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Baltimore Ravens safety Jim Leonhard is a perfect fit in the team’s complicated defensive scheme. And his natural athletic ability and competitive nature more than make up for his lack of prototypical physical dimensions. Originally signed by the Buffalo Bills as a rookie free agent in 2005, Jim joined the Ravens this year and he now finds himself not only starting at strong safety opposite perennial All-Pro and future Hall-of-Famer Ed Reed, but also returning kickoffs and punts. For a defense that has been hit hard by several season-ending injuries, the Ravens haven’t missed a beat thanks largely to Jim’s impressive contributions (currently 4th on the team in tackles with 53). I spoke with Jim after practice today, just a few days before the Ravens’ big showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North division lead.

0:08 - Back at full strength after a brief battle with the flu bug 0:25 - Ravens vs. Steelers rivalry, teams have similarities 1:06 - Bad blood between the teams is typical, physical game expected 1:37 - Week 15 and playing for the AFC North division lead 2:05 - Ravens have won seven of their past eight games 2:28 - Lack of size and an NFL life spent battling the odds everyday 3:02 - Playing the dual role: playing safety, returning kickoffs and punts 3:28 - Lessons learned playing with future Hall of Famers Reed and Lewis 4:20 - Learning and understanding the Ravens’ complex defense 5:14 - Ravens’ defensive game plan gets everyone involved 5:47 - Defense wants to get turnovers and score every game

Links: BaltimoreRavens.com, NFL Players, NFL.com

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, ed-reed, Jim Leonhard, Ray-Lewis

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