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2012 Baltimore Ravens Preseason.......................... 8 2012 Baltimore Ravens Regular Season............... 14 The Ravens March to New Orleans........................... 108 Super Bowl............................................................................ 128
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There aren’t many people that could say they saw this coming. Teams that lose four of their last five regular season games usually aren’t on anyone’s short list of potential Super Bowl champions. But good luck finding a team in NFL history more resilient, mentally tough, determined and destined than the 2012 Baltimore Ravens. Doing things the easy way was just never part of their game plan. They cared about style points about as much as they worried about what the rest of the world thought about them. Simply put, the Ravens had a one-track mind when it came to playoff football and the only thing that mattered was winning. That’s it. For six full months they dealt with every imaginable distraction, including injuries, tragedies, and even the ultimate family feud that pitted brother against brother. The overriding subplot of the season was the fact we were witnessing the swan song of the greatest middle linebacker and team leader in NFL history. Ray Lewis was going out at the end of the year, whenever that would be, and his teammates made sure he would go out on top. Enjoy this look back at a truly magical season turned in by a special group of men. It was a season no fan will ever forget and no team will ever duplicate.
Tom Zenner @tomzenner Editor in Chief Rylin Media
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2012 Baltimore
Ravens Preseason
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2012 PRESEASON
RESULTS
08/09/2012 at ATLANTA 31 - 17 W
08/23/2012 vs JACKSONVILLE 48 - 17 W
08/17/2012 vs DETROIT 27 - 12 L
08/30/2012 at ST.LOUIS 31 - 17 L
The Road to History Begins!
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Champs Stats
(2011 Season) Passing
Joe Flacco – 312 of 542, 3610 yards, 20 touchdowns
Rushing
Ray Rice – 291 carries, 1364 yards, 12 touchdowns
Receiving
Ray Rice – 76 receptions, 704 yards, 3 touchdowns Anquan Boldin – 57 receptions, 887 yards, 3 touchdowns Torrey Smith – 50 receptions, 841 yards, 7 touchdowns
Defense
Ray Lewis – 95 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception Jameel McClain – 81 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered Terrell Suggs – 70 tackles, 14 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered
2011 Team Rankings
Total Offense - 15th Total Defense – 3rd 10
Champs Chat
“We will find out soon enough how good we are right now. You never know exactly until you start playing the regular season. We really, really like our team and appreciate the effort our players have given to be ready. We have a group that knows how to work, is united and thrives on competing at the highest levels. There is a strong bond in the locker room, and that’s a good early sign. We can’t wait to get in front of the ‘Wall of Purple’ on Monday. This is our first Monday night home game since I’ve been here. It’s going to be special.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the upcoming season and starting things out on Monday Night Football.)
”He’s moving around this year as well as he has the last three or four years. His change of direction, his burst and quickness, they’re all there. I’ve watched the evolution of a young man over the years and seen how he continues to stay ahead of the curve.”
- Ravens Executive VP/GM Ozzie Newsome (On Ray Lewis as he enters his 17th season.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens swept the AFC North last season. • Baltimore is the only team to earn a spot in the playoffs in each of the past four seasons. • The Ravens will begin the season by playing 4 games in 18 days. • John Harbaugh and his brother Jim are the only two head coaches with perfect records on kickoff weekend. • The Ravens will face a Pro Bowl quarterback in 13 of their 16 games. • The Ravens featured 8 Pro Bowlers in 2011 and currently have 12 Pro Bowlers on the roster. • As a tribute to Art Modell, the Ravens will be wearing a special decal on their helmets with his initials throughout the season. 12
Champs Chat
“There is meaning when we say, ‘A player plays like a Raven.’ A lot of it is the type of player we bring here. We look for a certain personality. We look for players who love football and all that comes with it: the preparation, the lifting of weights, the physicality, the teamwork, the fast practices – all of that. We like players who get after it, who enjoy hanging with teammates. We love aggressive, fair-minded men. Players who play tough, but play with class. Players who lift their teammates to higher levels. That’s what we’re about. That’s who we are.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the type of player that makes up the Ravens roster.)
“I like the Ravens. They’re getting better with Torrey Smith. Joe Flacco has played in a tough division for four seasons and is used to facing great defenses like the Pittsburgh Steelers twice a year. They’ve put together a darn good offensive line that got old and got better again. They’ve got one of the best running backs in football in Ray Rice. They’ve got a wide receiving corps that can threaten down the field. With a defense like the Ravens, they’ll make somebody pay the price.”
- NFL Analyst Joe Theisman (On the Ravens outlook for the season.)
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2012 Baltimore Ravens
Regular Season
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2012 RESULTS
10 Wins 6 Losses
09/10/2012 vs CINCINNATI 44 - 13 W
11/11/2012 vs OAKLAND 55 - 20 W
09/16/2012 at PHILADELPHIA 23 - 24 L
11/18/2012 at PITTSBURGH 13 - 10 W
09/23/2012 vs NEW ENGLAND 31 - 30 W
11/25/2012 at SAN DIEGO 16 -13 W
09/27/2012 vs CLEVELAND 23 - 16 W
12/02/2012 vs PITTSBURGH 20 - 23 L
10/07/2012 at KANSAS CITY 9-6W
12/09/2012 at WASHINGTON 28 - 31 L
10/14/2012 vs DALLAS 31 - 29 W
12/16/2012 vs DENVER 17 - 34 L
10/21/2012 at HOUSTON 13 - 43 L
12/23/2012 vs NY GIANTS 33 -14 W
11/04/2012 at CLEVELAND 25 - 15 W
12/30/2012 at CINCINNATI 17 - 23 L
NFC North Champions 15
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Baltimore vs Cincinnati Ravens brought their ‘A’ game to M&T Bank Stadium. Trying out a faster pace, no-huddle style on offense, quarterback Joe Flacco aired it out and the Baltimore defense did its thing in a thumping of AFC North foe Cincinnati. Flacco amassed 299 yards and two touchdowns and the offense gained 430 total yards on a solid Bengals defense. Ray Rice was mostly quiet, though he did find the end zone on two short runs. The defense got off to a fast start as well. All-Pro safety Ed Reed returned an Andy Dalton interception for six. Without Terrell Suggs, who injured himself in the offseason and would miss a large chunk of the
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regular season, Baltimore tallied four sacks. Shortly after Reed’s seventh career interception return for a touchdown, middle linebacker Ray Lewis forced a fumble that was recovered by top cornerback Lardarius Webb. The play set up one of Ray Rice’s scores. The big win was packed with even more emotion than usual coming just days after the death of owner Art Modell at 87-years old. Modell brought football back to Baltimore from Cleveland for the 1996 season. He was honored with a pregame tribute, a moment of silence, and a win.
September 10, 2012
Bengals: 13 Ravens: 44
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 21 of 29, 299 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Ray Rice – 10 carries, 68 yards, 2 touchdowns
Receiving
Dennis Pitta – 5 receptions, 73 yards, 1 touchdown Anquan Boldin – 4 receptions, 63 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Ray Lewis – 14 tackles, 1 sack 17
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Champs Facts • Former team owner Art Modell passed away in the week leading up to the game. • The Ravens won their home opener for the 7th straight season. • The Ravens have won 19 of their past 20 home games. • Joe Flacco won his 50th game at quarterback for the Ravens, the most for all NFL starting quarterbacks since he entered the league in 2008. 18
Champs Chat “It was really fun for me. I barely got hit tonight. One thing you see with our offense, we’re explosive.”
“We didn’t play perfectly as a defense, but we are working our kinks out just like everyone else is working their kinks out. When it got to where we needed to make plays we made the plays we were supposed to make.”
(On the new no-huddle offense.)
(On the first game defensive performance.)
- Running Back Ray Rice
- Linebacker Ray Lewis
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Champs Facts • With his 34-yard interception return for a touchdown, Safety Ed Reed became the NFL’s all-time leader in interception return yards. • Former Ravens owner Art Modell was honored with a tribute and moment of silence before the game. • Despite the blowout, the Bengals won the time of possession battle 32:26 to the Ravens 27:34. • The Ravens were the only AFC North team to win their season opener. 20
Champs Chat “We wanted to win this one for Art, that didn’t have to be said in one of our meetings.”
- Running Back Ray Rice (On wanting to win for former owner Art Modell who recently passed away.)
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Baltimore at Philadelphia Despite forcing four turnovers, the Ravens fell just short in Philadelphia in Week 2. Joe Flacco threw a touchdown and an interception but could not convert on a chance to put the Ravens ahead late in the game. On a fourth-and-1 from their own 46, a Flacco pass missed Ray Rice. From there, Philadelphia ran out the clock and secured the victory. Baltimore’s reliable defense let a fourth-quarter lead slip through its fingers. They had the Eagles pinned down at their 20-yard line up 23-17 with over four minutes remaining. Electrifying Eagles quarterback Michael Vick marched his team down to the red zone. A roughing-the-passer penalty helped put the ball on
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the Baltimore 3. That’s when things got controversial. Haloti Ngata hit Vick and the ball popped loose, recovered by the Ravens. However, a video review reversed the call to an incompletion and Vick scored on a 1-yard run on the next play. One bright spot came with the performance of rookie kicker Justin Tucker. Undrafted, Tucker beat out incumbent Billy Cundiff and started the season 6 for 6. In Philly, he booted field goals of 56, 51 and 48 yards. At least the Ravens knew their kicking situation was all set. Could they bounce back against one of their fiercest rivals, and biggest playoff obstacle in Week 3?
