#2: Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII
February 3, 2013
How it happened: Not very easily. What was so magical about this Super Bowl victory was just how many obstacles the team went through to get there. We may be biased, but it felt like a movie script was playing out during the 2012-2013 season.
Before the roller-coaster season even began, the Ravens franchise lost its beloved founder, Art Modell. Then, the team suffered more losses, on and off the field: There was the Eagles upset in week two, a 43-13 whooping at the hands of the Texans, and three straight losses that led to the firing of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Not to mention the crippling injuries, like Ray Lewis’s triceps and Lardarius Webb’s ACL.
But some of those losses led to uplifting moments, too, like how Lewis’s retirement announcement served to galvanize the team or when Torrey Smith played the game of his life in New England following his brother’s passing. And, of course, the team had plenty of plays to fill the highlight reel: beating the Raiders 55-20, Ray Rice’s 4th and 29 run in San Diego, and Jacoby Jones’s Hail-Mary reception in Denver.
With all this in mind, it’s no wonder the Ravens had a downright cinematic Super Bowl. Between the two Harbaugh brothers battling it out until the bitter end, a 33-minute power outage (which, some say, was caused by Beyonce’s incredible halftime performance), and a no-call for holding (yes, the refs got it right!) that will live in infamy, the Ravens capped off a dramatic season with an equal amount of flair.
We know it’s just a game and all, but when the purple, gold, and white confetti came raining down in the Superdome that February, it felt like nothing short of destiny. Two days later, the Ravens came home to an electrifying parade—where tens of thousands of fans filled up the streets, sang “Seven Nation Army” in front of City Hall, and packed themselves like sardines into M&T Bank Stadium.
Coach John Harbaugh probably summarized the storybook season best: “How could it be any other way? It’s never pretty. It’s never perfect. But it’s us.”
All season long, we’ll be counting down the Ravens top moments in franchise history to celebrate the team’s 20th season in Baltimore. Take a look back at what moments we’ve chronicled so far.
#20: Naming the Team
#19: Testaverde Throws for 429 Yards
#18: First Ring of Honor
#17: Terrell Suggs Becomes Thigh Master
#16: The Insane Final Minutes of the Vikings Snow Game
#15: Torrey Smith’s Emotional Win Over Patriots
#14: Peter Boulware Gets Four Sacks in a Single Game
#13: Justin Tucker Nails a 61-Yard Field Goal to Beat Detroit
#12: Flacco Connects With Ray Rice on Fourth and 29
#11: Ray Lewis Strips Eddie George in 2000 Playoffs
#10: Ed Reed’s 106-yard Interception Return Against the Browns
#9: Jamal Lewis Rushes For 295 Yards Against the Browns
#8: First Game in (New) Franchise History
#7: Ray Lewis’s Last Dance
#6: Ravens Beat Steelers in Playoffs For First Time in Franchise History
#5: Mile High Miracle
#4: Draft Day ’96
#3: Art Modell Announces He’s Moving Browns to Baltimore