For the 1^st time since 1998, both visiting teams won their Conference Championship game and we have our winners for the 1^st Annual Harbaugh Bowl all set, with the 49’ers taking on the Rayvens.  Both games were good ones (depending on who you picked), and here is The Commish’s rundown:

Participant Update
Going into the Sunday doubleheader, Pete the Terp had a slim lead.  That lead quickly dissipated and he is now situated in 4^th place (one place out of the bronze chicken wing prize).

• 2013 Winner – 549 points, featuring a season-best 2-point variance in the SF win
• Comeback Kid – 475 points, with a 3rd place finish in both games
• Henrico FiveOh – 468 points, with 230 of his total points earned by picking the Ravens
• Pete the Terp – 431 points, our Baltimore resident with a goose-egg in the Raven game
• Greg the Great – 221 points, and hanging in there (another big comeback victory being planned?)
• Buffalo Bill – 216 points, and hoping everyone else picks the losing team in 2 weeks

Congrats to 2013 Winner for taking over the lead and to Henrico FiveOh for the big weekend.

San Francisco 49’ers 28, Atlanta Falcons 24
For the 2^nd week in a row, the Falcons jumped off to a big lead (17-0) in the first half.  However, despite the passing efforts of QB Matt Ryan (271 yards and 2 TD’s in the first half), the 49er’s starting clawing away at the lead until they finally took it for good in the 4^th quarter.  The proverbial noose was tightened for the last time as Matt Ryan threw an INT during a key drive late in the game.  The 49’er vaunted D was ineffective in the 1^st half but bounced back strong in the 2^nd.  Plus, TE Vernon Davis was on the receiving end of several key passes by QB Colin Kaepernick.

One Harbaugh in SB47…

Baltimore Ravens 28, New England Patsies 13
The Ravens “kicked it up a notch” right in the home territory of Emeril Lagasse, and put a good ole’ whooping on the Patriots en route to their 1^st Super Bowl appearance since 2001.  With 20-mph winds swirling around Gillette Stadium, you would have thought Raven QB Joe Flacco may have had a hard time with his trademark long ball game.  But he mastered the intermediate passing game (which New England QB Tom Brady failed to do) and found strong-handed WR Anquan Boldin for 2 more clutch TD’s.  When needed, the Raven D stood tall and finally got their revenge from last year’s game.  The Patriots get a ‘C-‘ for effort in this one and coach Bill Belichick gets his usual ‘D-‘ for apparel.

One more Harbaugh in SB47…

Summary
Well, we’re down to 1 big game to go and the 49’ers are the early favorite win it all.  As for the HSBT it would appear to be up for grabs, with 2013 Winner holding a narrow lead over Comeback Kid (74 points).  Greg the Great and Buffalo Bill have a daunting challenge in trying to make up over 300-point deficits, but nobody is officially eliminated yet.  This will be the 1^st Super Bowl since 2003 (10 years) without a Manning, Brady or Roethlisberger at the QB position.  Two first-time QB’s, which will make it a very entertaining evening.

The Commish’s official game analysis will be published for you before the game, so be sure to hold off on making your picks until that key information is published.

~~ The Commish