Are the Ravens a Contender or a Pretender?

Are the Ravens a Contender or a Pretender?

Steve Smith on his way to his first TD of the day

Through 4 weeks of the NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens own a formidable 3-1 record. This includes 2 divisional victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns while they faltered at home to the Cincinnati Bengals. Their most recent victory over the Carolina Panthers was an impressive one in which they led from the start and coasted to a 38-10 victory.  

While still early in the season, I pin the Ravens as a playoff team with potential to be a Super Bowl contender. The Ravens do face a tough stretch coming up including games in Indianapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. Escaping any of these road games with a victory would be massive for the Ravens but they are not to worry. Baltimore closes with 6 of 7 very, very winnable games. Home vs Titans, Home vs. Chargers, @ Dolphins, Home vs. Jaguars, @ Texans, Home vs. Browns. Assuming the Ravens can grab 2 or 3 more road wins and hold at home, they will most likely represent one of the two wild card spots in the AFC. Whether the Ravens finish as the 6 seed behind what appears will be San Diego or as the 5 seed, they will need to get hot in the playoffs similar to their 2012 title run. 



The Ravens fortunately have the capability to make a deep playoff run for three reasons. First being, their reining Super Bowl MVP Quarterback Joe Flacco’s playoff experience in addition to his ability to string multiple games together among those of the elite. Flacco has shown he can be a very inconsistent quarterback. Watch a Ravens game and you will see the Raven offense breeze down the field one drive only to see the next drive end up in 3 boneheaded plays by their gun slinger. The thing that Flacco has going for him is the fact that he has made a playoff appearance in 6 of his 7 years including a win in all 6 of those years. Flacco is a prime time performer and getting to the playoffs could be all it takes to spark the performance he had 2 short years ago.

Justin Forsett

Secondly, it appears that the Ravens run game has been fixed with new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. The Ravens lost Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce has been injured but this has not slowed down Baltimore one bit. 7 year veteran Justin Forsett has stepped up unbelievably averaging 5.8 YPC with his 2 touchdowns. Not to mention, 4th round pick Lorenzo Taliaferro has proven he is very capable of handling the rock averaging 4.5 YPC. Even with the injury to Eugene Monroe, who will be sidelined for 4 more weeks, the Ravens managed to rush for a solid 127 yards against the Panthers. 

Rookie Linebacker CJ Mosely
 tackles fellow rookie Isaiah Crowell

The third and final reason why the Ravens could contend come the cold winter months is the defense. The aforementioned offense wins games but defense wins championships. The Ravens have been a little injury prone at cornerback and still have a lot to figure out at the safety position but it’s very early. If you can recall two years ago when the Ravens won it all, many were worried that they couldn’t get it done on the defensive side of the ball. But, what we must remember is that Terrell Suggs, Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata, and Ed Reed, the four stars of the defense, did not play until guess when? The Divisional Round of the Playoffs. Compare this to 2014 where Lardarius Webb will most likely battle injury until the playoffs, Will Hunt who was the number 3 ranked safety last season by PFF is suspended for two more games, and two rookies who the Ravens are looking for to make an impact, CJ Mosely and Terrance Brooks, will all be fully gelled by late in the season. A promising thought when you augment that former DPOY Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil line up opposite of each other and Haloti Ngata mans the middle. 

          Give the Ravens their due time and they will stout one of the best defenses in the league  paired with a very capable offense. And if you want some more evidence to why the Ravens can contend, return man, Jacoby Jones, owns the ability to take a kick back whenever he gets his hands on a ball. Finally, they have a pro bowl kicker Justin Tucker with multiple game winning kicks in his short career. The Ravens need to first get to the playoffs but once they get there the top tier of the AFC better not overlook the Black and Purple.

NFL Week 1 Reaction to Key Games

Here's my Week 1 Reaction to the Key or Important games.

Ravens vs. Broncos (49-27 Denver) 

The opening game of the NFL season debuted on Thursday night with the reigning Super Bowl Champs heading out to the Mile High City to compete in a rematch of last year's dramatic AFC Divisional playoff game. The Ravens looked good, holding a 17-14 lead at the half but it all went south from there. Peyton Manning ended up throwing for 7 touchdowns on the way to a bashing of the Ravens. Manning with his new weapons Wes Welker and Tight End Julius Thomas each had 2 touch downs and Demaryius Thomas added a pair of his own. The Broncos offense looked unbelievable and is why I can't see them not winning the AFC crown. They have 6 cup cake games against the Chiefs, Chargers, and Raiders. A 13-3 or 14-2 record is in their future. The only question I have for them is come playoff time when it is time to grind out games. Who's their running back? Remember these 2 things. Once everyone went to bed, the Ravens started coming back because Denver started running the ball. Also, Denver ran 23 times for only 65 yards. That's not going to get it done come playoff time.

