Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed (20) returns an interception and is tackled by San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) in the second quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. (Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)
Ravens safety Ed Reed intercepted Colin Kaepernick in the second quarter, his ninth career postseason interception. That ties the all-time record, which is also shared by Charlie Waters, Bill Simpson and Ronnie Lott. Reed, who set the all-time record for interception-return yards this season, has 61 career regular-season picks.
–The 49ers entered the game with a 52.6 third-down conversion percentage in this year’s playoffs but had just one conversion in five tries in the first half.
–Jacoby Jones’ 108-yard kickoff return to begin the second half was a Super Bowl record, and the fourth return touchdown of the season for Jones. He returned two kickoffs, one for 108 yards, for scores and had a 68-yard punt return touchdown in the regular season.
–San Francisco 49ers running back LaMichael James did not lose a fumble in the regular season. With the 49ers driving and having strung together three first downs in four plays in the first quarter, he coughed up the ball on the fifth play of the drive, a first-and-10 from the Baltimore 24. The tandem tackle by Ravens cornerback Corey Graham and rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw on San Francisco’s opening possession in the second quarter. Out of a two-tight end, two-wide receiver set, Kaepernick handed the ball to James on a sweep to the right. James fought to get back to the line of scrimmage, but the ball came out as he was twisted to the turf and Baltimore recovered at the 25.
–The Ravens’ fake field goal in the second quarter was the first in Super Bowl history. It was unsuccessful on fourth-and-9 when punter Sam Koch pitched the ball to rookie kicker Justin Tucker, who hesitated at the 7-yard line and was tackled by 49ers reserve safety Darcel McBath at the 5, a yard short of the first-down marker.
Tucker made 30 of 33 field-goal attempts in the regular season, including all 16 shorter than 40 yards. He was 2-for-2 in the playoffs before the Super Bowl.
–The Ravens’ game-day inactives were CB Asa Jackson, S Omar Brown, CB Chris Johnson, LB Adrian Hamilton, G/T Ramon Harewood, WR Deonte Thompson, DT Bryan Hall.
For the 49ers, QB Scott Tolzien, S Trenton Robinson, RB Jewel Hampton, LB Cam Johnson, DT Tony Jerod-Eddie, G Joe Looney and NT Ian Williams were inactive.
–Niners kicker David Akers, who has been struggling since late in the regular season, hit the crossbar on a 60-yard field-goal attempt pregame kicking toward the Ravens’ end zone. Akers made a pair of 55-yarders and came up short on an earlier 60-yard attempt.
He missed another 60-yard pregame try kicking toward the San Francisco 49ers’ end zone.
–Kaepernick is the fourth quarterback to start a Super Bowl in the same season in which he made his first career start. The two previous quarterbacks in that position, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner, won the game.
–Ravens players made $86,000 apiece in playoff earnings through the AFC championship game. The 49ers had made $64,000 — San Francisco had a first-round bye, and played two games instead of three for the Ravens. The Super Bowl winner player share was $88,000, with $44,000 per player to the losing team.
–The 49ers are 5-0 in the Super Bowl before Sunday. The Ravens were 1-0.
The Ravens lead the all-time series with the 49ers 3-1 and have won the last three meetings
–San Francisco safety Donte Whitner and wide receiver Ted Ginn were also teammates at Cleveland’s Glenville High School. Only once before have high school teammates won the Super Bowl; running back Dominic Rhodes and long snapper Justin Snow did it as Colts teammates who won Super Bowl XLI. They were teammates at Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas.