September 16, 2012
Ravens: 23 Eagles: 24
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco - 22 of 42, 232 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 16 carries, 99 yards
Receiving
Dennis Pitta – 8 receptions, 65 yards Ray Rice – 6 receptions, 53 yards
Defense
Lardarius Webb – 7 tackles 23
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Champs Facts • The Eagles won despite four turnovers in the game. • Joe Flacco grew up in Haddon Township, New Jersey, which is close to the Eagles home field. • Ravens Kicker Justin Tucker and Eagles Rookie QB Nick Foles played high school football together at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. • The Ravens have lost just 2 of their last 8 games against NFC opponents.
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Champs Chat
“That was a tough football game. Give credit to the Eagles, very well coached team. Obviously they compete right down to the end, and they found a way to win the game. They made the plays that they had to make to win the football game…did a nice job. To my guys, I feel the same way…I feel the same way about the Ravens. The Ravens fought, competed, it was a chaotic game out there and it didn’t go our way at the end, but I’m proud of our guys.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
“Young guys are stepping up and getting thrown into the fire. We’re playing a good football team at their place. I think it’s a tribute to their preparation during the week and the coaches getting them ready to play. No matter who’s down and who’s up, we can’t have a drop off and it’s a great opportunity for certain players to play and show what they can do.”
- Safety Sean Considine
(On young guys having to step up due to injuries.)
(On the loss.)
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Champs Facts • John Harbaugh spent 10 seasons as an Eagles assistant under Andy Reid before going to Baltimore. • The Eagles won their home opener for the first time since 2008. • Rookie kicker Justin Tucker’s 56-yard field goal tied the Ravens franchise record for distance. • The Eagles moved to 2-0 despite 9 turnovers through their first two games. 26
Champs Chat
“I think all losses are pretty painful. They played pretty well all day. They turned the ball over a little bit, but it was a hard fought game all day and they’re all pretty painful.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On the painful loss following the Eagles comeback.)
“I think there was some ugly play out there and they seemed to take some late shots and then we went back at them. There was a lot of dirty play out there and we were not going to take a lot of it.”
- Fullback Vonta Leach
(On the game getting physical and sometimes ugly.)
“Yeah, it’s football, and football is physical. It wasn’t as physical as if we were playing the Pittsburgh Steelers but it was just a game.”
- Cornerback Cary Williams
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Baltimore vs New England One week after losing by a single point, the Ravens reversed their fortunes in a big way to exact some revenge for their heartbreaking loss in the 2011-12 AFC Championship Game. The night belonged to big-play wide receiver Torrey Smith, who managed to take the field despite the tragic death of his young brother earlier that week. Tevin Smith, 19, passed away in a motorcycle accident. With a heavy heart and a big lift from his supportive teammates, Smith shined in an intense matchup against the defending AFC champs, scorching the New England secondary for two touchdowns and 127 yards receiving. Joe Flacco continued his recent history of success against the Pats with 382 yards through the air, three
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touchdowns and only one interception. Not to be outdone, Ray Rice compiled 101 yards on the ground with a score of his own. Baltimore trailed by two late, but Flacco led them down the field with a big assist from a pass interference penalty. In the waning moments Justin Tucker knocked home the winning field goal. It was a fitting ending, considering the Ravens lost out on a chance to play in Super Bowl XLVI because of a missed field goal in the closing seconds of the most recent AFC title game. The win, marked by penalties from both sides and controversial calls by the replacement referees, was a big boost nonetheless to coach John Harbaugh’s club and an inspiration to fans across the country for Torrey Smith’s heroic and amazing resilience.
September 23, 2012
Patriots: 30 Ravens: 31
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 28 of 39, 382 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 20 carries, 101 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Torrey Smith – 6 receptions, 127 yards, 2 touchdowns
Defense
Cary Williams – 10 tackles Dannell Ellerbe – 9 tackles, 1.5 sacks 29
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Champs Facts • Wide Receiver Torrey Smith’s younger brother was killed in a motorcycle accident the day before the game. • A moment of silence was observed before the game for Torrey Smith’s brother, 19-year old Tevin Jones. • The Ravens have won 14 straight games following a loss.
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Champs Chat
“It was tough. I didn’t know until about four o’clock if I was going to play or not. I only had like an hour of sleep, because it happened at like 10:30 p.m. the day before. I went home right away, didn’t sleep in the car ride and went to sleep about 6:30 or seven in the morning. It was tough emotionally. I didn’t know how I would hold up, but thanks to my teammates and coaches and all the support from really everyone around the league, just everyone, everywhere. You know, I was getting texts and people were telling me on Twitter. I just thank everyone on behalf of my family.”
- Wide Receiver Torrey Smith
“First of all, condolences to Torrey and to the Smith family. If you know Torrey, as you do, and you get to know the Smith family, you know that it’s a great family. Torrey is a great, great young man. We dedicate that victory to [Torrey’s late brother] Tevin and to the whole family.
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On dedicating the victory to Torrey.)
(Talking about the death of his brother the night before the game and the decision to play.) 31
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Champs Facts • As the game ended, video cameras caught Patriots head coach Bill Belichick grabbing an officials arm. • Torrey Smith had more receptions and yards in this game (6 receptions, 127 yards) then he had through the first two games combined (4 receptions, 108 yards). • Former Browns and Ravens Running Back Jamal Lewis was inducted into the Baltimore Ring of Honor. 32
Champs Chat “We had that last opportunity, and we wanted to show people what this team was all about. We have some great veteran leaders on this team, and we just keep fighting, and we were fortunate to come away with a win.”
- Tight End Dennis Pitta
“I was telling my teammates a minute ago that this is new territory for me personally. I never really had to deal with a death in the family, let alone my brother. In our family, everyone’s so tight. Just like a lot of other families. It’s part of life and, due to my teammates and my family and friends, I’ll be able to get over it.”
- Wide Receiver Torrey Smith (Talking about the death of his brother the night before the game and the decision to play.)
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Baltimore vs Cleveland The most prevalent storyline heading into this matchup had nothing to do with the Browns and Ravens. The Thursday night tilt was the first game back for the regular officials after the end of a controversial lockout. Ravens fans, and coach John Harbaugh, welcomed the return of the real refs. And there was a game to be played as well. The lowly Browns gave the Ravens a scare, but Baltimore held on for its 13th straight win at home, the longest streak in the league at the time. Cleveland’s rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden had a few chances to tie the game in the final seconds, but the Ravens secondary stiffened after letting the Browns advance to the 33-
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yard line from deep in Cleveland’s own territory. Once again, Flacco proved he deserved to be included in the list of elite quarterbacks, piling up 356 yards with a touchdown pass and run. The receiving combo of Anquan Boldin (always tough and physical) and Torrey Smith (dynamic and fast with big play potential) proved too much for Cleveland to handle. Boldin racked up 131 yards while Smith added 97 and a score. The win was also Baltimore’s 10th straight win over a division opponent – always key for tiebreakers – and its ninth win in a row over Cleveland.
September 27, 2012
Browns: 16 Ravens: 23
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 28 of 46, 356 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 18 carries, 49 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 9 receptions, 131 yards Torrey Smith – 6 receptions, 97 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Albert McClellan – 8 tackles 35
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Champs Facts • This game was the first of the season for the regular NFL officials following the end of their lockout.
• As the regular NFL officials returned to the field the received a round of applause and shouts of encouragement.
• Before the pregame coin flip, referee Gene Steratore greeted the players by saying “Good evening, men, it’s good to be back.” The sellout crowd of 70,944 cheered and stood in approval. 36
Champs Chat
“The Cleveland Browns played a really good game tonight. They put themselves in position to get themselves a win at the end. You have to take your hat off to those young guys fighting. We are blessed to walk away tonight with a win. Definitely too close for comfort tonight, but a win is a win.”
- Safety Ed Reed (On the victory.)
“I’m tired man, I can’t wait to have this weekend off. Four games, 17 days, 3-1, I just can’t wait to have this weekend off. This win wasn’t one of our prettier ones, but it’s a division win and we’re alone in the top of our division. It feels good to come away with the win at home.”
- Running Back Ray Rice (On playing four games in 17 days.)
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Champs Facts • The win was the 13th straight for the Ravens at home, the longest current streak in the NFL. • The Ravens have won 9 straight over the Browns. • The Ravens became the second team in history to win on Thursday night after winning the previous Sunday night game. • The Ravens have won a franchise-record 10 straight divisional games.
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Champs Chat “Sure, yeah. These guys are pros. These guys are really good. The communication was good. I didn’t agree with every call.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On if he was happy to see the regular NFL officials.)
“It’s always going to be a tough game when you play against your division opponents. Every game is tough in the National Football League. But we’ve got to finish better and we’ve got to stop beating ourselves with penalties. Regardless of how it goes, those are my thoughts right now. I’m just thinking about the penalties and how we need do better on our end.”