As for the Ravens, they just looked abysmal. Flacco actually played solid but between Dallas Clark and Ed Dickson's drops and Jacoby Jones freak injury, Flacco had no chance. Marlon Brown stepped in well as the 2nd wide out but Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce were ineffective. The defense couldn't cover or tackle especially the secondary. Their poor performance could force rookie Matt Elam into the lineup as well as rookie linebacker Arthur Brown. But with all the bad, I saw some hope for the Ravens. Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil each recorded a sack and as I mentioned above, the Broncos only rushed for 65 yards on 23 carries. The Ravens with Ray Lewis would be fine but going forward I'm not sure exactly what is in store for Baltimore. I believe they will murder the Browns but after that we'll have to wait and see.

Falcons vs. Saints (23-17 New Orleans)

All the hype going into the game was about Sean Payton's return after his Bounty Gate suspension. All the talk of the Saints offense getting their mastermind play caller back was great but what should truly be acknowledged is the addition of Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator. Set as a predicted shootout, Rob Ryan's defense allowed only 17 points in a spectacular effort. If before the game you told me Matty Ice would have the ball down 6 in the redzone on the last drive, 10 out of 10 times I would've said the Falcons would have come out victorious. Give credit to the Saints, they held and showed me two things. They improved magically over the offseason on defense. Their record setting defense (bad records) had greatly improved. And two. Bold prediction. The New Orleans Saints will win the division. The Saints just have their mojo back.

The Falcons will be fine. They should easily grab a playoff spot and it wouldn't shock me if they won the division. They have a stupid good offense and Roddy White was hobbled the entire game. The Birds will be fine just fine.











Packers vs. 49ers (34-28 San Francisco)

In a great sunday afternoon shootout, we saw Colin Kaepernick completely dominate the Green Bay defense. This time, though, he did it with his arm rather than his legs. Kaepernick threw for 412 yards and three scores and showed us again why Anquan Boldin was Joe Flacco's favorite target. Boldin could not be stopped. He quickly ridded all doubt that he would be able to fill in for the injured Michael Crabtree. Kaep also seemed to find a new connection with TE Vernon Davis. After not targeting Davis much in the 11 games they played together last season, Kaepernick found him for 2 scores. The defense was put to the test against Aaron Rodgers but faired alright. Especially rookie safety Eric Reid who picked off Rodgers and did well in his first career game.

The Pack will also be alright. People are really sleeping on the Bears who I think will be a solid squad this year but with that being said, Rodgers will claim the division title. They simply have too many weapons to be stopped. They totaled 28 points against arguably the best defense in the league. All I have to say is good luck Washington.






Eagles vs. Redskins (33-27 Eagles)

The score doesn't really tell the real story of this game. The Eagles ran an NFL record 51 plays in the first half with Chip Kelly's new up tempo offense. While I think there was a major over reaction to the Eagles success, I still think the Eagles may establish themselves as a very dangerous team. People saying they'll win the division now or McCoy will lead the league in rushing are nice thoughts but I think at least for now are a little quick on the trigger. The defense played great in the first half but struggled when RG3 shook off the rust. Also, Vick came up hobbled a few times and there's a slim chance he starts all 16 games this season. Would it surprise me if the Eagles won the division? Absolutely not. A weak division and a good looking offensive scheme. But talk to me at the quarter mark and I'll update my thoughts on the BirdGang.

Woah. The 'Skins defense looked horrible. They got thrashed by McCoy, Vick, and Bryce Brown. RG3 looked mediocre at best. And Alfred Morris struggled early and often. I can't see this team returning to the post season. You might say, and rightfully so, isn't that an overreaction. It may be but I believe all 3 teams in the NFC East made nice additions in the offseason and Washington did not. My prediction, the Redskins will finish LAST in their division.

NFL Draft

With the NFL Draft set to start Tomorrow night, rather than come up with an inaccurate Mock Draft or analyze the over talked about Quarterback debate, Sportacular Sports will look at the most intriguing NFL Draft storylines.

