Posted on 02/03/2013 8:25:08 AM PST by Perdogg
Super Bowl XLVII, February 3rd, 2013 New Orleans Mercedes Benz Dome, CBS-TV, Westwood One radio, 630pm EST
Baltimore Ravens v San Francisco 49ers (-4.5, O/U 47.5)
The Baltimore defense came through when it counted in that last goal line stand where they kept SF from scoring 4 times in a row from the 5 yard line. However, they DID give up 25 points in the 2nd half after the ill fated power outage, and almost lost what looked to be a blow out.
The Baltimore D was severely underrated in the post season (always a big mistake), because the idiot commentators & odds makers that rated Baltimore the underdog in EVERY SINGLE post season game failed to realize that the season record for their D was meaningless because their stars were injured almost all year. They showed up at the end of the year and dominated, crushing the league's best QBs one after another (Luck, Manning, Brady, Kaepernick).
Regardless, despite the Baltimore defense's excellent last minute goal line stand, the fact that they gave up 25 points in the 2nd half and almost lost it for them disqualifies the D as MVP in this particular game. The Baltimore offense outshined them this time - both Joe Flacco and Jacoby Jones in particular. But I have to give the edge to Joe Flacco, who won the MVP, just because he was involved in a lot more clutch plays than Jones, despite Jones' amazing contributions and Super Bowl record 109 yard touchdown on a kickoff return.
“The Niners defense should stop the mediocre Ravens offense. SF defense is #2 in the NFL in points and #4 against both the run and the pass in YDG.”
LOL
Here was my posted Breakdown:
Ravens -4 are a great Value.
Here is what the Vegas gurus aren’t considering:
This is a different team than played earlier in the year.
1. Flacco has been more effective due to ridding the team of Cam Cameron as Offensive Coordinator.
2. Flipping Oher to RT and putting McKennie at LT has been huge for pass protection and the running game.
3. A.Boldin has been on fire late season and in the playoffs. Veteran stepping up.
4. The emergence of RB Pierce to go with Ray Rice.
5. Moving the sticks with the short passing game (less Cam Cameron plus Caldwell) keeps the older Ravens Defense rested.
6. Kaepernick has played great, but Ed Reed, Kreuger and the confusing Baltimore 3-4 give an even money probabililty that Kaepernick throws 2-3 interceptions.
Take the 4 points with the Ravens.
re: The safety is taking advantage of the rules
It was brilliant strategy. With just under 2 min, I called the safety as the play to make if they had a 4th down.
I still give the Defense the MVP, because of their age. Also, and there is no way, of course, to prove this, but emotion and momentum are key in football, so the 40 minute break that the 49ers received was a gift to them and not to Baltimore. It broke the Raven’s momentum and it gave time to the 49ers after they had just been shocked and were out preparing to receive a standing 8 count.
I have no design on under-rating what Flacco did. He play an excellent football game. His receivers were making some stellar catches as well, so I have no problem with him getting the MVP.
However, the defense over-performed for a bunch of old guys.
Maybe they should get the Geritol MVP Award.
I agree. It seemed to catch the 49ers off guard; it took them a bit to remember they had to tackle the guy or get him out of bounds.
I wonder how long a team could form a scrum-like ring around a kicker and keep him upright and unable to be tackled?
IMHO, SF’s “tentative approach” was the result of Kaepernick’s being inexperienced. The guy is good. There’s no doubt about that. But he also cracked under pressure a few times where the more seasoned Flacco did not.
I’m sure it was unnerving for Kaepernick to be on the world’s stage as the QB for SF in the Superbowl. There’s a lot to live up to in that role. This marks the first Superbowl loss for SF. I wouldn’t want to be Kaepernick right now.
The power outage was the miracle that the Niners needed to get back into the game.
Without that break in momentum, the game was a route.
Flacco had all of his TDs in the first half. John Harbaugh got a little passive thinking he could salt the game away by running into the teeth of the 49er Run Defense...wrong move.
Should have stayed with the short passing game.
Nonetheless great finish and the veteran Raven Defense came up big like they have most of the year.
Live by the sword....?
Interesting game, sorry about your boys, they are young, they’ll be back. I thought the more experienced QB would be the difference, and the Ravens players winning one for the gipper (Ray the Ripper). They might not be back soon.
My mom loves Flacco.
I was torn, Jim was a Bears guy, but the older brother in me was sympathetic to John. This game was a lot like a game of ping pong I played with my younger brother once, I had a huge lead like 8-2 or something like that. I blew it and it was tied 9-9, but I won the final point.
Excuse me not ping pong, AIR HOCKEY.
Congrats Baltimore “dirty football” Ravens on winning the SB.
Congrats to Michael Ohrr. Looks like the AFC is bound to make a hugh comeback.
OK. I thought you were talking about the fourth down play.
I mean the Niners’ fourth down play.
Hi, dear lady!
I’d just gotten in from work on opening kick-off of 2nd half; 109 yds! What a run. Helluva game. Did they burn down Baltimore celebrating/rioting?
Congrats to the Ravens, they did a great job. As far as SF goes, Jim Harbaugh's got to mature into a more cool thinker and focus on his team's strengths and not the hype. The hype this year was Kaepernick. I was all for Kaepernick. But his passing game was not the strength of SF's offense - it was the run. Harbaugh should have known that.
Kaepernick played better than I thought he would. The Power outage, settled him down....I had him down for 2-3 picks...but only through one...
It will be interesting to see how RGIII, Kaepernick, R. Wilson hold up...they can be great if they are healthy.
Ravens, with Ngata out...yeah, I would have ran too...4 times...but if you look at those plays they were really stacked in there...9 guys right there.
Scanning the Baltimore Sun I can’t find one negative news article of riots/vandalism/etc. It’s pretty frickin’ cold so that may have kept the hoodlums in.
800?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.