After six months and 267 regular season and post games, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers and won Super Bowl XLVII, 34-31.
The Ravens bolted out to a 28-6 lead early in the third quarter after a 108 yard kickoff return by the Ravens’ Jacoby Jones and three first-half touchdown passes by Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco.
Flacco, the Super Bowl MVP, capped a breakout post-season by throwing for 287 yards against the stout 49ers defense.
Just as Baltimore appeared to be in control of the game in the third quarter, half of the lights in the New Orleans Superdome lost power. Play was delayed for 34 minutes until power was fully restored, and after the break the 49ers began to gain momentum and make a comeback.
Behind the arm and legs of their second-year quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers cut the lead to 31-29 in the fourth quarter. After the Ravens tacked on a field goal, San Francisco had the ball with under five minutes to go in the game and needing a touchdown to go ahead.
The 49ers quickly marched down the field, reaching as far as the five yard line of Baltimore, but from there Kaepernick and the 49ers offense stalled and was unable to finish the drive with a touchdown.
The key defensive play of the game was that fourth down on the Ravens’ five yard line. The Ravens brought pressure up the middle and were able to hit Kaepernick as he threw, forcing an overthrow to the corner of the end zone that sealed the game for the Ravens.
As in any Super Bowl, there were several other storylines that added to the drama of the game beyond what happened between the lines.
This Super Bowl was the first contested by two head coaching brothers. John Harbaugh, head coach of the Ravens, bested his younger brother and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to claim the championship.
This game was also the second Super Bowl victory and last game for Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Lewis, who has been embroiled in controversy throughout his career including being charged for murder and recently was accused of using banned substances, is considered one of the game’s greatest linebackers and a sure-fire Hall of Fame player.
After a magnificent playoff run, John Harbaugh, Lewis, Flacco, and the rest of the Baltimore Ravens deserve their trip to Disney World and the right to be called world champions.