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On Sunday evening, the San Francisco 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens in heartbreaking fashion. After an incredible rally to comeback in the second half, the Niners were denied the opportunity to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
The game came down to the wire, determined in the last remaining minutes in the 4th quarter. The Niners had closed the sizable gap and were in position to take the lead.
#49ers Michael Crabtree: "The guy was all over me. It’s frustrating. It was a game-winning touchdown. It makes you sad. It’s the Super Bowl"
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 4, 2013
At this point, it's futile to play the "what if" game, especially when self-inflicted wounds like penalties, drops and turnovers put them at a disadvantage early. We could play the that game all day and it would get us nowhere.
"What if the 49ers tied it with the two-point conversion?"
"What if Ahmad Brooks didn't jump offsides in the first quarter?"
"What if LaMichael James didn't fumble?"
"What if Cary Williams was ejected for shoving the ref?"
Grasping at straws...
Although, I understand the heartache and Crabtree has a right to be frustrated. His team was on the verge of the single most spectacular Super Bowl comeback in NFL history, and just like that, the dream was unlawfully shattered. On the game-deciding play for the go-ahead score, Crabtree was mugged by defensive back Jimmy Smith.
Crabtree finished with five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, averaging 20+ yards per catch. The 49ers' No. 1 WR was instrumental in the team's second-half surge. However, this will be the play that stick out in his mind when reflecting on Super Bowl XLVII.
For the next year, Crabtree will be asking himself, "What if?"