In the media era that has become all Tebow, all the time, it is tough for any NFL team to get the recognition they deserve. What Tim Tebow has done in Denver — and the way he has done it — has been truly remarkable. That being said, there are four teams in the AFC that have 10-3 records. The Broncos are 8-5. The Patriots and Steelers get a good amount of recognition because of Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and the history of their franchises. The Texans get some coverage because they are one of the year’s biggest surprises. The Ravens, however, are often forgotten. As Sports Radio Interviews shared with us, Joe Flacco would even call it disrespected.
“If you watched Sportscenter today it was Tim Tebow then something else, Tim Tebow then something else, and Tim Tebow then something else,” Flacco said during an appearance on WNST in Baltimore earlier this week. “When we beat the Steelers were we on TV? No. I couldn’t even find a Baltimore Ravens highlight. I think that’s kinda the way it is around Baltimore.
“Last year we were a 12-4 football team. I mean we didn’t win the division because Pittsburgh had a tiebreaker and we won a playoff game. Yeah it’s not what everybody wants to hear and we didn’t win the Super Bowl but it was a pretty good year by our football team and I had a pretty good football season myself. You go home and all you want to do is not be criticized and it does seem like that. And hey my standpoint is I just think we’re disrespected as an organization when it comes to the media.”
I hate to use this word because it is so overused in sports radio today, but the Ravens aren’t exactly “sexy.” Flacco isn’t anywhere near the same class as a Tom Brady, Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers. Baltimore’s defense has always been good, but we live in a world that loves scoring. Unless you have someone like James Harrison who is the king of the cheap shot, you won’t find many highlights on Sportscenter built around how well your defense played.
Fortunately for the Ravens, the amount of media coverage your team receives has no effect on your chances of winning the Super Bowl. In an AFC class that is lacking a true favorite, Baltimore could be the most dangerous team. As long as the guys in the locker room are aware of that, they’re probably better off with the media keeping it a secret.
