Super Bowl Xlvii
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SUPER BOWL XLVII n emotionally-charged and perceived the run of losses to be Baltimore’s late-season Athrilling six weeks kicked demise, but the Ravens felt otherwise. As each wintry off the Baltimore Ravens’ 2012 week passed, the team’s resilient chemistry never faded, campaign. Despite playing their nor did its genuine belief that the best was yet to come. first four games in an 18-day span, the Ravens produced a 5-1 record, On Wild Card weekend, before a sellout M&T Bank Stadium marking the best start ever under crowd that celebrated and saluted Ray Lewis in his final home John Harbaugh. Highlighted by a game, Baltimore pummeled the Colts, 24-9, kick-starting an season-opening victory on Monday incredible playoff run. Holding Indy without a touchdown, the Night Football against division foe Ravens’ defense was led by Lewis, who returned to action for the first time since tearing his triceps in Week 6. Cincinnati and an exhilarating, last-second triumph over AFC rival “I think we’re all appreciative, grateful for the opportunity to New England, the Ravens immediately demonstrated the be here and to witness this historic moment in sports,” head type of heart and resolve that would allow them to conquer coach John Harbaugh said after the win. “And, it wasn’t just anything in an NFL season. about one guy [Lewis]. Nobody understands it more than Climbing to 9-2, Baltimore tied (2006) the then-best record the one guy we’re talking about. It was about a team. It was about a city, a fan base, a great sport, about a great career.” to begin a season in franchise history. Following their Bye Week, the battle-tested Ravens won four-straight games – Fresh off an emotional victory over Indianapolis, Baltimore three of which occurred in hostile road clashes. Though a traveled to No. 1 seed Denver for a Divisional Playoff bout. rash of injuries to key contributors left them shorthanded, the Riding an 11-game win streak, the heavily-favored Broncos Ravens remained relentless and emerged victorious in hard- had beaten the Ravens, 34-17, in Charm City four weeks prior. fought contests at Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Baltimore’s grit was never more on display than in Week 12 at San Diego, But despite its underdog status, Baltimore approached when Ray Rice converted a fourth-and-29 catch – later voted the game with the brazen attitude of a champion. It was “NFL Play of the Year” – to send the game into overtime and a boldness reinforced by strength gained while facing help capture the comeback win. adversity throughout the season. It was also a resiliency the team had developed and a brotherhood that leaders such While able to secure the AFC North Title with a decisive as Harbaugh, Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Joe Flacco and Rice had victory over the New York Giants in Week 16, the Ravens cultivated from Day One. closed out the regular season by dropping four of their last five games. This stretch included three-consecutive In what became the fourth-longest game (4:11) in NFL defeats – two by three points – to begin December, all history, the Ravens outlasted the Broncos, 38-35, in double against emerging playoff contenders. Many outsiders OT, producing an electrifying victory-turned instant classic. LB Ray Lewis emerges from the M&T Bank Stadium tunnel for the final home WR Jacoby Jones secures QB Joe Flacco’s deep pass, connecting for a 70- intro of his career prior to the Wild Card win over Indianapolis (1/6/13). yard TD to send the Divisional Playoff at Denver (1/12/13) into overtime. 2021 BALTIMORE RAVENS – 360 – SUPER BOWL XLVII On Feb. 3, 2013, the AFC Champion Ravens battled the NFC Champion 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. It was the first time in NFL history that two brothers, John and Jim Harbaugh, faced each other as head coaches in a championship game. “We’ve seen it all this year,” Harbaugh stated before the game. “We’ve had injuries; we’ve had adversity; we’ve had exhilaration; we’ve had great moments. That’s what a season is made of. The team that navigates all these things the best, in the end, will be the one true champion.” And in the end, no team navigated its voyage better than the 2012 Ravens. In what would become a timeless NFL masterpiece – one bursting with drama at every turn – Baltimore defeated San Francisco, 34-31, becoming the NFL’s one true champion. As part of 21 unanswered points by Baltimore, WR Anquan Boldin scores a fourth- After taking an early 28-6 lead, the Ravens produced a quarter TD in the 28-13 AFC Championship victory at New England (1/20/13). valiant