- Linebacker Jameel McClain (On getting another tough victory.)
“I think the biggest thing is physically getting ready to play on a couple of days rest. Obviously, you can’t go to practice and polish everything off and run all kinds of full-speed reps. I think we’ve done enough of that. It still comes down to the physical aspect of it. Normally on Thursdays, some guys are still getting some soreness out and things like that. And, we’re getting ready to play a game, so it’s pretty crazy.
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On playing on Thursday after a Sunday Night game.) 39
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Baltimore at Kansas City Offense was the calling card for the first month, but the defense that turned Baltimore into one of the most consistent franchises of the decade returned with a flourish in Kansas City. They completely shut down Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, who managed only 92 yards, two picks and two fumbles before leaving with a head injury. KC running back Jamaal Charles played well, totaling 140 yards, but only 15 in the second half. The win had its share of scary moments for Baltimore. The Chiefs appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter but the play was called back due to an offensive pass interference penalty.
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They were forced to settle for a field goal and when the Ravens got the ball back, they held on for good. Rice reached the 100-yard mark again to make up for Flacco’s struggles. Justin Tucker accounted for all nine points. While not the prettiest victory in team history, it had to reassure fans back home in Baltimore to see the remnants of a fearsome defense. Perhaps the game brought back fond memories of the 2000 team that won the franchise’s only Super Bowl. If the defense could play anywhere close to this level, maybe another trip to the big game would be in the offing.
October 7, 2012
Ravens: 9 Chiefs: 6
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 13 of 27, 187 yards, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 17 carries, 102 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 4 receptions, 82 yards
Defense
Ray Lewis – 10 tackles 41
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Champs Facts • Some Chief fans had paid for a banner to be flown behind a plane before the game asking for quarterback Matt Cassel to be benched. • Chiefs Running Back Jamaal Charles rushed for 125 yards in the first half of the game. It marked the second time a rusher had run for 125 yards or more against the Ravens since the start of the 2008 season. • The Ravens started 4-1 for the third straight season. • The Ravens scored all 3 field goals on drives following Chiefs turnovers. 42
Champs Chat
“This game is as hard as it gets. We knew the kind of game we were going to get out of these guys. We knew it would be a tough sled. For us to come in and just keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting, that’s the one thing we talked about. Today was a big win for us.”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis (On the victory.)
“They’re not always pretty around here, but there’s one thing that we do around here, we do what we have to do to win football games, I’ve been saying that for a long time. Whether that’s throwing for 400 yards or having a crap day and throwing for 100 yards, we do what we have to do to win the game.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco (On the victory.)
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Baltimore vs Dallas The Ravens survived a thriller, set an NFL record, extended their home win streak to 14, but it all came at a high cost. Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for six, setting an NFL record, but a beleaguered and depleted defense labored mightily. Lardarius Webb, Baltimore’s best cover corner, tore his ACL and would miss the rest of the season. Rookie corner Jimmy Smith hurt his lower leg and the unit’s spiritual leader Ray Lewis tore his triceps. He would not return until the end of the season. Baltimore had to hold on for dear life against Tony Romo and the Cowboys. Romo hit receiver Dez Bry-
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ant in the end zone with 32 seconds left to pull Dallas within two points. A 2-point conversion failed, but Dallas successfully converted an onside kick to test the nerves of all fans decked in purple and black. Dallas’ Dan Bailey missed a 52-yard attempt and the Ravens breathed a sigh of relief. At 5-1 and in control of the division, one would expect elation in Maryland. Yet the proud defense had lost three key pieces, including its Hall of Fame heart and soul at middle linebacker, and had just yielded 481 yards of total offense, the most since the franchise moved to Baltimore.
October 14, 2012
Ravens: 31 Cowboys: 29
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 17 of 26, 234 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Ray Rice – 16 carries, 63 yards, 2 touchdowns
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 98 yards
Defense
Ray Lewis – 14 tackles Bernard Pollard – 13 tackles 45
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Champs Facts • The game was the Ravens only home game in the month of October. • Jacoby Jones tied an NFL record with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. • The Cowboys rushed for 227 yards against Baltimore, the most since the Ravens arrived in Baltimore in 1996.
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Champs Chat “I think it’s important to get the win because they were so loud at the end that it made the communication difficult. The snap clock was running down a number of times on those guys, and they were having some communications issues, so that’s a tribute to our crowd. I think the [14-game regular season] win streak speaks for itself. But, we think of ourselves as being 1-0 every week.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the help the team received from having the home field advantage.)
“It feels good. We’re going to have to get a lot better from this time to next time, and go out there and get another win. We’ve positioned ourselves very good right now, and we’re looking real good in our division.
- Quarterback Joe Flacco (On being 5-1 after 6 games.)
“I was very excited to get the win to go to 5-1 and to get ready for the Houston Texans.”
- Tackle Michael Oher
(On the Cowboys missed field goal at the end of the game.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens allowed more than 200 yards rushing in two straight games. • Ravens Center Matt Birk played in his 200th career game. • Orioles Manager Buck Showalter accompanied the Ravens captains to the coin toss and received a standing ovation.
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Champs Chat
“He ran 108, and I ran about 60 with him on the sideline. It was huge. It was a huge momentum shift for us. And, the way the Cowboys came out and played against us, that was huge for us.”
“Honestly, after I scored, I was like, ‘Alright, get back to reality, because the game’s still going on. We still have a whole second half to play, suck it up.’ I was gassed. I think I kind of threw up a little bit on the sidelines, but I was ready to go again.”
(On Jacoby Jones 108 yard kickoff return.)
(On the 108-yard kick return.)
- Wide Receiver Torrey Smith
- Wide Receiver Jacoby Jones
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Baltimore at Houston The Ravens’ four-game win streak cratered in Houston. A highly anticipated battle between the two top teams in the AFC turned into a giant disappointment for Baltimore. Sorely missing Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb, the defense continued its regression against the high-powered Texans, giving up 43 points, the most they had allowed since 2007. Also in a funk? Joe Flacco, who failed to reach 200 yards passing and had an interception returned the distance in the second quarter by Houston’s Johnathan Joseph. Though leading the league through six weeks in plays over 20 yards, no Baltimore receiver caught a pass longer than 15 yards on this day. With a mere nine carries, Ray Rice was a non-factor and the
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Ravens were out of this one by halftime. The one piece of good news was the return of pass-rusher extraordinaire Terrell Suggs, the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year. He had yet to play since undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon in May of 2012. He sacked Houston quarterback Matt Schaub once and recorded three solo tackles. The D couldn’t do much else as the Texans’ big three of Schaub, running back Arian Foster and receiver Andre Johnson made big contributions. The bye week could not have come at a better juncture for the beat-up Ravens, who needed some time to lick their wounds and gear up for the second half.
October 21, 2012
Ravens: 13 Texans: 43
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 21 of 43, 147 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Rushing
Ray Rice – 9 carries, 42 yards
Receiving
Torrey Smith – 4 receptions, 41 yards
Defense
Dannell Ellerbe – 12 tackles 51
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Champs Facts • The 30-point loss was the largest of the John Harbaugh era. • The Ravens have scored just 1 touchdown in their past 10 quarters away from M&T Bank Stadium. • The loss snaps a streak of 6 straight wins against the Texans. • The Ravens gave up their most points since 2007. 52
“There’s no sugar coating it. Call a spade a spade. They whooped our [butt].”
“When you make the mistakes that we made early, and play the way that we played early, the game got out of hand early, there’s no way you’re coming back on a professional team like that, that’s fighting like that at home. It’s impossible in a sense to do that on the road.”
(On the loss.)
(On the Ravens performance.)
Champs Chat - Linebacker Terrell Suggs
- Safety Ed Reed
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Champs Facts • Texans Defensive End J.J. Watt was held without a sack for the first time this season. • The announced attendance of 71,708 was the largest regular season crowd in Texans history. • Kicker Justin Tucker hit his fourth field goal of 50-yards or further this season, setting a Ravens franchise record.
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Champs Chat “We all could have done things better, starting with myself. I don’t really have an answer for you. I think that’s just the way it works out. These guys are a good team. We didn’t play up to the level we expected.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On the Ravens performance.)
“I’m concerned about everything. What aren’t we concerned about? The good thing is that it’s the NFL. Sometimes you get tossed out of the bar, and we did today.
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On his thoughts heading into the bye week.)
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Baltimore at Cleveland The perfect elixir for these Ravens coming off a disheartening blowout loss? An AFC North foe, specifically the Browns. Baltimore slugged out a hard-fought game in Cleveland, its 10th consecutive win over the Browns and 11th straight over a divisional rival. Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens are 5-0 following the bye week, but this one wasn’t easy. With just below nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Ravens were down 15-14 after building an early 14-0 lead. Joe Flacco and the offense had gone six straight possessions without conjuring up any points, but they needed some now. And they delivered. Flacco fired a slant pass to Torrey Smith, who turned the catch into a 19-yard touchdown to put Baltimore
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up 20-15. Harbaugh opted to go for 2, which proved to be the smart move. Flacco found Anquan Boldin wide open, staking the Ravens to a seven-point lead they did not relinquish. While far from dominant, the Ravens defense held strong in the red zone. The Browns were inside the 20 five times and still could not score a touchdown. Cleveland running back Trent Richardson became the first rookie since 1998 to rush for 100 yards against Baltimore’s vaunted D, but forcing five field goals gave the offense a chance to snap out of their midgame doldrums. Luckily for the purple and black, Flacco and Co. did just that.
