Ed Reed in 2008:
Reed was the greatest ball-hawk I have ever seen, and I doubt that will ever change. In 2004, Reed’s nine interceptions made him the defensive player of the year. However it was his nine interception season in 2008, should have merited some MVP buzz. The Ravens went 11-5 and got all the way to the AFC Championship game.
Must Read: Ravens Legends Bracket: Ed Reed vs. Shannon Sharpe
While Joe Flacco gave the Ravens a new sense of hope as a rookie quarterback, the defense was the strength of the team. Baltimore had a top defensive attack and Reed was a big part of it. Reed had four games in the regular season with two interceptions. He also had a two pick game in the playoffs against the Miami Dolphins. Reed had 264 return yards and two touchdowns. Against the Eagles, he broke his own record for the longest return in NFL history.
Reed was the biggest game-changer on a defense that had Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata. His leadership made the secondary better around him. He invoked fear into quarterbacks and he sparked the Ravens with his stellar play. The 2008 Ravens were contenders and Reed was one of the biggest reasons why.