Indianapolis Colts vs Baltimore Ravens: Somebody’s Story Must End

The Baltimore Ravens have been riding the momentum and the glory that Ray Lewis brings for several years. He has been such an icon that the Ravens are one of the only teams whose big player isn’t the quarterback. Now with his retirement looming, the entire world wants him to go out a winner in the big game. What a great story it would make.

Over in Indiana, the Indianapolis Colts have a pretty great story of their own. Back in the summer and spring most everyone that talked about the Colts only talked about how Peyton Manning wasn’t going to play there anymore. Sure there was passing talk about Andrew Luck and how he was going to be good in the near future, but most of the chit chat surrounded the legendary departure of Manning.

All they have done is gone through the season and won games. They weren’t perfect but they fought hard and gained fans with each victory. Their fans had the first chance to breathe fresh air and realize that there is life after Peyton Manning. What a great story it would make if they reached so far into the playoffs that they crossed paths with Manning? Either way the story in Indianapolis right now isn’t who once was their quarterback and what kind of team they once had. The story today is the quarterback they do have and whether than can go the distance this year.

I’m like so many others in that I am a sucker for a great story and both of these teams have a great story still to be told. The only problem is that this weekend one of these great stories will have a premature ending. Will Lewis’s swansong be as well thought of if it gets stopped in the first round? How tainted will Andrew Luck and the Colt’s season be if they can’t get to the second round of the NFL Playoffs?

My prediction is that Luck and the Colts will put a premature exclamation point on the swansong of Ray Lewis. He is a legend and a no doubter for the Hall-of-Fame. Pity the young Colts and their new QB won’t allow him to get that big beautiful ring in his final season but it will not taint his career or his achievements in the least. For the Colts, their great story should continue at least for one more week.

Follow David Miller on Twitter @davidmillerrant