The Sports Xchange

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens faced each other Sunday for the first time since Feb. 3, 2013.

Super Bowl XLVII was on the line that day, and the Ravens held on for a 34-31 victory.

This time, the 49ers and Ravens entered the game with matching 1-4 records and were fighting just to keep their fading playoff hopes alive.

The 49ers prevailed as quarterback Colin Kaepernick passed for a season-high 340 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-20 victory at Levi’s Stadium.

Ex-Ravens wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith faced their former team for the first time and had big games, helping the 49ers snap a four-game losing streak. Boldin caught five passes for 102 yards, and Smith caught three passes for 96 yards and a 76-yard touchdown. Fullback Bruce Miller added three catches for 89 yards.

The 49ers (2-4) pulled to within two games of first-place Arizona in the NFC West and can move even close Thursday night at Levi’s with a victory over Seattle.

“You understand what’s at stake,” Smith said. “The more you win the better position you’re going to be in. We just need to try to figure out a way to win the next game. We can’t really look too far ahead. We aren’t in any position to even think about doing that with our record.”

Kaepernick completed 16 of 27 passes with no interceptions. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco completed 33-of-53 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice.

“It all starts with me not making those mistakes,” Flacco said. “We can’t afford to do that right now. We have to go out there and play fundamental football, take care of the football, and when the plays present themselves, we’ve got to make them. We weren’t able to do that. I didn’t play smart.”

Baltimore wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. caught seven passes for 137 yards and one touchdown.

What we learned about the Ravens:

1. Baltimore will need a miracle to make the playoffs after dropping to 1-5. The 1970 Cincinnati Bengals are the only team to reach the Super Bowl after losing five of its first six games.

“I don’t get frustrated,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I don’t get down, just disappointed. We just have to get better. I get determined is what I get. We have a bunch of guys that feel the same way. We have to get it done, and it starts with me. It’s not like we’re out here and we can’t compete. We’re right there, and we got heart like you can’t believe. We got a bunch more games to play, and there’s a lot of wins in front of us for the season, and we’ll find a way to get them.”

Each of the Ravens’ five losses was by six or fewer points.

2. Baltimore misses wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. The former Ravens and current 49ers combined to catch eight passes for 198 yards and one touchdown, Smith’s 76-yarder. Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. had another big game with seven catches for 137 yards and a score, and he leads Baltimore with 36 catches for 510 yards and three TDs. However, no other Ravens wideout has more than 18 catches or two TDs. Smith needs some help.

3. Cornerback Shareece Wright won’t solve the Ravens’ problems in their short-handed secondary. Making his Ravens debut, the former 49er gave up a 76-yard touchdown pass to Smith in the second quarter and struggled throughout the game. Wright, who was never activated for a game with San Francisco, was released by the 49ers on Oct. 10. He was forced into action because of injuries to Ravens starting cornerback Lardarius Webb, who was inactive, and backup corner Kyle Arrington. Wright was burned on a double move by Smith. “This was my first game as part of this defense, and I gave up a big play,” Wright said. “I know that’s on me, and I’ll take ownership on that. I can’t lie about that. It was perfectly executed, but I’ve got to stay on top of that and not be too aggressive.”

Etc.

–QB Joe Flacco completed 33 of 53 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two costly interceptions Sunday in a 25-20 loss to San Francisco. “We had two stupid mistakes by myself, and one probably gave them three points but also took points off the board for us,” Flacco said.

–ILB Daryl Smith had a team-high nine tackles to go with two quarterback hits and one sack Sunday against San Francisco. The sack was his second of the season.

–WR Steve Smith Sr. caught seven passes for 137 yards and one touchdown Sunday against the 49ers. Smith, who missed the previous game against Cleveland with a back injury, caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from QB Joe Flacco in the third quarter. He leads the Ravens in reception (36), receiving yards (510) and TD catches (three).