The time die-hard football fans have been waiting for has arrived! The Super Bowl is finally here! The 42nd annual super bowl features two teams who took very different paths to get to the championship game.
In the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers finished the regular season (11-4-1). They
were the #2 seed in their conference and won a hard-fought battle against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round matchup, before winning a come-from-behind battle against the Atlanta Falcons in the conference championship. Players like Frank Gore, Randy Moss, Vernon Davis, and Colin Kaepernick have been the front runners for the 49ers and will likely be go to guys when they play in the big game in two weeks.
In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens finished the regular season (10-6-0). They struggled near the latter end of the season losing 3 out of 5 games, and a lot of expert analysts felt they had lost their momentum, focus, and poise. Thankfully, with the re-emergence of veteran defensive players Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed, the Ravens beat out the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round, made a miraculous comeback against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round matchup, then stunned the Patriots in a rematch from the conference championship a year ago. The Ravens offense is not too shabby either. Joe Flacco has many weapons to look for including WR’s Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, TE Dominic Pitta, and RB’s Vonta Leach and Ray Rice.
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As for the game, it will be a brother battle of sorts, as John Harbaugh coach of the Ravens, faces his twin brother Jim Harbaugh coach of the 49ers. The two have met each other once before during the regular season in 2011 when the Ravens beat the 49ers on Thanksgiving Day 13-7.
Bottom line, defense will win you championships, and these two teams feature two of the best. Something has to give though, because the 49ers have won made five Super Bowl appearances and have won each of them. The Ravens have made only one appearance and won it back in 2001.
The 49ers will be trying to win the Super Bowl to vindicate themselves after coming a field-goal short last year, while the Ravens will be trying to win a championship for a battle-hardened veteran in Ray Lewis who will be retiring after the game.
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Either way, it should be a good game to watch. Immortality awaits the winner.
