The 49ers haven't fared well in the series with the Ravens, and are looking to settle some scores!
While the current players for the San Francisco 49ers may not feel any need to settle any old scores or heal up any old wounds against the Baltimore Ravens, the fans certainly do. The 49ers and the Ravens have played only seven times in their history. Monday night's game will be number eight. In the series, the Ravens lead 5-2. One of the 49ers' wins came when the team was still filled with Hall of Famers like Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Bryant Young, and Terrell Owens. The other win for the 49ers came in a down season in which the team only won five games.
The Ravens' wins are a lot more impressive. One was a big December matchup of two of the NFL's top teams, one was a Thanksgiving defensive battle featuring two brothers, and one was a rollercoaster of a Super Bowl. For the most part, this series has gone the Ravens' way.
The 49ers will try to move the needle a little closer to evening out the series, though nothing will undo the Super Bowl loss. But a win on Christmas night against a really good Ravens team will certainly help make fans feel better. And a win on Monday night will move the 49ers closer to wrapping up the number one seed in the NFC. They only need to win two of the final three games to do so. And since none of us want them to have to travel to Philadelphia, Dallas, or Detroit, this is a big game for the 49ers.
Let's take a look at how this series has gone.
1996- 49ers won 38-20
The 49ers were two seasons removed from a Super Bowl win, and George Seifert was in his final season as coach of the team. It was Elvis Grbac who played in this game, rather than Young, who was out with an injury. Grbac threw for 268 yards and one touchdown but also threw two interceptions. Grbac was a quarterback who had won some big games, like the 1995 game in Dallas, and blown some games where he turned the ball over too much.
One of those losses led to the 1996 incident where San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown called Grbac "an embarrassment to humankind." That's bad enough, but Brown said this after a game in which Grbac had struggled, and it was during a time in which Grbac's nine-month-old son had undergone a rather serious surgery for spina bifida. So the quarterback was likely distracted while having to play in place of a future Hall of Fame QB. To his credit, Brown did apologize after learning about Grbac's son.
In the 1996 win over the Ravens, the 49ers lost two fumbles, in addition to the interception Grbac threw, but still managed to win despite the three turnovers.
2003- Ravens won 44-6
This was easily the biggest blowout of the series. It was the season after Steve Mariucci had been fired when John York decided to let him go without a plan to replace him. York eventually settled and hired Dennis Erickson to be the team's new head coach. It didn't go well.
In the loss to Baltimore, QB Jeff Garcia threw for only 112 yards and also threw four interceptions. He was replaced by backup quarterback Tim Rattay. Kevan Barlow and Garrison Hearst both had just under 50 yards rushing each.
A John Engleberger fumble recovery and a couple of Todd Peterson field goals were about the only 49ers highlights that day.
2007- Ravens won 9-7
In 2007, the 49ers were supposed to be an up-and-coming team. The season before, in 2006, they surprised a lot of people by finishing with a 7-9 record, led by second-year players Alex Smith and Frank Gore. This was coming off two horrible seasons in 2004 and 2005, which may have been the worst two teams in 49ers' history.
But in 2007, the 49ers lost offensive coordinator Norv Turner and replaced him with Jim Hostler, who clearly wasn't ready for the job. It was Smith's third offensive coordinator in as many years. The offense wasn't nearly as effective as it was the season before. Smith struggled through some injuries, only starting seven games.
Smith wasn't the QB who played in the Ravens' game, though. That would be Trent Dilfer, who threw for only 126 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The touchdown Dilfer threw, a 23-yarder to Arnaz Battle, would be the only touchdown scored in the game. Baltimore won the game by kicking three field goals.
The 49ers' defense, which was beginning to develop in 2007, with star rookie linebacker Patrick Willis, showed up for this game. Willis, and fellow linebacker, Derek Smith, both had 12 tackles.
2011- Ravens won 16-6
In Jim Harbaugh's first season, the 49ers were rolling and went to Baltimore on Thanksgiving night to play Harbaugh's brother's team. John Harbaugh is still the coach of the Ravens.
The 49ers had very little offensive production as Smith threw for only 140 yards and one interception. But the biggest part of the game was that Smith was sacked nine times. The run game wasn't much better. Gore had only 39 yards rushing, and backup running back Kendall Hunter had only 14 yards rushing. The 49ers' offense managed only two David Akers field goals.
