Move Over Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Reflects On First Home Conference Title Game Since 1971
When it comes to football in Baltimore, icons don't get much bigger than Johnny Unitas.
The father of the modern quarterback led the Baltimore Colts to three NFL championships, a Super Bowl title, and a Hall-of-Fame career. Even when the Colts left for Baltimore in 1984, Unitas has always been seen as Baltimore's favorite sun. No football team in Baltimore has ever even hosted a conference championship game since Unitas' 27-17 win over the Oakland Raiders in 1971.
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That is, until now.
It's been 40 years after Unitas walked off the field in Memorial Stadium as a victor, and Baltimore's new football franchise has ended the decades-long drought.
The 34-10 victory over the Houston Texans Saturday evening sent the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2013, and the first time hosting the event in franchise history.
They are no strangers to Super Bowl victories (they have won two since their creation in 1996), and to host a conference title game for a town that hasn't seen an event like this in years is beyond overwhelming.
"It’s meaningful, and now we have to get to work and go win (the AFC Championship)," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "That’s the challenge.”
Most of the players on the roster didn't realize the kind of drought that the city of Baltimore was going through when it came to conference title appearances. Some may not have even known Unitas' impact on the city in the first place.
What isn't lost to the rest of the roster is how important a game of next week's magnitude will be for the city that never had given up on its football franchise hopes.
"I guess we’re all in the same boat," pass-rushing dynamo Jadeveon Clowney stated after the win. "We all want that special thing around here, and I’m just glad to be a part of it and chasing it with this group of guys together. So, shoutout to the squad.”
The 24-point win on Saturday was the second-largest point differential in a Ravens playoff game - falling just behind their 34-7 win in Super Bowl XXV.
"I love this city. This team, we love this city," Justice Hill said of Baltimore. "We just want to be able to provide the excitement for the city. They show up. No matter if it’s a road game or a home game, they’re going to always show up for us, and they’re going to cheer their butts off. So, we’re going to continue to win for those guys.”
Despite the history that was made just 24 hours ago, Baltimore has made it clear that the celebration must be short-lived.
They have another game on the docket.
"We have to finish. It’s still [the] playoffs," Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson concluded. "We’re not in the dance yet, but I’m looking forward to next week, to be honest with you. I’m not even thinking about the Super Bowl until we handle business.”
As special as it is to host the AFC title game for the first time since Johnny Unitas controlled the pulse of football in Baltimore, the Ravens understand that it won't matter if they can't pull off another victory.
At the very least, celebrating a historic season will have to wait until the time is right.
