The San Francisco 49ers' road to the Super Bowl [Interactive timeline]

It's been an interesting road to Super Bowl XLVII for Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers. They began the season with one starting quarterback and entered December with another, made other changes (including removal of one very communicative running back) and eventually made it to the sport's top game. Peruse a timeline of the season's games using the "previous" and "next" buttons, then check out the Ravens version.

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Sep. 9, 2012

San Francisco managed to contain a usually prolific Green Bay Packers offense, keeping quarterback Aaron Rodgers from getting into a rhythm until the game was decided.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baltimore-sports-blog/bal-highlights-and-lowlights-of-nfl-opening-weekend-20120910,0,5189772.story?page=2#___plusone_0

Big win for 49ers

Sep. 16, 2012

The San Francisco 49ers topped the Detroit Lions 27-19 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Niners' quarterback Alex Smith was 20-31 for 226 yards and two touchdown passes, both were to tight end Vernon Davis.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/fox17-lions-lose-49ers-top-the-lions-on-sunday-night-20120916,0,1505892.story

49ers Top the Lions on Sunday Night

Sep. 23, 2012

Christian Ponder threw two touchdown passes to tight end Kyle Rudolph and ran for another score to help the Vikings hand the 49ers their first defeat, 24-13 on Sunday. After a dominant start to their NFC North tour by decisively beating playoff teams Green Bay and Detroit, the 49ers (2-1) were beaten in every way by the team least likely to do so.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/aan-ponder-vikings-stun-49ers-2413-20120923,0,1833734.story

Ponder, Vikings stun 49ers 24-13

Nov. 25, 2012

Ahmad Brooks and Donte Whitner returned interceptions for touchdowns, the 49ers sacked Drew Brees five times, and San Francisco ended the New Orleans Saints¿ three-game winning streak, 31-21.

http://www.salon.com/2012/11/26/49ers_use_defense_to_beat_saints_31_21/

49ers use defense to beat Saints, 31-2

Sep. 30, 2012

Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback, had the best game of his career in the team's 34-0 blowout of the Jets, and looked more like how New York Jets fans might have envisioned Tim Tebow would be after their team traded with the Denver Broncos for him.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/la-sp-sn-colin-kaepernick-49ers-20121001,0,4631240.story

Colin Kaepernick of 49ers beats Jets' Tim Tebow at his own game

Dec. 23, 2012

Expected to be a tight, hard-hitting national show between two teams and coaches with a profound disdain for each other, Sunday night's game devolved into a bludgeoning. The Seattle Seahawks earned their fourth consecutive victory with a 42-13 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night in front of 68,161 manic fans at CenturyLink Field.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/chi-seahawks-russell-wilson-playoffs-20121223,0,2385820.story

Seahawks lock up playoff spot with win

Oct. 7, 2012

For only the third time in his not-so-storied career, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith passed for 300 yards. It happened to help San Francisco rout the Buffalo Bills, 45-3, and establish a new team offense record at 621 yards.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/nationworld/wire/la-sp-sn-nfl-49ers-offense-record-20121007,0,5259861.story

Alex Smith has a hand in 49ers setting team offense record

Dec. 9, 2012

'A half-step,' San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson said after the 49ers' 27-13 win.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/fl-dave-hyde-dolphins-1210-20121209,0,7221524.column

Once again, Tannehill needs more help

Oct. 14, 2012

Losing the turnover battle served as the 49ers' ready-made excuse Sunday for their most lopsided defeat of coach Jim Harbaugh's tenure: 26-3 to the New York Giants at Candlestick Park.

http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_21772585/san-francisco-49ers-humbled-by-new-york-giants

San Francisco 49ers humbled by New York Giants 26-3

Jan. 12, 2013

Colin Kaepernick was sensational in his NFL playoff debut, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns and throwing for 263 yards and two touchdowns to lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 45-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers in an NFC divisional round game.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/sns-mct-youth-wins-out-as-49ers-kaepernick-outplays-20130113,0,7512283.story

