Obviously when setting the tone for the Ravens’ off-season, everything takes a back seat to resolving the Joe Flacco contract situation. The importance thereof is only magnified by the realization that there are so many questions still to be answered, so many decisions still to be made; but until the Ravens know for sure what their quarterback’s financial future may hold, everything else is essentially on hold. That however doesn’t diminish the fact that there are important decisions outside the QB position to be made before the Ravens begin their title defense and prepare for the 2013 campaign.

Conceding that the importance of Flacco’s deal is paramount to everything else, here are the next 5 major points of consideration for the Ravens to deal with this off-season in order to have hopes of a 6^th straight post-season trip.

#1 – Suring Up the Left Tackle Situation

If Flacco was the biggest difference maker for the Ravens in the playoffs, then further investigation is merited in determining what helped him turn his season, and his reputation, around. For my money, it began with the offensive line. After a season in the proverbial “dog house” Bryant McKinnie was finally given a chance to show and prove, and from there the offense never seemed to look back.

In the lead up to the Broncos game, no one seemed to have any concerns about the Denver secondary. Hindsight might suggest that to have been a result of the constant quarterback pressure the Broncos were able to count on from Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. Without that pressure however, the Ravens found and readily exploited cracks in the Broncos secondary that no one seemed to know were there in the first place.

McKinnie and the Ravens began this season on unceremonious terms, and pretty much kept things that way until the end. Having proven his value, albeit over a 4-game stretch, there’s still no real assurance that the Ravens will or should trust McKinneie enough to agree to terms on a multi-year deal. On the other side of that coin, there’s no good reason to think McKinnie will feel any special brand of loyalty to the Ravens when others come calling on the open market.

What’s undeniable about the whole episode is that by replacing Michael Oher with McKinnie at LT, the Ravens were able to move Oher to his natural RT position where he represented an improvement over Kelechi Osemele. Osemele then moved to the LG position that the Ravens struggled to find an answer for all season too. This three-fold improvement made the Ravens line exponentially better; and no matter how they address LT going forward, any “solution” involving moving Oher and Osemele back to the positions they played for the majority of 2012 has to be considered multiple steps backward.

#2 – Replacing Jim Caldwell

Continuing with the theme of what was different for the Ravens offense at the end, the departure of Cam Cameron and the elevation of Jim Caldwell to the offensive coordinator position would seem to be the other major factor. The performance of Caldwell’s offense has been celebrated widely within the fan base, and certainly hasn’t been lost on the league at large either.

In an off-season where everyone seems dissatisfied with the impact of the Rooney Rule and the lack of minority hires made in filling head coaching vacancies, Caldwell will all but surely be a hot head coaching candidate at the end of next season. Even getting to the Super Bowl again, and therefore delaying the process for teams interested in Caldwell might not be enough to slow his roll.

In what looks to be a lame duck season for Caldwell with the Ravens, it’s important to figure out if the next guy in line is someone already on staff, or how the team can look to groom a next guy in line, potentially by hiring him as a quarterback coach / OC in waiting.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Even after winning their second Super Bowl only days ago, the Ravens wasted no time in beginning preparations for the 2013 season.

A day after celebrating with a downtown parade and a rally at M&T Bank Stadium, general manager Ozzie Newsome, head coach John Harbaugh, and the front office were back at it with a 10-hour personnel meeting on Wednesday in which they evaluated 70 to 75 players. It’s no secret the Ravens face a tight salary cap this offseason, leaving many to wonder if they’d go the same route used in the offseason following Super Bowl XXXV in which the organization put cap ramifications on the back burner in favor of making another run at a championship.

Newsome and owner Steve Bisciotti put that possibility to rest at the Ravens’ season-review press conference on Thursday.

“We will not repeat what we did in 2001 because we’re trying to build where we can win Super Bowls more than just one more time,” Newsome said. “I think our team is structured differently this time also. We do have some veterans that will probably be retiring, but we’ve got a great nucleus of young players and players that are just heading into their prime that we’re going to build this team around. We are not going to be restructuring contracts or doing all of those different things to be able to just maintain this team to make another run. We’re not doing that.

“That doesn’t mean that we don’t want to try to go and repeat.”

