Throughout the course of NFL history, we’ve had some memorable moments. However, among all of the many that come to mind, the Mile High Miracle will always rank at the top, at least for Baltimore Ravens fans.
Not even the most optimistic Ravens fan thought they’d have a chance to beat the Denver Broncos. But that’s the beauty of this game, and while this win didn’t lead to a championship, it led them to the Super Bowl, where they took care of their unfinished business.
That’s why, in the following paragraphs, we’ll let you know everything there is about this legendary game. In the meantime, feel free to visit our Colorado NFL betting guide by ClutchBuzz as well.
The Mile High Miracle:
The Ravens started the postseason with an easy win against the Indianapolis Colts. From that point, things got more complicated, beginning with the Denver Broncos looking to cash in on Payton Manning and an impressive receiving corp hungry to win it all.
Torrey Smith, Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin, and Jacoby Jones wanted to send a message in Denver. Erick Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Brandon Stokley, and Trindon Holliday were some of Payton Manning’s weapons to damage Baltimore’s defense.
January 12, 2013, was the date for this high-flying game played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The then No.1 seed Broncos appeared to be clear favorites to take this game and face the New England Patriots in a highly-anticipated AFC game.
Things started pretty intense, with each team scoring 14 points in the first quarter. Payton Manning and Co. started in a good way, while Joe Flacco responded every time. Things continued this way for the rest of the game.
Manning was finding his teammates and making plays while Flacco did the same, exchanging touchdowns until the final seconds of regulation. Whenever the Broncos tried to separate from the Ravens, Flacco and co. were there to make it clear they weren’t dead at all.
The 70-Yard Bomb
As the 4th quarter started, the Broncos were ready to lift off and beat the underdog Ravens. Joe Flacco, however, had different plans. He connected with Jacoby Jones with a 70-yard pass, beating two DBs for the game-tying touchdown.
In overtime, things got more intense, with both teams exchanging possessions without scoring. Things went down to the wire, as nobody seemed to be really interested in losing this game. Both the Ravens and Broncos’ defenses made plays to frustrate each other’s chances to score and win the game.
What started as a seemingly easy game for the Broncos ended up being the biggest challenge of their season, with the Ravens ready to steal this W and keep their Super Bowl dreams alive.
Payton Manning would get intercepted near the end of the first overtime, which opened the door for a Ravens victory. The Ravens kept trying to move the ball and get closer to the end zone, or at least get in field goal range.
Ray Rice was at his best, helping set up Justin Tucker for a field goal. As he usually does, the legendary kicker knocked down a 47-yard bomb to put finish the game and punch their tickets to the AFC Championship Game.
After starting the game as clear underdogs, the Ravens came out victorious, with Joe Flacco leading the way and making big plays, confirming that he was in a sweet moment on the way to the eventual championship.
Flacco threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns, with Torrey Smith being his favorite weapon. The receiver caught three passes for 98 yards and scored twice. Ray Rice also had a notable game, rushing for 131 yards and bringing the ball home once. Jacoby Jones also showed up in the important moments, helping the Ravens clinch a terrific win over a rival that looked like one of the biggest favorites to win the Super Bowl.
The Aftermath
The Ravens went on to face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, getting yet another shocking upset. Then, an even tougher rival waited for them in the Super Bowl: the San Francisco 49ers.
That game was full of drama and even had to be stopped due to a power outage, perhaps because of how electrifying Ravens fans were.
The Mile High Miracle is still present in plenty of people’s memory to this day. The Ravens started that postseason run as the 4th seed in the AFC and dominated the Indianapolis Colts before the bar went much higher. Denver was their first big test, and other than the 49ers, their biggest one that season.
In a game that extended for a total of 76:42 of game time, the Ravens sent a clear message to the world, taking down Payton Manning and advancing to face (and beat) another legendary quarterback Tom Brady.
Now, John Harbaugh’s team isn’t an underdog by any means, but they should still draw inspiration from what those hardnosed Ravens managed to do when no one believed in them. Perhaps that’s just what Lamar Jackson and company need to lead the franchise to another title.
