The clock is close to running out on the 2012 NFL season. As soon as time starts to tick in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVII featuring the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, we can begin our goodbyes to a season full of memories, firsts, and maybe lasts.
Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens has decided to hang up his cleats after an illustrious 17-year NFL career. This Super Bowl, which will be Ray-Ray’s second, will be his last game wearing the purple and black.
This Super Bowl will also feature the first time two brothers will face each other as opposing head coaches. If that didn’t make any sense, this one may: Jim Harbaugh coaches the 49ers and John Harbaugh coaches the Ravens.
We have a contest chock-full of story lines. Some have paid attention to Reverend Ray and his post-game sermons, and others are fascinated by the Harbaugh family story line. Oh—and did I mention Beyonce is performing the halftime show?
Folks, we are just a few days away from the big game. If you aren’t really sure which team has the edge, we’ve got you covered.
Will it be the Niners or the Ravens? Check out the official West Orlando News Online Super Bowl XLVII preview.
San Francisco 49ers
What To Watch For: Keep your eyes glued to Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The second-year player out of Nevada will have his ninth NFL start on Sunday against the Ravens. That’s right, Kaepernick doesn’t have a full season of starts under his belt, and he’s already playing in the NFL’s biggest game.
Kaepernick’s legs are what brings him to New Orleans. He’s one of the league’s most versatile players at the quarterback position. When the Niners played the Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, he rushed for 181-yards on just 16 carries.
That performance earned him an NFL record for rushing yards in a playoff game.
The Pack had no answer for Kaepernick’s ability to evade the rush and escape the pocket. Not only that, he has mastered the zone-read offensive scheme the Niners run.
This gives him a chance to quickly take a peek at the opposing team’s defensive scheme and either hand the ball off to the running back or keep it himself. It’s basically a variation off the spread option.
Kaepernick will have his chances to exploit the Ravens defense, but the 49ers must know that they will not win the game with Kaepernick alone. He has help in the form of running back Frank Gore and wide receiver Michael Crabtree. There are others who will play key roles, but since Kaepernick’s offensive play is a large reason as to why they are in the Super Bowl, the Ravens will key on him.
Outside of Kaepernick, keep an eye on the 49ers defense and how they attack Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. If he’s pressured up the middle, he panics, like most quarterbacks, and either makes a mistake or gives away the sack.
Niners outside linebacker Aldon Smith and his ability to bring pressure off the edge and the aptitude of Patrick Willis to stop Ray Rice is paramount for San Francisco.
Baltimore Ravens
What To Watch For: Obviously, all eyes will be on Ray Lewis. This is his last NFL game and he is sure to make it a memorable one. Lewis came back from a torn triceps early to help his team make it to the Super Bowl.
So, with Lewis and his dominating presence out-of-the-way, there are other players and actions to watch for with the Ravens.
Quarterback Joe Flacco is playing the biggest game of his life, and some have questions about his nerves and if he’s up to the task of his leading his team to victory.
Flacco’s stats this postseason have been good. He’s completing just 54 percent of his passes, but he has eight touchdowns to zero interceptions. Flacco, so far, has no turnovers.
He’ll need to keep it that way against the 49ers. During the season, San Fran was one of the best teams in the NFL at forcing fumbles. They knocked 18 balls loose and recovered 11 of them.
Flacco will have to be mindful of the strip sack from Aldon Smith and other pass rushers.
The Ravens main weapon is in the legs of Ray Rice.
Rice averaged over 100-yards per game from scrimmage in 2012, so in addition to his running prowess, Rice knows how to catch the ball and take-off.
The 49ers linebackers will have to keep their eyes trained to tight end Rice to see if he’s running a sweep or going out to the flats to catch a pass.
He’ll be a vital piece to the Ravens ability to conjure any type of offensive success.
This game should be a slug-it-out type of contest. When these two teams met in 2011, the Ravens beat the 49ers 16-6, but current San Francisco back-up quarterback Alex Smith was the starter.
The Ravens were able to pressure him enough to force punts and disrupt their offensive rhythm. They won’t have that type of success against Kaepernick.
There will be hard hits, long defensive battles, not a ton of points, and a good-old fashioned throw back type of NFL game.
