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2000 Baltimore Ravens season
Head Coach Brian Billick
Home Field PSINet Stadium
Results
Record 12–4
Place 2nd AFC Central
Playoff Finish Won Wild Card Playoffs (Broncos) 21–3
Won Divisional Playoffs (Titans) 24–10
Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 16–3
Won Super Bowl XXXV (Giants) 34–7
Pro Bowlers 5
Timeline
Previous Season Next Season
1999 2001

The Baltimore Ravens concluded the 2000 NFL season with a 12–4 record, good for second place in the AFC central, and earning them a spot in the playoffs as a wild card entrant. The Ravens won three straight games in the AFC playoffs, culminating in a trip to Tampa for the Super Bowl, where they defeated the New York Giants, 34–7, to win their first championship.

Offseason[]

The Ravens spent most of the off-season concerned with the status of their star linebacker Ray Lewis, who along with two other acquaintances, was arrested and charged with murder after an incident outside of an Atlanta nightclub on January 31, 2000. On June 5, a plea bargain was struck, and murder and aggravated assault charges were dropped in exchange for testimony against his companions. Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and was sentenced to a year of probation.

Season summary[]

The Ravens started the season with a 5–1 start, with three of their victories coming by shutout. Despite the great play of the defense, the offense hit a major swoon after the first month of the season. Following a 37–0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens would not score a touchdown for five consecutive games. The Ravens won the first two of these games thanks to their defense, but lost the next three, including a critical division loss at home to the Titans. During this game, quarterback Tony Banks was benched in favor of Trent Dilfer, who would take over for the rest of the season. After a loss at home to Pittsburgh, the Ravens broke both their touchdown-less streak and losing streak against the Bengals the next week. It would be the first of seven straight wins to end the season.

The Ravens finished one game behind the Tennessee Titans in the AFC central, so the Ravens had to begin their playoff run at home in the wild card round against the Broncos. The team cruised to a 21–3 victory, setting up a date with the Titans the following week in Nashville. The Ravens prevailed 24–10, thanks to linebacker Ray Lewis' 50 yard interception return for a touchdown that put the game away. The team then traveled to Oakland to meet the Raiders for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, and the Ravens advanced to their first, 16–3, as the defense held Oakland, the league's top rushing offense during the season, to just 24 yards rushing. The Ravens easily defeated the Giants in Super Bowl XXXV, 34–7, as Ray Lewis led another dominant performance by the defense and was named most valuable player of the game for his efforts.

The Ravens relied heavily on their defense, which set several records during the 2000 season, including fewest points allowed during a 16-game season (165) and fewest rushing yards allowed (970). The defense finished the season number one overall in points allowed, and Ray Lewis was named defensive player of the year by the Associated Press. Starting cornerbacks Chris McAlister and Duane Starks combined to intercept ten passes, and defensive end Rob Burnett contributed with 10.5 sacks. The defense is one of the greatest ever. Offensively, the Ravens relied heavily on the running game. Rookie running back Jamal Lewis led the way with 1364 yards and veteran Priest Holmes added 588 yards. The passing game was rather pedestrian (23rd in yards passing), but Trent Dilfer brought stability to the position when he took over for Tony Banks mid-season. Tight end Shannon Sharpe, acquired as an unrestricted free agent from Denver during the offseason, was the team's leading pass receiver with 67 catches for 810 yards. Punt returner Jermaine Lewis scored two touchdowns on punt returns during the season, and ran back a kickoff in the Super Bowl, while placekicker Matt Stover made 35 field goals on 39 attempts.

