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Super Bowl: 49ers vs Ravens

Ravens and 49ers meet in New Orleans for the Big Game. I've struggled to find something to write about in the matchup of these two teams. We tip our hat to Coach Harbaugh of the 49ers and Coach Harbaugh of the Ravens. Do these guys know something about winning football? Yes, indeed, they do. They must talk football in the offseason!

The chart below shows the stat profile of the Ravens, offense in blue and defense in red. The axes vectors are: Rushing-Clock control, Passing Efficiency, Interceptions, Fumbles and Field Position. The measurements are expressed as percentile rank amongst all 32 teams.

Compared to recent years the Ravens offense is stronger but the defense is weaker. The biggest defensive weakness is Opponent Rushes allowed. Ravens allow almost 31 per game and this gives the 49ers a chance to win the battle for the clock. Just below is a chart of Clock Time for the Ravens and their season average at 28 minutes (rank 29th in the league) could be a problem in this game.



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2012 through Week 17


The same stat profile chart as above for the 49ers appears below. While both teams have strong stat profiles on offense, the 49ers are stronger on defense (bigger red area). This gives them an edge.

Our computer likes the 49ers over the Ravens by 3.5 points. I like the 49ers as well but this game could go either way. The winner will likely be the team that turns their drives into TDs and not FGs. Or it could hinge on a big defensive play. So while the edge goes to the 49ers based on stats earned during the season it's hard to look past a Ravens team that beat Denver and New England. This could be one terrific Super Bowl!

Bill Sanders for BudGoodeSports.com
dr.bill@wrsanders.com

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