There was plenty of speculation that during the 2011 NFL Draft Davis had designs on moving up to take an intriguing QB prospect from Nevada with California roots named Colin Kaepernick. Perhaps sensing Davis was going to get his man Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers beat Al at his own game by getting a higher pick in round 2 in order to grab Kaepernick.

After spending his rookie season seeing minimal action in specialty packages Kaepernick inherited the 9ers’ QB gig once Alex Smith went down with a concussion. Harbuagh’s controversial decision paid dividends as Kaepernick had his team mere yards away from the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Like Flacco, Kaepernick is a big kid with a big arm. However what made Davis so enamored with Kaepernick is his uncanny athletic ability. Not only can he toss the rock deep with accuracy but Kaepernick is equally adept at running right by defenders, making plays in the open field few who have ever played the position are capable of.

No doubt Mr. Davis had to be smiling last night as he watched many of his ideals on display on football’s biggest stage. Of course Davis likely would have taken no solace in the fact that his beloved Raiders are without anyone matching that talent profile at the quarterback position…then again…

What we saw from Terrelle Pryor – perhaps Davis’ final gift to the football world – could indicate the Silver and Black have just such a dynamic talent on the team just waiting to burst onto the scene. Only time will tell. For now just know that the Al Davis way is alive and well in the NFL and somewhere he was smiling ear to ear watching Super Bowl XLVII unfold.

So in keeping with the true spirit of the National Football League the odds are already out for next year’s Super Bowl winner. No real surprise but the Oakland Raiders are among the bottom dwellers of the NFL’s future betting market with Bovada installing the Silver and Black as 100/1 longshots to raise the Lombardi trophy one year from now.

The Buffalo Bills have also been hit with the 100/1 against all odds chances with only the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars worse at 150/1. Ironically enough the rival Denver Broncos and Bay Area brethren 9ers are favorites at 7/1.

What does this mean?

Well, it means a risky bet on the Raiders could produce riches beyond your wildest dreams. More than likely it means you’d be throwing away cash that could otherwise go to something more meaningful like the sure-to-be prop be of whether or not another power outage will delay Super Bowl XLVIII.

Fact of the matter is the Raiders regressed in 2012 as rookie general manager Reggie McKenzie and rookie head coach Dennis Allen learned the ropes. In 2013 progress must be made but judging by how things went last year that is a relative term.

If this team wins 5 games next season that will be progress in some sense. It won’t be enough to save Allen or possibly McKenzie but given some of the wild conspiracy theories out there with regards to Mark Davis’ supposed desire to move the franchise it could be just what the front office ordered.

Whatever the case bet at you own risk, Nation. We love our team but none of us can argue with the early odds. At least not now we can’t.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

What: Super Bowl XLVII

Who: Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers

Where: New Orleans Superdome, kickoff at 3:30 on CBS

Odds: 49ers (-4), Over/Under 48

Super Bowl Drinking Game: FanSided.com

Complete Coverage of Ravens: Ebony Bird

Compete Coverage of 49ers: Niner Noise