Maybe it was when owner Steve Bisciotti fired Brian Billick and hired John Harbaugh, or maybe it was when the team decided to draft a quarterback from the University of Delaware. Or maybe, it was when Ray Lewis got each of his teammates believing their potential for greatness was as big as M&T Bank Stadium. But quite possibly, it was Ed Reed turning turnovers into touchdowns. When did the Ravens go from being underachievers to contenders? Maybe it’s a culmination off all those things that have the Ravens two wins away from a trip to Super Bowl XLIII.
John Harbaugh’s vision John Harbaugh might not have been a head coach on any level prior to this season, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t ready for the job. Harbaugh, who was hired as the Ravens’ third coach about 50 weeks ago, arrived in Baltimore with more than 25 years of experience, including the past 10 as special teams coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Harbaugh’s vision, which centers every player and assistant having an integral role, has produced a 12-win season after the team won just five games last year. Harbaugh’s approach to football, in which games are won by running the ball and stopping the run, has instilled a work ethic that was lacking under Billick.
Harbaugh, 46, earned the respect of the Ravens’ veterans by giving players 30 years and older time off during training camp to help keep them fresh for the season.
Ray Lewis’s power Ray Lewis is the face of the Ravens, and he’s redefined the middle linebacker position since arriving in 1996. He’s made 10 Pro Bowls and more than 2,100 tackles, but his biggest strength is his power –the power to get his teammates and Ravens fans to believe.
He’s the team’s spiritual leader, the one younger players turn to for guidance –just like the way he sought advice from former teammates Shannon Sharpe and Rod Woodson when Lewis was a brash rookie out of the University of Miami.
Lewis already has guided the Ravens to one Super Bowl title, so why can’t he do it again? His teammates certainly believe in him after watching the 33-year-old make 126 tackles, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions entering Saturday’s clash against the Titans.
Joe Flacco’s Arm The 16th-time finally appears to be the charm for the Ravens when it comes to finding a franchise quarterback.
Goodbye, Stoney Case, Elvis Grbac, Chris Redman and Tony Banks.
Hello, Joe.
It’s undeniable rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has played a major role in the team’s success after being selected with the 18th pick in the draft this past April.
Here’s how good he is: No quarterback –not Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner or Brett Favre –can say he won a road playoff game as a rookie. But Flacco can, as he followed a regular season in which he threw for 2,791 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions by guiding the Ravens to a 27-9 victory in Miami on Sunday. Flacco has thrown just five interceptions in the past 11 games, and enters Saturday’s game against the Titans having completed 60 percent (257-of-428) this season.
–Ron Snyder