November 4, 2012
Ravens: 25 Browns: 15
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 15 of 24, 153 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Ray Rice – 25 carries, 98 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 57 yards Torrey Smith – 4 receptions, 46 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Dannell Ellerbe – 9 tackles, 1 sack 57
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Champs Facts • The Ravens are a perfect 10-0 against the Browns under head coach John Harbaugh. • Browns running back Trent Richardson was the first rookie to rush for 100-yards against the Ravens since Fred Taylor in 1998. • Ray Rice and Trent Richardson exchanged jerseys on the field after the game.
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“That was a fight. That was an AFC North style team and this was an AFC North style battle.”
- John Harbaugh
Champs Chat
(On the win over the Browns.)
“I think all of us were probably frustrated a little bit there, we weren’t able to move the ball. We weren’t converting on third down. It’s how well you deal with the frustration and go back out there and pick yourself back up. I always say we are tough physically, but being tough mentally is just as important.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco (On the offensive struggles.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens have won 11-straight AFC North games. • The Ravens are 5-0 following the bye week under head coach John Harbaugh. • Baltimore has won 15 consecutive games following a loss.
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Champs Chat “You’re never going to complain about first place. It might not be pretty. It might not be what the world wants to see. But it’s us and we’ll take it any day. Winning is winning. I don’t know how to put winning in terms, but there is no such thing to me as a bad win.”
- Running Back Ray Rice (On the victory.)
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Baltimore vs Oakland Every now and then, it’s nice to have an easy blowout win that requires minimal effort and zero stress. Ravens fans, used to chewing their fingernails through close thrillers, were able to sit back and enjoy an offensive breakout against the woeful Raiders. Baltimore scored on six of its first seven possessions on its way to a club record in points. Flacco lead the charge by accumulating 341 yards and three touchdowns. Even the special teams scored two touchdowns, the first coming on a fake field goal. The second arrived in the fourth quarter on a 105-yard kickoff return for six by the explosive Jacoby Jones. Every-
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thing went the Ravens’ way. Case in point, their first punt did not come until the third quarter. The Raiders promptly fumbled and Flacco turned the second chance into a touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. Ray Rice did not need to carry the load, but he did join Jamal Lewis as the only two backs in Ravens history to surpass 5,000 yards. Fittingly he achieved the mark at home, where the Ravens had posted 15 wins in a row, still tops in the league. With more games like this, they were sure to host at least one playoff game, a fearsome prospect for the rest of the AFC.
November 11, 2012
Raiders: 20 Ravens: 55
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 21 of 33, 341 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 13 carries, 35 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Dennis Pitta – 5 receptions, 67 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Bernard Pollard – 11 tackles, 1 sack 63
Ray-Vens Rule
Champs Facts • The Ravens won their previous five games by a combined 23 points and won this game by 35. • The Ravens scored on six of their first 7 possessions. • For the first time since 1962, the Raiders gave up at least 40 points in two consecutive games.
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Champs Chat “Obviously, that was a heck of a team victory. All three phases played exceptionally well, made plays, just real pleased with the way we played today and the way we finished. I thought we started fast. We finished well, and we played pretty good in between, which we haven’t always done. So, that’s a good step in the right direction.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On the win over the Raiders.)
“This game is something to build on and keep getting better. Obviously, it is always good when you can score a lot of points, but it’s something to build on. Having said that, I’m sure we are going to have a lot of corrections to make. Still, it’s great to win.”
- Tackle Michael Oher
(On what the performance means to the team.)
“I think a lot of guys are really starting to come around, and this defense is starting to gel together. Things are kind of rolling our way. It’s just a matter of us putting the right things together, and trying to make plays. We did that today. And I think it’s going to keep getting better.”
- Linebacker Paul Kruger (On the defensive performance.)
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Champs Facts • The 55-points tied a Raider franchise record for points allowed. • Baltimore has won an NFL leading 15-straight home games. • Jacoby Jones became the first Ravens player to have two kickoff returns for touchdowns. • The Ravens are 7-1 all-time against the Raiders.
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Champs Chat “I think we’re a pretty confident group. I don’t really think this game will have too much weight come Sunday. I think it will be behind us, and we’ll be getting ready to line up against the Steelers.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On this game giving the team confidence.)
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Baltimore at Pittsburgh When the Ravens and Steelers meet, hard hits and stingy defense are sure to follow. The re-kindling of this ferocious AFC North rivalry had plenty of both. Baltimore took full advantage of Ben Roethlisberger’s absence. The Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh QB stood injured on the sideline, helplessly watching as the Ravens harassed veteran backup Byron Leftwich the entire game. John Harbaugh’s defense, still missing Ray Lewis and ranked in the bottom half of the league, picked off Leftwich once and sacked him three times. In total they forced three turnovers to pick up the slack as Joe Flacco and Ray Rice failed to make an impact.
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The offense had its share of trouble with the Steelers defense, so the special teams stepped up again, mostly in the name of Jacoby Jones. No stranger to huge plays, Jones ran back a punt for this third return touchdown of the season. Kicker Justin Tucker did the rest with two field goals. By leaving Pittsburgh with the W, the Ravens possessed a formidable two-game lead in the division with six games to go. Considering they had 12 straight victories in the division, the odds for consecutive AFC North titles looked mighty strong. But this team had more than another AFC North crown on its agenda. By this point in the season it was thinking on a much grander scale.
November 18, 2012
Ravens: 13 Steelers: 10
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 20 of 32, 164 yards
Rushing
Ray Rice – 20 carries, 40 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 8 receptions, 79 yards
Defense
Dannell Ellerbe – 12 tackles 69
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Champs Facts • The Ravens have won 3 straight at Heinz Field. • Ben Roethlisberger missed the game due to injury; since 2005 the Ravens are 5-0 against the Steelers when Roethlisberger doesn’t play. • Baltimore has not allowed a red-zone touchdown in the last three games.
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Champs Chat “We took the mentality as a team that we’re going into a fistfight.”
- Safety James Ihedigbo (On the Ravens attitude for the game.)
“We knew it was going to be an all-out war for 60 minutes and we came out and played a 60-minute game like the Ravens are supposed to.”
- Cornerback Cary Williams (On the Physical game.)
“Their defense is good. There’s no sugarcoating that, that’s a hard-hitting, physical defense and it was body blow after body blow after body blow. It was a heavyweight fight.”
- Running Back Ray Rice (On the physical battle.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens have won 12 straight games in their division. • The last 5 regular season games between the Ravens and Steelers at Heinz field have all been decided by 3 points. • The Steelers only touchdown in the game came in the opening minute, meaning the Ravens held the Steelers without a touchdown for 59 minutes and 17 seconds.
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Champs Chat
“It’s never pretty in this game. We got a typical Pittsburgh-Baltimore game played. It was a great defensive struggle.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On the game.)
“It’s bittersweet. I’m glad to have the win, but we’d rather have those guys playing. It does good for the rivalry, it does good for football to have both teams have key components.”
- Linebacker Terrell Suggs
(On how the win feels with so many players on both teams injured for the game.) 73
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Baltimore at San Diego Baltimore’s trip to sunny San Diego produced one of the defining plays – and wins – of the season. In the final two minutes, the Ravens were in a desperate situation. They trailed by three points and faced a fourth-and-29 from their own 37. Joe Flacco took a shotgun snap, couldn’t find anyone open deep and checked down to Ray Rice. The diminutive but stellar playmaker burst up the middle, made three Chargers defenders miss and gained the necessary yardage. Somehow he was able to pick up exactly 37 yards. Justin Tucker tied the score with a 38-yard kick as time expired and momentum was clearly on the side of the Ravens heading into OT. The Ravens defense, stout all day, forced two punts in overtime. A 31-yard pass to Torrey Smith on third-
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and-10 set up another 38-yard Tucker field goal that gave Baltimore the improbable victory with 1:07 remaining in the extra session. Smith, continued to establish himself as Baltimore’s go-to receiver, gained 144 yard on seven catches. Another key decider in the Ravens’favor: They converted 50 percent (12 of 24) of their third downs. At 9-2, the Ravens held a three-game lead over the Steelers in the division. Perhaps lost amid the awe of Rice’s miracle play was a strong effort by the defense. Led by defensive end Arthur Jones, the Ravens sacked San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers six times and allowed only one touchdown. It all made for an enjoyable cross-country flight.
November 25, 2012
Ravens: 16 Chargers: 13
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 30 of 51, 355 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Ray Rice – 22 carries, 97 yards
Receiving
Torrey Smith – 7 receptions, 144 yards
Defense
Bernard Pollard – 8 tackles Dannell Ellerbe – 6 tackles, 1 sack 75
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Champs Facts • The Chargers blew a double-digit second half lead for the third time this season. • Ray Rice’s catch and run on fourth-and-29 is the longest fourth-down conversion in NFL in 11 years.
the
• The Ravens are now 8-1 against the AFC this season. • Baltimore has allowed just 9 passing touchdowns this season, which ranks as the fewest in the NFL.
