1998: Alstott & Dunn Spur Bucs to Upset of Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings were undefeated at 7-0 as they took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on November 1, 1998. Head Coach Dennis Green’s team had a high-octane offense directed by 35-year-old QB Randall Cunningham, who had taken over for the injured Brad Johnson and impressively resurrected his career. Rookie WR Randy Moss was sensational across from veteran WR Cris Carter and RB Robert Smith made for a good ground attack as well.

The Buccaneers were at 3-4 and had already lost badly to the Vikings in the season’s opening week. Under Head Coach Tony Dungy, they were a formidable defensive team, ranked third in the league thus far, that had been having difficulties on offense, failing to reach the end zone against the Saints in a 9-3 loss the previous week. Running backs Mike Alstott (pictured above) and Warrick Dunn made for a productive combination, but QB Trent Dilfer, coming off of a Pro Bowl year in ’97, was inconsistent. 

There were 64,979 fans in attendance at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. The Buccaneers took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards in 13 plays. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott ran effectively and Trent Dilfer threw to Dunn twice, once for 14 yards in a third-and-four situation. Dunn finished the series off with a 10-yard carry around end for a touchdown. Michael Husted added the extra point and Tampa Bay was ahead by 7-0.

In response, the Vikings came out throwing. Randall Cunningham connected with Randy Moss for 11 yards on first down and then went to TE Andrew Glover for a gain of 30 yards to the Tampa Bay 35. The eight-play, 76-yard drive ended with Robert Smith running up the middle for a nine-yard TD. Gary Anderson added the point after to tie the score.

With Alstott running three straight times for 13 yards and Dunn catching a pass for another 13, the Bucs were driving as the first quarter ended. Alstott added a 21-yard carry to the Minnesota 22 and he and Dunn continued to chip away. Dilfer passed to WR Reidel Anthony for a 12-yard touchdown and, with Husted’s conversion, the 13-play drive that covered 80 yards had the home team back in the lead by 14-7.

The Vikings started the next possession from their own 10 yard line thanks to a penalty on the kickoff return, but still managed to keep the scoring parade going with a 90-yard drive that took 12 plays. Cunningham immediately threw to WR Jake Reed for 28 yards, the first of four completions during the series. Minnesota converted two third downs and a fourth down along the way before Cunningham threw long to Reed for a 44-yard TD on a third-and-19 play. Anderson’s PAT was successful and the game was again knotted at 14-14.

There was 4:16 remaining in the first half as the Buccaneers started their next series. Dilfer completed a pass to WR Bert Emanuel for 15 yards while facing third-and-eight and Dunn had a 50-yard run to the Minnesota 13. An offensive pass interference penalty nullified an apparent touchdown pass to Dunn, but the Bucs came away with points on a 29-yard Husted field goal.

With the clock now down to 36 seconds, Cunningham went to the air and completed three straight passes, the longest to Moss for 41 yards. Anderson capped the first half scoring with a 44-yard field goal and the tally was 17-17 at halftime. Thus far, neither team had punted or turned the ball over. Dunn (pictured below) already had 80 rushing yards and Alstott had contributed 50.

The pattern of long drives ending with scores continued in the third quarter as the Vikings advanced 75 yards in nine plays. Cunningham had passes to Glover for 25 yards and Reed for 32. The series ended with a short Cunningham toss to Reed for a one-yard TD. Anderson’s extra point put the visitors ahead by 24-17.

The Bucs moved methodically down the field in response. Alstott had a 15-yard run and Dilfer completed a pass to Anthony for 16 yards, but the drive bogged down inside the Minnesota 10 and, facing fourth-and-goal at the five, Dilfer’s throw intended for Anthony was knocked away and incomplete.

The Vikings had the ball as the contest entered the final period. Cunningham completed four passes, but after reaching their own 36, another throw that came as he was hit hard by LB Al Singleton was intercepted by LB Derrick Brooks, who returned it 25 yards to the Minnesota 23. The Buccaneers went three-and-out but came away with a 38-yard field goal by Husted to narrow the Vikings’ lead to 24-20.

Minnesota was forced to punt following the next series, which was the first of the game with ten minutes to go in regulation. The big play in stopping the Vikings came when CB Ronde Barber sacked Cunningham, who had eluded Brooks, on third down. The Bucs came away with good starting field position at the Minnesota 43. Dilfer connected with Anthony for a gain of 17 yards and Dunn followed up with a nine-yard run. Alstott lost a yard, but Dilfer converted a third-and-two situation with a three-yard carry. A pass into the end zone was deflected away, and then Dunn ran for nine yards and Alstott finished off the seven-play possession with a six-yard touchdown. Husted added the point after and Tampa Bay was ahead by three.

