Feb. 4, 2013
Ravens Hold Off 49ers’ Comeback Attempt for Super Bowl XLVII Victory
What Now for Ravens?
NEW ORLEANS, La. (TriceEdneyWire.com) - Joe Flacco was named Super Bowl XLVII MVP after leading the Baltimore Ravens to a thrilling 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League’s 47th Super Bowl on Feb. 3 hosted at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Flacco delivered a flawless performance against the 49ers’ tough, physical defense, passing for 287 yards and three touchdowns, all of which were thrown in the first half of the game. Most importantly, the five-year quarterback didn’t commit any turnovers and was able to march the Ravens’ offense down field at will when needed.
Flacco led the Ravens to a 21-6 lead at halftime, and the lead ballooned to 28-6 after Ravens receiver/return specialist returned the second-half kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown, a new NFL record.
But the 49ers took advantage of a power outage in the Superdome that lasted for more than 30 minutes, ultimately killing the Ravens’ momentum. San Francisco then went on a 23-6 run, cutting the lead to 34-29 with less than four minutes in the game. Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers’ second-year 49ers quarterback, did everything in his power to complete what could have been one of the most amazing comebacks in Super Bowl history, marching his team down to the Ravens’ goal line with just more than a minute left. But Ray Lewis and the Ravens’ defensive unit stiffened with their backs against their own end zone and kept the 49ers from scoring a touchdown.
The Ravens then ran the clock down to just 11 seconds before taking a sacrificial safety, which gave the 49ers two points and the ball back, but with only four seconds left in the game. The Ravens made a tackle on the mandatory safety kickoff, ending the game 34-31 and clinching their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history.
Most Outstanding Player(s) of the Game:
Obviously, Joe Flacco was the most outstanding player with his mistake-free performance against the best defensive unit in the NFL. He joined elite company as he now shares Hall of Famer Joe Montana’s record for 11 touchdowns thrown without an interception during a single playoff run. Flacco told reporters last offseason that he believes he’s the best quarterback in the NFL, which led to much criticism from several NFL pundits. But now no one can deny his greatness with a Super Bowl MVP victory on his resume.
Sharing the Most Outstanding Player honor with Flacco is Ravens’ speedster Jacoby Jones. The New Orleans, La. native came up huge for the Ravens. Not only did he score the Ravens’ only touchdown of the second half with his record-breaking kick return, but he also caught a 56-yard touchdown bomb from Flacco just minutes before the end of the second quarter. Jones caught the bomb, then did a spin move to lose one defender while outrunning another defender to the end zone.
Unsung Hero of the Game:
Linebacker Ray Lewis played his last game as a Raven and has a Super Bowl ring to show for it, thanks to the help of fellow inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe. Lewis will get credit for leading the Ravens on their final defensive stop to end the 49ers’ comeback attempt, but it was Ellerbe who led the team statistically with nine tackles. Baltimore lost Pro Bowl defensive lineman Haloti Ngata to injury during the second half, but that didn’t stop Ellerbe from jumping into running lanes to contain the 49ers’ rushing attack.
Without him playing so well, the 49ers may have done a lot more damage offensively.
More Game Notes:
Forty-niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick started out a tad slow and tossed a poor pass in first quarter that was picked off by Ravens’ star safety Ed Reed. But he settled down and started making plays, finishing with 364 total yards and two touchdowns, one a run and the other a pass. Frank Gore, 49ers running back, also played well, rushing for 110 yards on 19 carries; he outperformed Ravens’ star running back Ray Rice, who had just 59 yards on 20 carries and an untimely fumble that helped San Francisco make their second-half comeback.
Ravens veteran receiver Anquan Boldin made clutch catches for Baltimore, finishing with six receptions for 104 yards and a 30-yard touchdown. Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta had four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown.
Ray Lewis finished his last game with seven tackles while Ed Reed had five tackles and an interception.