Defensive legacy[]

The Ravens defense in 2000 is often named among the greatest NFL defenses of all time. A 2007 ESPN Page 2 list ranked the 2000 Ravens defense at #3 in NFL history. [1] Baltimore gave up only 970 rushing yards (60.6 per game) all year, an NFL record for a 16-game season,[2] and 186 fewer yards than the next lowest team, Baltimore's Super Bowl XXXV opponent, the New York Giants. Baltimore gave up only five rushing touchdowns all season, and allowed a paltry 2.7 yards per rush, both league bests. Furthermore, the Ravens recovered an astronomical 26 fumbles during the season, double the total the second-ranked team. [3]

Statistical site Football Outsiders noted, "One more interesting note on the Baltimore defense: it was the only dominant defense of the past few years to be based on stopping the run instead of controlling the pass. For all the cliches about the need to stop the run, in general the best defenses are ranked the highest because they have the best ratings against the pass, not against the run – just like the best offenses are ranked the highest because they are the best through the air, not on the ground. The 2000 Ravens only rank seventh in defense against the pass, but their rushing defense ... is far and away the best of the past six seasons."[4]

Interestingly, for all its fanfare, the Ravens defensive statistics were very comparable to their division rivals, the Tennessee Titans in 2000. The Titans gave up fewer total yards (3813 to 3967), passing yards (2423 to 2621), fewer yards per play (4.3 to 4.2) and net yards per passing attempt (4.7 to 5.3). However, Baltimore won nearly as many games as Tennessee, despite a significantly worse offense. Tennessee's passing offense was statistically better than Baltimore's, passing for 3266 yards to Baltimore's 2815, as well as 6.7 net yards per attempt to Baltimore's 5.1. In fact, Tennessee's overall offense gained 5.2 passing yards-per-attempt, a half-yard more than Baltimore's 4.7 YPA. [5]

2000 NFL Draft[]

Round Pick Player Position School/Club Team
1 5 Jamal Lewis Running Back Tennessee
1 10 Travis Taylor Wide Receiver Florida
3 75 Chris Redman Quarterback Louisville
5 148 Richard Mercier Offensive Guard Miami (FL)
6 186 Adalius Thomas Linebacker Southern Miss
6 191 Cedric Woodard Defensive Tackle Texas

Roster[]

Baltimore Ravens 2000 final roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

  • 29 Chuck Evans
  • 32 Sam Gash
  • 33 Priest Holmes
  • 31 Jamal Lewis

Wide Receivers

  • 86 Billy Davis
  • 87 Qadry Ismail
  • 83 Patrick Johnson
  • 84 Jermaine Lewis
  • 80 Brandon Stokley

Tight Ends

  • 81 Ben Coates
  • 82 Shannon Sharpe

Offensive Linemen

  • 74 Orlando Bobo
  • 62 Mike Flynn
  • 71 Spencer Folau
  • 66 John Hudson
  • 60 Jeff Mitchell
  • 64 Edwin Mulitalo
  • 75 Jonathan Ogden
  • 70 Harry Swayne
  • 77 Kipp Vickers
  • 72 Sammy Williams

Defensive Linemen

  • 95 Sam Adams DL
  • 90 Rob Burnett DE
  • 91 Lional Dalton DL
  • 99 Michael McCrary DE/OLB
  • 76 Carl Powell DL
  • 98 Tony Siragusa NT
  • 96 Adalius Thomas DE/OLB
  • 93 Keith Washington
  • 79 Larry Webster
Linebackers
  • 58 Peter Boulware
  • 57 O. J. Brigance
  • 51 Cornell Brown
  • 56 Anthony Davis
  • 50 Brad Jackson
  • 52 Ray Lewis ILB
  • 55 Jamie Sharper

Defensive Backs

  • 35 Robert Bailey CB
  • 45 Corey Harris
  • 20 Kim Herring
  • 25 Clarence Love
  • 21 Chris McAlister
  • 42 Anthony Mitchell
  • 43 Anthony Poindexter
  • 22 Duane Starks CB
  • 38 James Trapp
  • 26 Rod Woodson SS
Special Teams

Reserve Lists

  • 30 Obafemi Ayanbadejo FB (IR)
  • 40 Pedro Edison TE (IR)
  • 85 John Jones TE (IR)
  • 89 Travis Taylor WR (IR)
  • 88 Frank Wainright TE (IR)
  • 54 Calvin Wilkinson LB (IR)

