Ravens vs. 49ers: Breaking Down Expert Picks from Around the League

For some reason, most experts are holding off on their Super Bowl XLVII picks.

The San Francisco 49ers versus Baltimore Ravens matchup will surely polarize the masses and spark very different opinions.

However, it doesn’t seem that way, at least so far.

Of those collected so far, only two have taken the San Francisco 49ers.

Let’s take a look at who exactly it is that has made these early picks, and why they’ve made them.

CBS Sports Senior NFL Columnist Pete Prisco

Pete Prisco posted the best overall straight-up record of all of the CBS Sports analysts during the regular season with a 156-83-1 record. He wasn’t the king of the spread, finishing at just 115-125, but picking winners is something Mr. Prisco did exceptionally well in 2013.

Prisco has the 49ers winning 26-20 thanks to a big game by QB Colin Kaepernick. He also anticipates a stronger effort on defense against Joe Flacco in comparison to their showing against Matt Ryan in the NFC Championship game.

CBS Sports Senior NFL Columnist Clark Judge

Clark Judge, another senior writer for CBS, finished just three games behind Prisco in the network’s NFL picks challenge. He finished with a 153-86-1 mark in picking game winners this season.

Judge sees the game going a little bit differently, well completely differently, than his colleague. He’s got the Ravens winning a very close game by a 24-20 margin.

He mused that he picked Baltimore to lose to Denver and New England and they proved him wrong, so he’s on board now with their quest for a title.

CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora

Jason La Canfora came in fourth place at CBS Sports with a 150-89-1 record in picking game winners this season.  La Canfora believes there are too many positive factors working in favor of the Ravens for them to be denied a championship.

He’s got them winning another close one, 24-21, thanks to being healthy at the right time and from being a more playoff-tested team.

  

Bleacher Report NFL Lead Writer Ty Schalter

Bleacher Report’s National NFL lead writer Ty Schalter broke down the Super Bowl with an excellent preview on Jan. 20. The big takeaway here is that Schalter is banking everything on the big plays that have fueled the Ravens in consecutive upsets.

Schalter is going with Baltimore to cover the spread and win outright, 33-27. He said that Baltimore has “the advantage in a game where both teams can run, both teams can hit and both teams are coached by Harbaughs.”

Princess the Camel

The camel is going with Baltimore, according to NBC Sports’ Rick Chandler.

Sometimes it’s okay to think outside the box. Princess, a camel, makes her picks by taking team-labeled graham crackers out of her owners’ hand.

She’s usually right, too.

She has also picked correctly in six of the last seven Super Bowls and posted previous straight up records of 14-6 (2011) and 17-5 (2008).