And if the Ravens stumble? Those who envision a storybook finish shouldn't veer from reality, said Howard Nixon, a sociology professor at Towson University.
"Seasons end, and the success that has transported fans away from thoughts of lost jobs, declining income, mounting bills, eroding pensions, failing marriages, poverty, health problems or other stresses of everyday life cannot make these stresses and challenges of real life go away," Nixon said.
"Entertainment, fantasy and passion - essential elements of contemporary sports for the fans - have the capacity to distract us temporarily from the challenging elements of our lives, but they cannot fundamentally change reality for us or make the world in general safer, happier, healthier or more peaceful."
