Ebony Bird
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Baltimore Ravens: Top 5 game winning plays of all time

By Chris Schisler

Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe (82) before the AFC Wildcard Playoff, a 21-3 victory over the Denver Broncos on December 31, 2000, at PSINet Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by E. Bakke/Getty Images)
Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe (82) before the AFC Wildcard Playoff, a 21-3 victory over the Denver Broncos on December 31, 2000, at PSINet Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by E. Bakke/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 03: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens lines up on defense against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens won 34-31. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 03: Ray Lewis #52 of the Baltimore Ravens lines up on defense against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens won 34-31. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

2. Ray Lewis crushes Darren Sproles on 4th and 2

This is one you knew would be on the list. It’s a pretty special play because of all the great plays Ray Lewis has made, this may be the best one. The San Diego Chargers needed two yards on fourth down. If they got the conversion it felt like they were going to score and win the game. It was a big moment in a back and forth game. Ray Lewis shot through the offensive line with a purpose. Right when Darren Sproles got the hand-off from Phillip Rivers, he also got a bone crushing hit from an all-time great linebacker.

Lewis knew right away what the play was going to be. He put all his marbles in attacking the football. He shot right by the center and the guard. He was untouched. and he had a full head of steam going. Ray Lewis was one of the most feared defenders in NFL history. This was a reminder that he was the hardest hitting linebacker in football. He hit Sproles with purpose and he knew he was going to do it before the football was even snapped. This play showed Lewis really had it all. He was a great athlete, a football smart player and he had better instincts than just about every linebacker that ever played in the NFL.

This is a top five play in Ray Lewis’s career, but its the best game winning play he made. When you think of the classic Ray Lewis moments, this one comes right up in your mind. This was a potential game winning drive that ended with a tackle behind the line of scrimmage, That’s the best way a linebacker can do his job. This was the most textbook perfect play a linebacker may have ever made. The timing was amazing. It was a jaw dropping moment.

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