That reality means the Ravens will likely say goodbye to a number of their 13 unrestricted free agents, which include safety Ed Reed, linebackers Paul Kruger and Dannell Ellerbe, cornerback Cary Williams, and quarterback Joe Flacco. Of those players, Flacco is the only one certain to return as the Ravens will try to reach a long-term agreement with the Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player prior to the deadline for using the franchise tag on March 4.

Even with a long-term contract completed with the quarterback, the Ravens are unlikely to maintain the services of Kruger or Williams, who will both receive significant offers on the free-agent market in mid-March. According to several reports, the Ravens are expected to have roughly $15 million in cap space including the money saved from Ray Lewis’ retirement, but that doesn’t account for money needed for the tag for Flacco and for tenders offered to restricted and exclusive-rights free agents. Of course, additional money could come via the retirement of veterans such as Matt Birk or Bobbie Williams or by releasing other veterans.

“We’re not going to get caught up in the moment and do things to our salary cap and make decisions in the euphoria of winning that could hurt us in 2014 and 2015 like we did in 2001,” owner Steve Bisciotti said. “Every single veteran was restructured, I think, so that every single veteran could stay and then we ended up losing so many people the next year. We don’t want to do that.”

In order to maintain any real sense of continuity, the Ravens must agree on a long-term contract with Flacco, but agent Joe Linta has said he’s aiming for his client to become the highest-paid quarterback in the league. The 2008 first-round pick is believed to be seeking $20 million per season with a significant portion of the deal including guaranteed money.

Bisciotti said Thursday the organization offered Flacco a “top-5″ contract last summer and believes winning the Super Bowl this season would not hinder negotiations more than if the Ravens had exited in the first round of the playoffs.

“We’re looking to get a fair deal with Joe and, yes, the franchise number does consume a lot of cap room,” Newsome said. “We’re looking for a fair deal; Joe Linta is looking for a fair deal. If we are able to get a deal done, it will allow us to be able to participate more in the market if we so choose. But we understand what the priority is.”

That priority would include being forced to use the franchise tag to keep Flacco in Baltimore, which would cost $14.6 million for the 2013 season. However, that is only the price for a non-exclusive designation, meaning teams could sign Flacco to an offer sheet if they’d be willing to fork over two first-round picks should the Ravens not match the offer.

The exclusive rights tag would cost roughly $20 million, but it would prohibit teams desperate enough for a quarterback to negotiate with Flacco. Last year, the Redskins traded three first-round picks and a second-round pick to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the second overall pick to draft Robert Griffin III.

“What you have to look at is what the Redskins did this past year to move up to get Robert Griffin,” Newsome said. “If someone thinks that a quarterback is that valuable and I’m sure you can talk to [the Washington front office], they’re very happy with [Griffin] right now and they don’t mind not having those draft picks. I don’t know what 31 other teams are doing, so we have to prepare ourselves for it.”

As the Ravens continue to organize their list of priorities for the 2013 offseason, the fate of Flacco remains at the top of the list as a long-term agreement is a must in order to maintain hope of re-signing or acquiring any impact players.

But time is running out as Newsome joked that the Ravens are “five weeks behind” the rest of the league after winning the Super Bowl. Much has changed with the perception of Flacco, who just completed one of the greatest playoff performances in NFL history.

“I’m coming away today thinking that we can get a deal done,” Newsome said. “We’ve gotten deals done with Haloti [Ngata], [Jonathan Ogden], Ray [Lewis], Ray Rice, Ed Reed, [Terrell] Suggs. I’ve got a very good owner who understands the business [and] understands the importance of certain positions, so I’m optimistic.”

Biggest need up the middle

Asked to assess the biggest area of need for next season, Newsome admitted the middle of the Baltimore defense needed to be improved, in part because of the failure of young players to step up but also due to a number of possible departures.

With Lewis retiring and Ellerbe and Reed potentially hitting the open market, the Ravens could look very different at the linebacker and safety positions next season. Jameel McClain, Josh Bynes, and Brendon Ayanbadejo would be the top returning inside linebackers while 2012 fourth-round pick Christian Thompson would be the next man up on the depth chart at the safety position.

The combination of third-year player Terrence Cody and veteran Ma’ake Kemoeatu was also severely disappointing at the nose tackle position.

“As we talked about it, the middle of the defense [is a priority],” Newsome said. “We think we’ve got to get better at defensive tackle. We know we have one linebacker retiring and another that’s a free agent. We have a safety that’s a free agent and some young guys that have yet to step up. We would say the middle of the defense is the one area that we would concentrate on.

