Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers

Joe Flacco threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns and the Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Anquan Boldin caught a touchdown. Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown. Colin Kaepernick threw for 302 yards and a touchdown and ran for 62. Frank Gore ran for 110. Michael Crabtree caught a touchdown. The 49ers fell to 13-5 in their first Super Bowl loss in franchise history.[1][2][3]

Joe Flacco threw three touchdowns Sunday afternoon at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown. The Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII. The 49ers came back from a 28-6 deficit but fell short in the closing minutes. The 49ers' first Super Bowl loss in franchise history (5-1 in the previous five Super Bowls).

Colin Kaepernick threw for 302 yards and a touchdown to Michael Crabtree and ran for 62. Crabtree caught a touchdown. Frank Gore ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. Vernon Davis caught six for 104. The kind of Super Bowl where the year-two team's offense produced 31 points and the defense gave up 34.

The kind of Super Bowl where, after a 34-minute Superdome power outage delayed the third quarter, the 49ers came back from 28-6 to score 17 unanswered to make it 31-29 with 4:19 left. The 49ers got the ball back with 4:19 left and drove to the 5-yard line. On fourth down at the 5-yard line, Kaepernick's pass to Crabtree was incomplete, with the 49ers calling for a hold on Jimmy Smith. No call. The Ravens added a field goal and the game ended 34-31. 13-5. The franchise's first Super Bowl loss after winning the first five.

Ravens 34, 49ers 31. Margin: -3. Super Bowl XLVII.

• Joe Flacco: 22-of-33 for 287, 3 TDs (Super Bowl MVP).
• Jacoby Jones: 108y kickoff return TD (longest play in Super Bowl history).
• Anquan Boldin: 6 catches for 104, 1 TD.
• Dennis Pitta: 1 TD.
• Ray Rice: 20 carries for 59.
• Colin Kaepernick: 16-of-28 for 302, 1 TD + 7 carries for 62, 1 rushing TD.
• Frank Gore: 19 carries for 110, 1 rushing TD.
• Vernon Davis: 6 catches for 104.
• Michael Crabtree: 5 catches for 109, 1 TD.
• 34-min Superdome power outage delayed Q3.
• 49ers came back from 28-6 to 31-29 with 4:19 left.
• Final drive reached 5y line; 4th-down to Crabtree incomplete.
• First Super Bowl loss in franchise.
• 49ers 13-5.

A 34-31 Super Bowl XLVII loss to the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The 49ers finish 13-5 in the franchise's first Super Bowl loss after winning the first five.

How it unfolded

The Ravens built a 21-6 first-half lead behind Joe Flacco touchdowns to Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta and a Ray Rice rushing touchdown. The 49ers added two David Akers field goals. The Ravens led 21-6 at halftime. Jacoby Jones returned the opening second-half kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown to make it 28-6. The Superdome lost power for 34 minutes. After the delay, the 49ers exploded: a Kaepernick touchdown to Crabtree, a Gore rushing touchdown, and a Phil Dawson (no - David Akers) field goal to make it 28-23. The Ravens added a Justin Tucker field goal. Kaepernick ran in a 15-yard touchdown to make it 31-29. The Ravens added another Tucker field goal to make it 34-29. The 49ers' final possession reached the 5-yard line with 1:50 left. On fourth-and-goal from the 5, Kaepernick's pass to Crabtree was incomplete with the 49ers calling for a defensive hold (no flag).

The turning point

Jacoby Jones's 108-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half. With the 49ers down 21-6 at halftime and Kaepernick looking like he would lead a second-half comeback, Jones's return immediately pushed the lead to 28-6 and the 49ers were forced to come back from a 22-point deficit.

By the numbers

Kaepernick 16-of-28 for 302 with one TD plus 62 rushing and a rushing TD. Gore 19 carries for 110 with a rushing TD. Davis 6 catches for 104. Crabtree 5 catches for 109 with a TD. Flacco 22-of-33 for 287 with three TDs (Super Bowl MVP). Boldin 6 catches for 104 with a TD. Pitta 3 for 26 with a TD. Ray Rice 20 for 59. Jacoby Jones's 108-yard kickoff return TD.

Personnel watch

Flacco's three-touchdown Super Bowl MVP day. Jones's 108-yard kickoff return (longest in SB history). The 49ers' comeback from 28-6. The fourth-and-goal incomplete to Crabtree on the 5. The Harbaugh brothers matchup. One of the most-replayed Super Bowl finishes in modern league history.

What it means

13-5. Super Bowl XLVII loss. The 49ers' first Super Bowl loss after winning their first five. The Harbaugh brothers matchup. The 2013 season will be about returning to the Super Bowl. The offseason begins with the bitter taste of the goal-line fourth-down incompletion.