Ravens vs Patriots: Tom Brady, Ray Lewis and Why Average NFL Fans Should Tune in

Anyone who really gets into pro football has a number of reasons why they'll be tuning into the Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship game on Sunday. But what about the average football fan that only follows the game to a certain extent?

Well, provided they have a vested interest in the game and the outcome, here are reasons why the average NFL fan should tune it.

Tom Brady: QB, Patriots

The future Hall of Famer, Tom Brady is the main reason why a lot of non-Ravens/Patriots fans are going to watch this game. That being said however, with the chance of seeing potentially the greatest quarterback to ever live have a shot at another Super Bowl, anyone will be interested.

With Brady, we have to appreciate what we're watching because the likes of him are few and far between. A sixth Super Bowl appearance would tie him for the most all time with Denver's John Elway and a fourth ring puts him atop the pedestal with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw.

No doubt the best player in the league and the best quarterback since Montana. Can the legendary New England general get another Super Bowl chance? Perhaps the next Hall of Famer begs to differ.

Ray Lewis: LB, Ravens

The MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is defying his age of 36 and continuing to dominate the trenches.

He's arguably the best defensive player since Lawrence Taylor and has a rare opportunity that would separate him from any other defensive player in NFL history; a second Super Bowl MVP award.

Surrounded by talent no doubt, however, Baltimore's defense moves as Lewis does. His passion and emotion for the game is second-to-none and watching him lead the Ravens defense against Tom Brady's offense is going to be one colossal matchup.

Bill Belichick: Head Coach, Patriots

Much like his quarterback Tom Brady, Bill Belichick can solidify his place with legendary head coaches such as Bill Walsh, Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll and Tom Landry. That's quite a group to be a part of for the NFL history buffs out there.

Since joining the New York Giants in 1979, Belichick won two Super Bowls under Bill Parcells as a defensive coordinator. His first stint in New England was once again under Parcells (1996) and the Patriots lost to Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXI.

Rejoining the Pats in 2000 as the head coach, Belichick coached in four more Super Bowls and obviously has a chance at another. With potentially eight appearances for his NFL coaching career and a possible sixth win on the way (this would be four as a head coach), Belichick would arguably be the best coach since Vince Lombardi.

Just wow.

Ed Reed: Safety, Ravens

The one player a lot of defensive-minded football fans are rooting for to get a Super Bowl ring, Baltimore safety Ed Reed. To some, the heart and soul of the Ravens defense right along with Ray Lewis, Reed was the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year.

Despite not yet playing in a Super Bowl, Reed has eight Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections to his name, including the last six consecutive seasons.

In the AFC Championship game, Reed's presence will be quite evident because of Tom Brady and New England's offense being so reliant on throwing the ball. Reed is a ball-hawk and isn't afraid to take risks by jumping routes.

The most intriguing aspect about this game for Reed though, is how he covers/defends the next guy.

Rob Gronkowski: TE, Patriots

No defense has had an answer yet for Rob Gronkowski and if the Ravens don't figure out how to isolate him, they'll get burned.

Gronk is changing the way offensive football is played, because a big, fast and agile tight end is basically damn near impossible to tackle, cover and shutdown. In addition, Gronk's ability to stretch a defense out and be the most dangerous player near the end zone is uncanny.

For the average NFL fan, Gronk is an appealing part to the AFC Championship game simply because he's a freak athlete that is a hybrid of other tight ends. It's like watching the combination of an NBA power forward, Olympic hurdler and MLB centerfielder all in one.

He simply can out power, jump and run everyone on the field despite being 6'6", 265 pounds.

Joe Flacco: QB, Ravens

This is for all of those that are unsure about Joe Flacco and his ability to lead a team.

He's a guy surrounded by all kinds of talent both offensively and defensively. The concern though, is that he still struggles in the postseason.

Last week he may have thrown two TDs but he completed only 51.9 percent of his throws.

Flacco has yet to really take that next step as an elite NFL quarterback and player, so this weekend's AFC title game is going to be very telling of that.

If Flacco shows he can read a defense well before, during and after the snap, then he'll silence some of the critics. However, another poor display and Baltimore may be looking for another quarterback.

John Rozum on Twitter