Tyrann Mathieu-Cornerback-LSU

Mathieu, the 2011 Heisman runner-up, was required to take a year off from football because of his Marijuana arrest. Although Mathieu has had a drug problem, no one is going to ignore his play making skills matched with his Heisman appearance. What people may not know, is that Mathieu is actually an undersized corner, standing at 5 foot 11 inches, and doesn't have blazing speed. But how are we going to ignore his play making abilities. Mathieu caused numerous turnovers, many for touchdowns, in the 2011 season and in an entertainment based league, Mathieu's punt return abilities, specifically his change of speed and vision, add to his draft stock. The major red flag I give to Mathieu is obviously the drug problem but more specifically my impression of him in an NFL Network Draft interview. The hours Mathieu has been coached seemed to have gone to waste. His never put the drug rumors away, he kept making excuses for himself, and admitted to chewing tobacco. If I was a team like the 49ers who have 13 draft picks and a very strong locker room, I would take a shot, otherwise no deal.

Manti Te'o-Linebacker- Notre Dame
Manti Te'o's draft stock was high and rising entering the National Championship game. As you all know, it took a tailspin from there. After an egregious appearance, the girlfriend scandal came about and nothing has been great for Te'o since. Add in an awful combine and you somehow still have a surprisingly highly rated prospect. Te'o is still projected to go in the first round and his endeavors may have improved the team in which he'll be playing for. Te'o should be an immediate starter and now may go to a team like the Ravens or Patriots late in the first round where he'd be playing on a championship team right out of College. While the money might not be there, the chance to play for titles will. Te'o is a guy I would want my team to take a chance at.

Star Lotulelei-Defensive Tackle-Utah

Lotulelei at one point in the draft process was projected to be the Number 1 overall pick in this very draft. This happened in last year's draft where Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers at one point was projected to go first overall but slipped into the second round. Lotulelei fell for a different reason though. Doctor's discovered a potential heart problem. Later though, the doctors confirmed that the heart condition was perfectly fine for playing. With that being said, I don't think Lotulelei should drop past his projected 14th selection to the Carolina Panthers. I think the NY Jets should take him though. They can go out and get their favorite player at Number 9 and then potentially steal the draft at 13. Lotulelei has drawn comparisons to Haloti Ngata and Ndamukong Suh and his name and playing style will both fit their production at the next level. Decent sized risk but amazing sized reward.

Money Talks:Joe Flacco's Contract, Trout's non-contract, and LeBron's Million Dollar offer

Over the past week there have been many intriguing money stories. Spreading over the NFL, MLB, and NBA, Sportacular Sports analyzes the Money situations.

Joe Flacco-Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco: Super Bowl MVP, Playoffs all 5 years in his career, 3 AFC Championships
Joe Flacco entered the 2012-2013 NFL season in a contract year. Before the season began contract talks faltered. As agent Joe Linta discussed throughout the season with Owner Steve Biscotti, Joe just kept performing. To say the least, Joe placed a hefty bet on himself and it payed off big time. Come Friday night, Joe Flacco's groundbreaking contract details were released. Flacco became the highest payed player in NFL history earning 126 million dollars over the course of 6 years.

With Joe's contract being released, 2 major issues came about; Is Joe Flacco the best player in NFL history and Doesn't this hurt the Ravens when they have so many key free agents.

To answer the first, obviously Joe isn't the greatest player in the history of the game but timing is everything. The fact that Joe won a Super Bowl in his contract year in the year 2013 just happened to earn him this contract. Joe ranks 5th in the league just at his position behind Manning, Brees, Rodgers, and Brady but he got the job done when it had to be done.

The next question, Will this hurt Baltimore?
While Joe is going to be a heavy contract on the already tight Raven's budget, signing Flacco will actually relieve some pressure on the Super Bowl Champs. If the two sides hadn't agreed to a contract, Baltimore would have had to utilize the tag, costing them up to 14 million dollars this season. From my research, The Baltimore Sun notes that Flacco's deal will have about a $7 million dollar hit on the cap as opposed to the potential 14 million. With Flacco saving the team about $7 million combined with the retirements of Ray Lewis and Matt Birk, Baltimore will be saving about $15 million dollars to retain key free agents like Paul Kruger, Cary Williams, Anquan Boldin, and Dannell Ellerbe.

Mike Trout- Los Angeles Angels

Shifting gears to Baseball, during this past week, Los Angeles Angels-Center Fielder, Mike Trout, decided to renew his contract at only $20,000 above the league minimum of $4900,000. The reigning Rookie of the Year obviously could have chosen to renegotiate a contract more fitting to his performance but chose to take "the high road". While his agent, Craig Landis, was not happy about Trout's decision, it is a respectable one coming from the 2nd year player. These are the players that should be most respected in sports today. They are putting the team's needs before themselves. LAA took on Albert Pujols, the highest paid player in the league, and then added Josh Hamilton's monster contract in the offseason. I'm not sure exactly what the Angels plan to do when Trout comes for his money but for now, much respect goes to Mike Trout.





