The San Francisco 49ers will take on the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL’s final game of the 2012 season for the Lombardi Trophy in Superbowl XLVII in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 3, 2013.
Both teams scored 28 points to win their championship matches and earn a Super Bowl spot.
Baltimore, who won three straight post-season games to earn their second chance at the league title in their franchise history (they won a Super Bowl in 2000), are being driven by their emotional leader, linebacker Ray Lewis, 37, who has played at a superior level for the Ravens since 1996 (13 Pro-Bowl selections).
San Francisco has won five Super Bowls in their history, the most recent in 1994. The major storyline of the 49ers season was the decision of head coach Jim Harbaugh to switch quarterback mid-season from his starter since 2005, Alex Smith, to second-year player Colin Kaepernick.
The change has paid off, as Kaepernick has led the team to seven wins in their past nine games.
Another storyline for this game is the fact that the head coaches are actually brothers; Jim Harbaugh of San Francisco and John Harbaugh of Baltimore are the first pair of brothers to serve as head coaches in NFL history.
Jim Harbaugh is an ex-player who in 1998 played for the Ravens with Ray Lewis.
These teams last faced off in November 2011, where the Ravens won 16-6 in a defensive struggle which featured only one touchdown, a pass from Ravens quaterback Joe Flacco to tight end Dennis Pitta.
The 49ers will be hoping for a different result come Sunday, perhaps by the legs of Colin Kaepernick, who holds the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in any one game.
On the injury front, San Francisco is relatively healthy with only a few players listed as probable, however the Ravens have a number of key players including Ray Lewis and top receiver Anquan Boldin listed as questionable.
It is unlikely that either player will be forced to sit out the Superbowl due to injuries.
Catch the Super Bowl on Monday February 4 at 10.30am on ONE or Fox Sports.
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