The Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl in a crazy game

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in a crazy game by the score of 34-31. The Ravens dominated the first half and were well on their way to victory when the power went off in the Superdome. There was a 35 minute delay and when play resumed it was all 49ers for quite a while. The niners were able to get back in the game but were stopped on a first and goal that became fourth and goal and a turnover on downs. The Ravens basically ran out the clock with a interesting strategy at the end to take a safety. 
Joe Flacco was the MVP of the game as he threw for three touchdowns and didn’t throw an interception. In the postseason he threw 11 touchdown passes and did not throw one interception. Flacco in the Super Bowl was 22-33 for 287 yards with the three touchdown passes. Ray Rice led the Ravens rushing attack with 20 rushes for 59 yards and Bernard Pierce rushed 12 times for 33 yards. Anquan Boldin led the receiving corps with six catches for 104 yards and one touchdown. Jacoby Jones had one catch for 56 yards and a touchdown, Ed Dickson had two for 37 yards and Dennis Pitta had four for 26 yards and a touchdown. Torrey Smith had two receptions for 35 yards, Rice had four for 19 yards and Vonta Leach had three for 10 yards. Justin Tucker was 2-2 on field goals and his long was 38 yards. He also converted four extra points. Jones had five kickoff returns for an average of 41.2 yards and a touchdown. He tied the record with a 108 yard kickoff return. That was the first play of the second half which gave the Ravens a 28-6 lead. They led 21-6 at the half and came out flying before the niners got something going with 17 straight points after the power outage.

Colin Kaepernick was 16-28 for 302 yards a touchdown and an interception. Frank Gore led the niners rushing attack with 19 rushes for 110 yards and a touchdown. Kaepernick had seven rushes for 62 yards and a touchdown and LaMichael James had three rushes for ten yards. Michael Crabtree led the receivers with five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown, Vernon Davis had six receptions for 104 yards and Delanie Walker had three receptions for 48 yards. Randy Moss had two receptions for 41 yards. David Akers was 3-3 on field goals with his long being 36 yards and he made two extra points. James had three kickoff returns with an average of 25 yards and Ted Ginn Jr. had one for 31 yards. Andy Lee had three punts with an average of 53 yards.

Patrick Willis led the niners defense with eight tackles and two assists. Each team had one lost fumble, Ed Reed had an interception for the Ravens and Dannell Ellerbe had six tackles and three assists to lead the Ravens defense.

The countdown is now for the next Super Bowl which will be a year from this one at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey. It will be an outdoor Super Bowl for the first time which should be interesting. This is the last football game until August when preseason football begins so it is a sad time for football fans but a happy time for baseball fans as it is now their turn with pitchers and catchers reporting in a week.

NFL Championship Sunday

The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons by the score of 28-24 in Atlanta to be the first entrant into this years Super Bowl. The Patriots and Ravens faced off in the night game in Foxbourough, Massachusetts and the Ravens came out on top winning the game by the score of 28-13. The Ravens lost last year in the AFC Championship game in the same place so they got their revenge. This also sets up the Harbowl as the two head coaches are brothers who are 15 months apart in age. 
The San Francisco/Atlanta game was a good back and forth game. The second half was especially good as the action picked up, it really went down to the wire but in the end the niners were a little bit too much for the Falcons. The niners overcame an early 17 point deficit. Their quarterback who is in his second year played well again and Frank Gore the running back really had a great game rushing for over 100 yards. The niners also avenged a loss in last years NFC championship game although it was to the New York Giants.

In the night cap it was a very close game throughout the first half. The game was 13-6 in favor of the Patriots at the half and the Ravens dominated the second half outscoring the Patriots 22-0 in the second half. The Ravens defense gave up some big plays but they wouldn’t break and kept New England off the scoreboard. The Ravens offense put the ball in Joe Flacco hands and he looked really good picking apart the Partriots defense.

This is going to be one interesting Super Bowl and I am sure we will hear every detail of the Harbaugh family over the next couple of weeks.