“In saying that, we realized that pass rushers and guys that can cover, we felt pretty good about that.”

The Ravens might not feel as good about their pass rush with the expected departure of Kruger, but Terrell Suggs figures to bounce back from an injury-plagued season and rookie Courtney Upshaw played effectively against the run and should continue to develop in his first full offseason with the team.

Newsome expressed no specific concerns on the offensive side of the football beyond the need to secure Flacco long-term.

“Offensively, we will not turn down a good player if that player is available for us on the offensive side of the ball,” Newsome said. “We just won’t do it, because you can never have enough depth.”

Chance of Reed return?

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE >>>

DEFENSIVE TACKLE JUSTIN SMITH

(on Linebacker Aldon Smith winning the MVP award) “He’s a tremendous player and he won our MVP, rightfully so. I don’t think [he was] too shocked. I think that’s how everybody felt that should have gone.”

(on Missouri players going to the NFL) “I think that’s just a testament of how that program has turned around. Somebody told me there were four or five Missouri guys playing in the NFC Championship game. I think it’s just a matter of the team turnaround. The program has been in place there for a while now and it’s just been helping dudes out.”

(on his triceps injury) “It feels alright. It’s coming along and I’ll be ready to get it fixed next week. It’s holding up alright.”

(on playing through pain during the game) “There are things to do about the pain so I really don’t feel the pain during the game. I think the brace definitely limits you.”

(on Missouri joining the SEC) “I think it will be good for them. That’s the conference everybody wants to play in. They think that’s the stepping stone to the NFL. I think anytime you can get in that conference, start recruiting and competing in that conference, it’ll be much better.”

(on dealing with a long season) “Nobody is 100% healthy. Just physically, you just get kind of worn down as the year goes on. But it is the last game and I think everybody is going to be [worn down]. Once you’re out there, you are worried about the then and no. You feel it on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday then you go on from there.”

(on playing better after getting hurt in the Atlanta game) “I think, as a whole we played better. We have one more week to go. They’re [Baltimore Ravens] built kind of exactly how we are. They’re going to try to run the ball and take shots. We have to make sure we stop them. They have an o-line that’s really good as well.”

(on synergy with Linebacker Aldon Smith) “I think it’s easy. Anytime you work with a great player, it makes it that much easier. We play well together, we work well together. Anytime you play with a tremendous player like that it makes it easy.”

(on Atlanta Falcons’ defensive coordinator Mike Nolan describing him as a top-five NFL player) “I mean, coming from a guy like Mike Nolan, that’s an honor just to hear him say that. He’s one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the league. He was the head coach that brought me in here. I have a ton of respect for him and I appreciate that.”

(on playing for Missouri) “I think anybody’s college years help shape them. I had a good experience there. I went there my freshman year and we went to a bowl game. Then the next two years weren’t so hot but that’s the way it happens sometimes. I learned a lot from the coaches there and have taken that with me.”

(on the competition in the Super Bowl) “I think both offenses are similar in what they want to do. Run the ball, take your shots. They want to establish the run, we want to establish the run. I think it’s going to be important we shut them down. That’s going to be tough to do but that’s what we have to do.”

(on if he thought the season was over when he got injured) “When I felt it pop, I didn’t know what to think because I’ve never felt that before, a tendon popping like that. I knew I was hurt. I came out, tried to go back in for the play and didn’t have anything. I’m surprised it got back as good as it did in those couple of weeks.”

(on San Francisco defensive line coach Jim Tomsula) “I think a lot of the things we do on the defensive front, a lot of teams really don’t shift with other teams as they’re shifting. I think he’s come in, taught us how to do that [in terms of] what to look for and really [what] play formations as opposed to just playing the defense. He’s knowledgeable with all that and he knows the 3-4 inside and out.”

-MORE-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Tuesday, January 29, 2013

QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA DAY

MORE DEFENSIVE TACKLE JUSTIN SMITH

(on San Francisco Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula’s demeanor) “He’s a fiery guy. He’s not just a rah-rah  guy, there’s a lot more to him than that. He knows his stuff so you don’t have to yell and just jump around all the time. You can actually talk. He’ll give us some information, some input, how we’re going to shut it down and that’s what I appreciate about him.”

