NFL Passion: The Harbaugh Bowl Thanksgiving Night.

It's the moment NFL fans have been waiting for since the 2011 schedule came out. It's a moment a pair of siblings can only dream about growing up. On Thursday night it will become a reality. On Thanksgiving evening for the first time ever in their young coaching careers, the Harbaugh brothers will face of in an NFL game, little brother Jim and his San Francisco 49ers travel to Baltimore for the holidays to visit big brother John and his Baltimore Ravens. And no, they will not be hospitable. These are two teams fighting for both playoff positioning and an NFL championship, a very reasonable possibility for both teams this season. Both brothers are extremely good coaches that have simply built their teams exactly how they wanted them, and created their own formula for winning. Depending on how Packers/Lions goes, this could be the most intense and closely contested game of the day, a defensive struggle if you will. When look at both teams, they look scary similar in they way they are built, run first, pass when you need to. They both posses quarterbacks that don't take over games but can make big throws, running backs that can control the pace of a football game, linebackers that will eat any offense alive in some way before any game ends win or lose, and a secondary with a knack for creating turnovers. These are two very balanced football teams, and this may not be the only time they meet this season. Here's how these two conference powerhouses stack up.

49ers: Alex Smith 1976 yards 13 touchdowns 4 interceptions 93.9 rating

Alex has had a career year, posting easily his highest career rating. I don't think he even cracked 80 prior to the season. After not producing much through the air early in the year, he's looked much more confident throwing the ball in recent weeks, and has started to increase his yardage totals and put touchdowns on the boards. He has managed games and avoided turnovers all season, and that has been his greatest accomplishment.

Ravens: Joe Flacco 2,576 12 touchdowns 8 interceptions 77.6 rating

Joe Flacco has been good this season, he just hasn't been consistent. The main reason I give the 49ers the edge in this one is because he is more likely to turn the ball over than Smith is. Flacco has had some great moments as well this season, and has stepped up in some pretty big games. Which Joe Flacco shows up on Thursday will play a huge role in Baltimore's chances.

49ers: Frank Gore 870 yards 5 touchdowns

It took Gore the first couple of weeks to get hot, but after that the guy was on fire. Now with the 49ers at 9-1, he seems to be on cruise control, still putting up numbers and pacing himself for the playoffs. Meanwhile he's gotten a nice amount of help from second string running back Kendall Hunter, who's found the endzone a few times himself this season.

Ravens: Ray Rice 663 yards 8 touchdowns

Rice has less yards than Gore but three more touchdowns, and I think the Ravens will take it. He has been a workhorse for Baltimore all season, and has scored a good amount of their touchdowns. They need him to step up huge against these monstrous linebackers of the 49ers.

49ers: Vernon Davis 39 catches 446 yards 5 touchdowns

Michael Crabtree 38 catches 455 yards 1 touchdown

Now that Crabtree has fully become a part of the Niners offense, he and Davis are making a great receiver/tightend one two punch. Davis leads the team in receptions and touchdown, while Crabtree leads the team in reception yards. If Ted Ginn would only get involved, the 49ers receiving core could be dominant. Alex Smith and his receivers definitely get along nicely

Ravens: Anquan Boldin 44 catches 684 yards 3 touchdowns

Torrey Smith 29 catches 590 yards 5 touchdowns

Ray Rice 51 catches 513 yards 2 touchdowns

Now this is where Ray Rice can really destroy a team. He is easily in the top three in receiving running backs and he leads the Ravens in receptions. He'll be keeping Patrick Willis running all over the place trying to hunt him down. If anyone can anger the beast, it's him. All the attention Anquan Boldin receives has been good for rookie Torrey Smith, who leads the Ravens with 5 touchdown catches. This is what Joe Flacco has to look forward to on a good day. Lucky him.

49ers: Patrick Willis 67 tackles 2 sacks 4 fumbles forced 1 interception

NaVarro Bowman 76 tackles

Ahmad Brooks 32 tackles 6 sacks 1 fumble forced

Aldon Smith 13 tackles 7.5 sacks i fumble forced

The heart of San Francisco's defense begins at the linebacker position. They have four ridiculously talented linebackers who have a knack for getting to the ball at all costs. It seems that Navarro Bowman and Patrick Willis control the middle, while Ahmad Brooks and Aldon Smith are sack machines for the Niners. They have a great system, and it gives opposing offenses fits.

Ravens: Ray Lewis 69 tackles 2 sacks 2 fumbles forced 1 interception

Terrell Suggs 46 tackles 6 sacks 2 fumbles forced 2 interceptions

Ray Lewis has continued to be a tackling machine for well over a decade in Baltimore, and will be first ballot Hall of Famer when it's all said and done. Terrell Suggs has gotten better every season, and is starting to emerge as the Ravens big time defensive playmaker and MVP. I think this defense can survive when Ray leaves as long as Suggs sticks around.

49ers: Carlos Rogers 27 tackles 5 interceptions

Dashon Goldston 37 tackles 3 interceptins 1fumble forced

The young 49er secondary continues to gel each week, and these two guys have started to look really good this year. Both Rogers and Goldston are having breakout seasons to compliment the stellar run defense, and I expect to see these guys around for many years to come.

Ravens: Lardarius Webb 51 tackles 3 interceptions 1 fumble forced

Ed Reed 38 tackles 1 sack 3 interceptions 1 fumble forced

Lardarius Webb has proven to be a hard hitting cornerback, trailing only Ray Lewis in tackles for Baltimore. Ed Reed has continued to play solid at the saftey position for the Ravens, with his numbers only slightly declining.

49ers: Jim Harbaugh 1st season 9-1 (.900)

Jim Harbaugh has single handedly come in and turned this entire 49ers team around. After not making the playoffs for a decade, San Francisco now sits at 9-1 in Harbaugh's rookie season as an NFL head coach. It looks like he was ready. The 49ers are now in prime position to be the first team to clinch a playoff berth this week, as well as get a first round bye in the playoffs. The people of San Francisco love this man. I feel a statue coming.

Ravens: John Harbaugh 4th season 39-19 (.672)

John Harbaugh was the first of the two brothers to land a head coaching job, and many say it paved the way for his brother to do the same. He has made the playoffs in each of his first 3 seasons with the Ravens, and it looks like the fourth will be no different. What he hasn't done, is win the AFC North, where this year Baltimore controls its own destiny. It would be a bummer to have all that ruined by little brother.

This game is much hyped and much anticipated and rightfully so. It's a huge game, with huge implications, and the storyline is just another perk for fans that like to babble on about football all day and night. Guilty! Who do I like in this one? Of course I'll take my Northern California 49ers, not only because I'm from Sacramento, but also because I think the 49ers are the better football team. They have executed all season and haven't lost to any unworthy teams. They haven't really slipped up at all since their Week 2 loss in Dallas, why would they start now? After two games and Turkey all that will be left to do Thursday Night is sit back and enjoy possibly the best game this regular season may have to offer, and possibly even a Super Bowl preview. Leave it to the Harbaugh brothers to take a day made for the Cowboys and Lions and make it completely about themselves. O ya, we did that didn't we? Oh well, Happy Thanksgiving to all. Enjoy the show.