The Maryland Sports Blog

BALL HAWK!!!

That’s the common nickname for the 7-time All-Pro, former defensive player of the Year Ed Reed.  Reed has also been named to the Pro Bowl eight times, including the 2011 season.

The Ravens drafted Reed in the first round of the 2002 draft out of Miami and have not been disappointed with the future Hall of Famer.  Since being drafted, Reed has been a staple of the Baltimore Ravens defense for most of the past decade, and has 57 career interceptions.  He holds the NFL record for the longest interception return for a touchdown, which he broke on his 108-yard interception return touchdown.

Reed is known for his great hands and great return ability, giving quarterbacks headaches and making them scared to throw the ball.  His six career defensive touchdowns has only helped his reputation.

Reed has three interceptions so far this season, which is relatively low for Reed 15 games into the season.  Quarterbacks have rarely thrown near Reed this season out of fear that he will pick them off.  Reed has also become a mentor to the Ravens young corner backs like Lardarius Webb.

Injuries have slowed Reed down a little the past few seasons, but during the Ravens’ biggest games, fans know they can count on Reed to come up with a game-changing play.

Here is what Ed Reed had to say about making the Pro Bowl again.

“It is definitely an honor and blessing,” Reed stated. “To come back after an injury last year and to be voted by my peers and fans is special. I am very appreciative of this honor, but right now, there are bigger goals in mind. With the Bengals coming up this week and a push to the playoffs, we have a lot of work ahead of us, but this is definitely something I am proud of and am thankful for.”

Here is a highlight video of Ed Reed.

If you were to ask someone who the most explosive player on the Baltimore Ravens is, they would not say a wide receiver or a kick returner, they would probably say either Ray Rice or Ed Reed.

Ray Rice was taken in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft. It was an offensive draft for the Ravens, as quarterback Joe Flacco was taken in the first round of that draft.

When Rice was a rookie, the Ravens used a three-headed rushing attack featuring Rice, Le’Ron McClain, and  Willis McGahee.

In Rice’s second season, he became the feature back and ran for over 1,300 yards and 7 touchdowns. His numbers dropped slightly last season when the Ravens decided to pass the ball more.

Rice has the ability to break multiple tackles and out run defenders. He is a weapon running and catching the football.

Rice is one of the shorter players in the NFL, but do not let that fool you, he plays big. Rice is over 200 pounds and uses his small size to be elusive and keep a good center of gravity.

Even though Rice has been the starting running back for the Ravens, he has not gotten many opportunities in goal line situations. The past two seasons, McGahee got the majority of the goal line opportunities, which hurt Rice’s touchdown numbers.

McClain and McGahee have both departed the Ravens which means Rice might get more goal line chances. I can see his touchdown numbers going up by a significant amount this season. Rice will be counted on more this season than in the past.

Rice has been one of my personal favorite football players. I enjoyed watching him play for Rutgers and hoped the Ravens would draft him.

Off the field, Rice is said to be one of the nicest people to run into. He has had no off-the-field issues and does numerous charitable events.

Here is one of my twitter followers favorite Rice’s moments. It is also my favorite Rice play.

Here is the play:

He is big, he is fast, he is Haloti Ngata – one of the most-feared interior defensive linemen in the NFL.

The Baltimore Ravens drafted Ngata with the No. 12 overall pick out of Oregon in the 2006 NFL draft.  He has started every game for the Ravens since his rookie season and is now considered one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.

The Ravens value Ngata so much that they used the Franchise tag this season to retain him, while planning to negotiate a long-term deal.

Last season Ngata registered 5.5 sacks and 63 tackles. Going into his sixth season, Ngata has already been to two Pro Bowls and has been voted as an All-Pro three times.

Ngata has the perfect combination of size and athletic ablility. A former rugby player, Ngata has three career interceptions and has been used on offense as a goal line fullback and tight end.

Ray Lewis was a very happy man when the Ravens drafted Ngata. Lewis felt the Ravens needed another defensive linemen that could help him get to the running back and Ngata was that man. Ngata has helped the Ravens stay dominant while shutting down running attacks.

I could see Ngata having another outstanding season in 2011. Terrence Cody will be playing next to him and will help eat up offensive linemen, which could give Ngata more opportunities to get to the quarterback.

Off the field Ngata is a gentle giant. I ran into him a few times last year at Ravens training camp. He joked to the media members that he exercised by chasing his baby around the house.

Ngata is soft spoken and a Mormon.

I personally think Ngata is one of the best NFL players both on and off the field. I could see him having five sacks or more this season. One of the keys to the Ravens season is to sign Ngata to a long-term deal.

“Touchdown Ravens!” may be a frequently-heard phrase this season in Baltimore, thanks to steady improvements seen in starting quarterback Joe Flacco.  Flacco has started every game in his five-year career and while sometimes criticized by fans and sports analysts, his stats show improvement.

Look at Flacco’s passer rating.  In his rookie season he had an 80.3 rating, an 88.9 rating the next season and last season he held a 93.6 rating.  Flacco’s touchdown passes have also increased. Last season, Flacco posted a career-high 25 touchdown passes and a career-low 10 interceptions.

Flacco has helped lead the Ravens to the playoffs all three seasons of his career.  Critics like to point to how he has yet to win a Super Bowl and has had trouble beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Flacco has been, arguably, the most stable quarterback in franchise history. I met him last year during training camp and watched him in many practices. He was by far the best quarterback in that camp. The other quarterbacks were Marc Bulger and Troy Smith.

The media says each year how Flacco has matured. Last year we saw Flacco take a big jump in leadership. The same thing could be said this year as Flacco recently got married in the off-season, which may not be a big step on the football field but is a big step in the maturation process.

I think Flacco will have another good season for the Ravens in 2011. It will be interesting to see how he plays without Derrick Mason and Todd Heap. If Ed Dickson and Torrey Smith are able to step up and fill in the vacant starting positions left by the departed veterans, Flacco will be better for it.

My favorite Flacco memory was when his name was announced at the 2008 NFL draft. I predicted that the Ravens would pick Flacco.

Again, I asked my followers for their favorite Flacco memory and here is my favorite response:

Check out this video.

Ok, so this profile is a few years old.  Let’s update this, Flacco is now the highest paid player in the NFL and a Super Bowl MVP.  Clear to say he has arrived as being an elite quarterback.  Flacco is easily a top five quarterback and put up unbelievable stats on his way to being named the Super Bowl MVP.

ELITE

The first Baltimore Ravens player profile is Ray Lewis. Who else would I chose than Mr. Raven himself? Lewis is a living legend and he is still starting at middle linebacker for the Ravens. Lewis was the Ravens second overall draft pick in franchise history.

An outstanding leader and motivator, he wills the Ravens defense to play well. He is considered one of the greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. Lewis has been voted to countless Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl MVP.

This season Lewis could hit the 40-career sack mark and the 15-forced fumble mark. It seems like each year Lewis trains differently to keep his body fresh and in peak condition. He may have lost a few steps since his younger days but the 36 year old still has game left in his body.

Lewis wants another Super Bowl and he wants to see his older teammates like Ed Reed have a Super Bowl ring.

I asked my Twitter followers on my personal account @BHradsky what their favorite Ray Lewis memory was. Here is one of them.

I can see Lewis having another strong season. What else would anyone expect from the NFL’s greatest leader?

Tell me what type of season do you think Ray Lewis will have for the Ravens?