(on San Francisco Defensive Line Coach Jim Tomsula becoming a Defensive Coordinator) “I’m actually kind of shocked that he isn’t right now, honestly. The success this team has had, I think it’s pretty well known around the league how much he knows. He was the interim head coach here, but sometimes those things just take a little bit of time. That’s another one of the reasons it’d be nice to win the Super Bowl; players, staff included are trying to get cherry picks. We’ll try to keep this thing together as long as possible and hopefully we’ll being this one home.”

(on his surgery) “I think they just get in there and sew it back down. Reattach the tendon, sew it in and start my rehab.”

(on wearing a brace during games) “I don’t like the brace. It’s just weird. It’s cumbersome but a lot of guys play with leg braces, elbow braces, shoulder braces, torn labrums, you know we have a lot of guys playing with torn stuff.”

(on the Ravens offensive line) “I mean they move them around. They flipped Michael Oher, they have Bryant McKinnie in there now. They moved their guard situation around with some injury. They have what’s working for them now. They’re running the ball effectively. They max it up, they take their shots deep. The reason they can do that is they’re running the ball effectively. They get that safety dropped in the box then you go over their heads. That’s a testament to their o-line. They’re built a lot like we are. They thrive behind their offensive line, same as we do.”

(on reaction to being hurt) “If you’re hurt, you’re hurt. It’s not like I had the flu or something like that and I couldn’t play the game. I knew I was hurt. I couldn’t do anything with it. I couldn’t do a pushup so I sure as hell wasn’t going to get out on the field and start getting mollywhopped. I’ve never been injured before so I always thought you could go with a sprained ankle, hairline fracture, stuff like that is no big deal. But with that one [his triceps injury] I knew I was going to be on the shelf for a little bit.”

(on whether the defense is establishing an identity even though it is an offense driven league)  “You know I think the main thing is just winning the championship. I don’t think we’re too concerned with stamping stuff and this and that. The main thing is get the win, play solid football and everybody play their role. We don’t have a bunch of guys looking for the credit or ‘Are we going to be known as this defense, that defense?’ I think it’s just a bunch of guys that are talented going out playing well together and we’re well coached.”

(on health focus of football related injuries) “For me personally, I played this game in high school and college. I think the game just teaches you too much. When this whole thing started happening about concussions and this and that, I don’t think anybody really felt that threatened about it. As it keeps building momentum, in my opinion, I would hate for the game to get fundamentally changed because of it [injuries]. It teaches you too much. I think it teaches a young kid in high school or middle school discipline, toughness, accountability, work ethic. I think there is too much to be had from the game than to worry about this and that. I think there are all types of occupations that are just as hazardous or more hazardous; they just don’t have the spotlight on them. I definitely would be all for my kids playing football if they choose to. I don’t really see the harm in it.”

(on Ray Lewis’ leadership and if players without long careers can be leaders) “Absolutely. Rah-rah doesn’t get you anywhere. I think everybody gravitates and looks for leaders that are great players. That’s why we have a ton of great leaders on our team. You lead by example. You lead by how you handle yourself during the week, how you work out, how you prepare, and how you play. That’s what we look for and that’s what I look for.”

-MORE-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Tuesday, January 29, 2013

QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA DAY

MORE DEFENSIVE TACKLE JUSTIN SMITH

(on how attention to Aldon Smith affects him) “I think the correlation is anytime there’s success like that, especially with Aldon on that side, you draw attention. I think when they sit down the first thing an offensive coordinator or head coach is going to say is, ‘How do we slow 99 down?’ and that brings a lot of attention over there. Teams change their scheme up when they play us; that is pretty noticeable so that’s the main factor.”

(what he has to do to get pressure on Joe Flacco) “I think what they do is they can run the ball so effectively that they can max it up, max pro it. They run the same protection they run their counter plays out of and they throw it over your head because the safety is biting on the run. That’s the key. [I have to] stop the run. Stop the run, stop the run with a seven man box, try to not get in the eight man boxes, play a light box, and have the safeties deep. That’s going to be a tough job but that’s what we have to do to win the game.”

(on Baltimore Ravens Tackle Bryant McKinnie) “McKinnie has been a good player in this league for a long time. [He] came out as a high draft pick in ’02 and he’s played well. I think with the opportunity he sees with the Super Bowl and the run they’ve been on, when a great player wants to play, they can play. He’s out there playing really good football right now.”

