BALTIMORE — Big brother got the best of little brother in a unique NFL duel.
The Baltimore Ravens tied a franchise record with nine sacks and beat the San Francisco 49ers 16-6 on Thursday night, giving John Harbaugh reason to celebrate after the first NFL game featuring brothers as opposing head coaches.
The Ravens (8-3) chased, hindered and battered Alex Smith for much of the night despite playing without Ray Lewis, the team’s leading tackler and spiritual leader. The middle linebacker was inactive for a second straight game with a foot injury.
Terrell Suggs had three sacks for Baltimore, which moved a half-game ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
The nine sacks tied a franchise record, accomplished twice previously.
San Francisco (9-2) had its eight-game winning streak broken under rookie coach Jim Harbaugh.
John, 49, and Jim, 47, grew up dueling each other in all sorts of games. Competing this time on a national stage, John secured an emotional win over his little brother. During the final minute, John got a Gatorade bath from his players — twice. After the final whistle, the brothers hugged at midfield.
Baltimore broke a 6-6 tie with a 76-yard, 16-play drive that lasted more than 7-1/2 minutes and ended with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to tight end Dennis Pitta with 14:56 left. Flacco went 4-for-4 for 34 yards and a touchdown on third down during the drive.
Billy Cundiff wrapped up the scoring with his third field goal, a 39-yarder with 4:16 remaining.
In a game dominated by both defenses, Flacco finished 15-for-23 for 161 yards and Ray Rice ran for 59 yards on 21 carries.
Smith completed 15-of-24 passes for 140 yards and an interception. He never could get into a rhythm against an aggressive defense that rarely let him set up in the pocket.
The 49ers began the third quarter with a 13-play drive that lasted 7-1/2 minutes and produced a 52-yard field goal by David Akers for a 6-6 tie.
The Ravens responded with their lone touchdown drive of the game.
Baltimore sacked Smith four times in the first half and picked off a pass in taking a 6-3 lead.
The Ravens took the opening kickoff and moved 55 yards — 38 of them on two Flacco-to-Anquan Boldin completions — before Cundiff kicked a 39-yard field goal.
