49ERS 31
Super Bowl XLVII will forever be remembered as a Super Bowl so good, the power couldn't stay on in the Superdome.
A game that was about the battle between brother coaches Jim and John Harbaugh, turned into a chess match between two good young quarterbacks.
Shortly after Jacoby Jones returned a kick-off 108 yards for a touchdown to give the Ravens a 28-6 lead, it appeared that Baltimore was on their way the first Super Bowl route since Super Bowl XXXVII.
Instead, a power outage that blacked out half stadium after a surge blew outside the building, seemed to turn the momentum in favor of the Niners. Even the Ravens would admit later, that the outage seemed to give renewed life to San Francisco 49ers, who erased the 22 point deficit down to just two points, 31-29, late in the fourth quarter, setting up the stage for a dramatic finish to the Harbaugh-Bowl.
But before we get to that, let's set up the table of this fantastic Super Bowl.
The Ravens totally dominated the first half of this football game. Joe Flacco was unbelievable finding his receivers, Torry Smith and Anquan Boldin in tight coverage all over the field. Even if the duo was in double coverage, Flacco found them. On the Ravens first drive, Flacco set the tone to his eventual MVP nod, leading a crisp six-play 51-yard drive, culminating in a 13-yard scoring strike to Boldin to give Baltimore a quick 7-0 lead.
However, in the early stages of the this game it looked like San Francisco was on to something. They were having early success running their offense out of the pistol, as Colin Kaepernick was able to fool the Ravens on a number of occasions with hand-offs to Frank Gore, or quarterback keepers to the outside on the Niners first scoring drive. But a monster sack of Kaepernick by Paul Krugger on third and eight at the Baltimore 18 killed the drive, and forced the Niners to settle for 3-points. A huge opportunity missed for San Fran.
Later in the second quarter, the Niners were on the move again after Keapernick completed two passes to tight end Vernon Davis for a total of 40 yards, but LeMichael James' fumble gave the Ravens the football back and with it, the momentum.
The Ravens took full advantage as Flacco completed two huge passes to a wide open Ed Dickson for a total of 37 yards, setting up Flacco's touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta to make it 14-3.
Finally, Baltimore's defensive pressure got to the young Keapernick. He was forced to drop back deep in the pocket and threw an errant throw into the hands of Ed Reed. While the turnover didn't result in points for Baltimore it was a play that almost became a headline in this Super Bowl.
Facing a fourth and nine at the 49ers 14, coach John Harbaugh elected to try a fake field goal. The play didn't work as kicker Justin Tucker came up a yard short. It was an ill-advised play call that almost came back to bite the Ravens at the end of the game. Harbaugh was also lucky he didn't get his kicker injured on the play.
Still the 49ers couldn't move the football on the Ravens defense, and Baltimore didn't shy away from the big plays. First, Jacoby Jones made an acrobatic catch at the 10 yard line, avoided tacklers and scored to make it 21-3. Then, of course, Jones made a case for Super Bowl MVP with the 108-yard kick return.
If you thought the game was over and turned off the television set, you made a big mistake.
The 49ers grew red hot. Keapernick quickly resembled the man who led the 49ers to this very spot over the course of the last nine weeks. He couldn't be stopped. The Ravens couldn't get enough pressure up front, and when they did, the second-year pro rolled out of the pocket and made plays with his legs. The only way Keapernick could be stopped from making history was a costly turnover; with the way he drained the Ravens defense, a turnover wasn't likely to happen.
Keapernick slowly picked apart the Ravens on his first drive after the power outage. He scrambled for 15-yards to the Niners 40. He then hit Randy Moss for nine yards, and found his favorite target, Vernon Davis for 18 more. Finally, Keapernick hit Michael Crabtree on a perfect slant, allowing the receiver to cut up-field for the touchdown.
28-13.
The 49ers had a pulse.
After a Baltimore three and out and a terrible punt by Sam Koch, the Niners were in business at the Baltimore 20. Keapernick hit Davis for 14. The pulse was getting louder. Then, Frank Gore cut across the Ravens defense, thanks to a great block by the fullback, Delanie Walker, and scored.
28-20.
Suddenly, the 49ers pulse was a heartbeat. They were back in the game.
The 49ers comeback was so amazing, it caught the Ravens off-guard. They were exhausted, and San Francisco knew it. It felt like it was only a matter of time before the 49ers took the lead and blew past Baltimore to the Lombardi trophy. But that moment never came.
After San Francisco kicked a field goal to cut the deficit to five points, Flacco led a brilliant drive composed of solid runs by Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce, and a huge 30-yard completion to Boldin to set up Tucker with a field goal to extend the lead back to eight. While the Ravens would have liked a touchdown there, the field goal settled the game down a bit at 31-23.
But Kaepernick wouldn't go away. He hit Randy Moss for 32-yards, and watched Frank Gore gash the Ravens for 21-yards to the Ravens 18-yard line. Then, Keapernick made his signature move. He rolled out of the pocket, found a hole and took it, racing 15-yards for a touchdown to bring San Fran within two points of the tie.
While San Fran didn't convert the two-point attempt, the Ravens weren't moving the ball as well in the second half, and it seemed that the comeback was going to happen.
And it almost did.
Keapernick got one last shot at leading an inspirational come-from-behind-victory for the 49ers, and nearly pulled the rabbit out of his hat. After Gore broke free for a 33-yard run down the sideline, Keapernick had the 49ers sitting pretty with a first and goal at the Ravens five yard line. On second down, he couldn't hit Crabtree in the end zone as the ball was swatted away at the last second by Corey Graham. On third down, Keapernick tried to hit Crabtree again on the sideline, but the ball was knocked out of his hands by Jimmy Smith.
Finally, in the most disputed play of the night, Keapernick lobbed a pass into the end zone for Crabtree, but the ball was out of his reach. The Niners wanted holding on Smith, but never got the call.
The Ravens were world champs.
While the 49ers were losers on Super Sunday, they gave America one of the greatest comebacks in Super Bowl history. Keapernick acquitted himself well, and one could argue he should have been named game MVP even in losing effort. Have no fear, while they were this close, the 49ers will be back in this spot soon.
As for the Ravens this championship concludes a season full of incredible storylines. From Ray Lewis pending retirement; to Joe Flacco's record setting postseason with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions; to Ed Reed finally making it to the big game, and coach John Harbaugh finally reaching the top of the mountain after leading Baltimore to five straight postseason berths; this was a title well deserved.
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