6. The Ravens defense holds on fourth down to send Ray Lewis and Ed Reed out on top in Super Bowl XLVII
Local fans felt more relief than jubilation when Colin Kaepernick’s fourth-down pass sailed out of the end zone to preserve what was left of a once-sizable 28-6 lead, but the narrow 34-31 victory was a fitting way for the Ravens to earn their second Super Bowl title after a season full of heart-stopping moments.
The game featured a Super Bowl record 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Jacoby Jones and three touchdown passes by game MVP Joe Flacco, but it also represented the finale for future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, who both played their last game with the Ravens on that day. Lewis’ “last ride” retirement tour was considered an inspiration for the 10-6 Ravens to make their championship run while Reed’s future wasn’t known at the time and he’d ultimately depart via free agency several weeks later.
You couldn’t have asked for a better ending to Lewis’ remarkable 17-year run as the best player in franchise history while Reed finally reached the pinnacle that he’d chased for 11 years with the Ravens. The Super Bowl win also provided validation for head coach John Harbaugh and Flacco, who had completed an unprecedented run of success in their first five years in Baltimore.
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