2003: Rams Score 33 Points to Beat Ravens Despite Only 121 Yards on Offense

The St. Louis Rams had a 5-3 record and the NFL’s top-ranked offense as they hosted the Baltimore Ravens on November 9, 2003. The Rams, coached by Mike Martz, were averaging 374.5 yards-per-game as they continued to be the potent and high-scoring team that they had typically been since the 1999 Championship season. However, Marc Bulger was now the quarterback in place of Kurt Warner and was not as accurate of a deep passer. To be sure, he still had outstanding wide receivers in Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce and RB Marshall Faulk was back after having missed five games with hand and knee injuries. Moreover, the Rams had won ten straight home games.

The Ravens, under the guidance of Head Coach Brian Billick, were also 5-3, but were very different in style from their opponent. Baltimore was known for defense, with MLB Ray Lewis the most notable star, and a conservative, ball-control offense that featured RB Jamal Lewis, who was leading the NFL in rushing. Rookie Kyle Boller was the quarterback and their best receiver was TE Todd Heap.

There were 66,085 fans in attendance for the Sunday night game at the Edgar Jones Dome. The Ravens had the first possession and moved well as Jamal Lewis had runs of 20 and 23 yards to start the series. But after reaching the St. Louis 30, Kyle Boller’s pass was intercepted by CB Jerametrius Butler, who returned it 45 yards to the Baltimore 36. Three plays later Marc Bulger threw to Torry Holt for a 24-yard gain that had five yards added (half the distance to the goal) due to a face mask penalty, putting the Rams on the five. From there, Marshall Faulk ran for a touchdown and Jeff Wilkins (pictured above) added the extra point.

The Ravens punted following their next possession and WR Dane Looker, picking up the rolling ball, returned it 44 yards to the Baltimore one. Faulk again scored, Wilkins converted, and with most of their yardage coming on interception and punt returns, the Rams were ahead by 14-0.

Baltimore again had to punt following its next series but got a break when CB DeJuan Groce muffed the catch and safety Gerome Sapp recovered at the St. Louis 15. A holding penalty moved the Ravens back ten yards and they ended up having to settle for a 43-yard Matt Stover field goal.

The teams exchanged turnovers as Bulger was intercepted by Ray Lewis on the next series and Jamal Lewis fumbled the ball back at the St. Louis 11 four plays later. In a possession that extended into the second quarter, the Rams were able to get only to their 26 and punted. Now the Ravens benefited from a good return when DB Lamont Brightful gained 24 yards, and an unnecessary roughness penalty put the ball on the St. Louis 33. Boller completed two passes for 14 yards and Jamal Lewis ran three times to get to the five yard line, but a sack and an incomplete pass caused the visitors to again settle for a field goal as Stover connected from 25 yards to make the score 14-6.

The Rams had to punt from deep in their own territory following the next series and Baltimore took advantage of good starting field position to drive 45 yards in five plays. The big play was a Boller pass to WR Travis Taylor that picked up 40 yards and Jamal Lewis (pictured at left) finished the possession off with a two-yard touchdown run. Boller’s pass for a two-point conversion was incomplete, but the Ravens were now behind by just two points at 14-12.

The Rams again had to punt after a short series, but Boller fumbled when being sacked by SS Adam Archuleta, who then recovered and ran 45 yards for a TD. Wilkins added the PAT and St. Louis was up by 21-12 with a minimum of offensive output.

Regaining possession with 4:38 to go in the first half, the Ravens advanced 80 yards in 10 plays. Boller had completions to Todd Heap for ten and nine yards, the second coming in a third-and-eight situation and a pass interference penalty picked up 28 yards to the St. Louis 31. Following a short carry by Jamal Lewis, Boller threw to Taylor for 25 yards and, two plays after that, to OT Jonathan Ogden, who was lined up as an eligible receiver, for a one-yard touchdown. Stover added the point after and the score was 21-19 in favor of St. Louis at halftime. The Ravens had driven into St. Louis territory seven times and outgained the Rams by 206 yards to 38, but were two points behind and had now lost Boller to a knee injury.

A short series by the Rams to start the third quarter ended with a punt and the Ravens, now with Chris Redman at quarterback, also punted but retained possession when Groce fumbled the return and safety Chad Williams recovered at the St. Louis 28. The visitors picked up five yards from there and Stover kicked a 41-yard field goal that put them in the lead at 22-21.

The teams exchanged punts, and then interceptions. Early in the fourth quarter, Wilkins kicked a 49-yard field goal that put the Rams back in front by 24-22. Another series by the Ravens ended with an interception as LB Tommy Polley picked off a Redman pass and returned it 22 yards to the Baltimore 36. Four plays later, Wilkins kicked a 46-yard field goal to make it a five-point game.

Once again St. Louis benefited from a turnover when Jamal Lewis fumbled and DT Brian Young recovered at the Baltimore 35. Keeping the ball on the ground, the Rams got another field goal from Wilkins, this time from 48 yards.

On a series in which Redman was sacked on back-to-back plays, the Ravens were forced to punt from deep in their own territory and WR Mike Furrey returned it 17 yards to the Baltimore 35. Bulger completed passes to WR Isaac Bruce for eight yards and Holt for 10 and Wilkins kicked his fourth field goal of the game from 27 yards with 1:45 left to play. That provided the final margin as the Rams won by a score of 33-22.

The Rams had a mere 121 yards of offense, to 267 for Baltimore, and the Ravens dominated in first downs (16 to 7) and time of possession (37:21 to 22:39). However, the Ravens also turned the ball over seven times, to four suffered by St. Louis, and were penalized 10 times at a cost of 80 yards, to seven flags for 75 yards thrown on the Rams. St. Louis also recorded seven sacks while Baltimore had four.

Marc Bulger completed only 13 of 26 passes for 110 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Marshall Faulk scored on two short touchdown carries but gained just 48 yards on 20 carries and had six more yards on three pass receptions. Dane Looker (pictured at right) and Torry Holt had identical output with three catches for 38 yards apiece, and while the total put Holt over a thousand yards for the season, it was easily his lowest total of the season. Looker also had the 44-yard punt return and, on defense, Jerametrius Butler intercepted two passes. Jeff Wilkins kicked four field goals in as many attempts, which proved to be vital.

For the Ravens, Jamal Lewis rushed for 111 yards on 27 carries that included a TD, but also lost two fumbles. Kyle Boller was successful on 10 of 21 throws for 112 yards and a TD as well as giving up an interception before suffering the injury that proved to be effectively season-ending (he was active for the last two games but threw just one pass), and Chris Redman went 7-of-12 for 58 yards and had two intercepted in relief. Todd Heap caught 6 passes for 49 yards and Travis Taylor gained 65 yards on his two receptions.

“Marc slugged it out pretty good,” said Coach Martz of Bulger. “It did cross my mind (pulling Bulger from the game), but Marc needs to go through this. They all go through that, and Marc’s no different from anybody else.”

The Rams stuck with Bulger and the win over the Ravens proved to be the first of seven straight, on the way to a 12-4 record and first place in the AFC West. However, they lost the season finale, which forfeited the opportunity to have the top playoff seed in the conference, and then fell to the Panthers in the Divisional playoff round. Baltimore lost again the next week but recovered to win five of their remaining six games to top the AFC North at 10-6. The Ravens lost to Tennessee in their Wild Card playoff game.

Marc Bulger went on to gain selection to the Pro Bowl as he passed for 3845 yards and 22 touchdowns, although he also gave up 22 interceptions. Marshall Faulk recovered to rush for over a hundred yards in each of the next four games, ending up with 818 yards on 209 carries (3.9 avg.) and 45 catches for 290 yards (6.4 avg.) while scoring a total of 11 TDs. While lesser numbers by comparison to the high standards he had set in previous years, it was still a respectable performance as his career entered its downside.

Jamal Lewis had a career year, leading the NFL with 2066 yards on 387 carries (5.3 avg.) and scoring 14 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection who was also named to the Pro Bowl and received NFL Offensive Player of the Year recognition from the Associated Press and was named MVP by the Pro Football Writers.

2001: Cunningham Rallies Ravens to Win Over Jaguars

The NFL’s defending champions, the Baltimore Ravens, were struggling at 3-3 as they hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 28, 2001. Coached by Brian Billick, the Ravens had ridden a stifling defense through the 2000 postseason to a Super Bowl triumph, and that defense was still largely in place. However, the offense was another story. QB Elvis Grbac had been signed away from the Chiefs, was not proving to be the upgrade at the position that he was expected to be, and now was out with an injury. RB Jamal Lewis, outstanding as a rookie during the championship season, went down for the year in training camp with a knee injury and his replacement, veteran Terry Allen, was on the downside of his career and was now also injured.  38-year-old Randall Cunningham (pictured above) was starting at quarterback and inexperienced Jason Brookins was subbing at running back for Allen against the Jaguars.

