The NFL's 2013 schedule is out, and there's one unusual wrinkle in it: The Ravens, winners of last season's Super Bowl, will open the season on the road in Denver. A scheduling conflict with the Orioles is causing the disturbance -- the NFL champion generally gets to open the season at home, as a kind of reward. The Ravens are having a tough time convincing pundits that they'll be back in contention -- this matchup might not help their cause.

• jbr7191: "I hate how the NFL makes the Orioles and MLB out to be the bad guys. They did nothing wrong. Even if the Orioles agreed to move the game, the White Sox still could have vetoed it."
• Ram_Shoham: "MLB made a really bad decision. Do you realize how easily the NFL can destroy them? Schedule a couple of big games to be played at the same time as the MLB playoffs, leave them with a tiny handful of viewers... Whether or not they did something wrong, they definitely did something stupid."
• CamNewtonRising: "Ravens open the season with a L in Denver"
• CaptGravy: "Ravens should have opened at home on Wednesday night, or just played Sunday."
• WriinkledStar: "the Orioles schedule has been out since last year. The White Sox are also involved in this, it is not just an O's decision. They Orioles also plan on being in a playoff scenario and that is late in the season so may be a huge game. I love the non chalant attitude....ehhhh just move the O's game. The O's were right in not budging."
• Larry Ham: "Fitting that the Ravens start their season in Denver. This is where it should have ended if the Broncos practiced their hail mary prevent defense."

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It's been a good past few months for Joe Flacco -- he won a Super Bowl, silenced legions of detractors, and signed a humongous contract. Now, he'll be portraying NFL legend Johnny Unitas for part of a movie about Unitas' life. Not everyone is happy with that casting choice, however -- Unitas' oldest son called Flacco a ''goofball'' and said the movie (which is being co-produced by Unitas' son from his second marriage) should have gone with Peyton Manning. We're not sure about Flacco's acting ability, but we're positive that it's better when the actor portraying an athlete possesses at least a modicum of athletic ability.

• juan9179: "I don't get the reasoning for this choice? Is there a physical resemblance? or is it just because he currently plays for Baltimore? It makes no sense why Flacco would be considered...especially with all the other 'real' actors available. And is he a member of the SAG? That could cause union issues as well...just wondering."
• numbah1110: "I don't get the big deal. Flacco is essentially a stunt double."
• bumeri: "Keanu Reeves should take the role. He played an awesome QB."
• Some Heads Are Gonna Roll: "He may very well get an Oscar. He convinced the Ravens he was a competent QB."
• CraigThomas76: "Oh my God, we only got the sixth best quarterback in the league to play him! The outrage!"
• liquidlightening101: "It's no big deal. With CG they can just generate a ball that looks like its on target."

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It's difficult to imagine Ed Reed in anything other than a Ravens uniform, but he'll be donning the colors of the Houston Texans the next time we see him on a football field. Reed signed a three-year deal worth a reported $15 million with the Texans on Friday, shoring up a defense that hasn't been able to get the Texans into the Super Bowl just yet. Reed is getting on in years, but can he still make plays with the best of them?

• Invincible083: "And the odds of the Texans winning the Super Bowl for next year stayed remarkably the same."
• bucksalum01: "Honestly, reed WAS a great player, is avg now, and gets hurt...hes 34, i dont mind ravens letting him go"
• gjpick: "Everyone seems to forget that the Ravens D was not that good last year so it really shouldn't come as that big a surprise that they are re-tooling. While I would have loved to see Reed back for another year, especially since I own his jersey, he is simply not worth $5M per year."
• hansalexanderjl: "Good move by the Texans, they have needed some vet like this to come in and help in the lockeroom as much as on the field. Texans seem to get overwhelmed with the tought of playoffs and success, Reed should help mitigate that."
• molnoskeyj: "Reed is not going to be taking much of a pay cut. He has almost retired a few times over the last couple of years. His bonus is being spread to 3 years but he will not finish those years, making his per-year average go up."
• DevsWearPinstripesInBrooklyn: "This seems like a steal, considering all that Ed Reed has done over his career. 5 million guaranteed to a future first ballot Hall Of Famer?? Well played, Houston."

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The NFC West is getting a lot deeper at wide receiver, thanks to two trades reported Monday. First, the Seahawks reportedly agreed to acquire Percy Harvin from the Vikings. Not content to sit back and watch Seattle improve, the 49ers reportedly went out and grabbed Anquan Boldin from the Ravens, who just beat San Francisco in the Super Bowl.

Harvin's new Seattle teammates were quick to welcome him to town, while his former Vikings teammates were less than enthusiastic about seeing him go.

The best all around player I ever seen or you'll ever see! Goes to Seattle! I feel like I just got kicked in the stomach. Several times!!!

— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) March 11, 2013

I wish my boy Percy nothing but success! God bless you homie

— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) March 11, 2013

Welcome to the Team bruh @percy_harvin ... Happy to have ya

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) March 11, 2013

@percy_harvin Let's do work bra bra

— MarshawnLynch (@MoneyLynch) March 11, 2013

Ravens players were stunned to see Boldin -- who caught four touchdowns in Baltimore's run to the Super Bowl -- shipped out of town, while 49ers pass-catcher Vernon Davis appears happy to share the targets.

This business is BS at times

— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) March 11, 2013

The boldin trade wow. Do we even win the game with out him?