goal-line stand to clinch their second Super Bowl title. Overcoming a feverish 49ers’ second-half comeback Facing third-and-3 with 31 seconds remaining in regulation, and a bizarre 34-minute power outage in the third quarter, Flacco found Jacoby Jones, who had blazed past defenders Baltimore started fast and finished strong, all while down the right sideline, to manufacture an improbable 70- entertaining millions of spectators around the globe. yard touchdown bomb. The crowd-silencing connection cut the deficit to 1, with Justin Tucker then quickly tying Spurred by Flacco, who was named the game’s MVP the game at 35 to force overtime. Near the end of the after completing 22-of-33 passes for 287 yards and three extra period, Corey Graham intercepted Peyton Manning, touchdowns, the Ravens capped a remarkable journey – one ultimately setting up a 47-yard game-winning field goal by that will forever live in football lore. Tucker in double OT and sealing the Ravens’ 38-35 win. “We’ve got a lot of resolve. That’s why we won the game,” “Thanks for bearing witness to one of the greatest football stated Harbaugh, who with the victory set an NFL record for games you’re ever going to see,” stated Harbaugh after the most playoff wins (nine) in a head coach’s first five seasons. victory, which sent Baltimore to the AFC Championship for “It wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t pretty, but it was us.” a second-straight season and third time in five years. “That football game did the game of football proud.” Next up was an AFC Title bout with the No. 2 seed Patriots, who just 12 months prior had knocked out Baltimore in the exact same setting. Though the Ravens’ hearts were battered following the 2011 playoff loss, the defeat served as an influential lesson and a unifying force. It was an outcome that simultaneously marked the bitter end of a poignant journey, but also some inspiration for a determined 2012 Ravens team. All season long, as they grinded away for a chance to finish what they had started the year before, the Ravens got what they wanted. And this time, they didn’t disappoint. The Patriots, who owned the NFL’s No. 1-ranked and highest- scoring offense, were shut out in the second half by a dominant Ravens “D” that found ways to constantly frazzle Tom Brady and pummel his normally-potent attack. In defeating New England, 28-13, Baltimore clinched a berth in Super Bowl XLVII, seizing the franchise’s second conference title. “Congratulations to our players, to our coaches,” Harbaugh John Harbaugh hoists the Lombardi Trophy following the Ravens’ thrilling said. “[Tonight] was about a football team playing really good 34-31 victory over San Francisco in Super Bowl XLVII (2/3/13). football in one of the biggest moments that football has to offer, and that’s what I am so proud of as a football coach.” 2021 BALTIMORE RAVENS – 361 – SUPER BOWL XXXV he young and brash Baltimore While the hometown fans would celebrate with seven- TRavens began the 2000 NFL straight days of purple pride, the team took off for Tampa for a season talking playoffs and ended week of preparation before the ultimate contest. On Sunday, the year as World Champions, Jan. 28, 2001, the Ravens kept their promise and defeated the thanks to one of the most dominant New York Giants, 34-7. defenses in pro football history. Ray Lewis earned Super Bowl XXXV MVP honors, as well as The Ravens’ Super Journey began Defensive Player of the Year. The Ravens tied a then-Super with an ominous regular season Bowl record with four INTs and became only the third team schedule that included five road in NFL history to not commit a turnover in a Super Bowl. The games in seven weeks. In the most exciting new record? Perhaps three successive scores middle of it all was a five-game on three seesaw plays. The back-to-back kickoff returns for streak without a touchdown. TDs were yet another new record. Thankfully, the drought never divided the team. Following the game, owner Art Modell lifted the Lombardi The race toward the Lombardi Trophy was not without its Trophy in the air and said: “To the people of Baltimore City, hurdles: Ray Lewis rebounded from a trying offseason; Baltimore County and the State of Maryland, this belongs to Trent Dilfer, now a Raven, returned to Tampa Bay for the you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Super Bowl; an emotional Jermaine Lewis dedicated a When the Ravens flew home on that beautiful, blue-sky superb performance to the memory of his stillborn son. Still, Monday after the Super Bowl, they heard about the parade the team rallied through the season, and it made the hard- scheduled in their honor for the next day.