Cunningham, whose greatest seasons had come with the Eagles and Vikings, had been an All-Pro as recently as 1998 but was nearing the end of his career. No longer the potent running threat with the big arm that he had been in Philadelphia, he spent the 2000 season with Dallas and was signed to provide a veteran backup to Grbac.

Jacksonville, under Head Coach Tom Coughlin, was 2-3 and also experiencing problems, having won its first two games before dropping three straight. The Jaguars also were missing a key player in RB Fred Taylor, who was nagged by injuries, but still had an established nucleus in QB Mark Brunell and wide receivers Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell.

There were 69,439 fans in attendance at PSINet Stadium. WR Damon Gibson returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to give the Jaguars good starting field position at their own 47 and they advanced deep into Baltimore territory. Mark Brunell completed four passes, three of them to Keenan McCardell, and Jacksonville was also helped by a pass interference penalty. But facing fourth-and-one at the eight yard line, Brunell’s pass intended for Jimmy Smith was incomplete and the visitors came up empty.

The teams traded punts before the Ravens, starting at their own 10, began to move on offense. Randall Cunningham threw to TE Shannon Sharpe for a gain of 30 yards to start the drive and hit on three more passes, two to WR Qadray Ismail. However, a holding penalty and a sack blunted progress and on the first play of the second quarter Matt Stover kicked a 49-yard field goal.

A long return on the ensuing kickoff was nullified by a holding penalty and the Jaguars started at their 18, but, with the help of the mobile Brunell’s passes and a 38-yard run, they managed to advance into Baltimore territory. The series stalled and Mike Hollis booted a 40-yard field goal to knot the score at 3-3.

The teams again traded punts. Regaining possession with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, the Ravens moved from their own 16 to the Jacksonville 35 as Cunningham completed seven passes, the longest to Sharpe for 16 yards, but a sack by LB Kevin Hardy put them in a hole they couldn’t dig out of and they punted. The score remained unchanged at halftime.

The Ravens took the second half kickoff and drove from their 32 to the Jacksonville seven. Cunningham connected with Ismail for 20 yards and Jason Brookins had a 23-yard run along the way. But facing third-and-four, RB Moe Williams was dropped for a three-yard loss and the Ravens settled for a Stover field goal from 28 yards.

On Jacksonville’s next possession, Brunell completed consecutive passes to Smith for 19 and 11 yards, but two plays later McCardell fumbled after making a reception and DE Rob Burnett recovered for the Ravens at the Baltimore 44. With Brookins running four times for 21 yards, the home team advanced into Jacksonville territory, but facing third down at the 31, Cunningham was sacked for an eight-yard loss by DT Gary Walker and the Ravens had to punt.

Starting back at their ten, the Jaguars drove 90 yards in eight plays. Brunell (pictured above) had completions to McCardell for 12 and 13 yards and a roughing-the-passer penalty erased a second-and-15 situation. Brunell ran the ball himself for 17 yards and threw to Smith for a 35-yard touchdown. Hollis added the extra point and Jacksonville was ahead by 10-6.

In the last minute of the third quarter, a Cunningham pass was intercepted by LB Hardy Nickerson. Brunell threw to McCardell for 34 yards and, on the first play of the final period, hit RB Stacey Mack for an 11-yard TD. Hollis converted and now the visitors were up by eleven points at 17-6.

Cunningham completed four passes on the next Baltimore series, the longest to Ismail for 19 yards, and the nine-play, 71-yard possession ended with Brookins running two yards for a touchdown.  The Ravens tried for a two-point conversion, but Cunningham’s pass intended for WR Brandon Stokley was incomplete and the margin remained five points at 17-12.

A short series by the Jaguars resulted in a punt and Baltimore put together another scoring series of 56 yards in seven plays. A face mask penalty helped the drive along and Cunningham completed a pass to Sharpe for 13 yards in a third-and-three situation to reach the Jacksonville nine. Following two carries by Brookins that picked up seven yards, Cunningham threw to Ismail for a two-yard touchdown that was upheld upon review by the officials. Once again, the try for two points failed but the Ravens held a one-point lead with four minutes to play.

In response, the Jaguars moved methodically down the field as Brunell completed five straight passes, two to McCardell and one for 15 yards to WR Sean Dawkins that converted a third down. But facing third-and-five at the Baltimore 44, Brunell tossed two incomplete passes to turn the ball over on downs. The Ravens were able to run the clock down before punting and, taking over with 19 seconds left, Jacksonville was unable to move from its 42 yard line. The Ravens held on for an 18-17 win.

The Jaguars had more total yards (365 to 305) while Baltimore led in first downs (23 to 19) and time of possession (33:44 to 26:16). Each team turned the ball over once. Jacksonville recorded five sacks, to three by the Ravens, but also was assessed 10 penalties, at a cost of 70 yards, to four flags thrown on Baltimore.

Randall Cunningham completed 23 of 31 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown with one interception, and crucially was seven-for-seven and 76 yards in the fourth quarter. Jason Brookins rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries that included a TD. Shannon Sharpe (pictured below) and Qadray Ismail each had 7 catches, for 89 and 85 yards, respectively, and Ismail scored a touchdown.

For the Jaguars, Mark Brunell was successful on 25 of 37 throws for 306 yards and two TDs and had no interceptions, also rushing for 55 yards on four carries, which made him the team’s leading ground gainer. Keenan McCardell caught 10 passes for 118 yards and Jimmy Smith gained 119 yards on his 7 receptions that included a score.

Baltimore ended up finishing second in the AFC Central with a 10-6 record and once again qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card entry. The postseason run didn’t go as far as in 2000, as after beating Miami in the Wild Card round, the Ravens lost to the Steelers at the Divisional level. The Jaguars won only one of their next five games but rallied to win three straight and closed out with a 6-10 record that placed fifth in the division.

“I don’t know if I’ll play next week or anymore,” said Randall Cunningham. “I’m retiring after this season.”

Cunningham did indeed play again the next week, which was another win for the Ravens. Overall, he appeared in six games in 2001 and completed 60.7 percent of his 89 passes for 573 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions.

2001: Ravens Stop McNair on Last Play to Beat Titans

The Baltimore Ravens, defending NFL Champions, had gotten off to a slow start in the 2001 season but were coming off back-to-back wins and were 5-3 as they faced the Tennessee Titans on November 12. Head Coach Brian Billick’s team had reached the Super Bowl following the 2000 season thanks to a superb defense and ball-control offense. The defense was still strong, and while QB Elvis Grbac had been signed away from the Chiefs to upgrade the passing attack, RB Jamal Lewis, key to the ground game as a rookie, was out for the year with a knee injury suffered during training camp.

The Tennessee Titans, coached by Jeff Fisher, were struggling at 3-4 after having put together consecutive 13-3 records and winning an AFC title in 1999. QB Steve McNair was playing well but RB Eddie George appeared to be on the downside of his fine career and injuries were a problem, especially with the once-formidable defense. The Ravens had won convincingly when the teams met at Baltimore five weeks earlier and, coming into the rematch, McNair was suffering from a sinus infection and was not at full strength.

There were 68,798 fans in attendance at Nashville’s Adelphia Coliseum for the Monday night game. The teams traded punts during the first quarter, with neither offense able to move. A promising series for the Ravens was highlighted by back-to-back pass completions by Elvis Grbac to WR Brandon Stokley for 18 yards on a third-and-seven play and 16 yards to FB Sam Gash.  But after reaching the Tennessee 33, Grbac was sacked for a seven-yard loss by DE Jevon Kearse on a third down play and they had to punt.

Early in the second quarter, the Titans put together a long drive that started at their nine yard line and reached the Baltimore 30. Steve McNair completed four passes, two of which converted third downs, and also ran for 13 yards while Eddie George contributed 26 yards on seven carries. However, they came up empty when Joe Nedney’s 48-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

The Ravens responded by moving into Tennessee territory, but a Grbac pass was intercepted by LB Keith Bulluck. With 3:35 remaining in the half, the Titans put together another long series. At one point, McNair completed three straight passes for 25 yards to reach the Baltimore six, but the drive stalled there and a field goal by Nedney was wiped out by a holding penalty. The second try for a field goal had to be aborted due to a bad snap and holder Craig Hentrich’s desperation pass was intercepted. The game remained scoreless at halftime.

