| |  | |
| Lewis |
BALTIMORE -- Ray Lewis fought for his life against murder charges, then became the most dynamic defender in the NFL as he led the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs.
After the most trying year of his life, and perhaps his most
productive on the field, Lewis easily won The Associated Press
Defensive Player of the Year award announced Tuesday.
The centerpiece of the Ravens' record-setting defense feared he
never would be selected by the nationwide panel of 50 sports
writers and broadcasters who cover pro football because of what
happened away from his job.
|
 |
|
|
Tues., Jan. 2
Ray Lewis may be the most tenacious, nastiest player in
football. He was obviously awarded for his play this
year, but over the last three years he has been arguably
the best inside linebacker in the league. He emerged as
the best this season.
What makes Lewis so effective is his ability to play
sideline to sideline. His strength, speed and smarts
separate him from a lot of linebackers. I don't think he
has limitations.
Without Lewis, the Ravens' defense would still perform
well, but I think they would be lacking the mental edge that Lewis gives them. I think people are scared of
him; he gets in players' minds.
Football is a mental game. The Ravens are mentally
nasty. It's all about which team can withstand 60
minutes of football and who will mentally cave in? Lewis caves you in. He has played with more of a consistent aggressiveness this year than any other year. I never saw a letdown from him in any one game.
|
|
|
"It's like a fairy tale, or a movie, where there's a bad start
and a beautiful ending," Lewis said. "But it's real life."
Lewis was accused of a double murder in Atlanta following a
post-Super Bowl party last January and spent 15 days in jail. He
was cleared of the murder charges in exchange for a guilty plea to
obstructing a police investigation, and was fined $250,000 by NFL
commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the largest player fine ever.
The case sullied the images of both Lewis and the league, and
placed tremendous pressure on the middle linebacker to produce an
even-better season than the three previous Pro Bowl years.
The results: a team-high 184 tackles, three sacks and two
interceptions on a defense that set an NFL record for fewest points
allowed (165) during a 16-game season.
"After I fought for my life in Atlanta, everyone said, `He
might not be the same again. He might not get 100 tackles. Ray
Lewis will never be the player he was.' Well, they were absolutely
correct," Lewis said. "I'm not the same player. I'm better."
So good, in fact, that teammates and opponents readily
acknowledged his pre-eminence at his position.
"He's not only the best linebacker in football," Ravens
defensive tackle Tony Siragusa said, "he's the best in the history
of football."
That might be a bit much, but Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, whose
team was eliminated from the playoffs by Baltimore last Sunday, had
similar praise.
"He's the best player on one of the strongest defenses the NFL
has seen," Shanahan said. "Lewis is one of the best to ever play
the game. He has great speed and is very physical, and has an
uncanny ability to get off blocks and stay on his feet and make
tackles."
Lewis, 25 and in his fifth NFL season, fretted that his
involvement in the Atlanta case would eliminate any chance for
winning the award. Instead, he took it in a landslide.
Lewis easily outdistanced New Orleans tackle La'Roi Glover, who
had 11 votes. Tackle Warren Sapp of Tampa Bay, last year's winner,
got four, while Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks and New York
Giants tackle Keith Hamilton each received two votes. The other
ballot was cast for Miami end Jason Taylor.
"I never thought it would happen," said Lewis, the first Raven
to win the honor. "If someone said to you last January, `You know
what? Ray is going to go through pure hell and by the end of the
year he's going to be Defensive Player of the Year,' you would go,
`How?' If you read it in a book you wouldn't believe it."
| |
ALSO SEE
Ray Lewis unchained: Part I
Broncos' Anderson marches off with rookie award
Bears' Urlacher named NFL Defensive Rookie of Year
Ravens' D shuts down Broncos in wild-card win
VIDEO
 Coach Brian Billick commends Ray Lewis' Defensive Player of the Year honor. wav: 474 kRealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 |
