Why the 49ers Can Win It All

Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

In honesty, with Pro Bowl weekend coming up, many of us are looking forward to a break from the chaos of the NFL Playoffs.

It is going to give us time to start thinking about things like the upcoming NFL draft, start speculating on trades and catch up with whatever is going on with Manti Te’o and the Invisible Girl from the Fantastic Four.  I, however, can’t shake thinking about the NFL Superbowl despite it still being over a week away.    The reason is because the match up between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens has a much larger narrative that no one has really pointed out up until this point.

Yes, this is Ray Lewis last chance at a Super Bowl win before retirement.

Yes, Colin Kaepernick is fulfilling his childhood dream of not only playing for the 49ers but taking them to the Super Bowl.

And Yes, the two opposing head coaches are brothers.

Those are all very interesting narratives to follow heading into the Super Bowl.  However, what I am most interested in has to do more with the way both these teams play the game.

I’m talking offensively, not defensively.  Both these teams have solid defense and run a similar defensive strategy.  On offense, though, we see to very different styles of play.  Joe Flacco represents the classic quarter back.  The guy who takes a three to five step drop back, looks down the field and throws the ball.  Kaepernick is a quarterback that represents the new wave of offensive play that is taking over the NFL.  We see it with Russell Wilson,  Robert Griffin the III and Cam Newton, as well.  It is what I call the run and gun quarterback.  This new breed of quarterback that many teams are looking for not only can air out the ball but also can get the job done on the ground if need be.

This years Super Bowl could be billed as the old school quarterback versus the new school quarterback.  I have this nagging feeling that this new offense, which is similar to an NCAA offensive scheme, is going to be too unique and different for the Ravens defense to contend with.

Thus far in the post season,  The Ravens have beat the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.  All those quarterbacks are drop back and pass players.  The Ravens have rarely had to contend with offenses like the one the 49ers run.  One of their losses on the season comes from the Washington Redskins who run this type of offense. It is this new and unique style of quarterback play that gives the 49ers a huge edge.

The book makers also seem to agree considering that the 49ers are currently the 4 point favors according to the spread.