The Titans got a break early in the third quarter when WR Qadray Ismail fumbled after catching a pass and DB Daryl Porter recovered near midfield. They were unable to capitalize, however, but following a punt they got the ball back on another Baltimore turnover, this time the result of a botched punt. Getting the ball with first-and-goal at the Ravens’ eight, the Titans still couldn’t reach the end zone but finally broke the scoreless deadlock with a 27-yard Nedney field goal.

The Ravens came right back when WR Jermaine Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 76 yards to the Tennessee 16. They also ended up having to settle for a field goal by Matt Stover from 31 yards to make it 3-3. The Titans responded with an eight-play, 71-yard drive. McNair threw six passes, including one to TE Brian Natkin for 27 yards and the last to WR Kevin Dyson for a 22-yard touchdown. Nedney added the extra point and Tennessee was ahead by 10-3.

Now it was time for the Ravens to move on offense. RB Jason Brookins ran three times for 18 yards and Grbac completed two passes to Ismail, the second for a 57-yard TD. Stover’s extra point again knotted the score.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Ravens got another break on a turnover when George fumbled and LB Peter Boulware recovered at the Tennessee 18. Four plays later Stover kicked a 33-yard field goal that put the visitors back in front at 13-10.

The teams traded punts until, starting at their 14 yard line with 8:17 remaining to play, the Ravens put together another scoring drive. Grbac thew to TE Shannon Sharpe for 15 yards in a third-and-six situation and Brookins had a 25-yard run to the Tennessee 27. The eleven-play series ended with Stover kicking another field goal, this time from 30 yards, to put Baltimore ahead by six points with the clock now showing 3:10 to go.

Following WR Derrick Mason’s 22-yard kickoff return, the Titans moved methodically down the field. McNair completed a 10-yard pass to Dyson on a third-and-six play and, after being sacked by Boulware for a loss of six yards, had four straight completions to get the ball to the Baltimore 35. A roughing-the-passer penalty added another 15 yards and McNair then threw to George for eight yards to the 12.

McNair’s next pass fell incomplete but, on third-and-two, he hit Mason for six yards. The Titans took their final timeout and McNair missed on his next two throws before connecting with Dyson for five yards down to the one. On fourth down, and lining up quickly with the final seconds ticking away, McNair appeared to score on a quarterback sneak, but a flag was thrown for an offsides penalty.

Following a great deal of confusion and consultation by the officials, the play was ruled a dead-ball foul and, with the ball a foot away from the goal line, the Titans were given one last shot. Once again McNair kept the ball (pictured at top) and, when he couldn’t penetrate the middle of the line, tried to go outside. He was stopped short of the goal line by SS Corey Harris and the Ravens were winners in dramatic fashion by a final score of 16-10.

The Titans won the statistical battle, accumulating more total yards (318 to 238) and first downs (20 to 12), and held onto the ball for 35 minutes. The Ravens accumulated just 55 yards of their total in the first half. Baltimore recorded six sacks, to three by Tennessee, and both teams turned the ball over twice.

Elvis Grbac completed 15 of 27 passes for 192 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Qadray Ismail (pictured at right) had 8 catches for 129 yards and a TD. With veteran RB Terry Allen lost to an injury after one carry, rookie Jason Brookins ran for 57 yards on 14 attempts.

For the Titans, Steve McNair went to the air 48 times and completed 27 of those throws for 256 yards and a TD with none intercepted. He also ran the ball 6 times for 19 yards. Derrick Mason had 12 pass receptions for 99 yards and Kevin Dyson contributed 6 catches for 68 yards and a score. Eddie George rushed for 71 yards on 22 attempts.

“We knew that’s the only thing they wanted to do,” said Baltimore LB Ray Lewis regarding the game-ending quarterback sneak attempt by McNair. “They weren’t going to put the ball in someone else’s hands. If you watch film on them, you know that they run quarterback sneaks an awful lot.”

When asked why the Titans didn’t attempt a pass on the last play, Coach Fisher replied “we thought we’d jam it in, and the game was going to be over.”

The Ravens lost to the Browns the next week but won the next two on the way to a 10-6 record and second place finish in the AFC Central. They won in the first round of the postseason but lost to the division-rival Steelers in the Divisional playoff game. Tennessee continued to struggle and ended up at 7-9 for fourth place in the division.

2003: Jamal Lewis Runs for 295 Yards as Ravens Beat Browns

The Baltimore Ravens were 0-1, having lost badly at Pittsburgh in Week 1, as they hosted the Cleveland Browns on September 14, 2003. Head Coach Brian Billick’s team was coming off a 7-9 record in ’02 with many first and second year players on the roster. Known for their solid defensive play, they were starting a rookie, Kyle Boller, at quarterback and were heavily dependent on RB Jamal Lewis to carry the offense. Lewis was two years removed from a torn ACL that had cost him an entire season, but he rushed for 1327 yards in 2002 and showed no ill effects from his knee trouble.

The Browns, coached by Butch Davis, were also 0-1 after a low-scoring loss to the Colts. They had gone a surprising 9-7 in ’02 to reach the postseason. The team’s quarterback controversy had, at least for the moment, been settled with backup Kelly Holcomb starting ahead of the inconsistent Tim Couch. RB William Green led the running game and there was a good group of receivers. But the defense was in flux.

There was a crowd of 69,473 in attendance at M & T Bank Stadium. The tone for the game was set on the second play from scrimmage when Jamal Lewis, showing off his breakaway speed to go along with his power-running ability, ran 82 yards for a touchdown.

Following a punt by the Browns, Lewis took off for a 23-yard gain. The Ravens advanced to the Cleveland 26, converting a fourth down along the way, but Matt Stover’s 44-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

The Browns fumbled the ball right back and Baltimore went 45 yards in nine plays, the big ones passes from Kyle Boller to WR Travis Taylor for 19 yards in a third-and-10 situation and 26 yards to WR Frank Sanders to the Cleveland two yard line. The Browns stopped Lewis on three straight carries and the Ravens settled for a 20-yard Stover field goal. It was 10-0 in favor of the home team after a quarter of play.

The teams traded punts as the game moved into the second quarter before Boller was intercepted by FS Earl Little, who returned it 21 yards to give the Browns possession at the Baltimore 21. They couldn’t move the ball but Phil Dawson kicked a 44-yard field goal to get them on the board.

The Ravens responded with a scoring drive of their own that was keyed by Lewis blasting up the middle on the first play for 48 yards to the Cleveland 12. A penalty backed Baltimore up from there but they came away with a Stover field goal from 40 yards for a 13-3 lead.

Following a short Cleveland punt, the Ravens gained just eight yards in seven plays but ended up with a franchise-record 56-yard field goal by long-range PK Wade Richey (it was Richey’s only field goal for the Ravens). That was it for the first half scoring and Baltimore went into halftime winning by 16-3. Notably, Lewis had already rushed for 180 yards.

Neither offense was able to move to start the third quarter and traded punts, but one of them was returned for 44 yards by Baltimore DB Lamont Brightful to the Cleveland 26. However, the Ravens failed to capitalize when Boller fumbled and DT Orpheus Roye recovered for the Browns. Cleveland put together an eight-play, 62-yard drive that featured a pass from Kelly Holcomb to WR Dennis Northcutt for 27 yards. The series stalled at the Baltimore 17 and Dawson booted a 35-yard field goal to make it a ten-point game.

A short series by the Ravens resulted in a punt, but the teams quickly traded turnovers. With Boller out of the game with a knee injury, new Ravens QB Chris Redman fumbled to give the Browns the ball at the Baltimore 22 and they scored in five plays that were capped by Holcomb tossing a five-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Johnson. Dawson converted the extra point and Cleveland was now just three points behind at 16-13.

However, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Lewis made another big run, going 63 yards down the middle for a TD. Stover’s PAT gave the Ravens a ten-point margin once again. The Browns reached the Baltimore 45 on the next series and had to punt, pinning the Ravens back at their eight. While Lewis had a 19-yard carry around end, Baltimore again had to kick the ball away.

Time was now working against the Browns and, while Holcomb threw two completions, they couldn’t get beyond the Baltimore 38. An incomplete pass setting up a fourth-and-two situation was followed by a sack of Holcomb that lost 13 yards and gave the Ravens the ball back on downs.