Youth wins out as 49ers' Kaepernick outplays Packers' Rodgers

Oct. 18, 2012

Running back Frank Gore pounded Seattle¿s defense for 131 yards and the 49ers defeated the Seahawks 13-6 on a Thursday night to become the sole leader atop the NFC West.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/kcpq-gore-49ers-run-over-seahawks-136-20121018,0,2013142.story

Seahawks lose to 49ers, 13-6

Dec. 2, 2012

It took nearly 10 quarters to break the tie -- but the tie has been broken between the Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. Greg "The Leg" Zuerlein's 54-yard field goal in overtime gave the Rams a 16-13 victory over the 49ers on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome.

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-report/rams-give-ers-the-boot-in-ot/article_bb3de8ab-114f-5a38-b983-c7661683b465.html

Rams give 49ers the boot in OT

Oct. 29, 2012

The Cardinals¿ Monday Night experience peaked when Jordin Sparks hit the last note of the national anthem and a flag the size of the football field was folded and put away. Soon after that, the 49ers folded and put away the Cardinals 24-3 at University of Phoenix Stadium.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/20121029san-francisco-49ers-stuff-arizona-cardinals.html

San Francisco 49ers stuff Arizona Cardinals

Dec. 16, 2012

The San Francisco 49ers earned a playoff berth by withstanding a stunning comeback by New England from a 28-point deficit to beat the Patriots 41-34 on Sunday night in the rain in Foxborough, Mass.

http://host.madison.com/sports/football/professional/nfl-roundup-ers-hold-off-patriots-to-clinch-playoff-berth/article_5a92fb1a-480d-11e2-aef6-001a4bcf887a.html

NFL roundup: 49ers hold off Patriots to clinch playoff berth

Nov. 11, 2012

The San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams played 75 minutes and decided nothing Sunday at Candlestick Park. The Rams and 49ers settled for a 24-24 tie, failing to score in overtime despite having numerous good chances.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/chi-rams-49ers-tie-alex-smith-concussion-20121111,0,1841847.story

49ers, Rams play to tie; QB Smith leaves with concussion

Dec. 30, 2012

Shouts of 'Bye Week!' erupted in the 49ers' locker room Sunday, signaling their status as the NFC playoffs' No. 2 seed for a second straight season. The 49ers achieved that goal in twofold fashion. First, they rallied past the Arizona Cardinals 27-13 at Candlestick Park. Next, they retreated to their locker room and watched the Minnesota Vikings post a 37-34 victory over the Green Bay Packers, who thus fell to the No. 3 seed.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/49ers/ci_22284824/san-francisco-49ers-clinch-nfc-west-title

San Francisco 49ers clinch NFC West title by beating Arizona Cardinals

Nov. 19, 2012

The Bears managed just 143 yards offense, their worst output since the 2010 game at the Giants when Jay Cutler was sacked nine times in the first half and concussed. Linebacker Aldon Smith of the 49ers had 51/2 sacks, a record versus the Bears.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/nationworld/wire/ct-spt-1120-bears-49ers-chicago-20121120,0,1830140.story

49ers pound Bears

Jan. 20, 2013

Moments after scoring his second touchdown of Sunday's NFC championship game, 49ers running back Frank Gore stood in the back of the end zone, turned to face the deflated Georgia Dome crowd and began the first few steps of the 'Dirty Bird,' the celebration dance popularized by the hometown Falcons in the late 1990s.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ct-spt-0121-nfc-championship-game--20130121,0,2691437.story

49ers win nail-biter to reach Super Bowl

Baltimore Sun timeline by Patrick Maynard, using Pro Publica's free and open-source TimelineSetter tool
Photos are via Getty Images, Reuters, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Newspapers and MCT sources, as detailed on story pages and related galleries

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Tribune Tower in Chicago

( / January 30, 2013 )

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