— Brendon Ayanbadejo (@brendon310) March 11, 2013

#NinersNation welcome and follow my newest teammate Q - @anquanboldin!

— Vernon Davis (@VernonDavis85) March 11, 2013

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Joe Flacco made a case for a new contract with his postseason performance, culminating in a Super Bowl win and MVP honors. Now the Ravens decide how much money they should pay their quarterback. Is he worth as much as Tom Brady, Drew Brees and the Manning brothers? Will the Ravens be able to pay Flacco elite QB money and maintain a championship-level roster under the salary cap?

Worth elite QB money:

• KING7804: "Everyone talking about Flacco being average in the regular season and great in the playoffs is irrelevant. Take Peyton Manning, one of the Best regular season QBs in the history of the NFL.....one ring. Flacco deserves the money for making it to the playoffs when he does and then making the best out of the opportunity when he does."
• picklecbm: "Correct me if I'm wrong. Flacco has made the playoffs every year. Has won a playoff game every year. Now has a Super Bowl win. Why are people debating his worth? How long did it take Peyton or Brees???"
• cheezehead38: "Hey he should get paid as much as Drew Brees being that he has just as many Super Bowl appearences and wins and he is 5 years younger."
• IAmTheNFLSource: "Vick - $15.5M; Palmer $13M; Rivers & Stafford - $12M each; Romo - $11.5M. If those guys can get that much, I expect Flacco to get $14-17M."
• bcbunley89: "It doesnt matter how Flacco looks before the playoffs, the point is that he always gets to the playoffs, and thats where he shines the brightest. Pay that man his money!!!"

Not worth elite QB money:

• Heelsn07: "All the credit in the world goes to flacco for a great postseason but paying him that kind of money will handicap the ravens into being a middle-of-the-road team for the next decade. cant give that much money to one player. especially the 7th or 8th best QB in the game. tough call for ravens ownership. guess they should be happy he got them one super bowl."
• drpeppersonz: "Ozzie Newsome aint no fool. He might give him a big signing bonus, but you best believe the cap number for his contract wont kill the Ravens. Those fans buying tickets this year know what they saw."
• jd4me: "Until Flacco can throw for about 30 TD's in a season and CARRY the team to the playoffs, then he's worth not much more then the 10-12m dollar range."
• GruDeN_GrinDeR: "Flacco is in the top 10 of QB's, but he's far from the top 3 elite in the league. He shouldn't see anywhere near of Brees' contract regardless of this great playoff run."
• Cam Newtons Suggestion Box: "Brady's base salary is pretty low for a guy with 3 rings. Flacco should take note that getting $15M is still pretty damn good even if you are worth $20M. He should ask for one year at $20M and the other 4-5 be in the 14-16 range."
• schult34: "Flacco helped his team get to the playoffs, and then had an amazing playoff series, but in no way is he at brady's or the peyton's level (yet). If they make 20 a year, he is that 14.6 or 15 a year guy."

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Joe Flacco threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XLVII, earning not only Super Bowl MVP honors but likely a big paycheck in the offseason. Should the Ravens' QB now be considered among the top signal-callers in the league? And how much should Baltimore be prepared to dish out in financial compensation? Cast your votes!

Was Joe Flacco the right choice for Super Bowl XLVII MVP?

•  
  64%
  Yes
•  
  36%
  No

(Total votes: 45,077)

Will Joe Flacco ever win another Super Bowl?

•  
  39%
  Yes
•  
  61%
  No

(Total votes: 64,221)

After his performance in Super Bowl XLVII, should Joe Flacco be considered an elite quarterback?

•  
  55%
  Yes
•  
  45%
  No

(Total votes: 167,419)

The lights went out and no one was playing football for half an hour at Super Bowl XLVII. And we're not talking about Beyonce's halftime performance. A power outage halted play for 34 minutes, just after Jacoby Jones' electrifying 108-yard kickoff return opened the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. With no football being played, what's an athlete to do? Tweet about it, of course. Here's some reaction to the night the lights went out at the Super Bowl :

Soooooo Beyoncé stole all the power from the stadium. LoL

— Matt Forte (@MattForte22) February 4, 2013

What's the odds of this happening? That New Orleans voodoo

— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 4, 2013

On a slightly more serious note, this is what happens when you invest in entertainment over infrastructure. Think anyone's paying attention?

— Chris Kluwe (@ChrisWarcraft) February 4, 2013

HEY!! It's my fault the lights out! Why not? Everything is & has always been my fault! LOL!

— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) February 4, 2013

We have traced a call from a phone on the 49er sideline to Buffalo Wild Wings.

— DeionSanders (@DeionSanders) February 4, 2013

Maybe the Superdome shouldn't have let Clark Griswold supervise the lighting tonight. #SuperBowl

— Mark Teixeira (@teixeiramark25) February 4, 2013

If 49ers win, the blackout def will get more coverage

— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) February 4, 2013

I can't speak for any other sport, but in the #NFL momentum is everything... And right now, 49ers have it.

— Donte' Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 4, 2013

Just like rain delays. How quickly games can change. #lightsout

— David Freese (@dfreese23) February 4, 2013

Is there a more hated man in Baltimore than the facilities manager at Superdome?

— Greg Olsen (@gregolsen82) February 4, 2013

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