BALTIMORE - Late in the second quarter of a November game against the New York Jets, Ed Reed intercepted a pass in the end zone. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis yelled in delight and motioned for his teammate to drop to one knee.

Reed considered the suggestion, then decided against it.

After all, what fun would that be?

Reed didn't stop running until he had covered 104 yards. A holding penalty nullified the score, but the Ravens followed the long return with their first touchdown and rallied for a 20-17 overtime victory.

It was merely one of several thrills that Reed provided during a sensational season that enabled him to win The Associated Press 2004 Defensive Player of the Year award. Reed, the first safety to claim the award in 20 years, earned 20 votes from a national panel of writers and broadcasters who cover pro football.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior finished second with 16. Indianapolis end Dwight Freeney, who had an NFL-leading 16 sacks, took third with seven votes.

Reed led the league with nine interceptions and set an NFL mark by running 358 yards with those errant tosses, including a record 106-yarder that secured a win over Cleveland. All the while, he did it with a broad smile on his face.

"Just playing the game, having fun, that's what makes me excited, that's what makes me wake up in the morning and work out," he said. "It's really just exciting ... to get up on another Sunday and have the same kind of fun you've been having since you were a kid."

Reed played well enough to earn the kind of praise usually heaped upon Lewis, who has won the award twice. No longer do Baltimore opponents draw up a game plan with only Lewis in mind.

"Ed Reed seems to be a topic of discussion of every play we watch. You're always looking to see what he's going to do next," Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "I love watching him play, truthfully. He a phenomenal player; his instincts are tremendous, his athletic ability, his speed, every facet of the game seems to be perfect."

Raw talent is part of it, but Reed does his homework, too. That's one reason why he seems to know where the football is going before the quarterback puts it in the air.

"Film study is definitely a key to making those plays. Also, a lot of offseason preparation," he said. "It all goes hand in hand."

Soon after he left the University of Miami as the 24th overall pick in the 2002 draft, Reed latched onto Lewis, who also attended Miami. The two have since been inseparable.

"It's funny," Lewis said. "We talked about who would be defensive MVP when we trained together. One of us would run one more sprint in the sand and say, 'That's to win the championship.' Then we'd run another and say, 'That's to win the Super Bowl.' Then another and say, 'That's to win the Defensive Player of the Year.' We did the same thing lifting weights, with sets."

The Ravens (9-7) didn't reach the playoffs, but no one could blame Reed, who outplayed even his illustrious training partner.

"He deserves it," Lewis said. "He prepares like a coach. He loves to play, period. He brings joy to work. He's tough and smart."

Reed's versatility was on full display in early October, when he carried the Ravens past Washington. Baltimore trailed 10-0 in the third quarter before Reed forced a fumble with a sack of Mark Brunell, then returned the loose ball 22 yards for a score.

Minutes later, Reed threw a key block on a 78-yard punt return that put Baltimore ahead for good.

"To know that I can make a play, or maybe even win the game," he said, "that's exciting to me."

Even more than claiming a coveted award.

"Coming into the season I didn't set any goals such as winning defensive MVP, leading the team in picks. I kind of pushed that to the side. I wanted what I did to be unlimited," Reed said. "It was, 'I'm just going to go out and play football.'"

He did that better in 2004 than any defensive player in the game.

Carolina end Julius Peppers received three votes. Lewis, the 2000 and 2003 Defensive Player of the Year, got one vote, as did San Diego linebacker Donnie Edwards.