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Champs Chat “I just know we have a football team that has the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to go overboard here, but how can you not? Have you ever been a part of a game like that? Have you ever seen a game like that? I never have. There’s something going on with this football team that is just really, really special and miraculous.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On his feelings after the dramatic win.)
“It was a great team win, it shows that we can win a football game any type of way required.”
- Linebacker Terrell Suggs (On the victory.)
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Champs Facts • After the game-winning field goal, Ray Rice and John Harbaugh were seen giving high fives to Ravens fans in the stands at Qualcomm Stadium. • Baltimore had a season high 6-sacks in the game. • The Ravens now have 12 sacks in their last 3 games.
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Champs Chat
“I had a great view. That’s probably one of the best plays I’ve ever seen. You won’t see too many plays like that. He was the perfect guy for it.”
- Wide Receiver Torrey Smith (On Ray Rice’s 4th and 29 conversion.)
“It was just total will, once I made the first guy miss when I cut back across the grain, I actually saw the defense had to flip their hip and I kept eyeing the first down. I looked and said, ‘Should I keep running to the sideline or should I just keep trying to get up field?’ And that’s what I did. I just kept getting up field.”
- Running Back Ray Rice
(On converting a 4th and 29 play that set up the game tying field goal.)
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Baltimore vs Pittsburgh Coming off the highest of highs after their dramatic victory in San Diego, the Ravens crashed back down to earth the following week in their rematch against the hated Steelers. Pittsburgh, forced to start 37-year old backup signal-caller Charlie Batch, snapped Baltimore’s home winning streak at 15 and its inter-division win streak at 12. In front of the second biggest crowd in team history of 71,442 fans the Raven missed out on a chance to clinch a playoff berth and strengthen their grip on the AFC North. Batch marched the Steelers back from a 20-13 deficit in the fourth quarter. A touchdown pass to tight end Heath Miller tied the score and a 42-yard field goal from Shaun Suisham as time expired won it for
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Pittsburgh. A contributing element to the Steelers rally was a back-breaking Joe Flacco fumble that set up the tying score to Miller. The Ravens QB raised doubts about his elite status with another sub-par effort as his team blew a 13-3 first-half advantage against their rivals’ third-string passer. The defense played well enough to win, forcing three turnovers, but were unable to stop Batch and the black-and-gold when it mattered most. The disappointing – and nearly inexplicable defeat turned out to be a sign of things to come as Baltimore lumbered through the worst stretch of its season. A Super Bowl appearance seemed like a long shot at this point.
December 2, 2012
Steelers: 23 Ravens: 20
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 16 of 34, 188 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 12 carries, 78 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 81 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Corey Graham – 11 tackles 81
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Champs Facts • Both games between these two teams this season were decided by three points. • Seven of the last eight regular season games have been decided by 3-points. • The Ravens could have clinched a playoff berth with a win. • The game was tied three different times. • The Ravens are 9-3 for the second straight year and just the third time in team history.
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Champs Chat
“First off, hats off to those guys. They played their heart out. They played smart. It’s always tough playing against the Steelers. [They have] a bunch of great competitors over there, great coaching. You have to know the game is going to be like this every time. You know what to expect when playing against the Steelers. We didn’t play our best ball today.”
- Safety Ed Reed (On the tough loss.)
“No, I think we’re all right. I think everybody is disappointed that we didn’t pull it off, but this doesn’t define us. We are all right. We’re 9-3. We’re still in the lead for this division. We’re still going to win this division, so we’re OK.”
- Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin
(On being disappointed after the loss.)
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Champs Facts • The loss snapped the Ravens 15-game home winning streak. • The Ravens last home loss was against Pittsburgh in December 2010. • The crowd of 71,442 was the second largest crowd in Ravens history. • Baltimore has now played 71 straight games without a losing record, giving them the longest streak in the NFL.
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Champs Chat
“This game didn’t determine the AFC North. We still can go ahead and win the division, we’ll go ahead and try to get over this loss.”
- Running Back Ray Rice
“I think we missed a couple of opportunities early to really take a hold of this game even more. I thought we could have put up 30 or 40 points today and we didn’t. I think that’s a reflection that we hurt ourselves.”
“That was a typical Pittsburgh-Baltimore game. It’s amazing how it works out that way.”
(On missed opportunities in the game.)
(On the game and 3-point outcome.)
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On getting over the loss.)
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
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Baltimore at Washington This was one of the most exciting, topsy-turvy games of the entire NFL season. Unfortunately for the Ravens it was another loss. Rookie quarterback sensation Robert Griffin III injured his knee in the final drive with the Ravens leading by eight. Another rookie, Kirk Cousins, filled in and promptly tossed a touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon with 29 seconds left. The backup evened the score with a QB sneak on the 2-point conversion. Stunned, the Ravens did nothing with their first possession in overtime. Sam Koch punted to Washington rookie Brandon Crawford, who energized Redskins fans with his 64-yard return that set up the Redskins in prime position at the Baltimore 24. A 34-yard Kai Forbath field goal four plays later closed out the contest. Washington’s comeback meant the Ravens would
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have to wait at least a week to lock up the division title. It was also the end of Baltimore’s 15-game winning streak following a loss and its first losing streak since 2009. In their past four games, the Ravens were a mediocre 2-2, with every game being decided by three points. The success of a bevy of Redskins rookies had to sting the veteran Ravens. From Griffin to Cousins and Crawford to running back Alfred Morris (122 yards, one score), first-year players consistently bested Baltimore’s more experienced group. If the loss wasn’t bad enough, the list of injuries might have been worse. Ray Rice left with a hip pointer, though it wasn’t serious. Blocking stalwarts Marshall Yanda (right guard) and Vonta Leach (fullback) suffered sprained ankles. More bad news: The schedule was not getting any easier for the battered and emotionally bruised club.
December 9, 2012
Ravens: 28 Redskins: 31
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 16 of 21, 182 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 20 carries, 121 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 3 receptions, 78 yards, 2 touchdowns Dennis Pitta – 5 receptions, 46 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Jameel McClain – 8 tackles Bernard Pollard – 8 tackles 87
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Champs Facts • The Ravens squandered a chance to clinch the AFC North with a win. • The loss ended a 15-game winning streak following a loss for the Ravens. • The Ravens lost back-to-back games for the first time since 2009. • Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin became the 39th player in NFL history to reach the 10,000 receiving yards mark. Boldin currently has 10,072 receiving yards.
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Champs Chat
“We’ll be alright. I don’t know if people want me to be pissed off, but I mean we’re still a playoff-contending team, we’re still going to win the AFC North. What else can I say? We let one get away today. We go back to work tomorrow, fix the things that we can fix and then move on.”
- Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin (On moving past the loss.)
“It was a hard, tough and disappointing loss, but we are not going to be disheartened.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the team moving past this loss.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens last 4 games have all been decided by 3-points. • Cam Cameron was removed as offensive coordinator and replaced by quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell following this game. • The Ravens won the coin toss in overtime but went three and out on their first offensive possession. • The Ravens lost their second straight while the Redskins won their 4th consecutive game.
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Champs Chat
“We feel like we moved the ball well the whole game, we just had some mistakes, whether it was penalties or turnovers that really hurt us. I think that’s what’s most frustrating about this loss. We feel like we were executing but we were shooting ourselves in the foot.”
“As a leader on this team I like to finish teams out. I don’t want to be known as, ‘Yeah, we get them close in the fourth quarter, and the Ravens are going to give it away.’ That’s never been us. That’s not going to be us.”
(On the Ravens frustrations on offense.)
(On the loss.)
- Tight End Dennis Pitta
- Running Back Ray Rice
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Baltimore vs Denver Peyton Manning has always been a Ravens killer and nothing changed on this long, dreadful afternoon. Manning, making an MVP push after missing a season due to a series of neck surgeries, beat Baltimore for the ninth straight time. Denver had been 0-5 in Charm City, but Manning has a way of changing things. Nothing changed for the Ravens amidst a shocking three-game losing streak, two in a row coming at home. The play of the game did not involve Manning at all, but his counterpart. Joe Flacco had the Ravens at the Denver 4, trailing 10-0 but knocking on the door for a sorely needed touchdown. Flacco tried to hit Anquan Boldin, but Denver’s Chris Harris stepped in front and bolted 98-yards the other way for the momentum killing score. The week had been an interesting one for the Ravens, who fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron
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in the wake of the loss to the Redskins. Switching play-callers so late into the season was not a great sign for a team with championship aspirations, but John Harbaugh felt a change needed to be made and he made it. Looking at it now, it was clearly one of the most bold and effective moves in NFL history. Cameron’s replacement was Jim Caldwell, who coached the Indianapolis Colts from 2009-2011, a few of those years with Peyton Manning as his QB. His offense started inauspiciously, gaining only 119 yards in the first half with two turnovers that led to 10 points for the Broncos. Besides his interception, Flacco lost a fumble. Ray Rice struggled as well, rushing for a paltry 38 yards. While too soon to judge Caldwell, the Ravens needed to win fast, their lead in the North down to one and a date with the defending champions looming.
