Super Bowl XLVII 2013 Predictions: San Francisco 49ers Defeat Baltimore Ravens For NFL Championship In New Orleans

Feb 03, 2013 02:03 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore
San Francisco 49ers runningback Frank Gore (21) celebrates as he runs into the end zone for a third quarter touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFL NFC Championship football game in Atlanta, Georgia January 20."

Following a weekend of exciting championship games, the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers are the last two teams standing as the NFL season moves to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII. Both teams made the championship games last season, but lost in heartbreaking fashion. 

The Super Bowl is the biggest sports event of the year and the San Francisco 49ers are preparing for the game with Colin Kaepernick as the starting quarterback

Smith was the starter last season as the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship game and he continued as the starter in 2012 before getting a concussion against the St. Louis Rams in Week 10. Prior to that game, Smith was putting up some great statistics, completing over 70 percent of 218 pass attempts for 1,737 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Kaepernick finished off the Rams game and then got the start the following week against the Chicago Bears. Head coach Jim Harbaugh decided he liked what he saw and decided to keep Kaepernick as the starter.

The second-year pro out of Nevada exceeded expectations, going 6-2 as a starter and had a passer rating of 98.7 with 13.1 yards per rushing attempt.

There is likely no prouder man in America right now than Jack Harbaugh, who has two sons coaching in the Super Bowl for the first time in NFL history. His son Jim leads the NFC champion 49ers, while John is the coach of the AFC champion Ravens.

The Ravens had their hands on a game-winning touchdown last year against the Patriots in the AFC championship, but Lee Evans couldn't hold on, leaving Billy Cundiff to kick a field goal to send the game to overtime. Instead, Cundiff missed the chip-shot kick and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl.

The 49ers suffered similar heartbreak, giving up two crucial fumbles to the New York Giants, allowing them to kick the game-winning field goal in overtime. The Giants won the Super Bowl over the Patriots, but this time, it will be time for the losers of those games to shine.

Against the Patriots on Sunday, the Ravens were fantastic and easily put to rest the demons that were around from the season before. Quarterback Joe Flacco outplayed future Hall of Famer Tom Brady to stop him from making his sixth career Super Bowl and put the Ravens in the big game with a 28-13 win.

"I don't know if we had a dream this big," John Harbaugh said. "We had a few dreams, we had a few fights, we had a few arguments -- just like all brothers. We've always believed in Joe," Harbaugh said. "And for Joe to come out and to have this kind of a game and this kind of a stage three weeks in a row."

Flacco passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions and completed 21-of-36 passes and kept the Baltimore offense consistent all night.

The Ravens defense was fantastic against the top-rated offense in the league, keeping the Patriots off the scoreboard in the second half. Baltimore held the Patriots to just 108 rushing yards, down from their regular season average, and forced two turnovers while protecting the ball themselves.

The unit was inspired by linebacker Ray Lewis, who is planning to retire after this playoff run with the Ravens.

"This is our time. This is our time," said Lewis, who made 14 tackles Sunday and has 44 in three postseason games after missing 10 weeks with a torn right triceps. "All these men out there, there might just be only five of us up here, but every man out there sacrificed this year for each other. And man, we did it and we're on our way to the Super Bowl. That's awesome."

Flacco has been the key for the Ravens, throwing for eight touchdowns and zero interceptions over three playoff wins this season. He will have a tough time against a 49ers defense that was one of the best in the NFL, allowing 17 points per game, ranked second in the league. The Ravens will be looking for their second Super Bowl championship, while the 49ers will be eyeing their sixth.

San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh took a lot of flak from many in the NFL after starting Colin Kaepernick over established veteran Alex Smith, but everyone is calling him a genius now that his team has made it to the Super Bowl.

"He just competes like a maniac all the time," said Harbaugh, whose much-debated decision to bench Alex Smith at midseason now looks like the best move of the year. "It's always the same when I'm looking in through the facemask."

Kaepernick has been one of the primary reasons the 49ers are still alive in the playoffs and was a huge part of Sunday's 28-24 win over the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game, throwing for 233 yards and one touchdown. He had a much different game from the one he played against the Packers, proving he can be a running and throwing quarterback.

Against Green Bay, Kaepernick had a coming out party, setting a record with 181 rushing yards to go along with 263 yards and two touchdowns while also adding another two scores on the ground. During the regular season Kaepernick went 6-2 as a starter and had a passer rating of 98.7 with 13.1 yards per rushing attempt. The Ravens will need to contain Kaepnerick for a chance to win in New Orleans, or it could be the Packers game all over again.

The 49ers won't be discouraged if they go down early either, as the team made the biggest comeback victory in the history of the NFC Championship Game by erasing a 17-pouint Falcons deficit. The defense will need to play at its regular season form to keep the Ravens at bay. The 49ers were ranked fourth in rushing offense and defense, but have given up at least 28 points in two playoff games so far this year.

The Ravens have done a good job of scoring through the playoffs this season and are averaging 30 points through three contests, ranked third behind San Francisco and Denver, who played in only one game.

Only one team can win the game, but it is certain that Jack Harbaugh will be pleased no matter the results.

Prediction: 49ers 20, Ravens 14. The last pick of the 49ers-Falcons game was 31-24 and the real thing ended up being 28-24 with a missed field goal by San Francisco, so another similar prediction could fit the bill. Super Bowl's aren't often blowouts and that was certainly not the case last season when Eli Manning orchestrated another beautiful championship drive for the Giants. This year the Ravens are inspired by Ray Lewis and led by Joe Flacco, but there is just something about the swagger of Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers that is hard to ignore. The San Francisco defense has been more consistent all season and the 49ers offense is coming around at just the right time. That's not to say that the Ravens will not have a chance, but it is the Jim side of the brotherly connection that will take home the Super Bowl trophy. Either way, the post-game handshake should be very cordial.

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