Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLVII. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Super Bowl XLVII. Show all posts
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XLVII Champions!
Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens on winning Super Bowl XLVII by a final score of 34-31. San Francisco's comeback was not strong enough to win them the Lombardi Trophy. Ray Lewis, in the end, will retire a champion after all. Bring on the draft!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Super Bowl XLVII Prediction
Super Bowl XLVII is destined to be a close game up until the very end, and apart from some early jitters, it will be a relatively high scoring game. Both Kaepernick and Flacco have proven to be clutch in big games as seen in the 2013 NFL playoffs. Basically, the team to get the ball last will likely win Super Bowl XLVII. We believe that team will be San Francisco, as David Akers kicks the deciding field goal to win the game after missing a field goal just minutes before.
Prediction: 49ers over Ravens 27-24
MVP: LaMichael James: 105 rushing yards, 1 TD, 30 receiving yards
Super Bowl XLVII Preview: Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens were surely doubted entering the 2012 postseason, some even predicting them to be knocked off in the first round by Andrew Luck and the Colts. The road did not get any easier, as Baltimore looked to upset Denver, and then New England, both on the road. Somehow, the Ravens defied all odds, beating Peyton Manning in overtime, and then upsetting the big, bad, New England Patriots in Foxborough. Much of Baltimore's energy appears to coming from their star linebacker Ray Lewis, who announced he will be calling it quits by the end of this season. So will Ray Lewis retire as a two-time NFL champion, or will he watch as San Francisco celebrates their sixth Super Bowl title? In this post, we will analyze Baltimore's offense and defense as the Ravens wait patiently for tomorrow's big game.
Offense: One question many people have been asking throughout media week relates to Joe Flacco, and whether or not he is an elite quarterback in the National Football League. Many critiqued Flacco for his inability to lead his team through the playoffs. Now, the young, talented Ravens teams will be fighting for their second Super Bowl ring, so Flacco has opportunity to quiet the critics. There is no disputing Flacco's arm, as he is capable of bombing a ball deep downfield with surprising accuracy. Many believe Super Bowl XLVII will come down to the wire, so if necessary, Flacco may need to show off his arm strength late in the game. It will be interesting to see how John Harbaugh plans to play against San Francisco; will he be conservative and run Ray Rice 30-plus times, or will he let Joe Flacco throw deep despite the risk of a costly interception. Anquon Boldin, a Baltimore Raven with wide receiver speed and tight end size, may give this San Francisco secondary trouble. However, the difference maker in Sunday's game will be Torrey Smith, Baltimore's wide receiver who averaged 18.3 yards per catch during the regular season. In my opinion, Flacco ought to wear down the San Francisco secondary with deep pass after deep pass, occasionally handing the ball off to Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.
Grade: B+/A-
Defense: After Baltimore took down Tom Brady and the Patriots, it seemed as though nothing could go wrong for Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis. Television could not stop talking about Ray Lewis and his amazing story as he looks to win Super Bowl XLVII, concluding his 17 year career. Shockingly, a report was released by Sports Illustrated, connecting Ray Lewis to deer antler spray, a spray that contains hormones made illegal by the National Football League. Unless more details were to be released within the next 24 hours, it appears Lewis will be playing in tomorrow's game. But will this new controversy affect Lewis' play? Lewis is the unofficial captain of this team, so if the future Hall of Famer does not show up to play, this defense as a whole will falter. On the other hand, if Lewis plays with ferocity, players like Terrell Suggs will feed off of his energy. Suggs returned from an Achilles injury in Week 7, and even though it is Lewis gaining all the attention, Suggs deserves most of the credit for Baltimore's defensive success. Baltimore is 8-3 with Suggs in the starting lineup, allowing 20.8 points to opposing team's with Suggs, compared to 21.5 points without him. Baltimore's defense lacks the intimidation seen from San Francisco's defense, but they are still able to get the job done.
Grade: B+/A-
Offense: One question many people have been asking throughout media week relates to Joe Flacco, and whether or not he is an elite quarterback in the National Football League. Many critiqued Flacco for his inability to lead his team through the playoffs. Now, the young, talented Ravens teams will be fighting for their second Super Bowl ring, so Flacco has opportunity to quiet the critics. There is no disputing Flacco's arm, as he is capable of bombing a ball deep downfield with surprising accuracy. Many believe Super Bowl XLVII will come down to the wire, so if necessary, Flacco may need to show off his arm strength late in the game. It will be interesting to see how John Harbaugh plans to play against San Francisco; will he be conservative and run Ray Rice 30-plus times, or will he let Joe Flacco throw deep despite the risk of a costly interception. Anquon Boldin, a Baltimore Raven with wide receiver speed and tight end size, may give this San Francisco secondary trouble. However, the difference maker in Sunday's game will be Torrey Smith, Baltimore's wide receiver who averaged 18.3 yards per catch during the regular season. In my opinion, Flacco ought to wear down the San Francisco secondary with deep pass after deep pass, occasionally handing the ball off to Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.Grade: B+/A-
Defense: After Baltimore took down Tom Brady and the Patriots, it seemed as though nothing could go wrong for Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis. Television could not stop talking about Ray Lewis and his amazing story as he looks to win Super Bowl XLVII, concluding his 17 year career. Shockingly, a report was released by Sports Illustrated, connecting Ray Lewis to deer antler spray, a spray that contains hormones made illegal by the National Football League. Unless more details were to be released within the next 24 hours, it appears Lewis will be playing in tomorrow's game. But will this new controversy affect Lewis' play? Lewis is the unofficial captain of this team, so if the future Hall of Famer does not show up to play, this defense as a whole will falter. On the other hand, if Lewis plays with ferocity, players like Terrell Suggs will feed off of his energy. Suggs returned from an Achilles injury in Week 7, and even though it is Lewis gaining all the attention, Suggs deserves most of the credit for Baltimore's defensive success. Baltimore is 8-3 with Suggs in the starting lineup, allowing 20.8 points to opposing team's with Suggs, compared to 21.5 points without him. Baltimore's defense lacks the intimidation seen from San Francisco's defense, but they are still able to get the job done.
