San Francisco 49ers: Top 20 games in franchise history
By Jerod Brown
Jim Harbaugh Coaches Against Brother in Super Bowl XLVII
The 49ers, led by the dynamic Colin Kaepernick, traveled to New Orleans to play the Baltimore Ravens. While the game was full of storylines, there was none bigger than the two head coaches.
49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh would be coaching against his brother, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
The Ravens jumped out to an early lead and it looked like the game may get out of hand early. After a prolonged blackout — that Ray Lewis still believes was planned by the NFL — the second half opened with a Jacoby Jones kickoff returned for a touchdown before the 49ers settled in and began to show signs of life.
The 49ers scored 17 unanswered points and cut the lead to five points. Down 34-29 late in the fourth quarter, the 49ers drove down the field before a failed fade route to receiver Michael Crabtree resulted in a turnover on downs. Baltimore took a safety to kill the remaining seconds in the game and ultimately hoisted the Lombardi Trophy with a 34-31 win.
The Super Bowl loss was painful for 49er fans looking to enjoy the success of the past but, with young Colin Kaepernick at quarterback, it seemed as though the team would soon be back.
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