LeBron James-Miami Heat

Everyone by now should be aware that the Heat are blazing. Miami has won their 14th straight with a come from behind win over the Knicks on Sunday. But the bigger news this week has been about LeBron's pre-game dunking routine. James has shown off his high-flying skills with an impressive dunk throughout this great win streak. So great are LeBron's dunks that Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson, has put a bounty on LeBron. The Bounty states that if James participates in the Dunk Contest, the winner of the Contest will be awarded $1,000,000. Yes 1 million dollars. While this is clearly a bribe to get James into the contest, I see it as a positive motivation. Assuming LeBron wins the contest, James would then have the chance to donate the money to his charity the LeBron James Family Foundation. James has had the critics out on him for a while since he's left Cleveland and I see no greater opportunity for LeBron to make his image crystal clear. For the aforementioned reasons, I do believe James will participate in the 2014 contest and add an iconic dunk to his ever lasting legacy.

The Baltimore Ravens are Super Bowl Champions

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 47 by the score of 34-31. Super Bowl 47 was the longest SB of all time and included perhaps the most exciting non-4th quarter in Super Bowl history. Before we recap the amazing 3rd quarter, lets first look at the beginning half.

The Ravens got off to a roaring start. After causing a quick Niners possession, the bird gang scored quickly with a Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin connection. Unfortunately while the Ravens were putting up points, safety Bernard Pollard was in the locker room for the first time in this injury plagued Super Bowl.

When I talked to Pollard early in the team hotel on Monday he said, "I feel sore, I'm just hurting from the broken ribs. I've been dealing with them all season, I'll be fine though. " I thought to myself, what, this guy has broken ribs? But then again these are the toughest guys in the world and Pollard is one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league. Could his rib situation have led to an uncharacteristic missed tackle on Michael Crabtree's third quarter touchdown, sure, but that comes later.

The scoring was capped by a David Akers 34 yard field goal. I commend Akers on his Super Bowl performance after all the scrutiny he faced leading up to the game. Even though he received a mulligan on one attempt, Akers finished a perfect 3 for 3 on the night.

Joe Flacco got the scoring started in the 2nd quarter with a 1 yard pitch and catch to Tight End Dennis Pitta. The real big play in the quarter though came from hometown hero Jacoby Jones.

"It's always the goal to win the Super Bowl and by me being able to come home and play, that was like icing on the cake. You can drop the cherry on it, the strawberry, and the sprinkles." Jones had mentioned how excited he was to play in his hometown throughout the week and him scoring his ankle-breaking touchdown was truly an amazing moment yet not his greatest of the night. An Akers field goal closed the scoring for the half and left us with an incredible halftime show.

Now to the 3rd quarter. As I mentioned above, this quarter could have possibly been the most exciting or action packed quarter before the final 15 in NFL history. The excitement began with the beginning kickoff of the 2nd half. Jacoby Jones took Aker's kick 109 later changed to 108 yards right down the middle of a suspect Niners coverage team. It was one broken arm tackle and then the rest was history. (See who it costs $600,000)

After this amazing kick return even more excitement followed including a 34 minute delay caused by the outage in the Super Dome. Had the Ravens not held on, this Super delay would have been the most disputed event ever in football. Why would it have been so disputed? Because this outage clearly changed the momentum and killed all the rhythm the Ravens had going for them. Ravens fans were so loud and the Ravens were rolling but all of a sudden the lights go out and we see a whole new 49er squad. The 49ers eventually went on a 80 yard drive including the aforementioned Michael Crabtree touchdown. As the Niners fans began to get loud, the Ravens had a quick possession and poor punt by Sam Koch leading to a walk in touchdown by Frank Gore. All of a sudden a 22 point lead was down to one score.

Ray Rice coughed up the pigskin only a few plays later but a key stand by the Ravens defense somewhat weathered the storm. An Akers field goal put the game within 5 points. This ultimately raps up the greatest 15 minutes of the game yet we still had 15 more to play.

The Ravens really needed to stop the bleeding and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco took that challenge under his belt. Flacco led the Ravens down the field but were held to a short field goal by rookie Justin Tucker. The FG at least pushed the lead back to 8 points but Colin Kaepernick wasn't done. He answered quickly including his run down the left sideline in which he scampered 15 yards into the red and gold endzone. Kaepernick did his trademark kissing of the bicep and the Niners had a chance to tie the game. A questionable play call on the 2 point conversion left Kaep zinging the ball over top of Randy Moss' head.