There was 5:48 left on the clock, plenty of time for the quick-striking Vikings. A Cunningham pass to Cris Carter was flagged for offensive pass interference and a sack by DT Brad Culpepper forced Minnesota to have to punt once again. The Vikings never got the ball back as the Buccaneers, behind the running of Alstott, controlled it for the remaining three minutes of the game. Alstott ran for a 37-yard gain and game-clinching first down and the Buccaneers won by a final score of 27-24.

Tampa Bay had the edge in total yards (378 to 340), with a franchise-record 246 yards gained on the ground, and in first downs (22 to 18). The Buccaneers, who also ran far more plays than Minnesota (63 to 46), never punted or turned the ball over, and gave up no sacks. The Vikings accounted for the game’s lone turnover and gave up two sacks, all of which proved costly. They also were held to just 17 yards and scored no points in the fourth quarter, which proved to be decisive.

Both Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn gained over a hundred yards running, the first time in Tampa Bay’s team history that two players had done so in the same contest. Alstott gained 128 yards on 19 carries that included a touchdown and Warrick Dunn had 115 yards on 18 attempts that also contained a TD. In addition, Dunn caught four passes for 49 yards. Trent Dilfer was 11 of 22 for 132 yards through the air, with a touchdown and no interceptions. Reidel Anthony topped the club with 5 pass receptions for 65 yards and a score.

For the Vikings, Randall Cunningham (pictured at right) was outstanding as he was successful on 21 of 25 throws for 291 yards and two TDs while giving up one interception. Jake Reed had his biggest game of the year as he caught 6 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns while Randy Moss and Cris Carter were comparatively quiet, catching two passes for 52 yards and two for 13, respectively. Robert Smith ran for 46 yards and a TD on 13 carries and had 5 receptions for 28 yards.

“We had to score every time we got the football, and we were able to do that except for once,” said Trent Dilfer. “That’s the kind of game we had to play.”

“They throw the ball as well as anyone’s thrown it in the last 10 or 12 years,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Dungy regarding the Minnesota offense. “We felt our zone could make some plays, but they ripped up our zone in the first half.”

The Buccaneers went on to lose their next three games before rallying to take four of their last five on the way to an 8-8 finish that placed third in the NFC Central. Minnesota didn’t lose again for the remainder of the regular season, topping the entire conference at 15-1 while setting a NFL record by scoring 556 points. However, it all ended in disappointment with an overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

Warrick Dunn gained 1370 yards from scrimmage, with 1026 on 245 rushing attempts (4.2 avg.) and 344 yards on 44 pass receptions. Mike Alstott gained 846 yards on 215 carries (3.9 avg.) and received first-team All-NFL and Pro Bowl honors.

1997: Packers Defeat Buccaneers in NFC Central Showdown

Two strong defensive teams, the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, met on December 7, 1997 in Tampa with the NFC Central title on the line.

The Packers, coached by Mike Holmgren, were the defending NFL Champions and had a 10-3 record thus far. QB Brett Favre (pictured at right) was the key to the offense and was helped by the presence of wide receivers Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman as well as capable RB Dorsey Levens. Star DE Reggie White was hindered by back pain but overall, the defense was tough and aggressive.

Tampa Bay was right behind the Packers at 9-4, having gotten off to a 5-0 start before losing three straight contests, starting with a defeat at Green Bay. No longer a perennial loser with the arrival of Head Coach Tony Dungy, the offense benefited from the presence of rookie RB Warrick Dunn, who teamed well with RB Mike Alstott in the conservative offense that was directed by QB Trent Dilfer. DT Warren Sapp anchored a solid defensive line and linebackers Hardy Nickerson and Derrick Brooks were outstanding. 

There were a franchise-record 73,523 fans in attendance at Houlihan’s Stadium on a clear afternoon. The Buccaneers had the opening possession and advanced into Green Bay territory as Trent Dilfer threw to WR Karl Williams for a 35-yard gain, but the drive stalled at the 39 and they punted. The Packers gave the ball right back on their first play when TE Mark Chmura fumbled when hit hard by SS John Lynch and CB Donnie Abraham after catching a short pass and LB Hardy Nickerson (pictured below) recovered at the Green Bay 13. Two carries by Mike Alstott picked up seven yards and the Bucs got on the board when Michael Husted kicked a 24-yard field goal.

The Packers had to punt following a short series, but it was their turn to benefit from a turnover when Alstott fumbled the ball away at the Tampa Bay 36, FS Eugene Robinson recovering. A loss on a running play and false start penalty backed the visitors up, but Brett Favre, scrambling away from pressure, threw deep to Robert Brooks for a 43-yard touchdown. Ryan Longwell added the extra point and the Packers were in front by 7-3.