Practice squad

  • 39 Alan Ricard FB
  • 46 Robert Arnaud RB
  • 59 Rod Payne C
  • 73 Kelly Gregg DT

Rookies in italics
active, inactive, practice squad

Regular season[]

Schedule[]

Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL Recap
1 September 3 Pittsburgh Steelers W 16–0 1–0 Three Rivers Stadium [6]
2 September 10 Jacksonville Jaguars W 39–36 2–0 PSINet Stadium [7]
3 September 17 Miami Dolphins L 6–19 2–1 Pro Player Stadium [8]
4 September 24, Cincinnati Bengals W 37–0 3–1 PSINet Stadium [9]
5 October 1 Cleveland Browns W 12–0 4–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium [10]
6 October 8 Jacksonville Jaguars W 15–10 5–1 ALLTEL Stadium [11]
7 October 15 Washington Redskins L 3–10 5–2 FedEx Field [12]
8 October 22 Tennessee Titans L 6–14 5–3 PSINet Stadium [13]
9 October 29 Pittsburgh Steelers L 6–9 5–4 PSINet Stadium [14]
10 November 5 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–7 6–4 Paul Brown Stadium [15]
11 November 12 Tennessee Titans W 24–23 7–4 Adelphia Coliseum [16]
12 November 19 Dallas Cowboys W 27–0 8–4 PSINet Stadium [17]
13 November 26 Cleveland Browns W 44–7 9–4 PSINet Stadium [18]
14 Bye week
15 December 10 San Diego Chargers W 24–3 10–4 PSINet Stadium [19]
16 December 17 Arizona Cardinals W 13–7 11–4 Sun Devil Stadium [20]
17 December 24 New York Jets W 34–20 12–4 PSINet Stadium [21]

Standings[]

AFC Central
Team W L T PCT PF PA
(1) Tennessee Titans 13 3 0 .813 346 191
(4) Baltimore Ravens 12 4 0 .750 333 165
Pittsburgh Steelers 9 7 0 .563 321 255
Jacksonville Jaguars 7 9 0 .438 367 327
Cincinnati Bengals 4 12 0 .250 185 359
Cleveland Browns 3 13 0 .188 161 419

Results[]

Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers[]

Week 1: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers—Game Summary
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 10 3 3 0 16
Steelers 0 0 0 0 0

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: September 3
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 73 °F (Clear/Humid)
  • Game attendance: 55,049
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 23 yard field goal, Ravens 3–0
  • BAL – Qadry Ismail 53 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover Kick), Ravens 10–0
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 26 yard field goal, Ravens 13–0
3rd quarter
  • BAL- Matt Stover 33 yard field goal, Ravens 16–0
4th quarter
  • None
Top passers
  • BAL – Tony Banks 18/32, 199 yards, 1 touchdown
  • PIT- Kent Graham 17/38, 199 yards
Top rushers
  • BAL- Priest Holmes 27 rushes, 119 yards
  • PIT – Richard Huntley 7 rushes, 31 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Qadry Ismail 7 receptions, 102 yards, 1 touchdown
  • PIT – Plaxico Burress, 4 receptions, 77 yards

In the opening game for Baltimore's regular season, they squared off against division rivals Pittsburgh Steelers at their turf. In a game where the Ravens had 336 yards of total offense, they first scored points with a field goal kick from Matt Stover. Later in the first quarter, Qadry Ismail would complete a pass from Tony Banks for seven more points. After another field goal kick, the Steelers were being shut out by the end of halftime, 13–0. The final score in the game resulted from another field goal from Stover, and the final score resulted with the Ravens winning 16–0. With this win, the Ravens began their season at 1–0.

Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars[]

September 10 at 1:00 p.m. EST

1 2 3 4 Total
Jaguars 17 6 3 10 36
Ravens 0 7 15 17 39



  • stadium=PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
  • attendance=63,843
  • weather=74 °F (Clear/Humid)
  • referee=
  • TV=CBS
  • TVAnnouncers=
  • reference=Recap
|scoring=
1st quarter
  • JAX – Mike Hollis 36 yard field goal, Jaguars 3–0
  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 45 yard pass from Mark Brunell (Mike Hollis kick), Jaguars 10–0
  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 43 yards pass from Mark Brunell (Mike Hollis kick), Jaguars 17–0
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Travis Taylor 14 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover kick), Jaguars 17–7
  • JAX – Mike Hollis 45 yard field goal, Jaguars 20–7
  • JAX – Mike Hollis 48 yard field goal, Jaguars 23–7
3rd quarter
  • BAL – Travis Taylor 23 yard pass from Tony Banks (Ben Coates pass from Tony Banks), Jaguars 23–15
  • JAX – Mike Hollis 34 yard field goal, Jaguars 26–15
  • BAL – Obafemi Ayanbadejo 5 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover kick), Jaguars 26–22
4th quarter
  • BAL – Jermaine Lewis 12 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 29–26
  • BAL – Matt Stover 44 yard field goal, Ravens 32–26
  • JAX – Mike Hollis 48 yard field goal, Ravens 32–29
  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 40 yard pass from Mark Brunell (Mike Hollis kick), Jaguars 36–32
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 29 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 39–36
|stats=
Top passers
  • JAX – Mark Brunell 28/50, 386 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
  • BAL – Tony Banks 23/40, 262 yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
  • JAX – Stacey Mack 11 rushes, 36 yards
  • BAL – Priest Holmes 10 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 15 receptions, 291 yards
  • BAL – Travis Taylor 4 receptions, 80 yards

}} At the Ravens first home game, Baltimore trailed the Jacksonville Jaguars for the majority of the game, where the home team gained another 300+ yard total offense. The first quarter was dominated by Jacksonville, where the time period ended with 2 field goals from Mike Hollis and a touchdown pass from Mark Brunell to Jimmy Smith (13–0). Baltimore put up their first points in the second quarter with a touchdown pass from Tony Banks to Travis Taylor. However, the first half ended with two more field goals from the Jaguars. The third quarter began with the Ravens trailing 23–7. Two further touchdowns by the Ravens (one which was for two extra points) and a field goal from Jaguars put the home team with less than a touchdown differential. In the continuing scoring shootout, the Ravens scored first in the fourth quarter with a touchdown to lead for the first time during the entire game, 29–26. By the later portion of the quarter, the Jaguars had surpassed Baltimore once more at 36–32. In the last scoring drive of the game, Shannon Sharpe completed a 29 yard pass from Banks to defeat Jacksonville, 39–36. With this win, Baltimore's record elevated to 2–0.

Week 3: at Miami Dolphins[]

Week 3: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 0 0 3 3 6
Dolphins 3 3 7 6 19

at Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida

  • Date: September 17
  • Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 83 °F (Clear/Humid)
  • Game attendance: 73,464
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann & Paul Mcguire
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
2nd quarter
  • MIA – Olindo Mare 41 yard field goal, Dolphins 6–0
3rd quarter
  • MIA – Lamar Smith 7 yard rush (Olindo Mare kick), Dolphins 13–0
  • BAL – Matt Stover 27 yard field goal, Dolphins 13–3
4th quarter
  • MIA – Lamar Smith 8 yard pass from Jay Fiedler (Olindo Mare kick failed), Dolphins 19–3
  • BAL – Matt Stover 33 yard field goal, Dolphins 19–6
Top passers
  • BAL – Tony Banks 19/31, 189 yards, 1 interception
  • MIA – Lamar Smith 11/16, 160 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 9 rushes, 76 yards
  • MIA – Lamar Smith 23 rushes, 63 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 5 receptions, 56 yards
  • MIA – Lamar Smith 3 receptions, 47 yards, 1 touchdown

In week 3, the Ravens and the Miami Dolphins gained little offense in a defensive struggle for both teams. The first half was dominated by the Dolphin's placekicker Olindo Mare with two field goals. The Ravens attacked back during the second half, with two field goals of their own by Matt Stover; however, with a touchdown pass from Jay Fiedler to Lamar Smith and a rushing touchdown from the latter player, the Dolphins overcame Baltimore 19–6. In a game where the Ravens got just above 250 yards of total offense, Baltimore ultimately fell to a 2–1 record.

Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals[]

Week 4: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
1 2 3 4 Total
Bengals 0 0 0 0 0
Ravens 10 14 3 10 37

at PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: September 24
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 70 °F (Clear/Humid)
  • Game attendance: 68,481
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 30 yard field goal, Ravens 3–0
  • BAL – Travis Taylor 8 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 10–0
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 11 yard rush (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 17–0
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 1 yard pass from Tony Banks (Matt Stover Kick), Ravens 24–0
3rd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 37 yard field goal, Ravens 27–0
4th quarter
  • BAL – Obafemi Ayanbadejo 1 yard rush (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 34–0
  • BAL – Matt Stover 19 yard field goal, Ravens 37–0
Top passers
  • CIN – Scott Mitchell 14/23, 97 yards, 2 interceptions
  • BAL – Tony Banks 20/36, 196 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top rushers
  • CIN – Corey Dillon 12 rushes, 9 yards
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 25 rushes, 116 yards
Top receivers
  • CIN – Clif Groce 4 receptions, 24 yards
  • BAL – Priest Holmes 4 receptions, 48 yards

In an attempt to redeem their road lost to the Dolphins, the Ravens faced division rivals Cincinnati Bengals. In a complete shut out, the Ravens gained a near 400 yards (391 yards exact) in a game where the defense shut down the Bengals for only 94 yards of offense. During the first half, the Ravens scored three touchdowns (two passes from Tony Banks to Travis Taylor and Shannon Sharpe, and a rush by Jamal Lewis) and a field goal by Matt Stover. The second half ended with two more field goals and a rushing touchdown from Obafemi Ayanbadejo to finish with a score of 37–0. With this win, Baltimore's record elevated to 3–1.

Week 5: at Cleveland Browns[]

Week 5: Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 3 6 3 0 12
Browns 0 0 0 0 0

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: October 1
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 62 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 73,018
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 30 yard field goal, Ravens 6–0
  • BAL – Matt Stover 44 yard field goal, Ravens 9–0
3rd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 22 yard field goal, Ravens 12–0
Top passers
  • BAL – Tony Banks 18/34, 169 yards, 1 interception
  • CLE – Tim Couch 20/35, 203 yards, 3 interceptions
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 13 rushes, 86 yards
  • CLE – Travis Prentic 7 rushes, 11 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 6 receptions, 83 yards
  • CLE – David Patten 7 receptions, 113 yards

The Ravens began a five–game touchdown drought with their matchup against Cleveland. In a game dominated by both defenses, the Ravens allowed just under 250 offensive yards. The first half ended with three field goals from kicker Matt Stover, with the longest being from 45 yards in order to advance the Ravens to the locker room at 9–0. The final scoring in the game came during the third quarter when Stover kicked another field goal from 22 yards. In a shutout for the Browns, the Ravens improved their record to 4–1.

Week 6: at Jacksonville Jaguars[]

Week 6: Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 3 3 3 6 15
Jaguars 3 0 0 7 10

at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

  • Date: October 8
  • Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 71 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 65,194
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patick, Joe Theismann & Paul Mcguire
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
  • JAX – Steve Lindsey 49 yard field goal, Jaguars 3–0
  • BAL- Matt Stover 47 yard field goal, Tied 3–3
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 32 yard field goal, Ravens 6–3
3rd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 43 yard field goal, Ravens 9–3
4th quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 21 yard field goal, Ravens 12–3
  • BAL – Matt Stover 23 yard field goal, 'Raven 15–3
  • JAX – Fred Taylor 1 yard rush (Lindsey kick), Ravens 15–10
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 17 rushes, 44 yards
  • JAX – Fred Taylor 17 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Qadry Ismail 7 receptions, 85 yards
  • CLE – Jimmy Smith 8 receptions, 95 yards

Baltimore would travel back to Jacksonville in a Week 2 rematch against the Jaguars at their turf in Jacksonville. The Ravens went with their second consecutive game without a touchdown with their kicker Matt Stover delivering all their points. In the first quarter, Jaguars kicker Steve Lindsey delivered a 49 yard field goal but was answered with a Stover 47 yard field goal to tie up the game. The second quarter ended with another Stover kick that would take the game to halftime with the Ravens winning 6–3. Stover would kick three more consecutive field goals to increase the score to 15–3, but the Jaguars retaliated with the final score of the game: a 1 yard rushing touchdown from Fred Taylor. However, the game was ultimately decided at 15–10 and the Ravens record elevated to 5–1.