Lewis carried four times and FB Alan Ricard contributed a 30-yard run as the Ravens went 38 yards in eight plays. Stover capped the series with a 21-yard field goal that made the tally 26-13 with less than two minutes remaining. The game ended with SS Ed Reed intercepting a Holcomb desperation pass and returning it 54 yards for a touchdown. What had for a time been a close game ended up being a 33-13 win for Baltimore.

With his many long gains, Jamal Lewis set a new NFL single-game rushing record with 295 yards on 30 carries that included two touchdowns. As a team, the Ravens set a franchise mark with 343 yards on the ground, part of a total of 393 yards of offense in comparison to Cleveland’s 175. Baltimore also had the edge in first downs (14 to 9). Each team turned the ball over three times.

Beyond the huge performance by Lewis, which broke the record of 278 yards set by Cincinnati’s Cory Dillon in 2000, there wasn’t much of a passing game. Kyle Boller completed 7 of 17 throws for 78 yards with no touchdowns and one intercepted, and in relief Chris Redman went to the air only once. Travis Taylor was the club’s top receiver with two catches for 27 yards.

For the Browns, Kelly Holcomb was successful on 17 of 37 passes for 147 yards and a TD with two picked off. Kevin Johnson had 6 catches for 34 yards and a touchdown and Dennis Northcutt gained 62 yards on his 5 receptions. William Green led the running game with 54 yards on 17 attempts.

“On a day like today, I can’t regret anything,” said Jamal Lewis. “It was beautiful.”

It was all part of a season in which Lewis joined the exclusive 2000-yard rushing club with a total of 2066 on 387 carries (5.3 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl selection, was selected as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, and received NFL Most Valuable Player honors from the Pro Football Writers. His single-game record lasted until 2007 when Adrian Peterson of the Vikings exceeded it by a yard.

The Ravens compiled a 10-6 record to top the AFC North. They lost to Tennessee in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Cleveland had a disappointing year, going 5-11 and finishing at the bottom of the division. Jamal Lewis added to the misery by not only rushing for a record total against them, but when the teams met again in Cleveland he gained 205 yards, giving him 500 yards against one team in a season. 

2007: Odd Field Goal Ties Game, Sends Browns to Overtime Win Over Ravens

The Cleveland Browns were seeking to build upon a 5-4 record as they faced the division-rival Baltimore Ravens at M & T Bank Stadium on November 18, 2007. Head Coach Romeo Crennel’s team had won three straight contests before losing at Pittsburgh the previous week. Tall (6’6”) and strong-armed QB Derek Anderson was proving to be a pleasant surprise and ex-Ravens RB Jamal Lewis was beginning to come on as a dependable runner. However, the defense was prone to giving up far too many yards.

The Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, were long known for tough defense but were having trouble on offense. Coming off a 13-3 record in 2006, Baltimore started off the ’07 season at 4-2 but had lost three consecutive games and desperately needed a win. Hobbled 34-year-old veteran QB Steve McNair was benched in favor of fifth-year QB Kyle Boller.

Things started off slowly in the first quarter with neither team moving the ball effectively. Cleveland got a break when Ravens RB Cory Ross fumbled a punt that DB Mike Adams recovered at the Baltimore 28. But after advancing nine yards, Phil Dawson’s 35-yard field goal attempt was wide.

Later in the period QB Kyle Boller fumbled while being sacked and LB Willie McGinest recovered for the Browns at the Baltimore 23. This time the Browns capitalized, with Dawson (pictured above) successful on a 28-yard field goal try.

The Browns added to their lead on the first possession of the second quarter. An 80-yard drive in eight plays was highlighted by Derek Anderson (pictured below) completing a pass to TE Kellen Winslow for 18 yards to the Baltimore one yard line, from where Jamal Lewis scored a touchdown.

Down 10-0, the Ravens could still get nothing going offensively on their next series, but on the second play following their punt LB Ray Lewis intercepted an Anderson pass and returned it 35 yards for a TD. With the successful extra point, Cleveland’s lead was cut to 10-7.

The Browns responded with a 13-play, 42-yard possession that included a 21-yard carry by Jamal Lewis. Dawson again successfully kicked a field goal, this time from 39 yards, and it was a 13-7 tally at the half.

The Ravens had been dismal on offense in the first half, but they drove to a score in their first series of the third quarter. Boller had completions of 16 and 21 yards to WR Derrick Mason and RB Willis McGahee had a 24-yard run that set up his two-yard scoring carry to complete the 75-yard drive in eight plays. With Matt Stover’s successful extra point, it was a 14-13 tally in favor of Baltimore.

Following a short Cleveland series, the Ravens had to punt in turn from deep inside their own territory. Sam Koch’s short kick was returned 26 yards by WR Josh Cribbs to the Baltimore 11 and from there the Browns scored in three plays to regain the lead with Anderson getting the last yard for a touchdown on a quarterback sneak.

The Ravens moved into Cleveland territory on their next series as Boller completed a pass to WR Devard Darling for 26 yards and McGahee had an 18-yard run up the middle to the 20. But Boller, firing for the end zone on his next throw, was intercepted by DB Brodney Pool who returned it 100 yards for a Browns TD. With the successful PAT, Cleveland was up by 13 points at 27-14.

The Ravens responded with a 14-play, 62-yard drive that stretched into the fourth quarter and was helped along by defensive penalties. Matt Stover successfully booted a 34-yard field goal to make it a ten-point game with plenty of time left on the clock.

On their next possession, the Ravens again moved methodically down the field in nine plays that covered 43 yards and ended with another Stover field goal, this time from 41 yards. A short Cleveland series ended with a punt that had the Ravens taking over at their 17 yard line with 5:12 remaining in regulation. Boller immediately threw to Darling for a 42-yard gain and, three plays later, to Darling again for a 27-yard TD. Stover’s extra point was successful and the game was tied up at 27-27.

Upon getting the ball back, Baltimore again drove to a score. Boller completed four passes and ran four yards for a first down in a third-and-two situation. With 31 seconds left on the clock, Stover kicked a 47-yard field goal and it seemed as though the Ravens, up by 30-27 after scoring 16 unanswered points, had the game won.

The Browns got a 39-yard kickoff return from Cribbs and followed up with two passes by Anderson that gained 24 yards. With the remaining time now down to three seconds, Dawson came in to attempt a 51-yard field goal. Dawson’s kick struck the left upright and seemed to strike the crossbar before bouncing back onto the field. The initial call by the officials was that it was no good, and the Ravens began to celebrate and head for the locker room, along with disappointed Cleveland players.

However, some players insisted that the ball had passed through the uprights and hit the center support before bouncing back. Referee Pete Morelli attempted to review the play but was told by the replay official that field goals were not reviewable. Conferencing with the other officials, one of the back judges felt strongly that the ball had passed through the goal posts and Morelli agreed to reverse the initial call and declare it a successful kick (subsequent review of the film proved the reversal to be correct). With the score now tied, the teams were ordered back onto the field and the game went into overtime.

The Browns got the ball first for the extra period and never gave it up. Anderson completed four passes, the most crucial to Winslow for 18 yards to the Baltimore 30. Cleveland picked up an extra 14 yards in four running plays and Dawson came in and successfully kicked a 33-yard field goal of which there was no doubt (pictured below). The Browns came away winners by a final score of 33-30.

Cleveland had the edge in total yards (380 to 368) although the Ravens had more first downs (23 to 22). Baltimore turned the ball over four times, to two by the Browns, and Boller was sacked six times. However, the Browns hurt themselves by being penalized 12 times at a cost of 104 yards (as opposed to two flags for 15 yards on the Ravens).

Derek Anderson completed 24 of 38 passes for 274 yards with no touchdowns and one intercepted. Jamal Lewis was effective, rushing for 92 yards on 22 carries that included a TD. Braylon Edwards caught 8 passes for 85 yards and WR Joe Jurevicius accumulated 82 yards on his four receptions. Josh Cribbs had a big day returning kicks, averaging 35.0 yards on seven kickoff returns and 15.3 returning four punts.

For the Ravens, Kyle Boller overcame a slow start to complete 22 of 41 throws for 279 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Willis McGahee gained 102 yards and scored a touchdown on 21 rushing attempts. Devard Darling gained 107 yards on four pass receptions that included a touchdown while Derrick Mason had 6 catches for 83 yards and TE Quinn Sypniewski also pulled in 6 passes, gaining 53 yards.