Up 31-29, Flacco answered again. He led the team back into the redzone but Patrick Willis and company held on again. This was the moment that one realized the Niners had stormed all the way back and had implemented the "bend don't break strategy". The Ravens had given up a little over 350 yards per game during the regular season ranking 17th in the league but Baltimore always buckled down in the redzone. The irony seemed to be rising as San Fran came up with 2 key holds and had given themselves the chance to win the game a formula Baltimore had been utilizing all season.

Kaepernick got the ball back and simply marched down the field. A Frank Gore rush sent the Niners down to the 7 yard line. A read option for two yards by LaMichael James sent the clock tumbling down to the two minute warning.

As the Ravens prepared for 3 more plays Joe Flacco sat on the sideline wondering if he would get the ball back one more time. "I was sitting there thinking there's no way, there's no way we stop them here. But we did."

While Joe didn't fully trust the defense Ray Lewis knew there was no greater way to go out on his final ride than with a goal line stand. "The most exciting things ever were the conversations we were having on the goal line. Nobody ever panicked. There was no panic. When you have that, when your back is against the wall … for us to stand up like that is just a testament to what we've been through all year."

With Haloti Ngata sitting out the final 20 minutes of the game, San Francisco opted to throw 3 times within the 5 yard line. Kaepernick showed who his favorite receiver was as he targeted Crabtree on all three throws. The final one coming with a minute and fifty seconds as the ball sailed out of bounds. Jimmy Smith grabbed a handful of Crabtree's jersey but the referee's indecision let the play stand and left the Baltimore Ravens as Super Bowl Champions.











Super Bowl MVP-Joe Flacco

Final Score: 34-31

3 Underdog Stories of Super Bowl 47

Super Bowl 47 is only 2 more days away and if you have recently flipped onto any type of ESPN channel you will see continuous coverage of the Big Game. When watching Sportscenter you might have heard of Ray Lewis or Colin Kaepernick or possibly even the Harbaugh brothers but like most of the free world I am getting tired of those stories. This is why we are breaking down the top 3 underdog stories of Super Bowl 47.

3. Ray Lewis' first career sack
I have seen the story about Niners coach Jim Harbaugh being a starting quarterback a multitude of times. One thing they leave out, unless you catch it on the bottom ticker, is who got his first career sack on Jim. Obviously from the headline above you guessed it Ray Lewis. It's quite ironic even in the circle of life that Ray Lewis would bring down the coach of his opponent for his second Super Bowl. I think that this story deserved more publicity and would've like to heard that question posed at Media Day.

2. Randy Moss riding off into the sunsets? (G.O.A.T)
I'm sure you've heard by now Randy Moss' comments pertaining to being the best wide receiver in NFL history. I'm pretty sure not one person reading this will agree with that (see Jerry Rice) but still a classic quote from old Randy. Randy Moss does not have a Super Bowl ring and this may be his last chance. He claims he wants to play another year yet with a different team. I'm not sure how many Super Bowl contending teams still believe in Moss therefore Sunday could be his last chance to establish himself among the top 3 WR of all time.

1. Ed Reed "Final Ride" (Free agency)
We all know that this is the great 52's last run at the Lombardi trophy but while it won't be for Ed Reed, it might be in the Purple and Black. Ed Reed has been very forthcoming in his answers to questions regarding playing in Foxboro next season. As a die hard Raven fan this is tugs at my heart and reminds me of Brett Favre playing for the Vikings. Whether or not Ed leaves, the ball hawk could cement himself atop the greatest safeties with a Super Bowl ring.

Notable stories:
Niners/Ravens distractions
-Both the 49ers and Ravens have had to deal with the usual distractions throughout the week but how will each team react is the question. Chris Culliver's anti-gay statements and Ray Lewis' deer spray report have flooded the news. From multiple reports from New Orleans, the looser team is Baltimore but will that be a good thing come game day. The Ravens have been plagued with injuries and bad omens all season including a move from the practice facility late on Thursday. But the bird gang won't be distracted, or will they? We'll see come Sunday.

If you want a personal account from Super Bowl Sunday save this link as I will be fortunate to be attending the game and will be giving live updates throughout the day.

Is Joe Flacco Elite?

Is Joe Flacco Elite?

As we approach Sunday, some food for thought has come up about Raven's Quarterback, Joe Flacco. Flacco assumes the role of facing Tom Brady this weekend for a chance to play in Super Bowl 47. In facing a great like Brady, the question surfaces, is Joe Flacco elite?

