Super Bowl XLVII Prediction

Added on Feb 01, 2013 by Scott in

NFL

The 49ers last appearance in a Super Bowl was in January 1995 when Steve Young and Rick Watters destroyed San Diego 49-26. The Ravens sole trip to the Big Game came following the 2000 season and resulted in a 34-7 thrashing of the New York Giants. Combined, the franchises are 6-0 on Super Sunday. This has the makings of a classic matchup, but which team has the edge? Let’s take a look.

San Francisco -4 versus Baltimore

The Niners have rushed for 478 yards in two playoff games, due in large part to dual threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick. How successful they are against the Ravens front seven will go a long way in seizing victory. Expect Jim Harbaugh to pound Frank Gore early and pick his spots to unleash Kaepernick’s speed. The Ravens stymied Tom Brady in the AFC title game, but Kaepernick presents a different set of problems, especially if he hits a couple of deep shots. On defense, the Niners must be careful not to focus too much attention on stopping Ray Rice. Joe Flacco will attack single coverage aggressively with receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. Safeties Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner can’t afford to be fooled by play-action.

Baltimore boasts a balanced offense, unlike Green Bay and Atlanta. If the duo of Rice and Bernard Pierce can soften the Niners front and pull the safeties into the box, it could be a banner night for Flacco and his receiving corps. Torrey Smith has the speed and Anquan Boldin the strength to cause fits for the San Fran secondary. The Ravens defense is experienced, disciplined and savvy. They might be the ideal unit to stall the Pistol offense, provided they don’t run out of gas. Corralling Kaepernick is no easy task, but the elder Harbaugh should have a wrinkle or two ready to confuse the young signal-caller. The offensive line has yielded only four sacks in three postseason games. When Flacco gets a clean pocket, he is deadly.

How much the Ravens learned from their December loss to the Redskins will be key in deciding the outcome. On that day, a gimpy RG III and Alfred Morris ripped up a defense missing Ray Lewis. Will the presence of Lewis in his final game be the difference maker? No.

San Francisco 27, Baltimore 20