Phil Dawson, in talking about the uncertainty over the game-tying field goal at the end of regulation, said “I could tell by the way it glanced off the upright, it looked like it went forward. But we had people down near the goal post who were screaming at the top of their lungs that it had hit whatever that bar you call it.”

“This team, for whatever reason, thrives on adversity,” added Dawson. “The tougher the situation, the better we do. We all had a feeling when we got the call and went into overtime, what a shame it would have been not to capitalize on it.”

Cleveland went on to finish out the season at 4-2 for an overall record of 10-6, good enough for second place in the AFC North while just missing out on a playoff spot. It was the club’s first winning record in five years. The defeat seemed back-breaking for the Ravens, who failed to win again until the season finale. The resulting 5-11 record was the worst since 1996 and marked the end of Brian Billick’s tenure as head coach. Fortunes would subsequently reverse for both clubs.

In his ninth year with the Browns, Phil Dawson was successful on 26 of 30 field goal attempts (86.7 %) – with likely no others as memorable as the barely-successful game-tying kick at Baltimore.

2002: Panthers Beat Ravens to End 15-Game Losing Streak

The Carolina Panthers won their first game of the 2001 NFL season – and proceeded to lose the remaining 15 straight contests, something no club in league history had done before. On September 8, 2002 they hosted the Baltimore Ravens, nearly a year to the day since their last win, with hopes of ending the skid as part of a new beginning for the franchise.

George Seifert had been replaced as head coach by John Fox, formerly defensive coordinator of the Giants. The team also added DE Julius Peppers, the second overall pick in the ’02 draft out of North Carolina (the expansion Houston Texans had the first choice), and rookie RB DeShaun Foster from UCLA. RB Lamar Smith, a free agent signed away from Miami, was brought in to bolster the running game. And Coach Fox decided to bench QB Chris Weinke, who had suffered through a difficult first season starting for the 1-15 team, in favor of 36-year-old journeyman Rodney Peete (pictured above), who had been sitting on Oakland’s bench for two years and had not thrown a pass in a regular season game since he was with the Redskins in 1999.

As for the visiting Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, they were two years removed from being a Super Bowl champion and had gone 10-6 in 2001. Defense had carried them to a title, but while they still had a strong nucleus of talent, salary cap problems had forced them to jettison several players. The offense would have a new starting quarterback as well in Chris Redman, a third-year player. RB Jamal Lewis, who was outstanding as a rookie for the 2000 Championship team, was back after missing all of ’01 due to a knee injury.

Most of the scoring came in the first quarter. On their second possession of the game, the Ravens went 80 yards in 9 plays that featured a 22-yard pass completion from Redman to WR Brandon Stokley in a third-and-eight situation and a 36-yard pass play to WR Travis Taylor that got the ball to the Carolina 11 yard line. Redmon threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to WR Ron Johnson and, with Matt Stover’s successful extra point, Baltimore was ahead by 7-0.

The Panthers, however, came right back with a scoring drive of their own that also covered 80 yards. Rodney Peete completed three passes, the second to WR Muhsin Muhammad for 33 yards and the third to TE Wesley Walls for a 20-yard TD. John Kasay, the last remaining original member of the Panthers, added the extra point to tie the contest.

In the second quarter, and following a punt by the Ravens, Carolina went 40 yards in 10 plays to score again. Peete threw to Walls for 18 yards on a third-and-13 play and RB Nick Goings converted another third down with a 20-yard run to the Baltimore 12. John Kasay kicked a 27-yard field goal and the Panthers were up by three points.

That was it for the scoring. Twice the Ravens moved into Carolina territory but were forced to punt, and the Panthers were consistently kept on their end of the field. A 47-yard field goal attempt by Stover late in the third quarter was unsuccessful. Midway through the final period, the Panthers put together a promising drive that reached the Baltimore 33 in ten plays, but Kasay’s 50-yard field goal attempt failed.

With under two minutes remaining and the ball approaching midfield, Redman threw a pass that was deflected by Julius Peppers and intercepted by LB Dan Morgan, who returned it 22 yards, and that was it. Amid great celebration worthy of a postseason victory, Carolina came away a winner by the score of 10-7.

“It just feels so incredible to finally win again and to finish a game and just put an end to all this misery,” said the 13-year veteran Wesley Walls, who had scored Carolina’s lone touchdown.

The statistics reflected the low point total. The Ravens had the most total yards (289 to 265) while both teams had 15 first downs apiece. There was only one turnover – the game-clinching interception at the end – and the clubs combined for 13 punts.

In a workmanlike performance, Rodney Peete completed 12 of 19 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Lamar Smith ran the ball 24 times for 84 yards. WR Steve Smith caught 4 passes for 38 yards and Wesley Walls also gained 38 yards on his two receptions that included a TD.

For the Ravens, Chris Redman was successful on 20 of 34 throws for 218 yards with a TD and one picked off. Jamal Lewis gained 64 yards on 17 rushing attempts and gained 33 more on 4 catches. Brandon Stokley was the top receiver with 6 receptions for 83 yards.

The Panthers doubled their win total of the previous year the next week against the Lions and reached 3-0 before dropping eight straight games. Still, they ended up with a much-improved 7-9 record that put them fourth in the NFC South. A year later they were NFC Champions – a remarkable two-year turnaround from 1-15 in 2001. Baltimore was also 7-9 to finish third in the AFC North.

Rodney Peete enjoyed something of a resurgence in his last year as a starting quarterback (he lasted two more seasons as a backup). He completed 58.5 percent of his passes for a career-high 2630 yards and 15 touchdowns along with 14 interceptions. While his physical skills had declined, he provided solid leadership to the rebuilding club.

2004: Bengals Score 24 Points in Fourth Quarter to Beat Ravens

The Cincinnati Bengals had been through a long dry spell entering the 2004 NFL season, having not had a winning record or playoff appearance since 1990. In their first year under Head Coach Marvin Lewis in ‘03, the club had gone 8-8, a definite improvement over recent performance. They had gotten off to a disappointing 1-4 start in ’04, but coming into the game on December 5 at Baltimore, a week after a 58-48 scoring fest over the Browns, the Bengals were at 5-6. Rookie QB Carson Palmer (pictured above) had been a factor in the slow beginning, but was rapidly improving. He had outstanding wide receivers in Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the ground game was led by RB Rudi Johnson.

Their hosts, the Ravens, were 7-4 under Head Coach Brian Billick. Baltimore had been successful despite injuries and a less-talented young quarterback in Kyle Boller. RB Jamal Lewis, a 2000-yard rusher in 2003, was suspended for two games due to legal issues and was unavailable against Cincinnati with an ankle injury. However, the defense, led by LB Ray Lewis and an outstanding backfield, was still formidable. Moreover, they had easily beaten the Bengals in Cincinnati early in the year and, in fact, had not lost to them at home in their last seven meetings.

There were 69,695 fans present at M&T Bank Stadium. The Bengals received the opening kickoff and, between Palmer’s passes and the running of Rudi Johnson, drove to near midfield. However, a fumble by TE Matt Schobel was recovered by Baltimore SS Ed Reed and five plays later Matt Stover kicked a 20-yard field goal to put the Ravens on the board first.

The teams traded punts and, in the second quarter, Cincinnati drove to the Baltimore 35 yard line, but Shayne Graham’s 53-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful. Neither offense was able to produce more points until the Bengals, getting the ball on their own 20 with just over four minutes remaining in the half, came up with a big play as Palmer passed to Chad Johnson for a 51-yard gain. Graham tied the game shortly thereafter with a 41-yard field goal.

The Ravens responded with a 15-play, 78-yard series in which Boller completed six passes, including one for 24 yards to WR Travis Taylor in a third-and-18 situation. Stover booted a 22-yard field goal and Baltimore held a 6-3 lead at the intermission.

The Ravens added to their lead on their first possession of the third quarter. Again Boller passed effectively and the drive went 72 yards in 12 plays. The last two were a 16-yard carry by RB Jamel White and RB Chester Taylor’s one-yard TD run to make the margin 13-3.

Following a punt by the Bengals on the next series, the teams traded interceptions, and after Reed picked off a Palmer pass, he returned it 21 yards, fumbled, and CB Chris McAlister recovered and ran 64 yards for a TD. It was 20-3 and Baltimore appeared to be firmly in control.