Before we dive in, I would like to state that I believe their are about 4 classes of Quarterbacks which rapidly change based on performance over the season. For instance the bad, consisting of Blaine Gabbert and John Skeleton for example. The next class are the good/more than game managing Quarterbacks. For instance, Matt Stafford and Philip Rivers headline this class. The class that sits right below the Elites, consists of names like Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan. The gun-slingers in the final class are the best of the best. In no particular order, Brady, Manning, Brees, and Rodgers. I throw Eli in there because of his 2 rings and clutch moments. I'm satisfied with him in either class. Now to answer the question, does Joe belong in that category.

Plain and simple, No. Unfortunately he doesn't match up with the ranks of the Elites. These MVP candidates throw for 35+ touchdowns a season and are usually below the 10 interception mark. Fu-manchu and all, Joe only managed to pass for only 22 TDs. He definitely does not put up the numbers of an Elite quarterback but a legitimate rebuttal would be, like Tim Tebow, all he does is win.

In his 5 years in the league, Flacco has been to the playoffs every year including a victory each and every time. The one thing that holds him back in this category is his inability to advance to the Big game. Don't get me wrong, he outplayed Tom Brady in his own house last season but still has not won under the bright lights. Right now, it is essential for an Elite Quarterback to have a ring. While in the past, this wasn't the case (see Dan Marino), nowadays you simply can't be talked about in that class without some hardware.

So my final answer, No, Joe Flacco is not elite...BUT... talk to me in 3 weeks and if Joe has lifted the Lombardi Trophy, I'll be the first one to introduce him to his new buddies. 

Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos Recap

+Baltimore Ravens -38
Denver Broncos-35
2OT


If you didn't see this game, you missed out on an instant classic. It's going to be tough to put into words the excitement of these plays but ill try. Lets begin with the first Raven's possession in which Anquan Boldin's drop forced a Sam Koch punt. The result of this, the longest punt return in postseason history. Trindon Holiday took the punt up the right side and wasn't touched for 90 yards. Holliday would later take back the opening kickoff of the second half for 104 yards, another postseason record. Holiday has the longest punt/kick returns in NFL postseason history and is the only player ever to return both kicks in a playoff game.
With the return, Peyton Manning did not take the field until after the score was knotted 7 apiece. Just three plays later, a tipped pass intended for Eric Decked resulted in Corey Graham's hands as he waltzed into the endzone. In about 8 minutes, their had been a 90 yard punt return, 59 yard bomb to Torrey Smith and an INT return by Graham.

Peyton responded easily by marching down the field and finding Brandon Stokley on a beautiful touch pass in the corner of the end zone. Each team then added a score before half. In the first half, it is important to note that 12 time pro bowler, Champ Bailey, was being eaten alive by Torrey Smith.
As I mentioned before, the 2nd half began with the kick return at which point you though the Broncos had grabbed all momentum. After a great defensive quarter, Ray Rice found the end zone from 1 yard out with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter.

A Demaryius Thomas touchdown mid way through the 4th pushed the Broncos ahead. Joe Flacco and company then had 3 minutes around the Denver 30. They faced a 4th and 5, in which, the Denver defender made an excellent play that broke up a pass intended for Dennis Pitta.

The Broncos took over on downs and this is when it hit me. Could Ray Lewis really be taking the field for the last time ever? Denver runs for a first down, is it all over. With limited timeouts and the two-minute warning, Baltimore did stop the Broncos and got the ball back. This is it Joe you have one minute to take your ravens down the field to tie the game. First down-nothing, second down-7 yards, clock running, 30 seconds remaining, stop the clock. No, Joe steps up in the pocket launches it 55 yards down the field. Safety Raheem Moore for the Broncos completely whiffs the ball as the ball travels and lands perfectly into Jacoby Jones hands as he runs 15 more yards to tie the game at 35 a piece.

Unbelievable, play of the year, instant classic! And we still have overtime. 

Overtime began with a Raven's possession but after drives stalled for both teams, OT became a field position battle. Finally, on his own 30 yard line, Peyton Manning makes an ill advised pass as Corey Graham gets his second interception of the day. Baltimore runs Ray Rice for the 28th, 29th, and 30th time of the day as they scamper inside the 30. And here comes rookie Justin Tucker. All Baltimore fans quickly flashback to last years AFC Championship game. Billy Cundiff no more as JT knocks through the 47 yarder and Ray Lewis' career continues. What a game!!

Ray Lewis's 5 Greatest Moments

Ray Lewis-#52-Announces his retirement

The greatest linebacker ever to play in Baltimore and possibly of all time (in my opinion) has announced his retirement after this seasonSportacular Sports recaps the top 5 greatest moments of Ray Lewis' career but first we will look at #52's accolades. 

