The San Francisco 49ers opened as 4-point favorites to win the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens. They were the most consistent team this season, although both teams shows some inconsistent play at points throughout the season.
San Francisco finished the season with an 11-4-1 record. It was good enough to win the NFC West, although they had seemed to be dominating the race for much of the season, and seemed to have it under wraps, for all intents and purposes, before Seattle finished the season with a flurry and gave the 49ers a run for their money. In fact, the Seahawks were able not only to defeat San Francisco in a late season showdown, but to humiliate them on national television, 42-13. That raised a lot of questions about the team, as did a 26-3 home loss to the Giants early on in the season.
San Francisco finished the season with an 11-4-1 record. It was good enough to win the NFC West, although they had seemed to be dominating the race for much of the season, and seemed to have it under wraps, for all intents and purposes, before Seattle finished the season with a flurry and gave the 49ers a run for their money. In fact, the Seahawks were able not only to defeat San Francisco in a late season showdown, but to humiliate them on national television, 42-13. That raised a lot of questions about the team, as did a 26-3 home loss to the Giants early on in the season.
But San Francisco got here mostly by playing consistent football. They were not the obviously dominant team in the NFL or even the NFC throughout the season, or anything, but they were consistently among the leading teams. Coach Jim Harbaugh is generally a conservative coach, and what that translates into is minimizing mistakes. They have a very tough defense, and usually, a grind it out style of offense. At times, when they open things up, the offense can show some explosiveness, as they did against the Packers in the divisional round, and to a lesser extent, as they did in their comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game.
The Baltimore Ravens, by contrast, showed a lot more inconsistency. Given elite status ever since their narrow loss to the New England Patriots in last year's AFC Championship, in a game that many people felt they really should have won, the Ravens entered this season among the very favorites. They remained among the very favorite, too, until a showdown with the then top-seeded Houston Texans on the road. Baltimore not only lost, they got blown out, 43-13.
The Ravens had a bye after that, but returned to play and won their next four games straight, and many of those concerns were alleviated. But then came the final stretch of the season, where the Ravens lost four of their last five games, and the season seemed to be spiraling out of control for this team. I will admit to assuming that they were dead, and to sticking a fork in them.
But I was wrong. The Ravens dominated the Colts, which was not all that surprising. But then, they had that amazing win at Denver, where they showed guts. They followed that up with the victory over New England in the AFC Championship, and suddenly, they look like the team of destiny. They remind me very much of last year's Giants, or the previous years Packers. A team that perhaps did not overwhelm people with their dominant regular season, but a team that got healthy at the tight time, and got hot once they were healthy. It feels like the Ravens are having that kind of a postseason run.
Both the 49ers and the Ravens actually have a lot in common. They are coached by brothers, after all, and both of them have traditionally had the same kind of approach - a conservative style, emphasizing solid defense and efficient offense, complimented by a solid running game. There have been times through the season that San Francisco has shown more flash on the offensive side, flexing their muscles. For Baltimore, they have really shown that in these last few weeks, particularly in the game against the Broncos.
That is part of what makes this game so intriguing. It is the kind of game that is difficult to predict, frankly, because both teams are hot right now. They both have tough defenses, and it could be a low-scoring, defensive battle as a result. Or, since both teams have also shown that they can be explosive if they need to be, it could be a shoot out. Perhaps one team could prove to simply be too much for the other, and will control the momentum of the game and win convincingly. It really would not be all that surprising, no matter what scenario plays itself out.
Ultimately, it should be close. San Francisco's offense is loaded with weapons. They have a dangerous, unpredictable quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, and a strong running game with Frank Gore, who enjoys the strong protection that he receives from a first rate offensive line. But San Francisco also enjoys a dangerous passing game, with wide receivers such as Crabtree and Vernon. The Ravens have a very good defense to counter all of that, and I don't think that they should be overwhelmed by it. In fact, after having completely shut down (and shut out) the league's top-ranked offense in the second half, and holding the New England Patriots to a season low 13 points in the AFC Championship Game (they had only been held to under twenty points one time before, when they inexplicably lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 20-18), the Ravens defense seems capable of holding anyone in check.
On the other side, the Ravens offense has been pretty consistent in recent weeks. They have struggled at times this season, much like they struggled in seasons past. But perhaps it should be noted that this team exorcised much of their past demons by defeating the Broncos in Denver, a team that had completely dismantled the Ravens in Baltimore less than a month before. They then got rid of their other demon, by exacting a measure of revenge against the Patriots up in Foxboro, where they had lost a very close game last season that many felt they should have won. In the process, Joe Flacco found some consistency and put on a gutsy performance. With Ray Rice and the offensive line proving to be up to the task, and the passing game having played some of their best ball in these last few weeks, the Ravens offense is looking as good as it has all season, and perhaps as good as it has in years. Traditionally the liability that a tough defense would have to overcome, the Ravens offense now seems to be the strength of this team. But the 49ers also have an elite defense, and it will be interesting to see whether or not they can keep Baltimore's offense from catching fire.