Late in the period, Ravens RB B.J. Sams muffed a punt at his own 20 and LB Marcus Wilkins recovered for Cincinnati. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Palmer connected with Chad Johnson for a 13-yard touchdown and the margin was narrowed to 20-10. Baltimore went three-and-out in its ensuing possession and, following the punt, Palmer threw to Houshmandzadeh for a 32-yard gain to the Baltimore 44. Four plays later, Palmer again found Chad Johnson for a 12-yard TD and it was suddenly a three-point game with over ten minutes remaining on the clock.

The Ravens weren’t ready to roll over, however, and on their next offensive play, Chester Taylor took off on a 47-yard run to the Cincinnati 26. Stover finished off the series with a 38-yard field goal and Baltimore held a 23-17 lead.

The Bengals responded with another scoring drive of their own featuring three passes from Palmer to Houshmandzadeh that covered 67 of the 68 yards gained along the way. The last completion was for nine yards and a touchdown, and Graham’s extra point put Cincinnati in front at 24-23.

Getting a 29-yard kickoff return by Sams that put them in good field position at their own 46, the Ravens moved 27 yards in a time-consuming ten plays that resulted in Stover putting them back in front at 26-24 with a 45-yard field goal. Cincinnati got the ball back with 1:42 to play. Palmer was sacked for nine yards but responded with a 32-yard completion to Houshmandzadeh. He also threw to Schobel for 11 yards and 22 to Chad Johnson down to the Baltimore five yard line. On the last play of the game, Graham finished off his team’s 24-point fourth quarter as he kicked a 24-yard field goal and the Bengals came away with a 27-26 win.

Not only was it was Cincinnati’s first win at Baltimore since 1996, but it was also the club’s first road win against a team with a winning record since 1990.

The Bengals outgained Baltimore (453 yards to 356) and had the edge in first downs (23 to 21). The Ravens significantly outrushed Cincinnati with 192 yards to 98, but the Bengals more than made up for it with 355 net passing yards to Baltimore’s 164. Both clubs turned the ball over twice.

In his best pro game to date, Carson Palmer completed 29 of 36 passes for 382 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. T. J. Houshmandzadeh (pictured below) and Chad Johnson each caught 10 passes, with Houshmandzadeh gaining 171 yards and scoring one TD and Johnson accumulating 161 yards and scoring twice. Rudi Johnson was held to 56 yards on 19 rushing attempts.


For the Ravens, Kyle Boller went to the air 33 times and had 19 completions for 172 yards with one intercepted. Chester Taylor ran the ball 23 times for 139 yards and a TD. Travis Taylor had the most receiving yards with 40 on his two catches, while four players caught three passes apiece. Chester Taylor was one of them, adding 25 more yards to his total, and Terry Jones was right behind Travis Taylor with 38 yards.

“T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) was making plays. Chad (Johnson) was making plays,” Palmer said. “And when you give your quarterback a chance to throw the ball like that, against probably the best front seven in this game, those guys are going to get open. The O-line played lights out, and we ended up winning.”

“Give credit to the Bengals,” summed up Brian Billick. “They fought back from every situation.”

Palmer was knocked out for the remainder of the season the next week with a knee injury in a loss at New England, and with Jon Kitna behind center the Bengals again finished up at 8-8 and third in the AFC North. The loss to Cincinnati damaged Baltimore’s playoff chances, not to mention the club’s confidence, and after splitting their remaining games, the Ravens ended up at 9-7 and in second place in the division and out of the postseason.

Carson Palmer only ranked among the league’s top 10 passers in interceptions thrown (18), but that was misleading. In his three starts prior to the injury- including, of course, the come-from-behind performance against the Ravens - he accounted for 9 of his 18 touchdown passes. Overall, he completed 60.9 of his throws for 2897 yards and set the stage for a big year in 2005.

Chad Johnson (pictured below, who changed his name to Chad Ochocinco in 2008) was selected to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year as he caught 95 passes for 1274 yards (13.4 avg.) and nine TDs. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Johnson’s teammate at Oregon State as well as with the Bengals, had a breakout year, pulling in 73 receptions for 978 yards (13.4 avg.) and four touchdowns.

2000: Banks & Ravens Overcome Smith & Jaguars in Thriller

Since becoming the Baltimore Ravens in 1996, the club playing host at PSINet Stadium on September 10, 2000 had not beaten the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, a 1995 expansion team, in eight tries. The Ravens, 8-8 in 1999 and under second-year Head Coach Brian Billick, boasted a strong defense that was led by LB Ray Lewis, and had shut out the Steelers in the opening game the previous week by a 16-0 score.

There were still many questions regarding the offense, however, beginning with the team’s quarterback, veteran Tony Banks (pictured above). Following three disappointing years with the Rams, Banks had joined the Ravens as a backup in ’99 and was 6-4 as the starter after taking over for Scott Mitchell and Stoney Case. Coming off a good year and with the starting job his going into the 2000 season, there were questions about whether he had overcome past attitude issues and would elevate his game. Other uncertainties pertained to running back, since rookie starter Jamal Lewis had encountered injury problems in college, and the receivers. While veteran newcomer TE Shannon Sharpe was an established star in Denver, the rest of the receiving corps was undistinguished.

The Jaguars, under Head Coach Tom Coughlin, had developed rapidly into a contender and were coming off of a 14-2 record in ’99. QB Mark Brunell was solid when healthy, and had outstanding wide receivers to throw to in Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. RB Fred Taylor missed six games, but was a rising talent (he also was out with an injury for the game against the Ravens). The defense allowed the fewest yards in the league. Clearly a team to be reckoned with, they had easily beaten the Browns in their opening game.

It appeared that Baltimore’s bad luck against the Jaguars would continue as Jacksonville dominated the first quarter. On their first possession, the Jaguars went 48 yards in seven plays, highlighted by two Brunell passes to Smith of 26 and 9 yards. Mike Hollis scored the first points of the game with a 36-yard field goal.

Following a poor 20-yard punt by Kyle Richardson that gave Jacksonville excellent field position at the Baltimore 43, the Jaguars were able to score a touchdown on a drive that initially appeared to be stifled by the Ravens defense. However, an illegal use of hands penalty on CB Chris McAlister on a third-and-14 play gave Jacksonville an automatic first down and Brunell tossed a 45-yard pass to Smith for the score and a 10-0 lead.

Later in the opening period, the Jaguars went 77 yards in five plays, again helped along by a penalty on McAlister - this time for pass interference - that advanced the ball 19 yards on a third-and-nine play to the Baltimore 43. Brunell again hit Smith on a long pass play for a TD that covered 43 yards. It was 17-0 in favor of the visitors after one quarter of play.

Early in the second quarter, the Ravens finally got on the board after recovering a fumble at the Jacksonville 14. Banks immediately fired a touchdown pass to rookie WR Travis Taylor and, with the successful PAT, the score was narrowed to 17-7. However, the Jaguars put together long drives of 14 and 8 plays that led to Mike Hollis field goals of 45 and 48 yards and Jacksonville held a seemingly-comfortable 23-7 margin at the half. They had outgained the Ravens by 257 to 97 yards thus far.

Baltimore struck quickly in the third quarter, however. Banks immediately threw to Taylor for a 40-yard gain to the Jacksonville 28, and three plays later it was Banks-to-Taylor once again for a 23-yard touchdown. The Ravens went for a two-point conversion and were successful as TE Ben Coates caught a pass from Banks. The score was now 23-15 at just 1:29 into the second half.

The Jaguars went three-and-out on their next possession, but got a break when Banks threw long for Taylor and, the ball bouncing off the receiver’s hands, safety Rayna Stewart intercepted and returned it 24 yards to the Baltimore 41. Jacksonville advanced to the 16 yard line before the drive stalled and the Jaguars settled for a fourth Hollis field goal, this time from 34 yards.

In response, the Ravens put together a 76-yard drive of 10 plays that ran almost six minutes off the clock. RB Priest Holmes accounted for the two biggest gains, on runs of 17 and 20 yards, the latter carry giving Baltimore first-and-goal at the eight yard line. Banks tossed a five-yard TD pass to RB Obafemi Ayanbadejo and, following Matt Stover’s extra point, Jacksonville’s lead was narrowed to four points at 26-22.

Heading into the fourth quarter, and with just over 10 minutes remaining on the clock, Baltimore LB Jamie Sharper made a huge defensive play when he forced Jaguars RB Stacey Mack to fumble and recovered at the Jacksonville 12. Banks threw to WR Jermaine Lewis for the 12-yard touchdown two plays later, and the Ravens took the lead at 29-26.

