There will be a season when Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed no is longer sealing division games with an interception returned for a touchdown.
Thankfully, 2012 will not be that season.
In the first game of his 12th NFL season, Reed became the all-time NFL leader in career interception-return yards with 1,497, passing the great Rod Woodson. Reed picked off an errant Andy Dalton pass late in the fourth quarter and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens went on to win by a score of 44-13.
It was Reed's 13th career return touchdown, tying him for fourth all time. Reed always has had a nose for the end zone, and he stretched the ball over the pylon to put the game out of reach for the Ravens.
Unfortunately, the play also featured a recent trend in Reed's career. He went to the locker room after the play to treat an apparent right hamstring injury. He later returned to the sideline and told NFL Network after the game that he strained his hamstring.
No matter what he's doing, Ed Reedknows drama.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal