The "Sound FX" after the Super Bowl is annually one of my favorite 30 minutes of television all year. I don't feel like I'm done watching the game until NFL Films takes their turn. (Which makes me so thankful we can post the clips on Around The League.)
In case you missed it, let's roll through some of the highlights:
The Harbaughs' pregame meeting says a lot about them. Jim gives John a little grief about "b'sing" the 49ers kicker David Akers. (John Harbaugh and Akers worked together in Philadelphia.) John is the one keeping the conversation going. He's the one that pulls Jim in for a hug when Jim starts to head off.
I also love the pregame image of Joe Flacco, sitting quietly on the bench by himself before Ray Lewis comes up to him: "Lead him." And Terrell Suggs telling Lewis it's "an honor" to play at his side.
I love this show because you learn how the players really act when the game is rolling. Randy Moss is a constant presence in Michael Crabtree's ear, explaining why and how Crabtree incurred a penalty on the game's first play. Patrick Willis sees a screen before it comes. Joe Flacco realizes that the Ravens are using the wrong football during the game. Jim Harbaugh angles for every call.
Ray Lewis was having a huge problem in coverage during the game, especially early. And Vernon Davis wasn't afraid to tell him about it.
"This will be a long day for you," Davis said.
"You're a joke," Lewis responded.
I was also impressed with how calm John Harbaugh was throughout the entire game. He quickly moved to keep his players on the bench out of the melee at the end of the second quarter while telling 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith to quit crying.
Another reason why John Harbaugh is so valuable: His special teams acumen. He calls Jacoby Jones' kickoff return touchdown before it happens. After the score, Baltimore's special teams coach comes up to Harbaugh:
"That was scheming right there, man. Thanks for your help."
The clip above also has all the footage from the power outage. The moment the power goes out is surreal.
John Harbaugh wonders when the Ravens are going to block Delanie Walker after another special teams tackle.
"This guy is killing us," he says.
Ray Lewis calls him Bobby Boucher. We love the composure to make a Waterboy reference in the second half of the Super Bowl.
Perhaps my favorite little nugget in the entire show came on the pass from Flacco to Anquan Boldin on third and one in the fourth quarter. Flacco has called this the biggest play of the game. I agree. Flacco changed the play at the line of scrimmage. It even surprised his coach.
"He's throwing the damn ball?" John Harbaugh said. After Boldin's catch: "Wow."
Ray Lewis: "That's a bold damn statement."
Moss was schooling Crabtree right until the end. When the 49ers were on the goal line with time running out, Moss reminded Crabtree to squeeze the ball tight if he's fighting for yards. Crabtree didn't get a chance to catch another ball, though:
"Ya'll got let them tackle me like that?" he complained after the second down incompletion.
When fourth down didn't work out, Jim Harbaugh was apoplectic.
"He tackled his ass!" he said.
Yes, this is also the video where Flacco talks about tacklingTed Ginn if the 49ers return man breaks a long one. I think he was joking around, a little wackier than usual because he was on the cusp of a world title. This is Joe Flacco on wacky, and it continues after the game.
If you only watch one of these videos, please make it the last one. So much of the moments after the final whistle blows gave me chills. The image of Patrick Willis is a classic: Crouching and fighting back tears under the confetti.
The last game of the season was especially exhilarating and exhausting. Thanks to NFL Films for capturing it all so well.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
