Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens is lifted up by his teammates as they celebrate after they won 34-31 against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

For the second time in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl Champions.

The AFC Champion Ravens defeated the NFC Champion San Francisco Forty-Niners, 34-31, in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, winning their first Super Bowl since their 34-7 win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, 12 years ago.

For the 49ers, it was their first loss in the Super Bowl, after going unbeaten in their first five appearances.

The game, of course, featured brothers coaching against one another for the first time in Super Bowl history, with John Harbaugh coaching his team to victory, over his younger brother, Jim Harbaugh.

Another game sidebar was the culmination of the 17-year career of Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, a 13-time All-Pro, who ended his illustrious career on a high note, capturing his second Lombardi Trophy.

After San Francisco failed to pick up a first down on the initial drive of the game, Baltimore scored on their first possession, going on a 6-play, 51-yard drive, that was capped off on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin, making it 7-0, Ravens, at the 10:36 mark of the opening quarter.

On the next possession, the 49ers were able to move the football inside the Ravens' 10-yard line, but had the settle for a 36-yard field goal by David Akers, which capped off a 12-play, 62-yard drive, cutting the Baltimore lead to 7-3 at the 4:03 mark of the first quarter.

The first quarter ended with the Ravens out-gaining the 49ers, in terms of total yards, 82-65, and leading on the scoreboard, 7-3.

On the first possession of the second quarter, San Francisco was able to move the football to the Baltimore 24-yard line, before the Ravens recovered a LaMichael James fumble, turning back the Forty-Niner threat.

Baltimore was able to take advantage, preceding to go on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that closed with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Flacco to Dennis Pitta, extending the Ravens' lead to 14-3 at the 7:15 mark of the second period.

The Ravens defense forced another San Francisco turnover on the very next play from scrimmage, as safety Ed Reed intercepted a Colin Kaepernick pass, giving Baltimore the football at the 49ers 38-yard line.

The interception was the first thrown by a San Francisco quarterback in over 21 quarters of Super Bowl play.

Again, Baltimore looked like they were going to take advantage, as Justin Tucker was lining up for an apparent 32-yard field goal attempt. But it turned out to be a fake, and the 49ers special teams held Tucker, who was running, one yard short of the first down marker, at the 6-yard line, as the Ravens came away empty-handed.

When San Francisco failed to move the football, the Ravens got the football back at their own 44-yard line, and two plays later, Flacco hit Jacoby Jones with a 56-yard touchdown pass, the third of the half for Flacco, highlighting a 3-play, 56-yard drive, that gave Baltimore a 21-3 lead at the 1:58 mark of the second quarter.

The 49ers were able to score the final points of the half, as Akers nailed a 27-yard field goal as time expired in the half, making the halftime score, 21-6, in favor of the Ravens.

In terms of total yards in the  first half, Baltimore out-gained San Francisco, 241-82.

Flacco completed 13-of-20 first half passes, for 192 yards, with three touchdowns, while Kaepernick was 8-of-13, for 139 yards, with an interception.

Baltimore began the second half like they were going to run away and hide, as Jones took the second half kick-off and raced for a Super Bowl record tying 108-yard touchdown return, extending the Baltimore lead to 28-6.

After a 35-minute delay due to a power outage inside the Superdome, San Francisco was able to regroup, scoring on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Kaepernick to Michael Crabtree, a play that capped off a 7-play, 80-yard drive, cutting the Baltimore lead to 28-13.

The delay, as well as that touchdown, seemed to turn the momentum around, as San Francisco controlled the rest of the quarter..

On their next possession, the Ravens went three-and-out, and were forced to punt, and after a nice Ted Ginn, Jr. return the 49ers were in business, with a first- and ten at the Baltimore 20-yard line.

Two plays later, Frank Gore scored on a 6-yard run, to trim the Ravens lead to 28-20 at the 4:59 mark of the third quarter.

After Baltimore got the ball back, the San Francisco defense came up big, recovering a fumble by Ray Rice, giving them the football at the Ravens' 35-yard line.

The Baltimore defense held, and then Akers was wide-left on a 39-yard field goal, but the Ravens were penalized five yards on the play, giving Akers another chance. He took advantage, hitting a 34-yard field goal, to cut the Baltimore lead to 28-23 at the 3:14 mark, a score which held up throughout the completion of the third period.

The 49ers dominated the third quarter, out-gaining Baltimore, in terms 140-22.

The Ravens then began the fourth quarter with a burst of their own, preceding to go 71 yards on 12 plays on their next drive, one that stalled at the San Francisco 2-yard line. The Ravens then had to settle for a 19-yard field goal by Tucker, extending their lead to 31-23 at the 12:57 mark of the final quarter.

The Niners came right back, as Kaepernick scored on a 15-yard run, capping off a 5-play, 76-yard drive, to cut the Baltimore lead to 31-29.

Down by two, Jim Harbaugh elected to go for the two-point conversion, which was unsuccessful, so at the 10:04 mark of the final period the Ravens were clinging to a 31-29 advantage.

Baltimore was able to come back down and put three more points on the board, thanks to a 38-yard field goal by Tucker, but the 49ers were only were still within only five points, down 34-29, with 4:19 remaining.

Down by those five points, San Francisco was looking to take their first lead of the game, as they went 75 yards on nine plays, getting the football down to the Baltimore 5-yard line.

That's when the Ravens defense came up big, forcing the Niners to turn the ball over on downs with the five-point lead.

Baltimore gave up a safety at the :04 mark, making it 34-31.

San Francisco, with one last chance, received the ensuing kick, but Ginn was tackled around midfield, and the Ravens walked away with the three-point win, and as Super Bowl XLVII Champions.

The 49ers were able to out-gain the Ravens, in terms of total yards, 468-367, but Baltimore was plus-one in the ever-important turnover stat.

Flacco, who was named the game's most Valuable Player, finished 22-of-33, for 287 yards, and three touchdowns.

In the playoffs Flacco finished with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.

In a losing cause for the 49ers, Kaepernick finished 16-of-28, for 302 yards, along with a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown, and an interception.

The Ravens defeated the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and New England Patriots in the playoffs, prior to their  win over the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

View the game box score.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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