Although some storied Super Bowl game records, such as Jerry Rice’s receiving yards and running back Timmy Smith’s rushing yards won’t be broken on Sunday, there's a chance that other marks could fall in New Orleans.
Here are the most likely records that could be set:
1. Rushing yards by a quarterback
Record: 64 by Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans, Super Bowl XXXIV
It’s a record that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick may be able to set on just one run if a Ravens’ defender makes the wrong decision on the read-option. The Falcons did an effective job of limiting Kaepernick in option situations in the NFC Championship by crowding the edges with multiple defenders. The decision to focus on containing Kaepernick left Frank Gore with wide gaps up the middle. Kaepernick rushed for 21 yards in Atlanta after he set an NFL record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback with 181 a week earlier against Green Bay. A proposition bet on the gambling website Bovada.lv lists Kaepernick’s over/under total for rushing yards at 50.5. Joe Montana (Super Bowl XIX) is the only other QB to run for 50 yards or more.
2. Highest average completion by a quarterback
Record: 14.71 by Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XIV
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco flourished when unleashing the deep ball this season. He led the league in completions, attempts and touchdown/interception ratio on passes of 20 yards or farther in the regular season. Flacco has been even better in the playoffswhere he has 10 completions of at least 20 yards. In his first nine postseason games, he had just eight combined. In a 38-35 double overtime win over the Broncos on Jan. 12, Flacco averaged 18.39 yards per completion.
3. Sacks in a game by an individual
Record: 3 by Reggie White, Green Bay Packers, Super Bowl XXXI and Darnell Dockett, Arizona Cardinals, Super Bowl XLIII
There are several exceptional pass rushers in Sunday’s game, including Aldon Smith, Terrell Suggs, Paul Kruger, Haloti Ngata, Ahmad Brooks and Ray McDonald. Suggs’ career-high for sacks in a game is 3, something which he’s accomplished four times. Smith set his career-high for sacks in a game with 5.5 against the Bears in Novenber. The Ravens had nine sacks in a 16-6 victory over the 49ers on Thanksgiving Night in 2011.
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