December 16, 2012
Broncos: 34 Ravens: 17
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 20 of 40, 254 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Rushing
Ray Rice – 12 carries, 38 yards
Receiving
Dennis Pitta – 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 touchdowns
Defense
Josh Bynes – 13 tackles 93
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Champs Facts • The Broncos won their 9th straight game on the season. • Denver was 0-5 in Baltimore prior to this game. • The Ravens were playing their first game under new offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell. • The Ravens lost three consecutive games for just the third time under head coach John Harbaugh.
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Champs Chat “That’s what it is, our third loss. The closer we get to the end of the season; each loss is getting tougher and tougher.”
- Linebacker Albert McClellan
(On their third-straight loss.)
“Each game, every phase of our team has to complement each other. So when the ball stays in the hands of one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game [Peyton Manning] and you give him that many touches, most people are going to lose in that situation.”
- Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo (On the loss to the Broncos.)
“I don’t think it’s a concern. We’ve just got to be able to learn from this loss and the last two and do what we can to prepare ourselves and get a little bit better. This was kind of a crazy week for us, with all that went down, but bottom line is we just didn’t execute as well as we would have liked throughout that ballgame – and especially early on.
- Tight End Dennis Pitta
(On how concerned he was about the team.)
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Champs Facts • Despite the loss, the Ravens still managed to clinch a playoff berth when the Steelers lost to Dallas. • The Ravens will head to the playoffs for the fifth straight season. • Ray Rice passed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the 4th straight season. • Tight End Dennis Pitta set career highs with 125 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns in the game and his 61-yard touchdown stands as the Ravens longest play from scrimmage this season.
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Champs Chat
“This is our loss, no less than the last three losses were our losses. We didn’t get a very fast start. We had some self-inflicted issues around halftime. We couldn’t get anything going until late, so that’s where we are at. We understand that. We are going to work to improve.”
“The most important thing to understand is that every goal that we have, starting with our first goal which is to win the AFC North is in front of us. It’s still there, and every dream that we have, which is the ultimate dream is still available to us. And that’s what you keep in mind.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the Ravens third straight loss.)
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the Ravens third straight loss.)
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Baltimore vs New York Giants Waiting four games and enduring a three-game skid only made the Ravens’ celebration that much sweeter. By virtue of a huge win over the Giants, the Ravens clinched the AFC North title and at least one home game in the playoffs In their second outing under the offensive tutelage of Jim Caldwell, the Ravens started to click. Joe Flacco gashed New York for 309 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he ended his disturbing habit of turning the ball over. Ray Rice chipped in with a touchdown reception and 107 yards on the ground. He didn’t even have the best rushing game on his own team as backup Bernard Pierce rumbled for 123 yards. If this is how the Ravens were going to play from now on, watch out, AFC.
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A short-handed defense missing linebackers Ray Lewis and Jameel McClain and hard-hitting safety Bernard Pollard, held the Giants in check. Eli Manning only had 150 yards and New York’s rushing attack was non-existent. Playing a pivotal role in the defense’s rise was linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who stepped up to fill the void left by Lewis’ absence and the inconsistency of Terrell Suggs, still recovering from his offseason surgery. Don’t forget kicker Justin Tucker, 4 for 4 on field goals against the Giants. He would end the season hitting 90 percent of his attempts, an NFL record for a rookie. Considering that their previous playoff run ended on missed field goal, having a reliable place kicker might come in handy against AFC powers like Denver and New England.
December 23, 2012
Giants: 14 Ravens: 33
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 25 of 36, 309 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Bernard Pierce – 14 carries, 123 yards Ray Rice – 24 carries, 107 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 7 receptions, 93 yards Torrey Smith – 5 receptions, 88 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Dannell Ellerbe – 5 tackles Haloti Ngata – 4 tackles, 1 sack 99
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Champs Facts • The win clinched the AFC North Championship for the Ravens. • The 533 total offensive yards were a season high. • The victory ended the Ravens longest losing streak since 2009. • The Ravens clinched the AFC North for the second-consecutive season. 100
Champs Chat “Like I said last week, we’re going to see what kind of team we are. I think that we showed ourselves and we showed people today that we are that kind of team.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco (On the victory.)
“When you lose three straight games, you tend to maybe get down on yourself and there tends to be division with a team. This team showed no signs of that. We stuck together and got even closer. We knew what it would take to get back on track and we continued to work hard. This is a nice payoff for all that work.”
- Tight End Dennis Pitta (On the importance of the win.)
“Right now it’s championship football and our story is still not written for the season. Now is just the beginning.”
- Defensive End Art Jones
(On the Ravens putting the losing streak behind them.)
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Champs Facts • The Ravens have won 10-straight regular-season home finales. • The Giants were unable to force a turnover for just the fifth time in 47 games. • The Ravens have committed just 15 turnovers through 15 games. • Baltimore registered their 4th 10-win season under head coach John Harbaugh.
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Champs Chat
“It’s about execution, man. It’s a simple word, but it’s a very tough task to do. This was a championship game for us.”
- Running Back Ray Rice
(On finally getting a win to clinch the AFC North.
“We know what’s at stake. We want the AFC championship and it starts tonight. We’re not looking at the regular season. The playoffs started for us and we’re going to keep on playing.”
- Safety James Ihedigbo (On clinching the AFC North.)
“I think all of us in this room who cover this division know how difficult that is and what a challenge that is. It’s been especially difficult coming for us the last few weeks, so we’re darn proud of that. I’m as proud of this team right now as ever. For them to earn a championship like this means a lot.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On clinching the AFC North.)
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Baltimore at Cincinnati The regular season finale felt more like a preseason matchup as the Bengals and Ravens, already assured of playoff spots, opted to rest their starters. The Ravens, already beat up on defense and out of the running for a bye week, took it easy and lost at Cincinnati to finish 10-6 for the year. Coach Harbaugh pulled Joe Flacco and Ray Rice after two series, leaving the bulk of the work to backups Tyrod Taylor at quarterback and Bernard Pierce at running back. Also inactive for Baltimore were Anquan Boldin, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata. Torrey Smith had a quiet afternoon catching not a single pass on just one target.
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Taylor, an athletically gifted QB out of Virginia Tech, threw for 149 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He fared better on the ground with 65 yards and a score on nine attempts. The Bengals’ Chris Dunlap made the game-clinching play when he tipped an interception to himself and took it 14 yards to the end zone. After a virtual bye week, the Ravens would be as healthy as possible heading into the postseason. Their first step on the journey to New Orleans for Super Bowl XLVII: former Baltimore defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano and the surprising Colts. It was the best time of the year, playoff time.
December 30, 2012
Ravens: 17 Bengals: 23
Champs Stats Passing
Tyrod Taylor – 15 of 25, 149 yards, 1 interception
Rushing
Bernard Pierce – 22 carries, 89 yards Tyrod Taylor – 9 carries, 65 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Ed Dickson – 6 receptions, 64 yards
Defense
Josh Bynes – 9 tackles 105
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Champs Facts • The Ravens had several of their starters inactive for the game and pulled Joe Flacco and Ray Rice after two series. • The game time temperature was 26-degrees, with a wind chill of 16. • After going 0-6 in the past few seasons against Baltimore and Pittsburgh, the Bengals beat the Steelers and Ravens in back-to-back weeks. • Ravens kicker Justin Tucker finished the regular season 30 of 33, giving him a 90.9 percent success rate and setting an NFL record for a rookie. • Both teams had already clinched playoff berths before playing the game.
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Champs Chat
“The goal was two-fold: To put us in the best position possible going forward into the playoffs and to win the game. We obviously didn’t win the game and we’re disappointed in that. We feel like we’re in the best position we could have been going forward into the playoffs.”
“Our main goal was to get guys back healthy; that was goal No. 1. This team’s getting healthy and we’re going to hit our stride going forward in the playoffs.”
(On the Ravens goal for the game.)
(On the Ravens getting healthy heading into the playoffs.)
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
- Running Back Ray Rice
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The Ravens March to New Orleans
2013 AFC Playoffs 108
2013 AFC
PLAYOFFS RESULTS WILD CARD PLAYOFFS 01/06/2013 vs INDIANAPOLIS 24 - 9 W
DIVISION PLAYOFFS 01/12/2013 at DENVER 38 - 35 W
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP 01/20/2013 at NEW ENGLAND 28 - 13 W
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Baltimore vs Indianapolis A win over the Colts in the wild-card round of the playoffs wasn’t a forgone conclusion or a guarantee, but nobody in their right mind thought there was any chance Ray Lewis and company would lose in his final game ever in Baltimore. The emotions were simply too high to entertain any thoughts of an upset win for Indy, and to the credit of the Ravens, they channeled all that positive energy for their emotional leader into solid play on the field, that ended in a 24-9 beat down of the Colts. Lewis certainly did his part, running all over the field and finishing with 13 tackles, and even lined up at fullback for the final play of the game to give fans one last opportunity to cheer for him. Anquan Boldin showed he is one of the best big game receivers in the league, as he had 145 yards receiving and the clinching touchdown, and Joe Flacco showed young hotshot Andrew Luck how playoff football is played, winning a postseason game for the fifth year in a row.