Week 7: at Washington Redskins[]

Week 7: Baltimore Ravens at Washington, Redskins
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 0 3 0 0 3
Redskins 0 3 0 7 10

at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland

  • Date: October 15
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 64 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 83,252
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
  • None
2nd quarter
  • WAS – Kris Heppner 37 yard field goal, Redskins 3–0
  • BAL – Matt Stover 51 yard field goal, Tied 3–3
3rd quarter
  • None
4th quarter
  • WAS – Stephen Davis 33 yard rush (Heppner kick), Redskins 10–3
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 16 rushes, 34 yards
  • WAS – Stephen Davis 21 rushes, 91 yards, 1 touchdown
Top receivers
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 4 receptions, 50 yards
  • WAS – James Thrash 6 receptions, 62 yards

The Ravens traveled to their Capital Beltway neighbors, Washington Redskins, for their third straight road game. In a defensive struggle, both teams allowed under 250 yards of total offense. Halftime ended with both teams tied at 3–3 as a result of two field goals: one from the Redskins (37 yards by Kris Heppner) and the Ravens (Matt Stover from 51 yards). That field goal from Stover would be the only score that the Ravens put up in this game, where in the fourth quarter, Stephen Davis ran for a 33 yard touchdown that put Washington 10–3 over the Ravens. With this final score, the Ravens suffered their second loss and fell to 5–2.[22]

Week 8: vs. Tennessee Titans[]

Week 8: Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens
1 2 3 4 Total
Titans 0 7 7 0 14
Ravens 3 3 0 0 6

at PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: October 22
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 60 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 69,200
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 38 yard field goal, Ravens 6–0
  • TEN – Rodney Thomas 9 yard pass from Steve McNair (Al Del Greco kick), Titans 7–0
3rd quarter
  • None
4th quarter
  • BAL – Randall Godfrey 24 yard interception return (Al Del Greco kick)
Top passers
  • TEN – Steve McNair 11/21, 101 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
  • BAL – Tony Banks 17/32, 229 yards, 3 interceptions
Top rushers
  • TEN – Rodney Thomas 18 rushes, 53 yards
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 17 rushes, 58 yards
Top receivers
  • TEN – Chris Sanders 3 receptions, 60 yards
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 8 receptions, 104 yards

In Week 8, the Ravens flew back home to face off against division rivals Tennessee Titans. The Ravens continued their touchdown-less streak, where Matt Stover produced the only score for Baltimore with two field goals (from the 21 and 38 yard lines). In the second quarter, Titans quarterback Steve McNair threw a 9 yard pass to Rodney Thomas to go ahead of the home team. Just under one point, the Ravens sought to get ahead of Tennessee, however, Tony Banks produced a game high of 3 interceptions, with the last one being the game winner for the Titans as they won 14–6. With this loss, the Ravens fell to 5–3.