Ray Lewis is the only player in NFL history to have 40+ career sacks and 30+ career interceptions.
-Won the 2000 and 2003 Defensive Player of the Year
-Super Bowl champion and MVP
-13 Pro Bowls
-10 AP 1st team Defense
-100+ tackles in 13 of his 17 NFL seasons

Ray Lewis's greatest moments

5. Ray Lewis wins Defensive Player of the Year twice in his career, 2000 and 2003. This photo shows Ray tackling eventual teammate Steve McNair.

4. Ray Lewis knew how to hit during his NFL career. He was and always will be one of the most physical players in the history of the league. His top hits in my opinion were laid upon Darren Sproles, Dustin Keller, Chad Ochocinco/Johnson, and look for his hit on Chris McCallister's record setting touchdown. 

3. An iconic image of Raymond Lewis is his dance to Nelly's "It's Gettin' Hot in Here" coming out of the tunnel. Having experienced the dance in person, it is the most exciting moment I have ever experienced. Watch as Ray comes out of the tunnel and you will feel the goosebumps.

2. Why is Ray Lewis the greatest linebacker of all-time? Mostly because of his hard work, dedication to the game, and his physicallity. Their are so many great parts to his game but the thing that puts him above the rest is his ability to motivate. Ray Lewis is the best inspirational speaker I have ever seen and not only can get the team pumped but also elevates the play of his teammates. My favorite Ray Lewis speech came after the heartbreaking loss to New England last season.

1. Number 1 on the list belongs to Baltimore's lone Super Bowl win and Ray's Super Bowl MVP. While the offense did have an explosion in the Championship game, the Ravens had been carried by their defense the entire year. The reason why, Ray Lewis. Number 52 is the greatest player to play the game and one of the greatest men to play the game. RayRay will sadly be missed by the Ravens and the League. Let's all wish him best of luck in the rest of his life. Hail #52!

NFL Sunday Recap-Sportacular Sports

NFL Sunday Recap

Ravens clinch 2nd straight divisional title
-Baltimore rolled to a 33-14 victory securing a home playoff game. The Giants need a win against the Eagles and losses from Minnesota and Chicago to return to the postseason.

Cincinnati wins on a last second FG clinching a playoff birth
-The Bengals traveled to Pittsburgh where a late Interception and an ensuing FG pushed Cincy into the 6 spot and knocking Pittsburgh out of the playoffs.

Dallas falls to the Saints in OT while the Redskins tame the Eagles
-RgIII and company held the Eagles at the goal line as time expired to take lead of the division. The Cowboys recovered from a 14 point deficit in the 4th only to falter in overtime. Thanks to a Giants loss, the matchup next weekend still remains the NFC East Championship Game.

Calvin breaks the record on Saturday, AP still has a ways to go.
-Calvin Johnson shredded the Falcons for 225 yards on Saturday Night and remains only 108 yards away from the 2,000 mark. Adrian Peterson rushed for a mere 86 yards and would need 208 yards to break Eric Dickerson's record next week against the Packers.

New York Giants vs Baltimore Ravens

New York Giants vs Baltimore Ravens

Who needs this win more?

New York Giants argument

The defending Super Bowl champions still control their own destiny throughout the playoff race. Winning today against the Ravens and next weekend against the Eagles the Giants will return to the postseason, most likely as an underdog 6 seed. With a loss, the Giants would still have a slim chance with some help. This inconsistent Giants team was a game better last season at 7-7 through 14 games. I believe the Giants are a team built for the playoffs and if they get in can catch fire again like last season. The reason the Giants need this victory is to put them a game away from returning to the playoffs where the Ravens have already clinched a 5th straight berth.

Baltimore Ravens argument

The Baltimore Ravens have already clinched a playoff birth for the 5th straight season. People would ask, why wouldn't the Giants need this win more. My answer would be for two reasons. A home playoff game and a critical rest for their injured players. With a win today, Baltimore clinches the AFC North for the 2nd consecutive season and would own the 4th seed in the AFC. The Ravens have struggled mightily on the road this season and would need a home playoff game to get back on track. If the Ravens want to advance in the playoffs, it is essential they win their division. In addition, the Ravens could utilize Week 17 at Cincinnati as a week of rest for older players like Ed Reed or injured players like Haloti Ngata or Bernard Pollard. The Ravens have been bruised with injuries this season and a week of rest could return all key players besides Corner Lardarius Webb and Middle Lline backer Jameel McLain.

Conclusion

I believe the Giants need this win more today because with a loss they would lose control of their destiny. The Ravens would still have an opportunity to clinch next weekend even though it would be a tough game. Even though the Giants need this game, I don't believe this is their year and the Ravens will stop the bleeding and end their 3 game losing streak.

