47 Things about SB 47

47 THINGS ABOUT SUPER BOWL 47

Storylines that we’re going to let others handle:

1. Calling the game the Har-Bowl. Hey, did you know that Jim and John Harbaugh are brothers and that no set of brothers have faced off as head coaches in the Super Bowl? In fact, no brothers in any major sports have faced each other in a championship game. I’m confused, did we expect that to be common?

2. Any regurgitation of any recent Ray Lewis interview.

3. Any detailed articles about that night in Atlanta that Ray Lewis had. Good thing the Falcons defense stinks and couldn’t hold 20-0 and 17-0 leads in consecutive weeks at home.

4. Any weird story about how the Harbaugh family won’t truly be happy because one of them has to lose. Old man voice: That’s a bunch of poppycock.

5. Any mention of how the family has ties to Michigan football or Indiana basketball (Tom Crean is married to Joani Harbaugh, sister of Jim and John). Yeah, they all coach. It’s kind of cool. Move on.

6. Colin Kaepernick’s tattoos.

Things that should be talked about more:

7. This game will be the tenth start of Colin Kaepernick’s career.

8. How well these teams match-up with each other. They even had an identical +9 turnover ratio.

9. The Ravens allowed 38 sacks and got 37 of their own during the regular season. The Niners allowed 41 and took down opponent quarterbacks 38 times.

10. But, wait, there’s more stats about this. The Ravens converted 37% of their third downs and held opponents to a 36% conversion rate. The Niners converted just 35% of their downs and allowed only 33% to be converted against them.

11. The Ravens have a huge special teams advantage in terms of DVOA, kick returns and field goal kicking. This seems like the type of game that could be decided by a special teams play.

12. In one week, the Ravens held MVP-candidate Peyton Manning to 7 points in final 45+ minutes of action. The next week, the Ravens held Tom Brady to zero points in the final 30+ of action.

13. How Dannell Ellerbe and Courtney Upshaw could be the key players in this game for Baltimore.

Things that don’t matter:

14. Previous records.

15. That the Ravens held Robert Griffin III to 7 carries for 34 yards in their match-up. It’s nice to know, but the preparation is what will matter.

Things that matter:

16. The Ravens have been running a passing game during the playoffs that concentrates on the hitting the middle of the field and stuff about 8 yards from the line of scrimmage with hitches and ins for a few plays before going deep.

17. It will be interesting how the Niners defend the point above. They were sliced and diced by Julio Jones early and changed the defense. It allowed Gonzalez to get catches, but not much yardage.

18. How the Ravens will balance the use of Pollard and Reed in the run game while trying to contain Vernon Davis.

Fun Facts and Farces:

19. Of the playoff teams, the Niners had the best difference in yards per play at 1.3 yards. (6.0 SF-4.7 OPP).

20. The Niners are undefeated in the Super Bowl and have the most wins with such a record. In fact, when you add the one win for the Ravens, the 6-0 combined record is the best of all-time for an undefeated match-up.

21. The Harbaugh family has never actually finished a Thanksgiving meal. Nobody could agree on the right game plan for the day. One time, Jim suggested a fried Cajun-style turkey with cinnamon butter rolls. He was forced to live in a foster home for two weeks after that incident.

22. The Ravens were 12th in passer rating differential (+5.8). The Niners were 4th (+23.18).

23. I may just have to pass on in the next 10 or so years. Why did I come up with this concept? When will I sleep in the two weeks before the Super Bowl when we get to Super Bowl 72? The over/under for the date of my No-Doz addiction is January 22nd, 2024.

24. I stole this from ESPN Stats & Info, but it’s interesting. Each of the five other quarterbacks to finish the post-season with 7+ touchdown passes and no interceptions have won the Super Bowl and won Super Bowl MVP. Joe Flacco has a chance with his 8TD-0INT line going in.

25. Ray Lewis is a different animal. Residents around Training Camp complained about him and a few younger Ravens players eating their gardens at night. One witness saw Lewis establish dominance by slashing the forelegs of the younger players. Eventually, some homemade mixtures with hot chili oil kept Lewis and the young bucks away.

26. Like last year, there is a lack of players who have played for both of these teams. The only one with significant experience with both is Tavares Gooden.

27. Players say they have never seen Jim Harbaugh use his red sharpie. That’s because Jim is too smart to allow the team to know it’s true intention. After each game, depending on the calls, Harbaugh may or may not add a new name to the “Refs to Kill” list that is tucked ever so perfectly into the cap of the pen.

28. What is the possibility that Bernard Pollard knocks a Niner out of the game? Are the odds around 3:2? Could Pollard go for Moss since he is a former Patriot? Does the entire city of Boston hate me for mentioning this?

History:

29. Colin Kaepernick’s seven regular season starts is not the least experienced quarterback to play in a Super Bowl. Two guys are ahead of him. Jeff Hostetler had only 4 before facing the Bills in Super Bowl 25 and Vince Ferragamo had five before Super Bowl 14.

30. At the quarterback position, this is the 6th least experienced pairing in Super Bowl history. What pairings are ahead of this two? Warner/Brady in Super Bowl 36 with only 57 regular season starts between them. The next five:
-Brady/Delhomme in SB 38 (63)
-Warner/McNair in SB 34 (65)
-Staubach/Greise in SB 6 (73)
-Hostetler/Kelly in SB 25 (75)
-Kaepernick/Flacco this season (87)

31. The most even quarterback pairing in terms of experience was in Super Bowl 22 when John Elway had 68 regular season starts in his career and Doug Williams had 69 up until that point. The biggest gap? The 153 start difference between Fran Tarkenton and Ken Stabler in Super Bowl 11.

32. If the Niners win, Randy Moss will have a 1-0 record with Colin Kaepernick in the Super Bowl and a 0-1 record with Tom Brady.

33. This is the 20th straight year that a player from Nebraska is playing in the Super Bowl. This year’s Cornhusker is punter Sam Koch of the Ravens.

34. The Niners have five players who have been to a Super Bowl with six total appearances. In fact, Clark Haggans is the only player on either team with multiple games played. The Ravens have four players who have been to a Super Bowl. The whole list: Manningham (injured), Moss, Goodwin, Haggans, Akers, Boldin, Ayanbedejo, Lewis and Ihedigbo.

Possible Headlines:

35. In a blowout: Har-D-Har-Har

36. Ray Lewis has good game: Ray’s Day.

37. If Lewis and Rice both have good games: Sparkling Rays.

38. Michael Crabtree leads the victory: King Crab!

39. Joe Flacco ends up being MVP: UnFlaccable.

Predictions for the Game:

40. Only one wide receiver will catch a touchdown pass. His name is Anquan Boldin.

41. The Niners will rush for more yards than they pass.

42. Despite a complete lack of confidence, David Akers will not miss a field goal during the game.

43. Ray Lewis will lead the game in tackles, finishing with one more than Navarro Bowman.

44. Dashon Goldson will allow exactly one huge gain to Torrey Smith when he is fooled by a double move.

45. Bernard Pierce will lead the Ravens in rushing, but Ray Rice will lead his team in catches.

46. The winner will be the team with the most catches by their tight ends.

47. COUNCIL OF THE LEARNED SUPER BOWL PICK: (SF 4-3)
LAST WEEK: 1-1
SEASON: 170-95-1 (64.1%)