(on Colin Kaepernick and the offensive line) “I think number one, it starts with the offensive line. What those guys have been able to do, the lanes they’ve been able to create and then you get Colin back there; I know from a defensive standpoint, he is a nightmare. He can take off run, you have to watch your pass rush lane, and then when you play him to where he can’t rush or run the ball, he’s going to throw it all over you. He’s just an all-around threat and a huge reason why we’re here.”

(on what a Super Bowl win would mean to him) “It’d be unreal. I mean, you play this game for so long, then you start thinking ‘When are we going to get there, when are we going to get the opportunity?’ To finally be here is pretty crazy. The main thing is you want to win the game. You never remember who lost the game.”

Super Bowl 47 is filled with many fantastic individual matchups. In this article, I will list what I consider to be the most important matchups as well as who has the edge in that matchup.

Ed Reed VS Colin Kaepernick

Ed Reed’s legacy is on the line in this game. Even without a Super Bowl ring, you could make an argument that Reed is the best safety to ever play the game. So, with a ring, would that even become an argument? That will be discussed no matter the outcome of the Super Bowl.

Kaepernick is not a one trick pony. He can make any throw and loves to throw the ball deep to Vernon Davis. Therefore, Ed Reed should have plenty of opportunities to make plays against a young quarterback.

Ed Reed has two weeks to prepare for this offense. Therefore, I give the advantage to Reed.

Edge: Ed Reed

Ray Lewis VS Frank Gore

Ray Lewis did not play against the 49ers last season. Because of his absence, the 49ers have not played against a linebacker with Ray’s instincts and intensity. While Ray has lost a step, Gore is not the type of player that can consistently break long runs. Therefore, Ray will be able to keep up with Gore.

These two players are simply too good to give the advantage to one player or another. Frank Gore has played against the Ravens twice, once in 2007 and the other in 2011. In those games, Gore has averaged only 45.5 yards rushing. But in those games, Gore’s offensive line was not as talented as it is this season.

Edge: Even

Justin Smith VS Kelechi Osemele

From watching the 49ers postseason games with an injured Justin Smith, it’s no secret that they have struggled to apply pressure. Aldon Smith has struggled mightily since Justin Smith’s injury but when the two are healthy, the two are a terrifying combination.

Justin Smith will be moved around but for the most part, will be matched up with Kelechi Osemele. Osemele played well at tackle but at this point in his career, is better at guard. Osemele is one of the bigger guards in the league and that should help him against Smith.

Osemele will also have to watch out for Aldon Smith, who runs a lot of stunts to the interior of the offensive line.

Despite Osemele’s talent, Smith is a veteran and giving him the edge is a no-brainer.

Edge: Justin Smith.

Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher VS Aldon Smith

On August 25, the 49ers traveled to New Orleans to play the Saints. In that game, Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks, which gave him 30.5 sacks for his career. This, in turn made him the fastest player to reach 30 sacks. Who did he pass on his way to that record you ask? Reggie White.

Obviously, Smith is doing something right. The supremely athletic linebacker/defensive end seems to play better on big stages and none is bigger than the Super Bowl. Oher should be able to hold his own but the much older McKinnie will have his hands full. On passing downs, expect to see Ray Rice or Vonta Leach in pass protection to help slow down Smith. Running some screens where Rice blocks and then releases on a pass route will also help slow down Smith.

Edge when against McKinnie: Aldon Smith
Edge when against Oher: even

Vonta Leach VS Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman

Of all the matchups in the Super Bowl, this might be the best. In 2011, Leach and Willis exchanged blows and Leach embarrassed Willis on one particular play.

Willis is widely considered the best linebacker in the NFL and Bowman is not far behind him. Expect this to be a back and forth battle for the entire game.

Edge: Even

Conclusion
There are many matchups that are evenly matched. Therefore, this game will come down to lesser-known players making big plays. For the 49ers, the two most likely players to play that role are LaMichael James and Delanie Walker. For the Ravens, Jimmy Smith and Tandon Doss are the most likely candidates.

The Ravens have had a very unique year. Perhaps no other team could do what the Ravens have done and Saturday night was a microcosm of their season.

How many teams could respond to the special teams mistakes the Ravens made? Those returns should have been momentum builders for the Broncos and momentum killers for the Ravens. Yet, the team, and more importantly, Joe Flacco responded in a game that many will remember for a very long time.

