Read Sports Geek and Loyal Homer’s arguments regarding which players are so vital to their teams that they cannot afford to be lost to injury.
The Baltimore Ravens are not simply students of the “Defense First” philosophy. They do not take the test, they give it! Sure, they have had their share of offensive highlights (running back Jamal Lewis was a 2,000 yard rusher for the Ravens during the 2003 season), but defense has always been the priority.
Since the team’s inception in 1996, the Baltimore Ravens have earned a total of 57 Pro Bowl invitations. Of those 57 invites, only 20 went to offensive players (and 11 of those belong to retired offensive tackle and future Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden). That means the remaining 37 invitations all went to Ravens defensive players.
When you look at the list of names which account for those 37 defensive invitations, you see players like Hall of Fame safety Rod Woodson (2 Pro Bowls while playing for Baltimore) and future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis (10 Pro Bowls). Other names on that list are linebacker Peter Boulware, who earned four Pro Bowl selections, and linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs and cornerback Chris McAllister, who both account for three invitations.
It is a literal “Who’s-Who” of defensive dominance over the last 13 years of professional football.
Although Ray Lewis is undeniably the leader of this elite group of defensive superstars, there is another man whose play is much more valuable to the organization today than any other player: safety Ed Reed. With Ray Lewis entering his 14th season as a pro, it is safe to assume that his play on the field will begin to decline. He should still be a difference-maker on the field, but at 34 years old he will not be able to maintain the same level of performance that he has shown for the past 13 years. Instead, the Ravens need Reed to step in and take over as the leader of the Baltimore defense. The 2008 season was proof of that fact.
During the first ten weeks of the season, many felt that the Ravens were little more than pretenders. They felt that once the season played out, Baltimore would find itself on the outside looking in. For his part, Reed’s performance was very disappointing (compared to his ridiculous standards), thanks in part to a nagging neck injury suffered during the 2007 season. As a result, the Ravens – whose defense was still led by Ray Lewis – were not expected to achieve much success in the 2008 season.
Heading into their Week 12 matchup at home against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Ravens had a record of 6-4, with the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Pittsburgh Steelers still on the horizon. It was during that game that Reed picked off two passes (leading to the benching of quarterback Donovan McNabb), returning one of them for a touchdown. After that, things suddenly fell into place for Reed and the Ravens.
During the final six games of the Ravens season, Reed made EIGHT interceptions (two each against Philly, Dallas, Washington, and the Jacksonville Jaguars), leading the Ravens on to win five of those remaining games and a Wild Card spot in the AFC playoffs. During the playoffs, Reed picked off two more passes against Miami (scoring another touchdown), bringing his 2008 interception total to 11 on the year (including the postseason). His efforts helped lead the Ravens to the AFC Championship game.
Since being drafted out of Miami by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of 2002, Reed has earned five different Pro Bowl selections, and was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He holds records for interception return yards in a season (358), and in 2008 he broke the record for the longest interception return in NFL history (108 yards), surpassing the previous record (also owned by Reed) by two yards.
In addition to defensive dominance, Reed is also a force on both sides of special teams play, and he is the only person in NFL history to return an interception, punt, blocked punt, AND a fumble for touchdowns! In total, he has scored 11 career touchdowns, with three coming from blocked punts, one on a punt return, two as fumble returns, and five scored off of interceptions.
He was the only player to receive a unanimous vote for the 2008 AP NFL All-Pro team, and with a league-leading nine regular season interceptions last year, he was considered a favorite by many to be named the Defensive Player of the Year for a second time.
He has an amazing ability to disrupt plays, both on defense and on special teams. Entire offensive game-plans must be designed around his presence on the field, and his 43 career interceptions, in only seven seasons, are proof that most team’s efforts to avoid Reed still are not enough to keep him from making an impact on the field. He is a very disciplined defender, and seems to always find himself in the right place at the right time.
If the Ravens are going to continue to be the dominant force on defense that they have grown accustomed to over the past 13 years, they will ONLY be able to do it thanks to the continued dominance of Ed Reed. Losing Ed Reed is losing the season!