Jacksonville’s next possession ended when Brunell was intercepted by DB Kim Herring, who ran 30 yards to the Jaguars’ 35 yard line. Banks threw to Holmes for nine yards, but the Jaguars defense stiffened and the Ravens ended up with a 44-yard Stover field goal to extend their margin to 32-26.

While the second half momentum had been almost totally in Baltimore’s favor, the visitors weren’t done yet and drove 51 yards in nine plays that culminated in a 48-yard field goal by Hollis, his fifth with just under five minutes remaining to play. It was now a three-point game at 32-29 and the Ravens went three-and-out on their ensuing possession. Brunell completed a pass to WR Keenan McCardell for a 17-yard gain and then threw to Smith for four yards to the Baltimore 40 at the two minute warning.

Two plays later, the Jaguars regained the lead when Brunell’s pass to McCardell was tipped by the wide receiver and grabbed by Smith, who broke a tackle by McAlister and ran into the end zone to complete a 17-yard scoring play. The extra point made it 36-32, and it seemed as though Jacksonville would yet come out on top.

The Ravens took over at their 25 and Banks tossed passes to WR Billy Davis for 19 and 15 yards and Ayanbadejo for 12 before firing a throw down the middle of the field to Shannon Sharpe that the tight end gathered in for a 29-yard touchdown with 41 seconds to go. It proved decisive as Baltimore came away with the 39-36 win.

The Jaguars outgained the Ravens (421 yards to 331) and had more first downs (22 to 17). However, they also turned the ball over four times, while Baltimore did so twice.

Tony Banks completed 23 of 40 passes for 262 yards with a career-high five touchdowns against two interceptions. Obafemi Ayanbadejo caught 7 passes for 53 yards and a TD, while Travis Taylor, subbing for the injured Qadry Ismail, gained 80 yards on his four receptions that included two for scores. Priest Holmes rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries to lead the club, and also caught four passes for 18 more.

For Jacksonville, Mark Brunell was successful on 28 of 50 throws for 386 yards and three TDs with two picked off. Jimmy Smith burned the Ravens defense with 15 catches for 291 yards and three touchdowns. Stacey Mack, playing in place of the injured Fred Taylor, was the leading rusher with 36 yards on 11 attempts.

“You have to give credit to Tony Banks and their offense,” said Brunell afterward. “They went right down the field and made the plays they had to make. They were very impressive today. We scored some points, but it wasn't enough.”

“I'm very disappointed in our second half,” added Coach Coughlin. “They beat us in man coverage and they beat us in zone coverage. The fact that the Ravens were able to move the ball when everyone knew they had to have a touchdown on the last drive was pretty frustrating.”

Baltimore went on to a 12-4 record and qualified for a wild card spot by winning its last seven games. However, when the offensive performance dipped after the good start, Banks lost his starting job to veteran backup Trent Dilfer, who held the job the rest of the way. With the defense utterly dominating opponents (the 36 points given up to the Jaguars was by far the most surrendered during the season), the Ravens won all four playoff games, including the Super Bowl over the Giants. They gave up a total of 23 points in the four postseason games.

Jacksonville won the week after the tough loss to the Ravens, but proceeded to lose five straight games on the way to a disappointing 7-9 finish that put them in fourth place in the AFC Central. Jimmy Smith (pictured below) caught 91 passes for 1213 yards and eight touchdowns and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight year.

Tony Banks moved on to the Washington Redskins in 2001, where he was the starting quarterback for an 8-8 team with a ball-control offense. He ended up as a backup for the expansion Houston Texans from 2003 to ’05, never quite living up to his potential. His opening game performance for the Ravens against Jacksonville was a major highlight of an inconsistent career.

2001: Ravens Throttle Giants in Super Bowl XXXV

Nine weeks into the 2000 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens were 5-4 and hardly seemed likely to reach the postseason, let alone the Super Bowl. But from that point they won seven straight games to close out the regular season, securing a wild card spot with a 12-4 record that placed them second in the AFC Central. From there they dominated the Broncos at home and the Titans (the club that won the division title) and Raiders on the road to win the AFC title and storm into a Super Bowl matchup against the New York Giants on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Under Head Coach Brian Billick, the Ravens were propelled forward by the defense. At defensive tackle, Pro Bowler Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa effectively plugged the middle of the line. The brilliant All-Pro MLB Ray Lewis (pictured above) led a unit that included Peter Boulware and Jamie Sharper on the outside. Cornerbacks Duane Starks and Chris McAlister were highly effective and joined in the backfield by 35-year-old Pro Bowl FS Rod Woodson and SS Kim Herring. The unit gave up just 165 points over the course of the 16-game season, shutting out four opponents and allowing no more than one TD in 11 contests. If anything, it had stepped up its game in the playoffs.

At midseason, Trent Dilfer took over for Tony Banks at quarterback and provided good leadership as well as a steady hand as game-manager of a conservative, run-oriented offense that kept mistakes at a minimum. Rookie RB Jamal Lewis came on strong in the second half as well, gaining 1364 yards on the ground. 11th-year veteran TE Shannon Sharpe caught 67 passes. OT Jonathan Ogden anchored the offensive line.

The Giants, coached by Jim Fassel, had also gone 12-4 in winning the NFC East, and won more consistently across the course of the season. QB Kerry Collins took every snap and threw for 3610 yards and 22 touchdowns, reviving his career. Running backs Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne combined for 1776 rushing yards and 13 TDs (although Dayne tailed off badly toward the end), and Barber also added 70 pass receptions for 719 yards. Wide receivers Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard were effective and caught 15 scoring passes between them. The solid defense featured Pro Bowl LB Jessie Armstead, DE Michael Strahan, MLB Mike Barrow, and CB Jason Sehorn. New York defeated the Eagles in the Divisional playoff round and then routed the Vikings for the NFC title.


The game started quietly as neither team was able to generate much offense, although as they exchanged punts, the Ravens were winning the battle for field position. The Giants had the first possession of the game, but the second and third times they had the ball, they started at their own 13 and one yard lines, respectively. Midway through the first quarter, WR Jermaine Lewis (pictured at left) returned a punt 33 yards into New York territory, and while a holding penalty cost the Ravens ten yards, they started in good field position at the 41. Two plays later, Dilfer threw to WR Brandon Stokley for a 38-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.

The clubs returned to trading punts, with Sharper intercepting a Collins pass in the second quarter that Baltimore was unable to capitalize on, but which stopped New York’s deepest penetration thus far (to midfield). The Giants nearly got a big break when Armstead intercepted a Dilfer pass and returned it for an apparent TD, but a defensive holding penalty on DT Keith Hamilton nullified the play.

With less than four minutes remaining in the half, the Ravens took over at their own 12 following another punt by the Giants, but following a six-yard completion to Stokley and a two-yard run by Jamal Lewis, Dilfer threw a pass to WR Qadry Ismail for a 44-yard gain down the left sideline to the New York 36. Four plays later, Matt Stover kicked a 47-yard field goal.

The Giants, getting the ball back with 1:34 remaining on the clock, briefly created some excitement as Collins completed a 17-yard pass to WR Ron Dixon and Barber took off on a 26-yard run to the Ravens’ 29 yard line. But on the next play, McAlister intercepted a Collins pass to snuff out the threat and Baltimore held a 10-0 lead going into halftime.

Following a punt by the Ravens on the first possession of the third quarter, Collins was again intercepted, this time by Kim Herring. Tony Banks replaced Dilfer at quarterback for this series (Dilfer had suffered a hand injury), but after Baltimore advanced to the New York 24, Stover missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.

The game settled back into a monotony of short possessions ending in punts until suddenly a stunning scoring spree erupted. First, Starks intercepted a Collins pass and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown to stretch Baltimore’s lead to 17-0. However, Dixon returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a TD to make it a 10-point game again. But on the next kickoff, it was Jermaine Lewis responding for the Ravens with an 83-yard touchdown. In just 36 seconds, a Super Bowl-record three touchdowns were scored, and the tally now stood at 24-7 in favor of Baltimore.

After that outburst, the game settled back into a defensive struggle. Baltimore took advantage of a short punt by Brad Maynard from his end zone to start with good field position at the New York 38 and drove to a three-yard touchdown run by Jamal Lewis. A fumble by Dixon on the ensuing kickoff return set up a 34-yard Stover field goal for the game’s final points. New York gained just one first down in its last four possessions and Baltimore came away the winner by a score of 34-7.

