Baltimore Ravens

Purple Rewind: The 2000 Baltimore Ravens

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:19 p.m. ET

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Jan 28, 2001; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis (52) celebrates with teammate safety Kim Herring (20) against the New York Giants during Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium. The Ravens defeated the Giants 34-7. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-US PRESSWIRE

The 2000 Ravens Boasted The Greatest Defense Of All-Time. The Super Bowl XXXV Champs are where who we start our Ravens rewind with.

The Baltimore Ravens were born in 1996 but things got good in the 2000 season. The NFL was just getting used to the Ravens as the new punching bag of the AFC Central. The Ravens lost a lot of football games in their first few seasons. The football world would soon see that lovable punching bag as a fierce foe. The Ravens quietly built a historically good defense and it carried them to Super Bowl glory.

The Ravens set a record that season for the fewest points allowed in a single season. Marvin Lewis led a defense that intimidated the entire league. Brian Billick and company understood that the measure of defense wasn’t yards it was points. The Ravens were a turnover machine as well. The Ravens defense dominated their way to the Super Bowl, where they destroyed Kerry Collins and the New York Giants.

The Giants averaged 2.6 yards per play against the Ravens. Kerry Collins only had 112 yards passing and threw four interceptions. The Giants turned the football over five times, and had 11 punts. The only score for the Giants was a kick return for a touchdown. Jermaine Lewis literally returned the favor on the subsequent kick off, making NFL history.

Jan 29, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of Super Bowl XXXV championship ring to commemorate the Baltimore Ravens 34-7 victory over the New York Giants on January 28, 2001 on display at the NFL Experience at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sport

The Touchdown Drought

The Ravens defense was great, but the offense had a ton of problems. Baltimore went five straight games without scoring a touchdown. The Ravens defense was so good that the Ravens actually managed to beat the Cleveland Browns and the Jacksonville Jaguars without getting into the end zone. Then the Ravens lost three straight games. The Ravens were 5-4 and their offense was wasting a great defense. Brian Billick benched Tony Banks and put Trent Dilfer under center.

The Ravens did not look like a Super Bowl team during the touchdown drought. They lost 10-3 to the Washington Redskins. Then they fell to their division rival the Tennessee Titans 14-6. The 9-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers was the last straw. Tony Banks was killing the team. The Ravens defense was too good to waste. Baltimore just needed the offense to avoid throwing the game away with turnovers.

When Dilfer came in, the Ravens offense still wasn’t anything special. They leaned on Jamal Lewis. Shannon Sharpe provided some big plays from the tight end position, but it was a ground and pound kind of an offense. Jamal Lewis ran behind some great offensive linemen including Jonathan Ogden and Edwin Mulitalo. Dilfer was a capable game manager and a leader. He brought the team stability and the Ravens won 11 straight games and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

Jan 30, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Baltimore Ravens former coach Brian Billick on the NFL Network set at the Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sport

The Best Moments Of Festivus Maximus

The Ravens coach wanted to take things one game at a time. Festivus Maximus was the Ravens less than covert way of saying Super Bowl. That is a highlight of the season itself, but here are the best memories from that hallowed season.

Ray Lewis Steals The Ball From Eddie George:

To this day, I still refer to Ray Lewis’s touchdown against the Tennessee Titans as the greatest play I have ever seen. Lewis and Eddie George were great rivals. George was a powerful running back, Lewis was a fear invoking linebacker. Their battles were iconic. Number 52 won in the divisional playoff game. George looked ready to complete a routine catch. Lewis jumped in and practically stole the football from him. Lewis ran it back for a touchdown that essentially booked the Ravens trip to Oakland, for the AFC Championship game.

Tony Siragusa Crushes Rich Gannon:

Rich Gannon was one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He was having one of the best seasons of his career. The Ravens gave him one of the worst days a quarterback ever had. He went 11-21 for 80 yards. He was intercepted twice and sacked four times. To add insult to injury, Tony Siragusa, in all his glory, had one of the most iconic sacks of all time. The 350 pound defensive lineman that we lovingly remember as “Goose” fell on Gannon. Gannon was practically swallowed by Siragusa’s gut. That would end the day for Gannon. The Ravens won 16-3 and went on to the Super Bowl.

Jermaine Lewis Makes Magic Happen:

The most iconic play from the Super Bowl is debatable. Jermaine Sharper had an interception off a tipped pass by Ray Lewis. That was a pretty special moment. Duane Starks scored on an interception as well. But nothing beats back to back kickoff returns for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The Giants just scored on a kickoff return, giving them a sense of new life. Lewis took their hope away in seconds.

Ravens Record 4 Shut Outs

The Ravens defense recorded four shut outs. 2000 was a different day in football. Dominant defense was the most important thing you could have. Still, it was a passing league and shut outs were very rare. The Ravens held four teams scoreless that season. This is something the Ravens should be very proud of. When the Ravens faithful argues that the 2000 team had the greatest defense of all time, this is a great thing to bring up.