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Flacco finished with a solid 282 yards passing, while Ray Rice chewed up valuable time on the clock and finished with 70 yards. The Ravens have a roster stacked with proud and dedicated professionals, and their only thought on this day was winning and advancing. The defense never allowed Luck to feel comfortable, and the fairy tale season for the Colts came to a crashing halt. They might very well be a future powerhouse in the AFC with their young quarterback in command but when it comes to the present, it was clear who the better, more physical, more inspired team on this day was. The team in purple led by #52 who was now on their way to face the Broncos in Denver. They would meet a red hot Broncos team led by the rejuvenated former star of the Colts, Peyton Manning. Everyone was expecting an outstanding showdown but little did we know we were six days away from witnessing an all time playoff classic.
January 6, 2013
Indianapolis: 9 Ravens: 24
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 12 of 23, 282 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Bernard Pierce – 13 carries, 103 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 145 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Ray Lewis – 13 tackles Cary Williams – 12 tackles, 1 interception 111
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Champs Facts • Anquan Boldin set a franchise playoff record with 145 yards receiving. • Ray Lewis ended the game playing full back on the final kneel-down. • Ray Lewis played for the first time since Oct. 14th after coming back from a right triceps injury. • Colts head coach Chuck Pagano missed 12-weeks of the regular season while undergoing treatment for Leukemia.
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Champs Chat “It was a special day. Emotions were high and you could feel it in the crowd and you can feel it in everybody on our team. Seeing him (Ray Lewis) come out of the tunnel for the last time here at M&T Bank Stadium was big. It was really special. I just feel fortunate to have been a part of it. We got a great win for him here and what a great way to send him off from Baltimore to the next round of the playoffs.”
- Tight End Dennis Pitta
(On sending Ray Rice out of Baltimore with a win and the pregame emotion.)
“For me, it was measured excitement. We knew what was at stake for us today and for Ray [Lewis]. But, we did what we had to do, got the ‘W’ for him and for us.”
- Defensive Tackle Haloti Ngata (On the emotions of the day.)
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Champs Facts • Joe Flacco has now won at least one playoff game in all 5 of his pro seasons, becoming the only quarterback in the modern era of the NFL to do so. • The Ravens have won a playoff game in each year under head coach John Harbaugh. • Ray Lewis announced his retirement would come at the end of the Ravens season. 114
Champs Chat Everything that starts has an end. It’s just life. And for me, today I told my team that this will be my last ride. I told them I just felt so much peace at where I am with my decision because of everything I’ve done in this league. I’ve done it, man.”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis (On his decision to retire.)
“I can’t picture Baltimore without him. Baltimore is Ray Lewis.”
- Running Back Ray Rice
(On Ray Lewis’ decision to retire at the end of the season.)
“My only focus was to come in and get my team a win. Nothing else was planned.”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis (On the victory.)
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Baltimore at Denver On a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon/early evening in Denver, Colorado, we learned several things. Number one, nobody could argue that the Baltimore Ravens were officially a team of destiny. Number two, Joe Flacco vaulted himself into the rare air and onto the limited roster of truly elite clutch quarterbacks. In a play that will live forever as one of the most exciting in Baltimore sports history, and most improbable in NFL playoff history, Flacco saved the game, the season, and the Super Bowl hopes of his teammates with an incredible 70-yard touchdown heave to Jacoby Jones in the final seconds of this AFC Divisional playoff game. Somehow Jones was able to slip behind a clueless Denver secondary, and pluck the frozen ball out of the icy air and stroll into the end zone to allow the Ravens to tie the game. Was there any doubt the Ravens would finish things out in overtime? Hardly. It took two overtimes and over four hours, but Justin Tucker ended the suspense with a 47-yard field goal 1:42 into the second OT to end this instant classic. Flacco won the quarterback showdown with future
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Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, and sent the golden boy into the offseason thinking about all his mistakes that contributed to the Denver loss. Manning’s biggest blunder was his cross-body throw that was picked of by Cory Graham, setting up the game-winning field goal. Once again, Ray Lewis was a defensive force, finishing with 17 tackles in the game that lasted 77 minutes. Believe it or not, the Ravens entered the game 9.5-point underdogs, but they went blow-for-blow with a Broncos team that entered the game with 11-straight wins. It was hard to believe that the Ravens had stumbled to the playoffs, losers of four of their last five games, but riding the incredible emotional wave that Lewis’ final trek through the playoffs would bring has allowed them to find another gear. On top of being a very good football team, it was clear fate was also a close ally of the team from Charm City who were now just 60-minutes away from a trip to the Big Easy.
January 12, 2013
Ravens: 38 Denver: 35
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 18 of 34, 331 yards, 3 touchdowns
Rushing
Ray Rice – 30 carries, 131 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Torrey Smith – 3 receptions, 98 yards, 2 touchdowns Jacoby Jones – 2 receptions, 77 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Ray Lewis – 17 tackles Terrell Suggs – 10 tackles, 2 sacks 117
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Champs Facts • The game was played in temperatures that hovered around 13 degrees and had a wind-chill factor of -1. • According to ESPN Stats & Information’s win probability model, The Ravens had a 2.8% chance of winning the game before Jacoby Jones 70-yard touchdown with 31 seconds remaining. • The overtime game lasted approximately 4 hours and 11 minutes. • The game was the fourth longest in NFL playoff history. • Peyton Manning fell to 0-4 in playoff games when the temperature is below 40 degrees. 118
Champs Chat “We fought hard to get back to this point. We are definitely proud of being here, and we feel like it is going to take a lot for someone to come and kick us off that field come the AFC championship game. We are going to give it our all and we know what it felt like last year. We walked off that field without that win. We know what we’ve put in to get back to this point. It is going to be a great game.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
(On the Ravens being ready for the AFC Championship.)
“We are the team of destiny. Joe Flacco is going to lead us to the Super Bowl.”
- Running Back Ray Rice (On the Ravens playoff run.)
“That will probably be one of the greatest victories in Ravens history. It’s probably because of how everything was stacked against [us] coming in.”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis (On the improbable win.)
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Champs Facts • The Broncos came into the game on an 11-game winning streak. • The Ravens are headed to the AFC Championship game for the second straight season. • The game was the coldest playoff game in Broncos history. • After not allowing a special teams touchdown all year, the Ravens gave up two to the Broncos in the game. • The Ravens are headed to their third AFC Championship in the last 5 years. 120
Champs Chat
“Thanks for bearing witness to one of the greatest football games you’re ever going to see. That football game did the game of football proud. I’m just proud and grateful for the chance to be associated with this game. Grateful for the opportunity to stand with a bunch of men, who through an incredible amount of adversity stood together, never wavered, never cracked.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
“We’ve fought through so much adversity, so many things. We’ve dealt with injuries, we’ve dealt with people losing family members. You feel for your brother when you’re going through those things. These are the times that mark the character of a team. We just continue to be resilient and show off.”
- Cornerback Cary Williams
(On the adversity the team has had to deal with.)
(On the game and victory.)
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Baltimore at New England Let the storylines begin! The ‘what if’ scenarios became official on this day, as the Ravens 28-13 dismantling of the Patriots in the AFC Championship game in suburban Boston means we will get to see head-coaching brothers square off against each other for the world to see in the Super Bowl. It also means the greatest, most-feared and most-respected middle linebacker to ever lace up a pair of cleats could end his storied career as a world champion. The Ravens completed their unlikely romp through the AFC playoffs by clinching their first Super Bowl berth in 12 years. Once again, like the week before, this game featured Joe Flacco completely outplaying a future Hall of Famer and living legend. While Joe Cool was an ultra-efficient 21 of 36 for 240 yards and three touchdowns, Tom Brady took his lumps from the ferocious and fired-up Ravens defense and looked like an average quarterback, throwing two critical interceptions in the fourth quarter.
These two teams have become fierce playoff rivals, and the win was sweet vindication for the Ravens heart-breaking loss on the same field, in the same game a year ago. John Harbaugh showed what a brilliant motivator he is, out-scheming and out-smarting Bill Belichick and setting up the ultimate family reunion with his brother Jim and the San Francisco 49ers. ““I don’t know if we had a dream this big,” the Ravens coach said after the game. One person who had always dreams big is Ray Lewis. “This is our time. This is our time,” he proclaimed joyously after the game. He was right, and the defense was a huge reason why. Lewis himself was a tackling machine, finishing with 14 in the game to pad his postseason total to 44. Lewis and his defensive mates battered and baffled Brady the entire game, and it ended up being the first time in 68 games that Brady lost a home game when he was leading at halftime.
It was now on to New Orleans, with the sole objective of the Ravens is to complete the dream season and prove they are a team of destiny, and their coach for this year at least, is not only the best in the NFL, but in his family as well.
