Baltimore Ravens Win Super Bowl XLVII
Super Bowl XLVII was set to be a nail-biter for many reasons, not least because competing head coaches are brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. And nail-biter it was, as by the final whistle it turned out to be the Baltimore Ravens (and betting underdogs) who narrowly beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 to hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy high.
But, to rewind a few hours, by the kickoff at 6:30pm ET, the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana was packed with over 70,000 NFL fans, each there to see if the 49ers could pull off their sixth Super Bowl victory out of six Super Bowl matchups, or if the Ravens could win only their second Super Bowl, their first being Super Bowl XXXV in 2001.
Joe Flacco Named Super Bowl XLVII MVP
From the outset, the Ravens did not play down to their underdog status as they proceeded to dominate the first half, thanks in no small part to the team's skilled quarterback Joe Flacco, who racked up a none-too-shabby three touchdown passes - including a spectacular 56-yarder to wide receiver Jacoby Jones - en route to being names MVP after the game.
Despite a notching up a field goal at the end of the first half, the 49ers did not seem on par with the Ravens, especially as Jones opened up the second half scoring with a touchdown. But as the game progressed, the 49ers began to play better, demonstrating the kind of form that propelled them through the regular season and the playoffs into the Super Bowl.
And then a "lighting malfunction" occurred with just 13:22 left to play in the third quarter, leaving half the stadium in semi-darkness. It took 34 minutes for Superdome technicians to fix the problem, a lengthy break that seemed to sap some of Baltimore's winning momentum, as not long after return to play, the 49ers proceeded to rack up their first touchdown.
Ravens had to Utilize all of their Strength
Thereafter, it seemed like the Ravens had to utilize every bit of strength they had defensively to keep the increasingly strong 49ers offense at bay. However, when eventually the Ravens' offense got the ball back, they made sure to keep it, giving the team's defense a chance to catch their breath. Plus, a 19-yard field goal ensured the team an 8-point lead.
But the 49ers rallied once again, as quarterback Colin Kaepernick covered a whopping 15 yards to score a touchdown, leaving San Francisco just two points behind the Ravens. A bungled 2-point conversion ensured the status quo, and then when the Ravens got the ball, with the clock fast running down, they increased their lead to 5 points with a field goal.
The 49ers managed to make up two points - and would no doubt have made up even more if given more time - but when the final whistle sounded, the Ravens were the Super Bowl XLVII winners, and head coach John Harbaugh had finally beaten his arguably more talented younger brother in the most important game of the season, and no doubt his career.
Fans Awaiting Start of 2013-14 NFL Season
From a betting perspective, punters who backed the Baltimore Ravens will be smiling today, while those that backed the San Francisco 49ers won't. Now, NFL fans across North America and the world will begin the lengthy countdown until the start of the highly-anticipated 2013-14 NFL Season in the beginning of September this year.
