NFL Playoffs 2012: Why the World Needs an All-Harbaugh Super Bowl in 2012

The Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers must win this weekend’s conference championship games. The sanity of NFL fans the world over depends on it.

The Baltimore Ravens must travel to Foxboro just seven days after Tom Brady went all, well, Tom Brady. Brady threw six touchdowns and was so bored by the middle of the third quarter that he decided to give punting a go.

The New England Patriots outclassed the Denver Broncos in every phase and sent a mediocre quarterback a rude awakening.

The San Francisco 49ers host the streaking New York Giants. Eli Manning went into Lambeau Field and reminded Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers that he loves playing in Wisconsin come playoff time.

The Giants beat a rusty Packers team pretty thoroughly, which puts them one game away from the Super Bowl.

The problem is this: If you don’t live in the northeast, you do not want to see a Giants-Patriots rematch from Super Bowl XLII. Although that game will go down as one of the most dramatic Super Bowls in history, seeing the Giants and Patriots play again would be too much.

Maybe that’s just me.

Jim and John Harbaugh must win on Sunday in order to prevent this from happening, and you should be rooting for it.

Why?

It’s pretty simple: defense.

The only two teams left without top-tier quarterbacks are the Ravens and the 49ers. Joe Flacco arguably fits into the second tier and Alex Smith just wants people to know his name.

Both of these teams have been constructed around their stout defense and highly effective running game. That may sound odd in today’s NFL, but these teams are kicking it old school with how they’re built.

Defenses have taken a beating in 2011. There were 10 different quarterbacks—including rookie Cam Newton—who threw for 4,000 yards or more during the regular season.

The NFL has turned offensive. The rules, the refs and most teams have put offense before defense more than ever before during 2011.

Yet, when it comes to the playoffs, the old-school formula of running the ball and playing lock-down defense still thrives in the NFL. That’s why the Ravens and 49ers have made it this far.

The Niners knocked out the record-breaking Drew Brees and the Ravens did enough to stop the league’s second-best rushing game led by an impressive Arian Foster.

Look at the personnel on these two defenses. San Fran contains the best front seven in football with players like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith and NaVorro Bowman. Baltimore has savvy, battle-tested veterans littered throughout their starting lineup led by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.

San Francisco ended the regular season as the No. 2 overall defense and Baltimore ended as No. 3. The Ravens had the No. 4 defense against the pass and the No. 2 defense against the run. The 49ers had the No. 1 run defense all season long and didn’t allow a rushing touchdown till Week 16, which was an NFL record.

Both teams play punch-you-in-the-mouth, hard-nosed defense. Both deliver the big hit, get after the quarterback and create turnovers.

It’s the kind of defense that gives you chills down your spine after a big play or devastating hit.

You won’t get that with either the Patriots or the Giants. The Patriots simply do not have a great defense and the Giants defense would be nothing without their pass rush.

Which brings us to why we need an all Harbaugh Super Bowl. The Harbaugh family stole the show on Thanksgiving night. John beat visiting brother Jim and the 9-1 49ers.

Both teams have similar identities. Obviously the defense is there for both, but they both also have good-but-not-great quarterbacks, great running backs, reliable special teams and down-the-field threats through the air.

Many people may be opposed to the idea of having Flacco and Smith as the quarterbacks in the NFL’s biggest game of the year versus Brady or Manning. Certainly, NBC would be a bit annoyed to have the Baltimore and San Francisco markets trying to draw ratings versus New York and Boston.

However, there’s plenty of storylines with this matchup. Outside of the quarterbacks, the two defenses and the Harbaughs, you have the Indianapolis factor to add into the story.  

In 1984, the Baltimore Colts and owner Robert Irsay packed their bags and moved to Indianapolis in the middle of the night. Baltimore was left naked, embarrassed and without a football franchise until 1996.

Oh, how ironic it would be if the Baltimore Ravens won their second Super Bowl in the stadium that Peyton Manning built. It would be the ultimate retribution for a city and region that craves crab cakes and football.

Defense, sibling rivalry and the different story lines about the improbable should all be reasons why you root for Baltimore and San Francisco on Sunday.

After all, there’s nothing better than a good ol' family affair mixed with some vengeance on Super Bowl Sunday.

Justin Sparks is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report @JustinSparks22