The teams exchanged punts as the game headed into the second quarter. Tampa Bay got a break when Dorsey Levens fumbled and Abraham recovered at his 40, and while the Bucs lost ground and again had to punt, they got the ball back on yet another turnover when Lynch intercepted an overthrown Favre pass and returned it 28 yards to the Green Bay 30. The home team still wasn’t able to move the ball on offense, and Dilfer suffered a sprained ankle when sacked on third down by Reggie White, but they managed to not come up empty when Husted kicked a 48-yard field goal to narrow the score to 7-6.

Taking over with 1:52 remaining in the first half, the Packers moved into Tampa Bay territory as Favre completed six straight passes, the longest to Antonio Freeman for 27 yards to the Bucs’ 14. But Longwell’s 31-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Nickerson and the tally remained unchanged at halftime.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter until the Packers put together a 10-play, 73-yard series. Favre again completed six passes, including one of 18 yards to Freeman to convert a third down and two to Chmura that picked up 20 and 10 yards to reach the Tampa Bay 15. Favre’s last completion was to Levens for an eight-yard touchdown and, with Longwell’s point after, Green Bay was ahead by 14-6.

The Buccaneers advanced methodically to the Green Bay 47, but once again a third down sack, this time by Robinson, forced another punt. As the game entered the final period, the Packers put together a long possession that covered 88 yards in 16 plays and used up over ten minutes of playing time. Levens started the drive off with runs of 17 and 15 yards and Favre completed five passes. Longwell kicked a 27-yard field goal and Green Bay’s lead was up to 11 points with 6:24 to play.

With Dilfer finally forced from the game by his injured ankle, Steve Walsh was at quarterback when the Buccaneers got the ball back, and he converted a third-and-12 situation with a completion to Williams (pictured below) that picked up 38 yards to the Green Bay 36. But three plays later, an interception snuffed out the threat.

Tampa Bay got one last shot with the clock down to 2:37 following a punt by the Packers, but three passes netted nine yards and an incompletion on fourth down effectively ended the game. Green Bay came away the winner by a final score of 17-6.

The Packers generated far more offense than the Buccaneers, reflected in their lead in total yards (362 to 161) and first downs (20 to 8). While Green Bay was held to 82 yards on the ground, Tampa Bay’s normally robust running game was held to 67. The Packers had more turnovers, with three to the Bucs’ two, but theirs all came in the first half and Green Bay also recorded all of the game’s four sacks.

Brett Favre completed 25 of 33 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, giving up one interception. Dorsey Levens rushed for 54 yards on 22 carries but also led the Packers in pass receptions with 8, good for 64 yards and a TD. Antonio Freeman gained 73 yards on 5 catches and Robert Brooks (pictured below) was right behind with 71 yards on his three receptions that included a score.

For the Buccaneers, Trent Dilfer was successful on just 6 of 17 throws for 67 yards and no TDs, although also no interceptions. Steve Walsh was four-of-nine for 50 yards and was picked off once. Karl Williams caught 5 passes for 87 yards, by far the biggest performance of any of the Tampa Bay receivers, while Mike Alstott gained just 34 yards on 10 carries and Warrick Dunn was held to 33 yards on 12 attempts.

“In my 43 years, I’m not sure I’ve been around a better effort than the one today,” said Green Bay defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur regarding his unit’s performance.

“We had some chances, some turnovers,” said Coach Dungy of his Buccaneers. “We couldn’t convert. They converted theirs. That was pretty much the difference.”

The win clinched a third straight NFC Central title for the Packers, who ended the regular season with a 13-3 record. Tampa Bay placed second at 10-6, the franchise’s best record since 1979, and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. A win over Detroit in the first round set up another meeting for the Buccaneers with the Packers at the Divisional level, and for a third time they lost to Green Bay. The Packers went on to win the NFC Championship, losing a close contest to Denver in the Super Bowl.

Brett Favre led the NFL in touchdown passes (35) and the NFC in passing yards (3867). He was Associated Press MVP, consensus first-team All-NFL, and a Pro Bowl selection for the third consecutive year. Dorsey Levens was also named to the Pro Bowl as he placed second in NFC rushing with 1435 yards, in addition to catching 53 passes for another 370 yards and scoring a career-high 12 touchdowns.

1997: Bucs Edge Cards with Big Plays on Defense and Special Teams

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 4-0 and looking to match the best start in franchise history as they hosted the Arizona Cardinals on September 28, 1997. The team that had been a perennial doormat since last posting a winning record during the strike-shortened 1982 season was beginning to come together in its second year under Head Coach Tony Dungy. The defense, featuring DT Warren Sapp, CB Donnie Abraham, and linebackers Derrick Brooks and Hardy Nickerson, was the key to the team’s improvement, while the offense was benefiting from the play of rookies RB Warrick Dunn and WR Reidel Anthony, second-year FB Mike Alstott, and much-improved fourth-year QB Trent Dilfer (pictured above).

