Baltimore Blitz! The Super Bowl XXXV Champion Ravens Place In History

Led by a record setting defense, the reliable Trent Dilfer, and rookie Jamal Lewis, the Super Bowl XXXV champions can hang their helmet up as one of the greatest teams ever assembled.

Gutsy and gritty are clichés used to describe football teams daily.  For the Ravens, the only word that seems fitting is resilient.  The team had spent most of their offseason awaiting information regarding Ray Lewis, their star middle linebacker, who had run into legal troubles regarding a fight outside an Atlanta (Ga.) club. 

However, once the season started, with their defensive captain back in place, the Ravens showed the entire league the power of the defense first philosophy.

The eventual champs got off to an amazing 2000 campaign with a 5-1 record including shut outs of arch rival Pittsburgh to start the season and proverbial cellar dwellers Cincinnati and Cleveland.  Their only loss came on the road in Miami, by the score of 19-6.  The 5-1 start looked to be putting the Ravens toward title contention, but the lack of offense was starting to show.

Following a 37-0 defeat of the Bengals, the Ravens went on a month long streak without scoring an offensive touchdown.  During this streak the team went 2-3, and Super Bowl talks began to lose steam.  It wasn’t until Week 8 of the season, a loss to conference rival Tennessee, that the answer to the Ravens’ offensive woes would come off the bench, in the form of backup quarterback, Trent Dilfer. 

Dilfer, who never lived up to his status as a first-round pick out of Fresno State, was the team’s backup behind Tony Banks.  His career in Tampa was less than spectacular accounting for only 58 touchdown passes in five seasons. 

The decision to pull Banks in favor of Dilfer seemed foolish after the Ravens failed to score an offensive touchdown in a loss to the Steelers in Week 9, but Coach Brian Billick’s quarterback swap would soon carry the Ravens to greatness.

Following Week 9, with Dilfer comfortable in his role as the new signal caller, the Ravens would not lose another game.  The last eight weeks of the regular season would see the once stagnant offense outscore their opponents by the combined score of 193 to 67. 

Riding a seven-game winning streak into their first playoff appearance, the Ravens, with the support of nearly 70,000 fans, easily defeated the Denver Broncos 21-3.  The defense only allowed Denver to cross midfield once, corralling the once proud Bronco running attack to only 42 yards.  The next step was a trip to Nashville to meet up with Division Champion Tennessee.

The Ravens defense would be their offense against the Titans in the rubber match at Adelphia Coliseum.  With the game tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter, Keith Washington blocked his second Al Del Greco field goal attempt and safety Anthony Mitchell returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.  Middle Linebacker Ray Lewis would seal up the game with a 50 yard interception return for a touchdown.  Despite being out gained 317-134 in total yards and having two punts blocked, the Ravens were on their way to the AFC Championship, heading west to battle the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders must not have watched the Denver game two weeks earlier, as Oakland’s rushing attack was held to only 24 yards on 17 carries.  The Ravens rode their offense, a 96 yard record breaking touchdown pass from Dilfer to Tight End Shannon Sharpe, and their defense, five turnovers, to a 16-3 victory. 

Defensive tackle Tony Siragusa’s hit on Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon in the second quarter left him ineffective the remainder of the game as Trent Dilfer threw for 190 yards, his highest passing total since week 12 against Dallas. 

The Ravens were on their way to Tampa, a homecoming of sort for Dilfer.  The defense would be matched up against the New York Giants, coming off a 41-0 defeat of the Minnesota Vikings

An AFC championship would not suffice Ray Lewis and company, as they met Kerry Collins and the New York Giants.  All the Ravens talk had to be backed up with a championship, and the team did not disappoint.  Becoming one of only three teams to shut out an opposing offense, the Ravens crushed the Giants 34-7. 

Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis, accounted for 11 solo tackles, 6 assists and 4 blocked passes.  Fifteen of the Giants possession ended in a punt or interception. The 16th and last one ended with zeros on the clock and a storm of confetti showering the Tampa sky. 

The only chink in the Raven’s defensive armor came in the third quarter when Giants kick returner Ron Dixon returned a kickoff 97 yards, to end the shutout.  Not to be outdone, Baltimore immediately answered with a touchdown of their own—an 84-yard kick return by Jermaine Lewis. 

The 2000 Ravens would end up setting an NFL record for least amount of points allowed in a 16-game season at 165.  The team also held their opponents to 970 combined rushing yards, yet again another record.  Middle Linebacker Ray Lewis, was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year leading the No. 1 defense in the league overall in yards and points allowed. 

Fellow defensive tackle Sam Adams and Safety Rod Woodson would join Lewis in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.  The coaching staff would also be recognized as head coach Brian Billick was named USA Today AFC Coach of the Year and defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis was named AFC Assistant Coach of the Year. 

The Ravens didn’t have a nickname for their record setting defense: no “Steel Curtain,” no “Orange Crush,” no “Purple People Eaters.”  They are simply the Ravens—one team, one heartbeat, and one commitment, and in 2000, one of the greatest teams ever assembled.