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January 20, 2013
Ravens: 28 New England: 13
Champs Stats Passing
Joe Flacco – 21 of 36, 240 yards, 3 touchdowns
Rushing
Bernard Pierce – 9 carries, 52 yards Ray Rice – 19 carries, 48 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Torrey Smith – 4 receptions, 69 yards Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 60 yards, 2 touchdowns Dennis Pitta – 5 receptions, 55 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Ray Lewis – 14 tackles Corey Graham – 11 tackles 123
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Champs Facts • The Ravens reached their first Super Bowl in 12 years. • Prior to this game, Tom Brady was 67-0 at home when leading at halftime. • The Patriots had never lost an AFC Championship Game at home. • The Ravens outscored the Patriots 21-0 in the second half. • Quarterback Joe Flacco’s six playoff road wins are the most in NFL history. 124
Champs Chat
“For me to come out and say this was my last ride and for now to be headed back to the Super Bowl with the possibility of winning a second ring, how else do you cap off a career?”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis
(On his pending retirement at the end of the season.)
“Ray Lewis has done so much for this team and for Baltimore. For us to help him get to the Super Bowl for his retirement is an amazing feeling, I’m just happy to be on his team at this time.”
- Defensive Tackle Haloti Ngata (On being a part of this with Ray Lewis.)
“This is a team of faith. We believed all year, no matter what the circumstances were, we knew this was our game, and we knew we were going to win.”
- Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin (On the team always believing.)
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Champs Facts • Joe Flacco is the only quarterback to win a playoff game in each of his first 5 seasons. • The Ravens will now advance to play the 49ers in the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The last time the 49ers and Ravens played was in 2011, when Baltimore beat San Francisco 16-6. • US Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was seen giving hugs and high fives in the locker room following the game. • The 49ers were listed as the early 5-point favorite in the Super Bowl. 126
Champs Chat “I think it’s just cool for the city of Baltimore. I know how the fans are with their sports with every team, and just being able to come here, after seeing the support out there on the field, it’s unbelievable. Everybody just went crazy. It’s amazing.”
- US Olympic Swimming Champion Michael Phelps
(Who was in the locker room for the Ravens postgame celebration.)
“I don’t know if we had a dream this big. We had a few dreams, we had a few fights, we had a few arguments -- just like all brothers.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On the win and trip to the Super Bowl to face his brother Jim.) 127
Super Bowl
XLVII
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February 3, 2013 Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana Baltimore vs San Francisco 129
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Baltimore vs San Francisco It took every second of a 60-minute football war and more than a 30-minute power outage, but in the end, the Ravens prevailed over the 49ers for the second Super Bowl title in franchise history -- and in doing so, gave head coach John Harbaugh bragging rights over his little brother Jim for life. For a while, it looked like the Ravens were going to cruise to a blowout win. Quarterback Joe Flacco, who was named MVP, tossed three first-half touchdowns, and after Jacoby Jones took the opening kickoff of the second half a Super Bowl record 108 yards to the house, Baltimore was sitting pretty with a 28-6 lead. To that point the Niners’ vaunted defense had shown no signs of being able to stop the Ravens, and conversely, Ray Lewis and the Baltimore defense were shutting down Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco pistol attack. But then the power went out -- almost on the Ravens’ season. For more than a half hour the Superdome went dark, and when the lights came back on, the Ravens’
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momentum had disappeared. Colin Kaepernick did his thing and Frank Gore found the end zone, and the next thing you knew the Ravens’ lead had shrunk to a single score. But in a testament to the way the Ravens fought all year long, they stayed the course. They kept grinding. And when they had to get it done, they made the plays that championship teams make. First, Joe Flacco hit Anquan Boldin for a huge first down on 3rd-and-1, and then, how fitting was it that Ray Lewis rode out of his Hall of Fame career with a goal-line stand to win the Super Bowl? Could you even script that in Hollywood? With four plays from inside the 10-yard-line, the 49ers could not crack the end zone, and when Kaepernick’s 4th-down pass sailed long, the celebration in Baltimore was on. Against all odds, the Ravens went from a team that lost four of five games in December to the top of the football world. They sent Ray Lewis out like few Hall of Famers have ever gone out. And somewhere, you have to think Art Modell was smiling.
February 3, 2013
Ravens: 34 49ers: 31
Champs Stats
Passing
Joe Flacco – 22 of 33, 287 yards, 3 touchdowns
Rushing
Ray Rice – 20 carries, 59 yards
Receiving
Anquan Boldin – 6 receptions, 104 yards, 1 touchdown Jacoby Jones – 1 reception, 56 yards, 1 touchdown
Defense
Dannell Ellerbe – 9 tackles Ray Lewis – 7 tackles Ed Reed – 5 tackles, 1 interception Paul Kruger – 3 tackles, 2 sacks 131
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Champs Facts • The Ravens won their second Super Bowl. • Baltimore handed the 49ers their first ever loss in a Super Bowl. (The Niners were 5-0 prior to this game.) • Joe Flacco finished the postseason with 11 touchdowns and zero-interceptions. • Jacoby Jones 108 yard kickoff return to start the second half was a Super Bowl record for distance and ties the NFL all-time record.
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Champs Chat “The moment doesn’t get too big, we are comfortable. We’ve been there before. We’ve failed before. We’ve succeeded before. We are not worried about the outcome. We just go out there and play football, execute and we believe that if we do that, and do that to our ability, then eventually it is going to work out.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
“I’m a Raven for life, A Raven for life.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
“Joe was phenomenal, he’s got the guts of a burglar. He was doing it all night, making plays.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On Joe Flacco’s performance.)
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Champs Facts • The 108-yard return was Jacoby Jones second kick-return for a touchdown of that distance this season. • The Ravens are now 2-0 in the Super Bowl. • With the combination of halftime, Jacoby Jones kick-return and the lights going out, the Ravens offense was off the field for 84-minutes of real time. • In 5 previous Super Bowls, a 49ers quarterback had never thrown an interception.
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Champs Chat “We beat the future, Andrew Luck; we beat the past, Peyton Manning; we beat the present, Tom Brady; and we beat the greatest show in the NFL in the Niners’ Colin Kaepernick.”
- Linebacker Terrell Suggs
“Can you imagine? The final series of Ray Lewis’ career was a goal-line stand for the Lombardi Trophy. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On Ray Lewis retirement and the goal line stand at the end of the game.)
“There’s no greater way, as a champ, to go out on your last ride with the men that I went out with, with my teammates, and you looked around this stadium and Baltimore! Baltimore! We coming home, baby! We did it!”
- Linebacker Ray Lewis
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Champs Facts • After 17-years in the league, linebacker Ray Lewis retired from the NFL following the game. • Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh is 15-months older than 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. • This marked the 10th time New Orleans had hosted the Super Bowl. • No team has ever come back from a deficit of more than 10-points in a Super Bowl.
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Champs Chat
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Champs Facts • 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s 15-yard touchdown run was the longest by a quarter back in Super Bowl history. • Safety Ed Reed tied an NFL record with his 9th career postseason interception. • The game was delayed for 34-minutes in the third quarter due to a power surge that knocked out the lights at the Superdome. • Once the lights returned and the game resumed, the 49ers reeled off 17 consecutive points.
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Champs Chat “Both teams had to deal with it, actually, I thought they dealt with it better, obviously. They were able to turn the momentum of the game.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On dealing with the 34-minute delay when the lights went out.)
“The power outage was an unfortunate moment in what has been an otherwise shining Super Bowl week for the city of New Orleans. In the coming days, I expect a full after-action report from all parties involved.”
- New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieau (On the power outage.)
“The problem was, we were talking it up on the sideline, like ‘They’re trying to take our momentum, and I was like, ‘There are two teams on this field right here.’ But once we started talking about it, it happened.”
- Safety Ed Reed
(On the power outage during the game.)
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Champs Facts • Quarterback Joe Flacco was named Super Bowl MVP. • Joe Flacco’s 63 regular-season and postseason wins are the most of any quarterback in the Super Bowl era through his first 5 years. • The Ravens are now 14-7 as a franchise in playoff games.
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Champs Chat “When the clock hit triple zero, that was pretty good, when my family ran out to share the moment, that was great, too. Holding the trophy was nice. Having the confetti falling on your head was pretty good. “
- Center Matt Birk
“It was a hard-fought game, it’s hard to enjoy that when you’re playing a game like that against a great team. San Francisco played their hearts out.”
- Safety Ed Reed
“It was like the whole season, it started good. It got ugly. It ended great.”
- Safety Ed Reed
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Champs Facts • The Ravens fake field goal was the first in Super Bowl history. • Ray Lewis is the only player that player on both Baltimore Super Bowl champion teams. • Attendance for the game was 71,024. • Jacoby Jones and Ed Reed are both New Orleans natives.
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Champs Chat “It’s very tough. It’s a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be. It’s very painful.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh
(On meeting his brother at mid-field following the game.)
“I just love him, obviously. I think anybody out there who has a brother can understand. I just believe in him and I have so much respect for him. I admire him. I look up to him in so many ways and I am hurting for him in that sense.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh (On having to face his brother in the game.)
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Champs Chat
“I don’t think it’s going to settle in for a while, we’ll have this thing forever.”
- Quarterback Joe Flacco
“How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us, it was us today.”
- Head Coach John Harbaugh 144
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