Andrew’s Super Bowl XLVII Projections

Super Bowl Sunday is finally upon us and it couldn’t have come quick enough. With all the non stop talk about the Harbaugh brothers matching up to Ray Lewis playing for the final time, its finally time to stop talking about it and let the play on the field speak for itself. But until then a little more talking.

The San Francisco 49ers enter the Super Bowl with a record of 11-4-1 after winning the NFC West title for the second year in a row. After last years disappointing NFC championship defeat to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, the Niners return to their 6th Super Bowl with a record of 5-0 in their previous 5 appearances.

The Baltimore Ravens enter the big game with a record of 10-6 after winning the AFC North title in back to back years. Similar to the Niners, the Ravens avenged their heartbreaking loss last year to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game by beating them convincingly in New England two weeks ago and return to their second Super Bowl in team history.

A good Super Bowl has to have good story lines to keep the conversation going during the weeks before it and this one has plenty of backdrop. This game has been named the “Harbowl” by many because of the coaching matchup between the San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh. This being the first time in NFL history two brothers will be coaching against each other in the Super Bowl. Another big story heading into the game will be the final appearance of Ray Lewis in a NFL game. The sure fire hall of famer will end his 17 year career sunday trying to win his second Super Bowl and ride off into the sunset in the most perfect way possible. Another future hall member who will try to get his first Lombardi trophy will be Randy Moss, playing in his second and possibly last Super Bowl, knows he does not have many years left so he must make the most of this opportunity.

Colin Kaepernick leads the high powered Niners offense that has been firing on all cylinders this postseason into the big game to face Lewis and the Ravens always tough defense in one of the big match-ups this sunday. Kaepernick will shine on the big stage as he has done all year while in games and help the Niners get the lead early. His natural athleticism will cause countless problems for the Ravens defense throughout the game but the Ravens will fight back.

One big question mark for the Ravens seemingly all year has been quarterback Joe Flacco. After a shaky regular season, Joe showed critics he could deal by throwing 8 touchdown passes while not throwing a single interception this postseason, beating Indianapolis, Denver, and New England. Joe will make a early mistake that the 49ers will capitalise on and take the lead early. Joe will bounce back with the help of running back Ray Rick and keep up with Kaepernick.

One playmaker that I believe will be a big difference maker will be 49ers running back Frank Gore. With all of the attention seemingly on Kaepernick, Frank will not have the defense watching him all game, giving him opportunities to make big plays for the 49ers. Expect Frank to find the endzone a few times on sunday.

The Niners offense will exploit the Ravens defense’s flaws to take a early but the Ravens who have been riding on the will of Ray Lewis for the postseason. Joe Flacco will get the Ravens close at halftime with the help of wide recievers Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin. The game will stay close with each team trading possessions till the Niners take a double digit lead. The Ravens will fight back and make the game close late, but the Niners strong defense lead by Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis will shut the Ravens offense down and hold on to the lead for good. The San Francisco 49ers will win their 6th Super Bowl trophy and end Ray Lewis’s magical last ride. Frank Gore will get the MVP and the Niners will return to the top of the NFL.

San Francisco 27 Baltimore 20

Andrew’s 2012 NFL Projections

2012 NFL Projections

AFC

East

1. New England (1)

2. Buffalo (6)

3. NY Jets

4. Miami

North

1. Baltimore (2)

2. Pittsburgh

3. Cincinnati

4. Cleveland

South

1. Houston (4)

2. Tennessee

3. Indianapolis

4. Jacksonville

West

1. Denver (3)

2. San Diego (5)

3. Kansas City

4. Oakland

NFC

East

1. Philadelphia (3)

2. NY Giants

3. Dallas

4. Washington

North

1. Green Bay (1)

2. Chicago (5)

3. Detroit

4. Minnesota

South

1. Atlanta (4)

2. New Orleans (6)

3. Carolina

4. Tampa Bay

West

1. San Francisco (2)

2. Seattle

3. St. Louis

4. Arizona

Playoffs

AFC Wild Card

(3) Denver 38, (6) Buffalo 17

(5) San Diego 24, (4) Houston 19

NFC Wild Card

(3) Philadelphia 28, (6) New Orleans 20

(5) Chicago 20, (4) Atlanta 17

AFC Divisional Round

(1) New England 32, (5) San Diego 20

(3) Denver 27, (2) Baltimore 16

NFC Divisional Round

(1) Green Bay 38, (5) Chicago 31

(2) San Francisco 20, (3) Philadelphia 10

AFC Championship Game

(1) New England 23, (3) Denver 20

NFC Championship Game

(1) Green Bay 28, (2) San Francisco 24

Super Bowl

Green Bay 31, New England 28

Andrew’s Super Bowl XLVI Predictions

Were finally here.

After two long weeks of breaking down every angle of the game. Every strength and weakness about each team has been looked at over and over and over again. All of the players for both teams getting quizzed about every aspect of the game all week the entire time being reminded of the game that they are playing and the pressure that is packaged with it. And with the matchup we have for Super Bowl XLVI is almost guaranteed to be a great one.

We get the rematch of one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played with the New York Giants and the New England Patriots facing off in Indianapolis. The Giants try to win their 2nd Super Bowl in 4 years and second consecutive Super Bowl win over the Patriots. Eli Manning attempts to put his name in the elite category by winning his second Super Bowl and more importantly to the media passing his older brother, Peyton Manning, with more Super Bowl rings 2 to 1.

If the Patriots want to take this game they will have to improve on their 31st ranked pass defense as they have for the most part all through the playoffs. They will have to get in Eli Mannings face early and often and must not let him sit in the pocket untouched. As it has been all week Rob Gronkowski will be a big story on Sunday. The Pats will have to establish the threat of Gronkowski early so they keep him in the mind of the Giants early and free up other players against the stingy Giants pass defense.

On the Giants side they will have to keep Eli clean and off the turf as they struggled to do against the 49ers. Eli must continue his success on third down as he did in the NFC Championship against the Niners. The Giants have to spread the field on the relatively weak Patriots pass defense. The Giants defense must contain Tom Brady and the exciting Patriots offense and the Giants offense must also keep up with the Patriots. Simply put, the Giants must run the same gameplan that they set up when they beat the Patriots in Foxboro earlier this year.

The fact that the Giants are over confident for this game have me a bit nervous but if you make it this far you have to be a little confident  in your team. I have a feeling Tom Coughlin has got this team game ready and kept them away from the media jumping onto their bandwagon. Speaking of coaches one of the best all time will be on the other sideline in Bill Belichick and he just might have his team ready to play as well.

This game just like the Super Bowl matchup before this will be a extremely close game throughout with no one team pulling away. The strong Giants front defense will have to get pressure on Brady and control the rushing attach from the Patriots. If Eli can get time to throw the Giants can use their deadly staff of receivers to pick apart the Patriots defense. Victor Cruz will be used a lot and we will see some salsa dancing in the endzone at least once. Nicks will find the endzone as well. The Patriots will keep up through the air as well using Wes Welker a lot. The game will come down to the last final minutes as Eli will lead the Giants down the field just like he has done in the previous two meetings and score a late touchdown as the Giants will beat the Patriots again and win their 2nd Super Bowl in 4 years.

NY Giants 27 New England 24