Five Reasons Why This Super Bowl is Special for Ravens Fans

Baltimore Ravens fans could not be happier that their team is finally in the Super Bowl. For the previous four years under Coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens made postseason runs but were unable to make it to the big stage. Besides the fact that this is the biggest game of the year, there are many reasons why this particular Super Bowl is so special for Ravens fans.

1. Team History: The Ravens have suffered their fair share of disappointment. Under Harbaugh and Quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens have made it to the AFC Championship game twice and lost to both the Steelers and Patriots. “We have experienced so many tough losses over the past few years in the playoffs from the Patriots loss to the Steelers loss, that it just makes this moment so much more special,” says Jason Besser, a sophomore government and politics major. Of course, this year was different as the Ravens shut out the Patriots in the second-half of the AFC Championship game.

2. Ray Lewis’ Last Ride: Just before the postseason, Lewis announced that this is his last season in the NFL.  Lewis is the undisputed leader of the Ravens and has rallied the team through its struggles. While playing for the team since its inception, Lewis has earned the reputation as being the greatest linebacker of all time. He is the only player left on the team who was a part of the Raven’s Super Bowl win in 2001. The Ravens hope Lewis can leave the NFL with another Super Bowl ring

3. Ed Reed’s Last Ride?: There is also a possibility that veteran safety Ed Reed will play his last game in a Ravens uniform on Sunday. After this season, Reed will be a free agent, so his future with the Ravens is unknown. However, Reed says he plans to play football next season. Throughout his 11 years with the Ravens, Reed has had 61 interceptions. He holds the NFL record for interception return yards. Despite his success with the Ravens, Reed has yet to win a Super Bowl ring. He is hoping that will change on Sunday

4. The Rise of Flacco: After this game, Flacco will be in contract negotiations for next season. It is unclear whether or not Flacco and the Ravens will be able to sign a long-term deal. However, Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome says Flacco will be back next season. Flacco has shown his worth in the postseason as he has outplayed Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. It will be interesting to see if Flacco can win the Super Bowl and finally prove that he is the franchise quarterback for the Ravens.

5. Rollercoaster Regular Season:  The Ravens overcame a lot of adversity in the regular season to get to the Super Bowl. To start with, the Ravens incurred a lot of injuries on defense. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs was out with a torn Achilles tendon and later a torn biceps. Lewis was out with a torn triceps. Miraculously, both players returned from what were thought to be season-ending injuries. With their injuries certainly being a contributing factor, the Ravens suffered a three-game losing streak in December, but they somehow managed to win the AFC North Division. Despite their setbacks, the Ravens managed to rally and beat the odds as they won against the Broncos and Patriots in the postseason.

At the start of the postseason, hardly anyone predicted the Ravens would make it to the Super Bowl. Now that they are, it is up to the Ravens to prove that they should never be discounted again.