Week 9: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers[]

Week 9: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens
1 2 3 4 Total
Steelers 0 0 6 3 9
Ravens 0 6 0 0 6

at PSINet Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: October 29
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 47 °F (Windy)
  • Game attendance: 69,200
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
  • None
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 51 yard field goal, Ravens 3–0
  • BAL – Matt Stover 49 yard field goal, Ravens 6–0
3rd quarter
  • PIT – Hines Ward 45 yard pass from Kordell Stewart (Kris Brown kick failed), Tied 6–6
4th quarter
  • PIT – Kris Brown 24 yard field goal, Steelers 9–6
Top passers
  • PIT – Kordell Stewart, 9/18, 133 yards, 1 touchdown
  • BAL – Trent Dilfer 12/25, 152 yards, 1 interception
Top rushers
  • PIT – Jerome Bettis 18 rushes, 65 yards
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 19 rushes, 93 yards
Top receivers
  • PIT – Hines Ward 2 receptions, 55 yards
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 3 receptions, 51 yards

In a rematch from week 1, Baltimore continued their streak without a touchdown. However, second-string quarterback Trent Dilfer started in replacement of Tony Banks, who in the past four games had not thrown one touchdown but rather more interceptions. In this game, unlike Banks, Dilfer threw no interceptions but was unable to connect with any receiver into the endzone. The Ravens had the advantage heading into halftime with two field goals from Matt Stover that were over 40 yards. In the third quarter, the Steelers retaliated with six points of their own as a result of a touchdown and a missed extra point from Kris Brown.

Week 10: at Cincinnati Bengals[]

Week 10: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 3 21 0 3 27
Bengals 0 0 7 0 7

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Date: November 5, 2000
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 44 °F
  • Game attendance: 54,759
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Brandon Stokely 14 yard pass from Trent Dilfer (Stover kick good), Ravens 10–0
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 18 yard pass from Trent Dilfer (Stover kick good), Ravens 17–0
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 19 yard pass from Trent Dilfer (Stover kick good), Ravens 24–0
3rd quarter
  • CIN – Peter Warrick 4 yard rush (Neil Rackers kick good), Ravens 24–7
4th quarter
  • BAL – Matt Stover 32 yard field goal, Ravens 27–7
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 22 attempts, 109 yards
  • CIN – Corey Dillon 6 attempts, 23 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 3 receptions, 70 yards
  • CIN – Tony McGee 2 receptions, 41 yards

In a Week 4 rematch, the Ravens traveled to Ohio against AFC Central adversaries, Bengals. Matt Stover put the Ravens on the board with three points after a 38 yard field goal in the first quarter. Baltimore entered their season best second quarter in this game with three touchdown passes from new starting quarterback Trent Dilfer that had the Ravens up by 24 unanswered points. Cincinnati answered with a touchdown, and their only score, during the third quarter with Peter Warrick's 4 yard rush. The game came to a close following a field goal from Stover that had the Ravens defeat the Bengals 27–7. The Ravens improved their record to 6–4 and began a six-game winning streak.

Week 11: at Tennessee Titans[]

Week 11: Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans
1 2 3 4 Total
Ravens 7 10 0 7 24
Titans 0 14 0 9 23

at Adelphia Coliseum, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: November 12, 2000
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 46 °F
  • Game attendance: 68,490
  • TV: CBS
  • Recap
Game information
1st quarter
2nd quarter
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 2 yard rush (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 14–0
  • TEN – Derrick Mason 14 yard pass from Steve McNair (Al Del Greco kick), Ravens 14–7
  • BAL – Matt Stover 45 yard field goal, Ravens 17–7
  • TEN – Lorenzo Neal 4 yard pass from Steve McNair (Al Del Greco kick), Ravens 17–14
3rd quarter
  • None
4th quarter
  • TEN – Al Del Greco 23 yard field goal, Tied 17–17
  • TEN – Perry Phenix 87 yard interception return (Al Del Greco kick failed), Titans 23–17
  • BAL – Patrick Johnson 2 yard pass from Trent Dilfer (Matt Stover kick), Ravens 24–23
Top passers
Top rushers
  • BAL – Jamal Lewis 23 attempts, 99 yards, 1 touchdown
  • CIN – Eddie George 5 attempts, 63 yards
Top receivers
  • BAL – Shannon Sharpe 8 receptions, 92 yards
  • TEN – Derrick Mason 5 receptions, 63 yards, 1 touchdown

