Super Bowl first quarter: Ravens 7, 49ers 3
NEW ORLEANS -- The Baltimore Ravens took a 7-3 first quarter lead over the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl on Sunday night on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin.
The Ravens drove 51 yards for the touchdown following an uncharacteristically short punt by the 49ers' Andy Lee set them up near midfield. The big play was a 21-yard completion from Flacco to Torrey Smith that got them to the 49ers' 19-yard line.
Baltimore's drive might have stalled on a third-down incomplete pass, but 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was offside on the play, giving the Ravens another chance. Flacco took advantage of the error by throwing to Boldin on the next play for the touchdown.
The 49ers' first possession was a three-and-out that never got started because tight end Vernon Davis was penalized on the first play for an illegal formation, wiping out a 20-yard completion to him from Colin Kaepernick.
After the Baltimore touchdown drive, however, the 49ers marched from their own 20 to the Ravens' 8 with a nice mix of passes, including a 19-yarder to Michael Crabtree and a 24-yarder to Davis, a couple of inside runs by Kaepernick (16 yards total) including one nifty scramble, and some strong running by Frank Gore.
The drive stalled after a second-down pass to the end zone was tipped by Crabtree, who was in the same area as Randy Moss. Moss appeared to be open, but it wasn't clear whether the ball was aimed for him or for Crabtree.
San Francisco settled for a 36-yard field goal by David Akers.
Baltimore drove again as the quarter ended. Flacco connected with Boldin for 30 yards on a third-down play that carried to the 49ers' 34, but the Ravens lost yards on a short completion and a sack and had to punt as the second quarter began.