Prediction
Ravens-27 Giants-21

Ravens fall to Steelers 23-20

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) 23 vs. Baltimore Ravens (9-3) 20

Charlie Batch and the Pittsburgh Steelers are right back in the playoff race and possibly the AFC North discussion after stunning the Baltimore Ravens Sunday afternoon. Ben Roethlisberger has been out the past few weeks with a life-threatening rib injury and replacements Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch had yet to win a game. The Steelers had their back to the wall and faced a must-win if they had any aspirations of winning the division. The Baltimore Ravens had won 15 in a row at M & T Bank Stadium and 12 consecutive against AFC North opponents. Everything pointed to the Ravens winning this game and ultimately clinching the division. It was a poor performance from the Ravens offense that costs Baltimore a 5th straight playoff birth, for now. 

The Baltimore Ravens have pulled out many victories in tight games this season but many of those they deserved to win. Tonight though, Baltimore and more specifically Joe Flacco, gave the game away. Flacco for the second time in the past few years got stripped on a sack, this time by James Harrison and lost all momentum in the game. This occurred after Ed Reed's 61st career interception. The Ravens could've gone on a FG drive and put the game at a point insurmountable for Charlie Batch. Instead, Flacco fumbled away the game and an impressive Batch drive won the game minutes later. Shaun Suisham's 42 yard field goal capped a 6+ minute game winning drive. 

Going forward, Baltimore is still in the driver's seat as they need only to win 1 out of the next 3 against Washington, New York (N), and the Broncos as well as beating Cincinnati on the last day of the regular season. The Steelers now own the last wild card spot with the tiebreaker over the Bengals. Indianapolis controls the top spot at 8-4 but still has to play two games against the 11-1 Houston Texans. Much time remains and both of these teams look like they should return to the post season. The most important part of the result is the impact it has on the Raven's playoff home field advantage. They now have an extremely tough schedule down the stretch and could end up in a 3rd or 4th seed. The Ravens have struggled mightily on the road and now could risk the chance to only play 1 or maybe no games on the road. This Ravens team doesn't look fit to make a deep playoff run but with the return of Big Ben the Steelers defense can carry them far.

Thanksgiving Day Football- Texans vs. Lions

Houston Texans (9-1) vs. Detroit Lions (4-6)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

The best part of Thanksgiving, besides the food, is sitting around the TV with your friends and family watching some NFL football. While this looks like a mismatch on paper, it truly isn't. While the Lions are, what I'd say, the biggest disappointment this season, they are still very capable of pulling the upset. The odds makers seem to agree, as they have only favored Houston by a mere 3 points. 

The Houston Texans have yet to lose on the road this season and have looked like the AFC favorite all year. Last week against the Jaguars though, they almost slipped up. The most dominating AFC defense, besides the Steelers, allowed 37 points last week to Chad Henne. Yes, Chad Henne. This week they'll be facing a much better offense with the likes of Calvin Johnson and major disappointment, Matthew Stafford. Houston, because of their schedule, looks like they are going to coast to the 1 seed in the AFC. The Patriots still have a chance because of the weakness of their division, but I predict the AFC top 3 finishes as follows.

Houston Texans (Have tiebreaker over Baltimore)
Baltimore Ravens (Have tiebreaker over New England)
New England Patriots

Even if the Texans do finish Number 1 in the AFC, I don't think they will make the trip to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. They lack the playoff experience and I don't think they would be able to beat Peyton Manning or Tom Brady in January. If Houston does clinch the Number 1 it furthers their chances but I still remain in doubt.

On to the Detroit Lions. I don't want to keep repeating myself about how disappointed I am in the LIons but I'm disappointed. The Lions made the playoffs last year for the first time in a decade. Matthew Stafford threw for an unbelievable 5,000 yards and Calvin Johnson was the best WR, by far, in the league. What has happened this year? Besides Megatron appearing on the cover of Madden, The Lions defense has been poor and as a matter of a fact, the Lions offense does not look that good. Defenses have adjusted to Johnson and game planned saying, we won't let him beat us. Unfortunately for Lions fans. No other players on the team have stepped up. 

Detroit's playoff hopes are not out of the picture but they need to get hot and today is a great day to start. A loss today pushes them to 4-7 and I'd say that could be the end but if they pull off the upset, which I think they will (yeah I said it), they are right back in it. Detroit has to get back on track and between Stafford and Calvin there is too much talent not to be dominant. I think after Detroit figures out how Chad Henne and Cecil Shorts/Justin Blackmon scored 37 on Houston, they will be able to have a dominating offensive performance.

Prediction: Lions-31 Texans-27