WE ARE THE
CHAMPIONS?
It is Wedensday the 2nd of January, the Baltimore Ravens are preparing to face the Indianapolis Colts at home on Sunday knowing that as the fourth seed in the AFC playoff race it will be an uphill battle for them even if they come through this test. Ray Lewis stands in his Ravens sweatshirt and black beanie having been out with torn triceps for two months. The emotional leader of this team for the best part of the last two decades meets the press and announces his retirement from football at the end of the season.
There was only going to be one way this story ended.
One month and one day later the Ravens stand crowned Superbowl Champions and Ray Lewis bows out of a 17 year career in the only way it seemed fit.
We now stand at the dawning of
the post-Lewis era in Baltimore and ask, come February 2nd 2014 will we be looking at reigning World Champions? You have to admit, it looks a long shot.
This is not just the beginning of the post-Lewis era in Baltimore, the Ravens are beginning life without four of the cornerstones of their defence. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger left the team at the end of the season leaving a huge vacuum in the defence that someone will have to step into. It would be naive to right this defence off though. Courtney Upshaw is developing into a stud whilst T-Sizzle and Haloti Ngata are able to dominate any offensive line in the league. Rookie Matt Elam, although probably not a starter week 1, will be a very good player for years to come. The question I have to ask though is when one of
these players or one of the other veteran leaders inevitably goes down injured, where to next? I think that this is going to be a defence on the decline for the next few years, much like the Patriots defence after Superbowl XXXIX when they lost Willie McGinest, Ty Law, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Rosevelt Colvin all in quick succession. You cannot account for or compensate for loss of leadership in the dressing room.
The defence is not the only area of weakness for this team however.
Lets again be very honest with each other. Joe Flacco is not worth the most valuble contract in NFL history. $120.6 million over 6 years. And whilst this isn't a contract debate lets just put that in perspective. He gets $52 million guaranteed. which is less than Brady and Brees but realistically the team is only tied to it for three years unless the cap gets a huge increase.
photo credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/3791737459/
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/3794982725/