As we remember well, the 49ers leaned on a prolific rushing attack behind quarterback Colin Kaepernick and paired it with a great defense that featured stars like Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith. Although Baltimore’s history of a great defense and run game spans back to the year 2000, the 49ers have, in their own respect, followed a similar track since the hiring of Jim Harbaugh in 2011. Ten years after their epic Super Bowl matchup, the 49ers and Ravens gear up for the game of the year in Santa Clara with the title of the league’s best team and Super Bowl favorite on the line.įor the better part of the 2000s and 2010s, the 49ers and Ravens have been the antithesis of hard-nosed, run first teams. As a result, teams have had trouble finding answers to stop them. Both franchises have deployed different styles that go against the grain of the modern NFL mantra of high-octane pass games. Ironically, the 49ers rank second in both categories.Īs this epic matchup draws closer, it’s important to realize just how good these two teams are. The Ravens rank first in rushing and total defense - typically a good formula for success. 1 scoring defense in the NFL (16.1 PPG) and the league’s most dynamic quarterback in Lamar Jackson. In the purple corner, the Ravens come in having won eight of their last nine games, sporting the No. After a three-game skid earlier in the year, it’s safe to say that San Francisco is the prohibitive favorite to win the Super Bowl. The 49ers have outscored opponents by a ridiculous 207-94 margin over their last six games. Since the return of injured stars Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams, they’ve essentially steamrolled every team in their path. 1 seeds in their respective conferences.īy almost every account, the 49ers are the best team in the NFL right now. What many did not know is that these heavyweights would be the consensus two best teams in the league, holding the No.

Before the season started, many pundits had the upcoming Christmas Day clash between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers circled on their calendars.

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