NEW ORLEANS -- Linebacker Terrell Suggs has played on a lot of great Baltimore Ravens defenses over the years. This isn't one of them. And yet Suggs has finally made the Super Bowl after 10 years.
I asked him Monday about the difference between this Ravens defense and the rest.
"Joe Flacco," Suggs answered. "He's been balling. You don't have to do much when you got a quarterback that's balling."
That's oversimplifying things, but Suggs makes a strong point. The Ravens held Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos offense to only 21 points and Tom Brady's New England Patriots to 13 points, yet this Ravens group has been anything but flashy. Suggs has not been effective because of injuries. Ray Lewis is inspiring, and even Haloti Ngata had a down year.
"We've had defenses that you guys have given names to ... but those defenses don't have a ring," Suggs said.Â
This Ravens defense has done a nice job preventing big plays, but this Super Bowl appearance is more about the improvement of the offense.
"Joe (Flacco) has transformed us in a lot of ways," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
Even the defensive players know it.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