Grade: B+/A-
Super Bowl XLVII Preview: San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers were a touchdown away from reaching Super Bowl XLVI in 2011, but were unable to take down the New York Giants in overtime. A busy offseason made San Francisco an early favorite to win Super Bowl XLVII. However, people were assuming Alex Smith would be the quarterback leading his team through the playoffs. A quarterback change mid way through 2012 left many fans scratching their heads. Clearly, the change was a complete success, as Jim Harbaugh eyes his first Super Bowl title as a head coach in the National Football League. In this post, we will analyze San Francisco's offense and defense as the 49ers wait patiently for tomorrow's big game.
Offense: Colin Kaepernick had yet to make a name for himself in football before 2012; however, after Alex Smith suffered a concussion halfway through the season, Kaepernick stepped up and enhanced the offense drastically. His running abilities provided Jim Harbuagh with the opportunity to use the read option, where, especially in the playoffs, teams were dumbfounded by San Francisco's running game. Frank Gore and Lamichael James are two lethal running backs that averaged 5.1 yards per carry throughout the duration of the playoffs. San Francisco's wide receivers include Michael Crabtree and Randy Moss, as well as tight end Vernon Davis. Kaepernick proved against Atlanta that he is capable of mounting a comeback, even if the odds are not in his favor. San Francisco was losing 17-0 to the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game, but Kaepernick led multiple drives downfield, as San Francisco won by a final score of 28-24. The 49ers averaged 24.8 points per game in the regular season, and their balance is what makes this offense so lethal.
Grade: A-
Defense: The San Francisco defense is mainly centered around their front-7, a group that consists of two All-Pro defenders: Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis. Aldon Smith, a second year outside linebacker for the 49ers, came extremely close to snapping Michael Strahan's sack record, and though he was unsuccessful in getting 23 sacks in 2012, Smith constantly applied pressure on the opposing team's quarterback. Even if offensive coordinators choose to double Aldon Smith, players like Justin Smith and Patrick Willis will make you pay. San Francisco ranked fourth in rushing yards allowed per game during the regular season, and even though their pass defense is under scrutiny at times, they too ranked fourth in passing yards allowed. This defense will need to sack Flacco on each possession, or at the very least, knock him off his feet. By doing so, the Ravens quarterback would be unable to set the tempo early on in the big game. The Ravens offensive game plan revolves around Ray Rice, so if he too were to struggle early on, the Ravens may be traveling back to Baltimore empty handed.
Grade: A
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| LaMichael James |
Grade: A-
Defense: The San Francisco defense is mainly centered around their front-7, a group that consists of two All-Pro defenders: Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis. Aldon Smith, a second year outside linebacker for the 49ers, came extremely close to snapping Michael Strahan's sack record, and though he was unsuccessful in getting 23 sacks in 2012, Smith constantly applied pressure on the opposing team's quarterback. Even if offensive coordinators choose to double Aldon Smith, players like Justin Smith and Patrick Willis will make you pay. San Francisco ranked fourth in rushing yards allowed per game during the regular season, and even though their pass defense is under scrutiny at times, they too ranked fourth in passing yards allowed. This defense will need to sack Flacco on each possession, or at the very least, knock him off his feet. By doing so, the Ravens quarterback would be unable to set the tempo early on in the big game. The Ravens offensive game plan revolves around Ray Rice, so if he too were to struggle early on, the Ravens may be traveling back to Baltimore empty handed.
Grade: A
Super Bowl XLVII Preview
At long last, just two teams remain, as they will be competing for the the 47th Super Bowl in the history of the National Football League. Even if Sunday's game is a complete blowout, everyone will remember Super Bowl XLVII for its nickname; the 'Harbowl.' Jim and John Harbaugh will be the first (and likely the last) pair of brothers to coach against each other in the Super Bowl. Both teams have little experience in the Super Bowl, but historically, one team has had more success when it comes to the big game over the other. San Francisco has won 5 Super Bowls since the organization joined the NFL in 1950, where as the Baltimore Ravens are looking for their second ring in thirteen years. Be sure to comment, subscribe, or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thenflreport! Also, subscribe to us on YouTube, where we create monthly highlight videos for some of the most exciting NFL players! Happy Super Bowl Sunday!
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