Just after battling against Tennessee two weeks earlier, Baltimore traveled to Nashville to face off against the Titans. The Ravens attacked by adding seven points to their score in the first quarter after a reception by Qadry Ismail from Trent Dilfer. Jamal Lewis would then double the points with a 2 yard rush that put up the Ravens 14–0 during the second quarter. The Titans answered with two touchdown passes from Steve McNair to Derrick Mason and Lorenzo Neal, respectively. After a field goal from Matt Stover, halftime stood at 17–14, favoring the Ravens. In a defensive struggle in the third quarter, no team was able to score. However, the game became tied at 17–17 with a 23 yard field goal from Al Del Greco upon the final quarter. Tennessee sought to end the game after Perry Phenix intercepted a pass from Dilfer and returned it 87 yards for a touchdown; however, Del Greco failed to convert the extra point. This allowed the Ravens to end the game with a touchdown pass to Patrick Johnson from Dilfer and a successful extra point conversion. With this win, the Ravens raised their record to 7–4.

Playoffs[]

Week Date Opponent Result Game site NFL Recap
Wild Card December 31 Denver Broncos W 21–3 PSINet Stadium [23]
Divisional January 7 at Tennessee Titans W 24–10 Adelphia Coliseum [24]
AFC Championship January 14 at Oakland Raiders W 16–3 Oakland Coliseum [1]
Super Bowl XXXV January 28 New York Giants W 34–7 Raymond James Stadium [25]

Awards[]

Middle linebacker Ray Lewis was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. Five players represented the Ravens in the Pro Bowl: Lewis joined defensive tackle Sam Adams, Safety Rod Woodson, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, and kicker Matt Stover. Kicker Matt Stover joined Lewis and Ogden on the associated press' All-Pro first team. Defensive end Rob Burnett joined Adams and Woodson on the AP All-Pro second team.

  • Sam Adams, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,[26]
  • Brian Billick, USA Today AFC Coach of the Year,[27]
  • Trent Dilfer, Football Digest Comeback Player of the Year,[27]
  • Jamal Lewis, USA Today Offensive Rookie of the Year,[27]
  • Marvin Lewis, Football Digest Assistant Coach of the Year,[27]
  • Marvin Lewis, Pro Football Writers Association Assistant Coach of the Year,[27]
  • Marvin Lewis, USA Today AFC Assistant Coach of the Year,[27]
  • Ray Lewis, Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year,[27]
  • Ray Lewis, Football Digest Defensive Player of the Year,[27]
  • Ray Lewis, Pro Football Writers Association Defensive Most Valuable Player,[27]
  • Jonathan Ogden, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,[26]
  • Matt Stover, Golden Toe Award [27]
  • Rod Woodson, AFC Pro Bowl Selection,[26]

References[]

Season results
Specific
  1. The List: Best NFL defense of all-time, 2007
  2. Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, from 1940 to 2011, in the regular season, sorted by ascending opp Rushing Yds
  3. 2000 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics
  4. 2000 DVOA Ratings and Commentary
  5. pro-football-reference.com: 2000 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics
  6. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens04sep04,0,3166674.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  7. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens11sep11,0,2380238.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  8. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens18sep18,0,5591516.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  9. http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/2000/20000924/recap/cinbal.html
  10. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens02oct02,0,1200588.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  11. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens09oct09,0,4411866.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  12. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens16oct16,0,3625430.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  13. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens23oct23,0,2838994.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  14. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens30oct30,0,2052558.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  15. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens06nov06,0,6246881.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  16. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens13nov13,0,5460445.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  17. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens20nov20,0,4674009.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  18. http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/2000/20001126/recap/clebal.html
  19. http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/2000/20001210/recap/sdgbal.html
  20. http://static.espn.go.com/nfl/2000/20001217/recap/balari.html
  21. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens25dec25,0,5333941.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  22. Error on call to template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified. Retrieved on 01/12/2012.
  23. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens01dec31,0,2712492.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  24. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.ravens08jan08,0,610763.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  25. http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-superbowl25,0,5685751.story?coll=bal-football-storyutil
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 362
  27. 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 27.5 27.6 27.7 27.8 27.9 NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 201

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