Dan Abitz
English 1101
11 October 2013
Top Five Baltimore Ravens Players in Franchise History
The top Baltimore Ravens player of
all time is a no brainer: Ray Lewis. Lewis has been the cornerstone of the
Ravens franchise for 17 years. He was the second ever draft pick of the Ravens
and an instant starter and Pro-Bowler. The 26th overall pick amassed
13 Pro Bowls in his career, and was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the
Year. Lewis is also a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning in 2001 and 2013.
During the first Super Bowl campaign, Lewis and his defensive teammates set the
NFL record for least points allowed in a season: 165. He was also named Super
Bowl MVP that year.
Lewis
transcends the game of football. Ask any NFL player and they will tell you that
his leaderships skills were easily just as good if not better than his play on
the field. His ability to rally his teammates around him alone likely won the
Ravens a handful of games. Even today, a year after retiring from the NFL,
players still call and text Ray Lewis for advice, not only about football, but
also about life.
One of the
most feared defensive players in the league, Ed Reed has a nose for the ball.
His fifty-four interceptions are the most in the league since 2002. However
what makes Reed stand out among the ball-hawkers in NFL history is his ability
to make plays with the ball in his hands. Even though he does not hold the
record for most interceptions in a career, Reed’s 1506 interception return
yards is the most by any player in history.
With seven career return
touchdowns, Reed clearly has a knack for the endzone. He is the only player to
have returned a field goal, punt, kick-off, interception, and fumble for a
touchdown. Ed Reed has the ability to change the tone of a game in a second,
and that is what makes him feared. Quarterbacks tend to avoid Reed, and
sometimes go a whole game without even throwing in his direction for fear of
getting intercepted. He has been voted to eight Pro Bowls and is a three-time
NFL interceptions leader. Ed Reed is a Super Bowl champion and is one of the
greatest defensive backs to ever strap on a helmet.
Jonathan
Ogden, nicknamed “J.O.,” was the Baltimore Ravens’ first ever draft pick.
Standing at six feet and nine inches, and weighing almost 350 pounds, JO was
intimidating sight for any defensive player to see. He was the fourth overall
pick of the Ravens in 1996 and was an instant starter. Not counting his rookie,
Ogden was selected to the Pro Bowl every season of his career, ten straight
times. He was also selected as an All-Pro nine times and is a recent Pro
Football Hall of Fame inductee.
JO was one
of the most frustrating offensive linemen to line up against. He was impressive
in his ability to protect the quarterback, but even more so in his ability to
demoralize defenders. He made it seem so easy to protect the blind side, while
watching defenders try unsuccessfully to get around him. Michael Strahan, a former NFL defensive
lineman called JO a laugher. “Jonathan would rip your limbs off, and he’d smile…and
wave your arm in front of you.”
T-Sizzle
was drafted tenth overall in the 2003 draft. He promptly put up a quality
rookie campaign earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He is a Super Bowl
champion and a one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Suggs is the
franchise leader in sacks (91.5), as well as sack yardage and forced fumbles.
During his DPOY campaign, he amassed 14 sacks, 52 tackles, seven forced
fumbles, and even six passes defended as well as two interceptions, all from
the defensive end position.
Terrell
Suggs has become the main leader in the locker room with Ray Lewis gone, and he
is well worthy of that spot. He tore not only his Achilles, but also his bicep,
and still played in ten games last year. He is already off to a fast start this
year, bringing down the quarterback seven times in just five games, as well as
tying the franchise record for consecutive games with a sack.
Flacco at
five will probably receive the most criticism of all the players on the list.
The opinions of Joe Flacco range from top-five QB in the NFL to one who
shouldn’t even be starting. However, Joe Cool, as he is sometimes called, is
the new face of the Raven’s franchise, and is the best quarterback in team
history. Every season he plays, he sets a new record for most wins in a career
for that many years, i.e. most wins by a quarterback in his first 5 seasons:
54. He is also the only quarterback to start and win a postseason game in each
of his first five seasons
However,
last seasons epic playoff run was what really turned Joe Flacco from a great
quarterback to an elite one. He went on a tear through the four playoff games,
eventually winning the Super Bowl and being crowned MVP. He is the only QB in
history to have a passer rating over 100 in each game and threw for 11
touchdowns, and NFL record, while not tossing a single interception. There is
no doubt that Joe Flacco belongs on this list.
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