Mike Ivcic’s Super Bowl XLVII Preview Ravens vs 49ers Free Pick

By Mike Ivcic, UltimateCapper Contributing Writer

]]>

Super Bowl XLVII
Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49’ers
Sun, 6:30pm (really all day, but 6:30pm is kickoff… ish…) CBS
Line: 49’ers by 4
If you want a detailed breakdown of schemes and systems for each of this year’s Super Bowl participants, this isn’t the preview for you. If you want either a staunch defense or scathing attack of Ray Lewis’ PED-use (or lack thereof), this isn’t the preview for you. If you want a glowing litany of superlatives regarding Colin Kaepernick, then this not only isn’t the preview for you, but you probably belong in a graduate Lit class for even understanding that last sentence. If, however, you just want to know, in short, concise terms, who’s going to win the Super Bowl, well this is the preview for you. Simply read what I write and pick the team to win that I say will lose. Because if history tells us anything, it’s that I’m terrible at picking Super Bowl winners. Don’t believe me? Here’s who I picked to win the Super Bowl in every season since Y2K (correct picks are bolded):

2012 – New England Patriots
2011 – Pittsburgh Steelers
2010 – Indianapolis Colts
2009 – Arizona Cardinals
2008 – New England Patriots
2007 – Indianapolis Colts
2006 – Seattle Seahawks
2005 – New England Patriots
2004 – New England Patriots
2003 – Oakland Raiders
2002 – St. Louis Rams
2001 – New York Giants
2000 – Tennessee Titans

So, as you can clearly see, I’m not all that adept at this specific game, despite having finished with playoff record over .500 in every season I just listed. But in order for me to do that this year, I have to get this one right. Oh boy.

On the surface, the 49’ers are the more talented team, but I think the real key here is the fact that the Ravens offensive line is playing better than any O-line in football right now – which is why they’re here. They withstood a solid Denver pass rush and allowed Joe Flacco time to throw, and then against New England they gave Flacco all day to look downfield and find wide open receivers. I don’t know that the Niners secondary will allow Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin to get as open as the Patriots did, but even the best secondary will fall apart if the opposing QB has enough time to wait and find an open receiver.

On the other side of the ball, the Falcons gave the Ravens a bit of a blueprint for stopping Kaepernick. Obviously the need to play zone was established when the Packers got schooled in a man-to-man system, but the Ravens have two of the smartest defensive players of this generation in Lewis and Ed Reed on their team. If any defense has the guile and will to stop this 49’ers offense, I would say the Ravens are the team to do it.

Last year, these two teams met on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore in a sloppy, ugly, weather-hindered low-scoring affair that the Ravens held on to win. Yes, Kaepernick is now running the San Francisco offense instead of Alex Smith and yes, this game is indoors in a climate-controlled, turf environment, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Ravens are one of the few teams in the NFL that can lay claim to being more physical than the 49’ers. Jim may be the young, up-and-coming hotshot coach ready to lay claim to football’s biggest trophy, but there’s still a bit of a traditionalist in me that says little brother can’t have something until big brother’s done with it, so I’ll take John for this Harbaugh Bowl.

Now then, who’s up for wiping that smug smile off of Ray Lewis’ face?

Pick: Baltimore 24, San Francisco 20

Playoffs
Straight-Up: 5-5
Against Spread: 4-6

Regular Season
Straight-Up: 173-82-1
Against Spread: 134-115-7

Overall
Straight-Up: 178-87-1
Against Spread: 138-121-7

CLICK HERE TO BET SUPER BOWL XLVII OR
CLICK ON A POINT SPREAD BELOW !