On Sunday,
over 100 million people across the globe will be tuning into their television
sets with eager anticipation of the most watched sporting event of the year:
the Super Bowl, where the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49ers for
the Lombardi Trophy at New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Though being the
47th edition of the final game of the NFL season, this has several “firsts”
leading into it. It will be the first time two opposing head coaches have been
brothers, with John Harbaugh leading out the Ravens, while brother Jim takes
charge of the 49ers. Both franchises are also undefeated in the Super Bowl,
with the Ravens winning in their only appearance in 2001, and San Francisco
winning all five of their previous final game match-ups. Therefore, not only is
it the first time two undefeated teams in Super Bowl history have faced each
other, the team that wins this game will be the only team left with a perfect
Super Bowl record after multiple appearances. So, with reputations on the line,
and players hungry to etch their names into footballing folklore, let’s take a
look at how the two sides stack up.
Jim and John Harbaugh - First brothers to be NFL Coaches on opposites sides in a Super Bowl.
The
Baltimore Ravens had a pretty unremarkable regular season. After going 12-4 and
coming within a dropped catch and missed field goal of a Super Bowl appearance in
2011, the Ravens struggled to take most of that momentum with them. Defensively,
they were hit with injuries to key players such as Terrell Suggs, who won
Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 before tearing his Achilles, ruling him
out until week seven, and veteran linebacker Ray Lewis. Crucially, with Lewis
in the team, the Ravens went 5-1. Without him, they slumped to 5-5, losing the chance
at securing a home-field tie in the playoffs and instead gaining the 4th
seeding with a 10-6 record. While injuries beset the defense, offensively, the
Ravens were worryingly inconsistent. Fifth-year quarterback Joe Flacco threw
for a career best 3,817 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.
For every ounce the Ravens offense was great at home, away, they were stagnant,
often dim-witted. The failings were so obvious that despite having a 9-4 record
at the time, Harbaugh fired his offensive co-ordinator and one time mentor Cam
Cameron, replacing him with Jim Caldwell. It was a bold move, but one that paid
dividends in the playoffs, with Flacco throwing for 8 touchdowns and no
interceptions.
For all
their flaws though, the Ravens played with one thing that you couldn’t find in
most teams: heart. They played for each other. John Harbaugh installed a “family”
ethos into the Ravens camp since he took over as head coach in 2008, and it shone
through this season more than ever. Wide receiver Torrey Smith played against
the New England Patriots in week three mere hours after his brother, Tevin,
died tragically in a motorcycle accident. Though Harbaugh said he could leave
the team and be with his family he decided to play, saying “it was the right
thing to do, for me, my family and for Tevin.” He went on to collect six receptions
for 127 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Ravens to win by a single point.
Long-time owner Art Modell also died just before the regular season started,
and the team dedicated their entire season to him. These adversities made the
team stronger and instilled with them a belief and confidence in each other
that they could go all the way. They played with such confidence that,
according to NFL correspondent for BBC Radio Lancashire Dan McDermott, during
the tense overtime period away at the Denver Broncos in the divisional round
playoff match, “In the offensive huddle Marshal
Yanda revealed team were laughing at icicles in his beard.” This ease
was again demonstrated a week later in Foxborough. While Ravens fans were
nervous, desperate to see their team avenge the agonising defeat against the
Patriots a year earlier, “cornerback Jimmy Smith was out on the field playing a bit of
air guitar.” Some may call it arrogance, some a display of over-confidence, but
whatever it is, it’s working right now. Their emotional leader, Lewis,
announced he would retire after this season. This is his last shot at another
ring, his team knows that, and they are fighting to help him achieve his and
their collective dream.
Ray Lewis - Baltimore Ravens' emotional leader announced his retirement at the end of the 2012 season.
The 49ers
had a far smoother route to the Super Bowl, but it didn’t stop them from making
just as many bold decisions as the Ravens camp. Starting quarterback Alex
Smith, a 2005 first round draft pick who led them to the NFC championship game
in 2011, was replaced by second year talent Colin Kaepernick after Smith
suffered a concussion mid-season. Despite being third in overall passer rating
and with Kaepernick being untested, Jim Harbaugh decided to stick with the more
versatile QB in Kaepernick, leaving Smith benched after he had recovered.
Harbaugh’s bold move paid off, with Kaepernick leading the 49ers to an 11-4-1
record, the second best in the NFC behind the Atlanta Falcons. Kaepernick
demonstrated all the traits of the “new style” of quarterback, where legwork
often had to match arm strength, ushered in with the 2012 rookies of Robert
Griffin III, Russell Wilson, and veterans such as Michael Vick. This “new style”
was never more evident than when Kaepernick ran for 181 yards, a single game NFL
rushing record by a QB, in the divisional round vs the Green Bay Packers. Kaepernick
then again proved his mettle by steering the 49ers past the highly fancied
Falcons after turning around a 17-0 deficit, the biggest comeback in NFC
championship history.
It’s not
just offensively that the 49ers got it right this year. Defensively, they have
been outstanding. They ranked 2nd overall for fewest points allowed per game,
and all four of their linebackers, Aldon Smith, NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis
and Ahmad Brooks, made the 2012 All-Pro team. Smith also set a franchise record
with 19.5 sacks, while Pro-Bowl selection Justin Smith led the line with 66
tackles and 3 sacks. Special Teams though is where the 49ers have struggled. Veteran
kicker David Akers converted only 69% of his attempted field goals, including
missing a simple 38-yard kick against the Falcons weeks ago. Though beating out
Billy Cundiff, the man who missed a similar, game tying, field goal in the
championship game in 2011 for the Ravens, during the playoffs, questions still
remain over his reliability to kick crucial points for the 49ers.
Colin Kaepernick - Replaced Alex Smith as 49ers starting QB mid-season.
Either team
will obviously have to be on top form to stand a chance of winning on Sunday.
For the Ravens, they have to do a better job at stopping a versatile QB. They
lost to both RGIII’s Redskins and Vick’s Eagles in the regular season,
struggling to contain the read option playbooks employed by both. Kaepernick
and 49ers running back Frank Gore will look to exploit the weak run defense of
the Ravens once more. However, neither RGIII or Vick made it out of those
respective games healthy, and if Kaepernick does leave the safety of his
pocket, he better be aware of the fury contained in the Ravens defense, or he
could end up being carted out of the Superdome, potentially along with the
49ers’ Super Bowl dreams. While keeping
Kaepernick healthy, the 49ers need to be aware of the dangers possessed by
Flacco. With new co-ordinator Caldwell, Flacco has extended his range of
passing to encompass the deeps balls to Smith, plus shorter route passes to
tight end Dennis Pitta or receiver Anquan Boldin. Not only this, but the
no-huddle offense now incorporates running back Ray Rice to a degree where the
49ers will have to be wary of any gaps in the line.
So the stage
is set, the “Har-Bowl”, as it has come to be known, is almost upon us. It is
very striking that both teams can be so similar, not only by having the same
blood on opposing side-lines, but also in their play. Both teams benefitted
from bold mid-season calls. Both teams have physical defenses that are dominant
in the red zone. Both teams have quarterbacks that can get the job done in big
game situations. Both teams have stars in every position that could potentially
be difference makers. These factors are all why this game is so hard to call. The
form-book tells you the 49ers should win, the fairy-tale tells you the Ravens have
to win. Knowing which team’s dreams will play out is the question that awaits
to be answered very soon indeed.
