Superbowl Minutiae and a Pick

Feb 3, 2013 by

Well, today’s the day they play for the forty-seventh Lombardi Trophy and seeing as I can’t stand either team, (Niners hatred for all those years they beat the Saints; Ravens disdain for being there instead of the Steelers,) I thought I’d post a few incredibly useless factoids that you can use to impress your friends at whatever party you’re hanging out at today!

Ravens 34 – 49ers 31

The NFC (25) leads the AFC (22) in SB victories. The current streak is 1 victory by the AFC.

10 – Record for a city hosting the SB (Miami, New Orleans)
07 – Record for a venue hosting the SB (Louisiana Superdome)

55 – Most Points scored by winning team (49ers: SB24 – 1990)
14 – Least points scored by a winning team (Dolphins: SB7 – 1973)
31 – Most points scored by a losing team (Cowboys: SB13 – 1979)
03 – Least points scored by a losing team (Dolphins: SB6 – 1972)
75 – Most points scored by both teams (49ers 49 – Chargers 26: SB29 – 1995)
21 – Least points scored by both teams (Dolphins 14 – Redskins 7: SB7 – 1973)
45 – Biggest blowout (49ers 55 – Broncos 10: SB24 – 1990)
01 – Closest game (Giants 20 – Bills 19: SB25 – 1991)

08 – Most appearances (Cowboys, Steelers)
06 – Most Championships (Steelers)*
00 – Least Appearances (Browns, Lions, Jaguars, Texans)
00 – Least Championships (the four teams above plus the Vikings, Bills, Bengals, Eagles, Chargers, Falcons, Titans, Panthers, Seahawks, Cardinals)
* A 49ers win ties them with the Steelers. [Oops.] The Packers were the first team to two Championships, the Steelers first to three, four and six and the 49ers first to five.

20 – Most appearances by a conference (NFC East)*
04 – Least appearances by a conference (NFC South)*
08 – Most Championships by a conference (AFC North)* **
11 – Most losses by a conference (AFC East)*
* These stats compiled using current NFL conferences.
** A Ravens win breaks the tie in favor of the AFC North. [Yay!]

Undefeated teams: 49ers (5-0), Ravens (2-0), Jets, Buccaneers, Saints (each 1-0)
[Both the Ravens and Niners risk their undefeated status today!]

The Bills and the Vikings are both 0-4 in the Superbowl, but the Bills take the record for utter futility, losing four straight Championships. (Giants in 1991, Redskins in 1992 and Cowboys in 1993 and ’94. All NFC East teams.)

Six Superbowls were rematches of five previous championships:
(victories in parentheses)
Steelers (SB10, SB13)  Cowboys (SB30)
Dolphins (SB7) Redskins (SB17)
Niners (SB16, SB23) Bengals
Cowboys (SB27, SB28) Bills
Giants (SB42, SB46) Patriots

If there’s one thing that stands out in all these stats it’s that the Steelers and 49ers own the NFL Championship yet they have yet to meet in the Big Dance. While I remain a loyal Saints fan, I’m adding a Pittsburgh-SanFran Superbowl to my Christmas List, just below the line that reads “Saints Second Championship!” And if either happens here in the ‘Dome, so much the better!

And of course, you’ll want to know my pick.

Considering I’m not enamoured of either team, I don’t really care who wins. Except if the Niners tie the Steelers at six Championships I’m going to be a very grumpy boy. Of course, the only way to prevent that is if the Ravens, (arguably the Steelers’ Falcons,) win the game.

Now any football fan will tell you that proper etiquette demands one root against one’s rivals. This is ticky-tacky spiteful bullshit. Your rivals belong to your division and conference and a win for them is a (vicarious) win for you. Rivalry should end in the post-season. (Unless, of course, your team is still alive!)

So, armed with logic (and shunned by relatives,) I’m rooting for the Ravens and  predicting a 29-28 [Close!] defeat of the Niners. That being said, common sense says that the Niners D is going to destroy the Ravens passing attack and give the Niners a 35-26 victory. You can make your own call, but I’m going with logic!

Edits in bold reflect results of SB47.

-M

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