In addition to overcoming big plays, they have dealt with heartache in the passing of Art Modell and Torrey Smith’s brother, and a three game losing streak that had many writing them off.

Injuries on both sides of the ball but particularly on defense have been a theme of the season. Before the season even started, the team lost Terrell Suggs, the reigning defensive player of the year.

But things only got worse for the defense. At one point, Dean Pees had to use fifth and sixth string players at the cornerback and inside linebacker positions.

Injuries were so bad that Carry Williams and Ed Reed were the only two starters on defense that did not miss any time due to injury.

But the defense survived and got better as the season progressed.

Despite all of this, the Ravens get their chance at redemption this Sunday. While the Ravens beat the Patriots in week three, a playoff rematch is what the Ravens have really wanted. This will be a fantastic game and would be fitting if it came down to a field goal once again.

In last year’s game, Joe Flacco outplayed arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL. That is not debatable. But Flacco was aided by a Patriots defense that was among the worst in NFL history, especially against the pass. This year, the Patriots defense is much better, particularly at the cornerback position with the addition of Aqib Talib.

Even though the Patriots defense has improved, Flacco will have a lot of confidence from his performance against the Broncos. While the Patriots will have a better game plan to defend the deep ball, Flacco will have success with shorter to intermediate passes to Anquan Bodin and Dennis Pitta.

Flacco should also be aided by tremendous pass protection. The team has finally assembled their best offensive line and it has payed off. McKinnie and Oher neutralized the most dangerous pass rushing duo in the NFL and the interior of the line is better with Osemele at left guard.

As always, the running game needs to be a big factor for the Ravens to win this game. Ray Rice must be aggressive, unlike his performance against the Broncos. Rice had a great game but was not hitting the holes with the explosiveness in which he usually does.

I am not going to predict this game just yet. But expect a fantastic game that will come down to a photo-finish.

WNST.net Ravens insider Luke Jones joined us for “The Nasty Purple Postgame Show” late Saturday night after the Baltimore Ravens’ unbelievable 38-35 2OT win over the Denver Broncos.

Emotions were high in the Zone Superstore Studios of WNST.net. It was hard to have a legitimate conversation. A group of us had gathered to sit and watch the game and just found ourselves shouting “no way” and “unreal” at the television as the Ravens delivered perhaps the most miraculous victory in franchise history.

It was hard to discuss anything beyond the emotion of the moment, the will of the football team, the observations related to the Ravens truly being a team of “destiny”.

Even Head Coach John Harbaugh was caught up in the moment, once again tying the success of a football team to a level of divine intervention in his postgame press conference.

(I have no idea if the Messiah has any interest in determining the outcomes of football games. Perhaps maybe he (she?) felt as though the Broncos had to pay a price for parting ways with the known prophet Tim Tebow in the offseason. And if the Ruler of the Universe really does have concern related to the pigskin, I would vastly prefer a divine preference for the Ravens myself.)

I wish I could tell you what Luke’s response was. More than 24 hours later, I don’t fully remember. What I believe I remember him saying was something about Joe Flacco and then more about the will of the football team. I’m completely in agreement, but it didn’t necessarily answer my question. I’m sort of glad for that.

There’s a well known joke that says “Joe Buck is to baseball what the Catholic Church is to sex. It’s okay that it’s happening just as long as no one is enjoying it.” I’m glad Luke didn’t ruin the beauty of the moment by going all “Nate Silver” and killing us with football nerd-dom. It’s much better that we had a full 24 hours to enjoy and celebrate perhaps the greatest non-Super Bowl win in franchise history before we returned to a more X’s and O’s based discussion of what happened for the Baltimore Ravens Saturday and what they’ll need to do to win moving forward.

(This is the part where you say, “that’s a nice set-up Glenn. You’re a real pro’s pro.”)

The Baltimore Ravens DID win Saturday because of their will. They DID win Saturday because they believed in each other and never lost hope. They DID win Saturday because they have tested veterans who simply refuse to give up or allow a beloved teammate to step into retirement without leaving every last ounce of effort they’re capable of giving on the field.

It’s not just hyperbole. There’s absolute truth to it. It’s just not the entire story. In fact, it’s not even close to the most important part of the story. We go to that stuff first because it’s more likely to get clicks. We’re not stupid.

(Continued on Page 2…)