Analysis:
Every year we say this, but this may have been the greatest, most exciting Super Bowl in recent history. At one point it appeared as if it was going to turn out as a blowout victory for the Ravens, but all that was needed was a power outage and 34-minute delay in restoring power to wake up the 49ers and turn the game into an instant classic. In the end, it came down to Ray Lewis and his defensive unit making one last stop to win it all.
Lewis pulled it off. He earned it, and so did all of his teammates. Congrats, Baltimore. You’re now the host town of the new world champions.
What now for Ravens:
The Ravens was set to return to Baltimore Feb. 4 and gear up for next season. After totaling 72 regular season wins since 2006, mostly with legendary inside linebacker Ray Lewis as their leader, Baltimore has been one of the National Football League's (NFL) steadiest teams.
But following the Super Bowl, the Ravens will enter next season with a host of questions. Topics such as Joe Flacco's contract status, the impact of Lewis' retirement, aging stars and a likely Super Bowl hangover should be circling the team bus as it pulls away from the Superdome. So what's next for the Ravens? Perry Green and Stephen D. Riley debate.
Riley: You can't act like a decline isn't in order because it definitely is. This off season will probably be the first crossroad that the franchise has faced in quite some time. With Lewis' retirement and Flacco's contract dangling in the air, the team could totally shift philosophies if Flacco re-signs for big dollars. But with several other factors still nipping at the team's coattails, they're going to be hard-pressed to duplicate this championship appearance next season and beyond. A lot of balls bounced in Baltimore's favor just to make it to New Orleans this year, I can’t see that happening again.
Green: Well, thankfully you're not a psychic, Riley. This franchise is in excellent hands with general manager Ozzie Newsome pulling the strings. He knows how to set the table and keep an appetizing meal that serves the fans. Newsome's a brilliant GM and I expect him to make the right calls this offseason that'll keep the Ravens rolling for a while. Lewis' retirement will hurt but there's a lot of pride and talent on this team. The cupboard isn't bare by any stretch. This team has a lot more years of winning in the near future.
Riley: The Ravens have talent but that Super Bowl hangover is a tough one. Removing a leader like Lewis, a guy who could probably direct them out of any funk, is critical as they head into next season. How many Super Bowl losers have we seen not even make the playoffs over the last few years? The New York Giants won it all last year and couldn't even sniff the postseason this year. There's going to be some sense of complacency circling this team after their first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade. And asking a team to deal with that, plus possible deflections of star players and aging players is a lot to ask.
Green: At the end of the day the Ravens still have the most talent in their division. And at the end of the day winning the division is all every team prepares for. That's the first step to a successful campaign so even with Lewis stepping down, the Ravens remain the most talented team in the AFC (American Football Conference) North. Flacco will get his deal and the offense will roll again with Ray Rice in the backfield. The defense no longer has to be a lights-out unit and they'll still play with pride with Lewis retired because many of the players he’s mentored still remain, like linebacker Terrell Suggs and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. This is Flacco's team now and after this season he'll either be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback or just a Super Bowl quarterback. In my opinion, Baltimore's only on the way up as Flacco enters his prime.
Riley: Maybe I'm underestimating Flacco but even he will have some fog to navigate through should he enter next season with a Super Bowl ring and a fat new contract. Hangovers are real and I'm not talking about the college ones. You have some teams in the NFL that hit their peak before they fall back into the pack. After competing and plugging away for so long to finally reach the big game, it's going to be hard for the Ravens to approach next season and battle through considering the many factors that will linger into the season.
Green: When Ravens head coach John Harbaugh first took over in 2008, he looked us reporters in the eyes and told us he would turn this team into a championship dynasty. The look in his eyes made you believe him. His players see that same look and they believe, too. That’s why I’m not worried about this team being motivated to keep the wins rolling in. This is a tough group. They're hard-working and resilient. Newsome knows how to insert the right pieces to keep this team in the running and Harbaugh is a hell of a coach. The Ravens have the front office and brass to stay running for a while. Even with all of those "surrounding factors."