Jamison Hensley's 2010 Ravens awards

 

Here are a FEW of the highlights from the Baltimore Sun's Jamison Hensley's 2010 Ravens Awards! Be sure to check out his full list!

Most Valuable Player: 

Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle. When analyzing why the Ravens allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL, it starts with one of the most feared defensive linemen in the league. Ngata's impact was felt in three of the Ravens' biggest victories this season: making 11 tackles at Pittsburgh, pressuring Matt Schaub into throwing the game-winning interception in Houston and deflecting a fourth-quarter pass from Drew Brees that led to a victory-clinching interception against defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans.

Offensive Player of the Year:

Todd Heap, tight end. Anquan Boldin was the best offensive weapon in the first half of the season, and Derrick Mason took that title for the final two months of the regular season. But no one was more consistent over the entire season than Heap, who led the Ravens with a 15-yard-per-catch average and scored at critical times. All five of his touchdowns either gave the Ravens the lead or cut the deficit to one score.

Defensive Player of the Year:

Ed Reed, safety. Reed led the NFL with eight interceptions despite being on the physically-unable-to-perform list for the first six games of the season. He influenced games even when he wasn't recording the turnover himself. In six games without Reed, the Ravens managed five turnovers. In 10 games with him, they forced 22.

Worst Play:

The strip of Joe Flacco by Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu. With the Ravens not picking up the blitz on the left side (whether it was Michael Oher's missing a block on the Steelers safety or Flacco's holding onto the ball too long), this fourth-quarter turnover cost the Ravens a victory against their biggest rival, first place in the AFC North and control over a first-round bye in the playoffs. No play changed the Ravens' Super Bowl fortune more than this one.

Most Frsutrating Trend:

Michael Oher's false starts. It seemed he was jumping early once every game. He finished with eight of them, a sign that he might not be comfortable with the switch to left tackle.

Best Hit:

Linebacker Ray Lewis on the Jets' Dustin Keller. In an era where every hit is now scrutinized, Lewis' blow to the tight end was legal and devastating. Lewis drove his right shoulder into the chest of Keller, who was leveled to the ground. Lewis later described his fourth-quarter hit, saying, “It's like a quarterback throwing a big touchdown.

Biggest Surprise:

Billy Cundiff, kicker. Most consistent player on the entire team, Cundiff earned his first Pro Bowl and a five-year contract when he tied the NFL record with 40 touchbacks and converted 26 of 29 field goals (89.7 percent).

Most Frustrating Moment:

"The third-quarter meltdown at Pittsburgh. The Ravens were one half away from beating the Steelers in the AFC divisional round, but three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception) in a span of seven snaps caused a 14-point lead to disintegrate along with the Ravens' Super Bowl dreams."