Baltimore's new king: the safety rose to the top of Ravens defense that is among the most fearsome in football

Football Digest, April, 2005 by Barry Wilner

MIDDLE LINEBACKER RAY LEWIS is the heart and soul of the Baltimore Ravens' defense. Yet in 2004, he wasn't its best player.

That distinction was held by safety Ed Reed, who carried his stellar play even beyond the Ravens' roster. Reed is FOOTBALL DIGEST'S pick for Defensive Player of the Year.

Lewis has no problem with Reed being honored. The linebacker who has collected so many awards himself is proud to see his teammate get his due.

"When you talk about a playmaker and making a difference in a game right now, he has to be one of the two or three top defenders," Lewis says. "Just watching his growth is incredible. Everybody talks about this year. Ed has been playing this way last year and the year before."

Perhaps, but Reed soared beyond every other top defensive player in the NFL this season. That includes Lewis, of course--the measuring stick for defenders--Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior, Indianapolis Colts end Dwight Freeney, and San Diego Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards.

While Farrior, Freeney, and Edwards had career years, Reed stood above them for his interceptions, pass coverage, run support, and overall ability to make critical plays. Reed finished the season with nine interceptions, tops in the league. He also returned the ninth one, in the finale against the Miami Dolphins, 41 yards to set an NFL record for interception-return yards in a season with 358.

Some safeties are known for their bone-crunching hits (Rodney Harrison, John Lynch) and others for their leadership (Brian Dawkins). Reed is making his mark for getting to. the ball getting his hands on the ball, and running a long way with it.

"Ed has got the turnovers, the touchdowns. He's gotten the things Ray typically does. He's doing everything on the field to help us be better in the game," says former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan:

"This defense is always capable of making plays; this year alone a lot of big plays have come from the secondary--Ed Reed especially," cornerback Chris McAlister says. "He has that capability; the offense has to wonder about it. The game plan will be away from him, wherever he may be."

The thing is, he can be everywhere. Before a late-season victory over Baltimore, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said Reed was one of those players every QB must account for on all plays. And while Reed didn't bite file Colts with any game-turning plays, Manning always was wary of the third-year strong safety from the University of Miami.

The most memorable of a season's worth of mind-bending plays came on a Sunday night on national television against the Cleveland Browns. Reed's 106-yard return of an interception against Jeff Garcia set an NFL record. Reed grabbed a deflection off the hands of tight end Aaron Shea deep in the endzone--the Browns complained loudly about interference--and rather than take a knee, he sped down the right sideline and into the record book. "I just reacted," he says. "I really saw it the whole way. You didn't know if he was going to tip it or not."

Yet Reed did seem to know. Perhaps it was partly because Lewis warned him about such a play in that situation. But he has that sixth sense the very best athletes possess, regardless of the sport

"Ed is an incredibly gifted and intuitive player," Ravens coach Brian Billick says. "Because of his success early in his career, you have to remind yourself that Ed is fairly young."

Indeed, Reed is just 26. He was Baltimore's top draft pick, 24th overall, in 2001 after a superb career with the Hurricanes. Reed came from a stellar secondary that also included Phillip Buchanon and Mike Rumph, and he played for national titles.

As an NFL rookie in 2002, Reed was an immediate starter--no small achievement on such a strong unit. He started every game and was fourth on the Ravens with 86 tackles. His live pickoffs tied the team record for a rookie and led the club.

Reed also was a force on special teams back then and is readily available to man the unit again. In short, he is a guy who will do almost anything on the field.

And off it.

Reed is known for playing practical jokes or simply for ripping on teammates in a playful manner that keeps them loose. It's Something he learned at Miami, where the Hurricanes played it free and loose and, more times than not, were victorious.

In 2002, Reed probably should have gone to the Pro Bowl. But with the likes of Harrison and Lawyer Milloy in the conference, it was a difficult chore getting the recognition from the players and coaches who vote on such things. "It was disappointing, but I knew it would come eventually," he says.

It did in 2003. Reed again fled the team record with seven interceptions and was involved in 92 tackles. Still, the 2004 campaign was, by far, Reed's best. In a Game 3 victory against Cincinnati, he had two interceptions. He had six tackles and a sack in an intimidating performance against the Washington Redskins that also included his scoring off a fumble recovery after a safety blitz, stopping Skins running back Clinton Portis on a key third-and-one, and springing B.J. Sams on a long punt return with a crushing block.