For many reasons, this match up is intriguing. Of course, two brothers will be coaching against one another. I think that's not only the first time in Super Bowl history, but in North American sports history. When have two brothers coached against each other on such a level?
But these two teams are also mirror images of one another on many levels. Obviously, their approach has proven effective, since they are both here, in the Super Bowl. That makes it interesting to contemplate this game, and potential outcomes.
I am picking the Ravens in this one. They seem to be on an emotional high, and with this being the final game of Ray Lewis's career, I think Baltimore will be especially fired up. They seem to be peaking at the right time, and again, they have the feel of a team of destiny. I like the Ravens securing the victory in the second half, beginning to dominate the 49ers a little towards the end.
The Baltimore Ravens, I predict, will be the Super Bowl XLVII Champions.
Coach Accused of Throwing Super Bowl
It sounds absurd, and indeed, probably is.
But a former NFL head coach, who led his team to the Super Bowl, was accused by a couple of wide receivers of throwing the Super Bowl.
Tim Brown was the first to make the suggestion, and it was subsequently backed up by Jerry Rice.
The Oakland Raiders had one of the best offenses in the league, not just that season, but in the early 2000's. They also were the favorites to win Super Bowl XXXVII.
But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers completely demolished the Raiders on the day. The final score was 48-21, but the game was not even as close as that score would indicate. In fact, the Bucs were dominating Oakland so badly, that the game was basically over by halftime.
The head coach, Bill Callahan, had replaced Jon Gruden, a successful and popular head coach who had been the Raiders coach until the year before. When he left Oakland, he moved on to Tampa Bay, and coached the Bucs to their first ever Super Bowl.
Gruden was familiar with the Oakland Raiders. he had been their coach just a year prior, after all. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the elite defenses at the time, a very capable unit that played their very best against the potent Oakland offense. It surely helped that Gruden was already familiar with the team and what they could do. Perhaps the lopsided outcome, which came as a surprise to many, was a result of that.
The idea that Callahan actually threw the game, the biggest game of his entire career, by far, seems ludicrous. He vehemently defended himself, adamantly, saying that while the outcome in that Super Bowl was very disappointing to many people, he was "shocked, saddened, and outraged by Tim Brown's allegations and Jerry Rice's support of those allegations made through various media outlets over the last twenty four hours. To leave no doubt, I categorically and unequivocally deny the substance of their allegations...Any suggestion that I would undermine the integrity of the sport that I love and dedicate my life to, or dishonor the commitment I made to our players, coaches and fans, is flat out wrong. I think it would be in the best interests of all including the game America loves that these allegations be retracted immediately."
Tim Brown did subsequently back off from the claims he made.
You can read more on this in the article that I used for this piece: "Callahan vehemently denies sabotaging Raiders" by Terry McCormick of National Football Post
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/callahan-vehemently-denies-sabotaging-raiders-131600888--nfl.html
The Baltimore Ravens, by contrast, showed a lot more inconsistency. Given elite status ever since their narrow loss to the New England Patriots in last year's AFC Championship, in a game that many people felt they really should have won, the Ravens entered this season among the very favorites. They remained among the very favorite, too, until a showdown with the then top-seeded Houston Texans on the road. Baltimore not only lost, they got blown out, 43-13.
The Ravens had a bye after that, but returned to play and won their next four games straight, and many of those concerns were alleviated. But then came the final stretch of the season, where the Ravens lost four of their last five games, and the season seemed to be spiraling out of control for this team. I will admit to assuming that they were dead, and to sticking a fork in them.
But I was wrong. The Ravens dominated the Colts, which was not all that surprising. But then, they had that amazing win at Denver, where they showed guts. They followed that up with the victory over New England in the AFC Championship, and suddenly, they look like the team of destiny. They remind me very much of last year's Giants, or the previous years Packers. A team that perhaps did not overwhelm people with their dominant regular season, but a team that got healthy at the tight time, and got hot once they were healthy. It feels like the Ravens are having that kind of a postseason run.
Both the 49ers and the Ravens actually have a lot in common. They are coached by brothers, after all, and both of them have traditionally had the same kind of approach - a conservative style, emphasizing solid defense and efficient offense, complimented by a solid running game. There have been times through the season that San Francisco has shown more flash on the offensive side, flexing their muscles. For Baltimore, they have really shown that in these last few weeks, particularly in the game against the Broncos.
That is part of what makes this game so intriguing. It is the kind of game that is difficult to predict, frankly, because both teams are hot right now. They both have tough defenses, and it could be a low-scoring, defensive battle as a result. Or, since both teams have also shown that they can be explosive if they need to be, it could be a shoot out. Perhaps one team could prove to simply be too much for the other, and will control the momentum of the game and win convincingly. It really would not be all that surprising, no matter what scenario plays itself out.