The 49ers' defense fared better, holding the Ravens to only 16 points, but even they weren't as dominant as they usually were.
2012 (Super Bowl XLVII)- Ravens won 34-31
I know, I know. We hate to relive this one, especially since it's a game the 49ers would probably win eight times out of ten. It was the 49ers' first appearance in the Super Bowl since 1994 and was dubbed the "Harbowl" due to the Harbaugh brothers squaring off again. It was supposed to end differently than the 2011 matchup, but it didn't.
The game wasn't without drama, though. First, there was the LaMichael James fumble at the Ravens' 24-yard line, that took potential points off the board for the 49ers. And that was a second-quarter drive in which the 49ers were moving the ball. At the time, the Ravens led only 7-3 but would go down and score a touchdown to go up 14-3.
One offensive play later, Colin Kaepernick threw an interception that looked like it might not have been picked off if wide receiver Randy Moss had made any kind of attempt at the ball, rather than protecting himself. The turnover gave the ball right back to the Ravens in 49ers territory. But the 49ers defense held and came up with a turnover on downs.
You had some mishaps on defense and kick return that allowed the Ravens to take a huge 28-6 lead early in the third quarter.
Then the lights in the Superdome went out, and the real 49ers showed up. Kaepernick led the 49ers back with 302 yards passing, one touchdown pass, 62 yards rushing, and one rushing touchdown. Gore added 110 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis both went over 100 yards receiving.
The defense, which had been bad in the first half came to life. Cornerback Tarell Brown recovered a fumble, and it looked like the 49ers would pull off a great comeback. But the comeback stalled at the five-yard line, and with time running out, the 49ers came up short.
2015- 49ers won 25-20
I'm still amazed the 49ers won much of anything in 2015. This was the season after Jed York fired Harbaugh. He followed up that terrible decision with an even worse decision—hiring Jim Tomsula.
Kaepernick threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns (one to Torrey Smith and one to Quinton Patton). Anquon Boldin had five catches for 102 yards. Phil Dawson nailed four field goals. Navarro Bowman had 15 tackles, Michael Wilhoite added 13 tackles and had an interception, and Kenneth Acker had a 45-yard interception return for the defense.
The win was one of the only bright spots that season, as the 49ers finished 5-11.
2019- Ravens won 20-17
We all remember the 49ers 2019 season, in which they returned to the Super Bowl. Never mind how that season ended.
This game was in Baltimore, and it was one of those ugly, rainy games. Lamar Jackson, who was named NFL MVP in 2019, was great for the Ravens. He wasn't spectacular as a passer, but he had over 100 yards rushing in this game. Coincidently, Jackson is coming to Santa Clara to take on a 49ers team that has a couple of MVP candidates of their own—Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey. How this game goes could determine who wins the MVP award this season. Will it be Purdy? Might it be McCaffrey? Or will Jackson swoop in and steal it from both of them?
In the 2019 game, Jimmy Garoppolo threw 165 yards, and a touchdown, but also lost a fumble. Raheem Mostert was the 49ers' best player that day, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown. But it wasn't enough, and the 49ers lost to the Ravens. It was one of only three regular-season losses for the team that season.
Can the 49ers win this game on Christmas night? It is a big game for both teams and will play a part in determining who ends up with the number one seed in both conferences. The 49ers need this win to stay ahead of the Eagles, Cowboys, and Lions.
The game falls on a couple of critical matchups. First, how will the 49ers' defense slow down Jackson? Unlike the version of Jackson they faced in 2019, in 2023 Jackson can win as a rusher and as a QB in the pocket. The defense was gashed in the run game a week ago and is dealing with a handful of injuries. Can they find a way to slow down Jackson as a runner and as a passer?
Second, the 49ers offense will be facing one of the best defenses in the league. Can Purdy and Company continue their high-flying offensive output against a team that matches up better against them than perhaps any other in the NFL? The Ravens can pressure the quarterback and are strong against the run. They have excellent linebackers who can fly around the field and have even been getting production from Jadeveon Clowney on the defensive line.
This will be the toughest test for the 49ers so far. The outcome of the game could have a big impact on the outcome of the season.
- Marc Adams
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Written by:Speaker. Writer. Covering the San Francisco 49ers. Host of the 49ers Camelot show.
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