The next battle in the Ravens Legends Bracket sees Torrey Smith going against Jarrett Johnson:
This battle in the Ravens Legends bracket is an especially tough one. Here you have a beloved wide receiver in Torrey Smith going against one of the most underrated players in Ravens history, Jarret Johnson. Johnson played nine seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He holds the record for the most consecutive starts in Ravens history. Consistency and durability were the trademarks of his career.
Smith played just four seasons with the Ravens, but he made them count. He was a huge part of the Ravens Super Bowl run in the 2012 season. Smith isn’t just a good football player, he’s a phenomenal person. Number 82 was certainly a fan favorite.
Why Torrey Smith made it to the second round:
Smith was a five seed going into this tournament. His first round win wasn’t a surprise. He faced Vinny Testeverde in the first round. Testeverde was the first starting quarterback for the Ravens but he wasn’t central to the story of the Ravens. Smith is one of those players that you cannot tell the story of the Ravens without.
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Smith stepped up huge in some big games. He scored two deep touchdowns in the 2012 playoff game known as “The miracle in Mile High.” He always came up with big plays against the Patriots. This included a game where he played with a heavy heart, right after his brother died. That night he had six receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a big week three win. He caught the game winning touchdown against the Steelers in 2011, to complete the season sweep for the Ravens. Smith was absolutely deserving of the second round. He will go down as one of the most popular players ever to play in M&T Bank Stadium.
Why Jarret Johnson is the winner:
Believe it or not, Jarret Johnson got all but one of the votes from our writers. Johnson started a lot of games for the Ravens. He was an important piece of a bunch of great defenses. He was a staple of the Ravens defense. Terrell Suggs was the spark, Johnson was the everlasting fire. Suggs got most of the sacks. Johnson stuffed the run and made a lot of tackles. Every defense needs a player like Johnson. They need a guy whose effort never waivers, whose production never dips. Johnson had 25.5 sacks in his career. It’s not like he couldn’t make quarterbacks pay. Johnson was a complete outside linebacker. He may not have been the biggest star but he was important.
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In the end it boils down to longevity more than anything. Johnson gave so much to the team for almost a full decade. I’ll never get over the fact that the Ravens won the Super Bowl the year Johnson went to the Chargers. He deserved to finish his career with a ring because he was truly a legend.