By Douglas Holtz-Eakin
The young drop coverage to avoid higher premiums
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
Manti Te'o walked into a crowded room of reporters Saturday, took a breath and settled in for 15 minutes of NFL scouting combine history.
Before he could bask in a shower of confetti, before he could put his fingerprints on the Lombardi Trophy and before he could head into retirement as a champion, Ray Lewis had one final task: stop the San Francisco 49ers on three plays 5 yards from the end zone.
Under pressure and off balance, Colin Kaepernick released a fourth-down throw into the end zone with the outcome of the Super Bowl hanging in the balance.
After a remarkable postseason run — with those speedy legs — by the tattooed play-caller, the Baltimore Ravens exposed plenty of flaws in handing Kaepernick and Co. a 34-31 loss Sunday despite San Francisco's second-half rally.
The journey to this Super Bowl wound through bounties and replacement refs, eventually bringing the big game back to the Big Easy _ with a replacement quarterback, a sibling rivalry and a grand exit for one of the NFL's greatest players, clouded by the obscure healing powers of deer-antler spray.
Standing tall in the middle of a defense that survived a frenzied comeback by Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers, Lewis put a lovely bow on his 17th NFL season by earning his second Super Bowl ring — 12 years after the first.
A power outage at the Super Bowl put the nation's biggest sporting event on hold for more than a half-hour Sunday, interrupting an otherwise electric, back-and-forth game that ended with Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens as NFL champions thanks to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Colin Kaepernick got tripped up and tossed down, then still nearly led the greatest Super Bowl comeback in just his 10th career NFL start.
Power at the Superdome suddenly, oddly went out, putting the nation's biggest sporting event on hold for more than a half-hour Sunday and interrupting a back-and-forth Super Bowl in which Joe Flacco's three touchdown passes and Jacoby Jones' 108-yard kickoff return gave the Baltimore Ravens a 22-point lead over the San Francisco 49ers that dwindled to 34-29 late in the fourth quarter.
Colin Kaepernick is a mystery man under center, a strong-armed passer one moment and a 25-year-old kid who can run right out of the pocket for a huge gain the next.
The dynamic, play-making wide receiver will be a primary focus for the Baltimore Ravens' secondary come Sunday at the Superdome. Crabtree is as dangerous after the catch as he is dodging defensive backs to make acrobatic catches or finding ways to keep both feet inbounds while tiptoeing the sideline.
Randy Moss strolled to the podium on Super Bowl media day _ his 49ers hat tilted slightly to the left, his sleeves rolled up high to reveal a cross tattooed on one arm, a large "R" tattooed on the other.
Randy Moss strolled to the podium on Super Bowl media day _ his 49ers hat tilted slightly to the left, his sleeves rolled up high to reveal a cross tattooed on one arm, a large "R" tattooed on the other.
San Francisco's district attorney won't file criminal charges against 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree after reviewing evidence of an alleged sexual assault in a hotel after the team's playoff victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Criminal charges won't be filed against 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree after an alleged sexual assault in a hotel after the team's playoff victory over the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco's district attorney said Friday.
"Randy's like my older brother," said Michael Crabtree, who emerged as a top receiver in his fourth pro season.
"He's a legend and I hope he'll be here next year."