The Ravens defense capped a tremendous year by holding the Giants to 152 total yards and 11 first downs, and Ray Lewis was named the game’s MVP (Lewis accounted for 11 tackles, four assists, and four blocked passes). Collins was sacked four times and intercepted four times as well. Baltimore’s offense did little to generate excitement, but gained 244 yards and didn’t turn the ball over (thanks to the negated interception), as opposed to New York’s five turnovers. The teams set a Super Bowl record by punting 21 times (11 by the Giants, 10 by Baltimore).

Trent Dilfer (pictured below) completed 12 of 25 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Jamal Lewis ran for 102 yards on 27 carries that included a TD. Brandon Stokley caught three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown and TE Ben Coates added three receptions for 30 yards.


For the Giants, Kerry Collins had a rough outing, completing just 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and four interceptions. Tiki Barber led the team in rushing with 49 yards on 11 carries and also caught 6 passes for 26 yards. Ike Hilliard’s 30 yards on three receptions led the team.

“We came after them early, set a tempo,” said Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, Marvin Lewis. “We applied pressure to let them know we'll play our defense and keep attacking and not let anyone take us out of our game.”

Speaking of the kickoff return for a TD by Jermaine Lewis that trumped Ron Dixon’s, Brian Billick said, “The emotional swing of the game at that point, you could see it on their side. When Jermaine took it back the other way, it was more dramatic...The emotional flipflop, even though the points were the same, I think had to be devastating to them.”

It was a triumphant return to Tampa for Trent Dilfer, who had spent six disappointing seasons with the Buccaneers before moving on to the Ravens. However, winning the Super Bowl did not guarantee job security and he was released in the offseason, catching on with Seattle.

The Ravens parted ways with Dilfer due to the free agent signing of the more highly-esteemed Elvis Grbac, who had been a Pro Bowl quarterback for the Chiefs. While Grbac ultimately proved to be a disappointment, the team again made it to the postseason in 2001, once more as a wild card, but fell to Pittsburgh in the Divisional round. New York dropped more precipitously, going 7-9 in ’01 before returning to the postseason as a wild card team in 2002 – the Giants would not vie again for a championship until the 2007 season.

2003: Ravens Overcome 17-Point Deficit to Force OT & Beat Seahawks

The Baltimore Ravens were 5-5 and had lost their previous two games as they prepared to host the Seattle Seahawks at M & T Bank Stadium on November 23, 2003. Moreover, while Head Coach Brian Billick’s rebuilding team still had an outstanding defense, the offense was being directed for just the second time by QB Anthony Wright (pictured at right), in place of the injured Kyle Boller. Wright had been with the Cowboys for two seasons and had already gained a reputation as a career backup, at best, with limited skills. While RB Jamal Lewis was a capable runner, the passing game was suspect.

Seattle was leading the NFC West with a 7-3 record under Head Coach Mike Holmgren, who was steadily improving the club. The offense, with Matt Hasselbeck in his first full season as the starting quarterback and star RB Shaun Alexander, was becoming more explosive. But while they were a perfect 6-0 at home, the Seahawks were a disconcerting 1-3 on the road.

It appeared that the game would be a low-scoring affair after a scoreless first quarter. Josh Brown put Seattle on the board first with a 45-yard field goal three minutes into the second quarter, and the Ravens matched it late in the period with a 21-yard Matt Stover kick. But in the final minute of the half, the Seahawks scored twice. First, they capped a 13-play, 80-yard drive with Hasselbeck tossing a two-yard touchdown pass to WR Darrell Jackson. Then, as the Ravens were attempting to run out the clock, the Seahawks recovered a fumble by RB Chester Taylor at the Baltimore 10 yard line and Hasselbeck threw a quick 10-yard TD pass to WR Bobby Engram with a second left on the clock. In short order, Seattle had built a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Ravens came right back in their first possession of the third quarter, with a six-play drive highlighted by pass from Wright to WR Travis Taylor that covered 43 yards. Wright then tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to WR Marcus Robinson that cut Seattle’s margin to 17-10.

The reduced margin didn’t last long as, on the third play of the next possession, Hasselbeck connected with WR Koren Robinson for a 38-yard touchdown. Seattle added to its lead following a 24-yard punt by Baltimore’s Dave Zastudil that provided good field position and set up a 46-yard field goal by Brown to make the tally 27-10.

Once again the Ravens narrowed the margin as Wright completed a five-play drive with a 50-yard TD pass to Marcus Robinson. And once again the Seahawks came right back with a score as Hasselbeck immediately completed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Jackson. There was still time left in the eventful third quarter, and Wright found Marcus Robinson for a third touchdown pass that covered 25 yards. The period ended with Seattle up by 10 at 34-24.

Early in the fourth quarter, it seemed as though the Seahawks had finally put the game away when Hasselbeck tossed his fifth touchdown pass, of five yards to Engram, for a renewed 17-point lead of 41-24. But with 6:41 remaining on the clock, Baltimore safety Ed Reed blocked a Jeff Feagles punt and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. The Ravens got the ball back when LB Ray Lewis recovered a fumble at his own 29 and Wright led the team on a 71-yard drive through a soft Seattle defense that ended with a nine-yard scoring pass to Marcus Robinson.

The Seahawks still led by 41-38 with 1:12 remaining, and it appeared that they would prevail when they recovered an attempted onside kickoff by the Ravens. But in a pivotal play at the Baltimore 33 with 39 seconds left, Hasselbeck’s quarterback sneak was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-one, and the Ravens got the ball back. A 44-yard pass interference penalty on Seattle CB Marcus Trufant set up the game-tying 40-yard field goal by Stover, and the teams headed into overtime.

The Seahawks had the initial possession in the extra period but were forced to punt. The Ravens responded with a 55-yard drive, with the key play being a 19-yard pass from Wright to Marcus Robinson in a third-and-15 situation. Stover booted a 42-yard field goal, and Baltimore came away with an improbable 44-41 win.

Reflecting the closeness of the final score, each team gained 426 yards of total offense. The Ravens had the edge in rushing yards (150 to 133) while Seattle had the most net passing yards (293 to 276). Both teams sacked the opposing quarterback six times apiece. The Seahawks gave up three turnovers, as opposed to two by Baltimore, while the Ravens were penalized 14 times for 112 yards, compared to Seattle being flagged six times for 89 yards.

Anthony Wright had a career game, completing 20 of 37 passes for 319 yards with four touchdowns – all to Marcus Robinson – and none intercepted. Robinson, for his part, caught 7 passes for 131 yards and the four TDs. Jamal Lewis gained 117 rushing yards on 26 carries.


In defeat, Matt Hasselbeck (pictured at left) was successful on 23 of 41 passes for 333 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Darrell Jackson was the top receiver with 7 catches for 146 yards and two of the TDs. Shaun Alexander ran for 72 yards on 22 attempts.

Said Wright afterward, “It was looking very, very dim. But we just let it all hang out. Everything came together. It's unbelievable, for us to be down as much as were and to come back.” He was then off to the hospital where his wife was expecting delivery of a baby girl.

“We let them back in the football game,” said a disappointed Mike Holmgren. “It was just a bizarre, bizarre ending.”

Referring to the failed quarterback sneak that could have sealed the game in regulation, Matt Hasselbeck said, “We just needed one more play. One more play and we could have won the game. We should have won the game, and we just didn't make it.”

The Ravens built upon the stunning comeback victory to win five of their last six games and finish first in the AFC North with a 10-6 record. They lost to Tennessee in the Wild Card playoff game. The loss to Baltimore knocked Seattle out of first place, but the Seahawks also completed the regular season at 10-6 to end up second in the NFC West. Qualifying for the postseason as a wild card, they too lost in the first round, in overtime to the Green Bay Packers, Holmgren’s previous coaching stop.

Anthony Wright’s performance was easily the greatest of his career. He ended up throwing for 1199 yards with 9 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in ’03, and was 5-2 as the starting quarterback. He never again came close to passing for 300 yards in a game, or tossing more than two TD passes in a contest, and missed the 2004 season altogether due to injury.

Jamal Lewis topped the NFL with 2066 yards rushing on 387 carries (5.3 avg.) with 14 touchdowns and remained the key player on offense.

Marcus Robinson’s four touchdown receptions represented two thirds of his total output of six for the year. He caught 31 passes for 451 yards (14.5 avg.) all told.

Matt Hasselbeck, who had a big passing day in defeat, ranked fourth in the NFL in passing yards (3841) and tied for third in TD passes (26). His 7.5 yards per attempt ranked fourth (tied with Peyton Manning of the Colts) and 12.3 yards per completion placed second. He was selected for the Pro Bowl.