1. The Baltimore Ravens are this year’s Super Bowl sleeper
The Ravens made the playoffs after taking advantage of a San Diego Chargers loss, and they faced the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Quarterback Joe Flacco proved again that he is a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs as he achieved his 10th career playoff win. Flacco’s playoff record now stands at 10-4. The Ravens defense also looked strong against a Steelers offense that was one of the most dangerous in the league.
While Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, the Ravens still kept quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in check as he threw two interceptions. The Ravens ranked eighth in total defense and sixth in scoring defense during the regular season, so the New England Patriots will have a serious challenge ahead of them. Outside linebackers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil respectively finished with 17 and 12 sacks, so the pass rush is sure to give Patriots quarterback Tom Brady a hard time. The Ravens have stayed competitive with the Patriots in recent games while beating them in the 2013 AFC Championship. This makes them a Super Bowl sleeper, which lacked last season since the favorites made it all the way.
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