Ultimately, it should be close. San Francisco's offense is loaded with weapons. They have a dangerous, unpredictable quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, and a strong running game with Frank Gore, who enjoys the strong protection that he receives from a first rate offensive line. But San Francisco also enjoys a dangerous passing game, with wide receivers such as Crabtree and Vernon. The Ravens have a very good defense to counter all of that, and I don't think that they should be overwhelmed by it. In fact, after having completely shut down (and shut out) the league's top-ranked offense in the second half, and holding the New England Patriots to a season low 13 points in the AFC Championship Game (they had only been held to under twenty points one time before, when they inexplicably lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 20-18), the Ravens defense seems capable of holding anyone in check.
On the other side, the Ravens offense has been pretty consistent in recent weeks. They have struggled at times this season, much like they struggled in seasons past. But perhaps it should be noted that this team exorcised much of their past demons by defeating the Broncos in Denver, a team that had completely dismantled the Ravens in Baltimore less than a month before. They then got rid of their other demon, by exacting a measure of revenge against the Patriots up in Foxboro, where they had lost a very close game last season that many felt they should have won. In the process, Joe Flacco found some consistency and put on a gutsy performance. With Ray Rice and the offensive line proving to be up to the task, and the passing game having played some of their best ball in these last few weeks, the Ravens offense is looking as good as it has all season, and perhaps as good as it has in years. Traditionally the liability that a tough defense would have to overcome, the Ravens offense now seems to be the strength of this team. But the 49ers also have an elite defense, and it will be interesting to see whether or not they can keep Baltimore's offense from catching fire.
For many reasons, this match up is intriguing. Of course, two brothers will be coaching against one another. I think that's not only the first time in Super Bowl history, but in North American sports history. When have two brothers coached against each other on such a level?
But these two teams are also mirror images of one another on many levels. Obviously, their approach has proven effective, since they are both here, in the Super Bowl. That makes it interesting to contemplate this game, and potential outcomes.
I am picking the Ravens in this one. They seem to be on an emotional high, and with this being the final game of Ray Lewis's career, I think Baltimore will be especially fired up. They seem to be peaking at the right time, and again, they have the feel of a team of destiny. I like the Ravens securing the victory in the second half, beginning to dominate the 49ers a little towards the end.
The Baltimore Ravens, I predict, will be the Super Bowl XLVII Champions.
Coach Accused of Throwing Super Bowl
It sounds absurd, and indeed, probably is.
But a former NFL head coach, who led his team to the Super Bowl, was accused by a couple of wide receivers of throwing the Super Bowl.
Tim Brown was the first to make the suggestion, and it was subsequently backed up by Jerry Rice.
The Oakland Raiders had one of the best offenses in the league, not just that season, but in the early 2000's. They also were the favorites to win Super Bowl XXXVII.
But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers completely demolished the Raiders on the day. The final score was 48-21, but the game was not even as close as that score would indicate. In fact, the Bucs were dominating Oakland so badly, that the game was basically over by halftime.
The head coach, Bill Callahan, had replaced Jon Gruden, a successful and popular head coach who had been the Raiders coach until the year before. When he left Oakland, he moved on to Tampa Bay, and coached the Bucs to their first ever Super Bowl.
Gruden was familiar with the Oakland Raiders. he had been their coach just a year prior, after all. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had one of the elite defenses at the time, a very capable unit that played their very best against the potent Oakland offense. It surely helped that Gruden was already familiar with the team and what they could do. Perhaps the lopsided outcome, which came as a surprise to many, was a result of that.
The idea that Callahan actually threw the game, the biggest game of his entire career, by far, seems ludicrous. He vehemently defended himself, adamantly, saying that while the outcome in that Super Bowl was very disappointing to many people, he was "shocked, saddened, and outraged by Tim Brown's allegations and Jerry Rice's support of those allegations made through various media outlets over the last twenty four hours. To leave no doubt, I categorically and unequivocally deny the substance of their allegations...Any suggestion that I would undermine the integrity of the sport that I love and dedicate my life to, or dishonor the commitment I made to our players, coaches and fans, is flat out wrong. I think it would be in the best interests of all including the game America loves that these allegations be retracted immediately."
Tim Brown did subsequently back off from the claims he made.
You can read more on this in the article that I used for this piece: "Callahan vehemently denies sabotaging Raiders" by Terry McCormick of National Football Post
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/callahan-vehemently-denies-sabotaging-raiders-131600888--nfl.html
Super result for your wonderful work. I appreciate and I am looking for further writeups.
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Wow! Thanks! Yes, I will certainly be adding more to this blog, and particularly in regards to the Super Bowl. Glad you enjoyed it, and I especially appreciate your supportive comments!
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