When you don’t care much about the Super Bowl turns out – and a lot of folks in the Carolinas I’ve talked to in the past two weeks really didn’t – about all you can ask for is a game like the one we just saw, which ended with Baltimore edging San Francisco, 34-31, and older brother John Harbaugh edging younger brother Jim.
The game wasn’t decided until 49ers kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. was tackled on the final play, returning a free kick to about midfield as the clock ran out after the Ravens had taken an intentional safety.
What a terrific Super Bowl this was. Outside of that annoying half-hour stadium power outage in New Orleans, it was great theater. There were no lead changes, but San Francisco nearly came all the way back from a 22-point deficit (at 28-6 early in the third quarter). Both quarterbacks were fantastic. It made you realize once again why the NFL, despite its various problems, is America’s No.1 spectator sport.
Five quick points I’d like to make fresh off of turning off the remote control:
1) On that fourth-and-goal play on San Francisco’s last drive, that was defensive holding, even though it wasn’t called. A frantic Jim Harbaugh was right. The hold on San Francisco’s Michael Crabtree occurred outside the legal five yards. But a lot of times NFL officials let that much contact go at the end of a game.
2) CBS announcer Jim Nantz was right on top of it in the final seconds, correctly bringing up the intentional-safety scenario. His partner Phil Simms? Not so much. First, on the 49ers’ fourth-and-goal play, Simms said it was a good “no-call,” then saw more replays and said he was “confused.” Then he said the Ravens shouldn’t take a safety once they got the ball back and were trying to run out the clock inside their own 10, even though it clearly was the right call given the field position.
3) I thought the Super Bowl commercials were down a notch overall from some of the past years. Didn’t you think so? The one with Deion Sanders "re-entering" the NFL I liked, and the one about farmers, too, but I can’t remember what either one advertised.
4) It is indeed time for Ray Lewis to retire. After all the hype, he looked old and slow to me. I know he’s the Ravens’ emotional leader and all of that, but he wasn’t nearly as big a factor in this game as, say, Jacoby Jones. But you do have to hand it to the Ravens -- I am still stunned they stopped San Francisco on that final drive on four plays inside the 10, even with the questionable no-call.
5) I once watched in person as Appalachian State creamed Delaware, 49-21, for one of its FCS national championships. QB battle that night? Armanti Edwards vs. Joe Flacco (Sunday's Super Bowl MVP). The clear winner that night? Edwards. A long, long time ago it was, children, way back in the ancient days of December 2007.
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9 years ago
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Crabtree initiated the contact on that play ... it was a good no call. Plus, was it any different than the no call at the end of the Falcon game?
Scott, why take shots at Ray Lewis on his way out?...He's a man of redemption, isn't that what life is all about? Learning and growing from past mistakes...nobody's perfect. Why can't people like you just let him enjoy his moment, his last ride off into the sunset after a very successful HOF career. You are stating more than the obvious by saying that he is old and slow...of course he is, but that should not be used to downplay the meaning of this win for him and his team, the Baltimore Ravens.
Sean Peyton pulled the plug to get back at Roger Goodell for the Bounty Scandal. lolol
The holding call could have gone either way. If anything it was a make up for that bogus running into the kicker call.
I think it was a good no call on the "holding" play. First, Crabtree was doing his own stuff w/ his hands and did anyone notice how far out of bounds the ball landed? I don't think it could have been caught in play anyway. You're correct about Lewis and very correct about Simms. He was terrible!
It was definitely holding on the 4th down play. Crabtree was using his hands to try to break free. Nevertheless, it was a great game, and I took the points.
I’d say that Ray Lewis was a non-factor, but he was actually key to the 49ers comeback. I’m glad to see him go away.
Phill Simms is a horrible analyst. He's horrible on Inside the NFL. Chris Collinsworth makes fun of him all the time...lol...
Lots of people are saying you can grab someones jersey if its the superbowl.
But I tend to think the opposite. I think the superbowl should be a clean game not rewarding dirty tricks.
I'm glad the ravens won and not upset with the refs because they are human. But the commentators need to stop justifying a defensive player grabbing a receivers jersy to hold him back.
No call because there was no call. Ball was not catchable anyway w/o being out of bounds. Both coaches whine WAYY to much. Reminds me of little league every time a Harbaugh is on the sidelines. and what's with one of them screaming at the poor guy trying to get the lights back on? like he has anything to do with the game? no class.
49ers had 2nd and Goal from the 5 yard line with 2 minutes left, with Kaepernick and Gore, and they ran 3 pass plays? That gave me Chud flashbacks.
The missed holding call that bothered me was the offensive lineman that literally bear hugged the 49ers lineman while the Ravens punter ran around in the end zone. Cost the 49ers one more play after the free kick. What is the call if they throw a flag on that? Do they add any seconds to the clock or is it just a safety?
Cam Newton poured Gatorade on Jenna Wolf's head. It was very funny.
Ball was a floater and would have been catchable without the hold. Bad call all the way. There is no consistency.
LOL all you haters and the conversation about the "no call play!" It doesn't matter if he was able to catch the ball or not and where the ball landed. What matters here is the Ravens have won the Super Bowl again and y'all are going to have to deal with this for the next year! If you can't punch it in for a touchdown from the goalline with 4 tries then you don't deserve to win the championship title! We won though so no more need for the conversation about the "no call play" because there was no call obviously if they didnt call it! we saw what we saw and they saw what they saw! I saw a sweet a$$ victory for my Ravens team!
Once again New Orleans finds a way to taint the NFL on the national stage. Way to go, Superdome!
Maybe if you wouldn't have spent all your money on Drew Greeds, you could have paid that power bill.
Special teams and bad clock management on the last set of downs lost the game for the 9ers.
9ers need to get some db's this offseason
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