The Cardinals, under Head Coach Vince Tobin, were 1-2 and coming off a bye week. They had hurt themselves with fumbles in their previous losses to the Bengals and Redskins, and all three of their contests had been close. Arizona had fine wide receivers in Rob Moore and Frank Sanders, but QB Kent Graham was no better than average and, while FB Larry Centers was an outstanding receiver out of the backfield, the running game was not strong. The defensive line, anchored by DT Eric Swann, was tough and CB Aeneas Williams was an established star.

There were 53,804 fans in attendance at Houlihan’s Stadium. The teams traded punts to start the game. Arizona’s second possession stalled and Jeff Feagles was again called on to punt with the line of scrimmage at his 40. However, the kick was blocked and recovered by LB Alshermond Singleton at the Arizona 28, and he took it the rest of the way for a touchdown. Michael Husted missed the extra point attempt and the score remained 6-0 in favor of the Buccaneers.

The teams again traded punts as the Buccaneers were unable to get anything going on offense and the Cards were little better. They had the ball as the first quarter ended and, on the first play of the second quarter, faced a fourth-and-one situation at their own 41. Lining up for an apparent punt, LB Ronald McKinnon took the short snap and ran three yards for a first down. Kent Graham completed two passes for 16 yards but the drive stalled at the Tampa Bay 37. Once again the Cards attempted trickery as they lined up for a field goal try but then shifted to go for a quick running play instead. Eric Swann took the snap but fumbled and DE Marcus Jones recovered for the Bucs.

It didn’t appear to be any more promising for Tampa Bay’s offense when the first play had to be aborted as Trent Dilfer fumbled and, while Warrick Dunn recovered, it was at a cost of ten yards. Two more plays had the Buccaneers facing fourth-and-16 and having to kick the ball away, but now it was their turn for a fake and punter Tommy Barnhardt completed a pass to safety Tony Bouie for a 25-yard gain. The offense came alive and Dilfer completed three passes, interspersed with runs by Dunn and Mike Alstott, with the third completion going to Reidel Anthony for an eight-yard touchdown. The Bucs tried for two points, but Alstott’s run up the middle was stopped short. Still, the home team held a 12-0 lead.

The Cards responded by going 80 yards in eight plays. They converted two third downs, first when Graham threw to Rob Moore (pictured at left) for 28 yards in a third-and-seven situation and then to WR Anthony Edwards for six yards on a third-and-five play to the Tampa Bay 21. On the next play, and following the two-minute warning, Graham connected with Moore for a TD. Kevin Butler added the extra point and the score was 12-7 at the half.

The Bucs went three-and-out to start the third quarter and Arizona again put points on the board. Following a holding penalty that backed them up to their 12, the Cards picked up 41 yards on a Graham-to-Moore pass play. A third-and-nine pass to Edwards gained 10 yards to the Tampa Bay 36 and Graham then threw to WR Kevin Williams for another 12 yards. The 10-play, 61-yard series finally ended with Butler kicking a 37-yard field goal that narrowed Tampa Bay’s lead to 12-10.

Once more the teams traded punts but, with less than two minutes remaining in the period, the Cardinals got a big play on defense as Aeneas Williams intercepted a Dilfer pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. They added two points on a Graham pass to Frank Sanders and the visitors were in front by 18-12 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Bucs had a short series on offense followed by Arizona starting off with good field position at midfield following a 17-yard punt return by Kevin Williams. A pass to Moore gained 22 yards and carries by running backs LeShon Johnson and Leeland McElroy picked up 12 more. But Graham was sacked for a 10-yard loss and the drive stalled at the 25 from where Butler was wide on a 43-yard field goal attempt.

The Bucs again went three-and-out on the next series but, after Barnhardt’s 57-yard punt pinned the Cardinals back at their five, the defense came through with a big play when SS John Lynch picked off an overthrown Graham pass at the Arizona 35. Four plays later, and facing fourth-and-six, Dilfer completed a pass to WR Karl Williams for a 31-yard touchdown. Husted’s key extra point put Tampa Bay back in front by a point.

With less than five minutes remaining, Graham went to the air often but the Cards were unable to get out of their end of the field and had to punt. The Buccaneers, playing conservative, ran three plays and punted with Barnhardt’s booming kick going 57 yards and putting the visitors back at their 20 with 46 seconds remaining on the clock. Graham completed three passes, the big one to Sanders for a 37-yard gain to the Tampa Bay 29, but the game ended with Butler missing a 47-yard field goal attempt. The Buccaneers came away with a hard-fought 19-18 win.

Tampa Bay came out on top despite low offensive output. The Cards dominated in total yards (364 to 167) and first downs (23 to 6). But the Buccaneers registered six sacks, to three by Arizona, and the Cardinals turned the ball over three times, to one by Tampa Bay. The Bucs also benefited from touchdowns by the special teams and defense.

Trent Dilfer completed 12 of 24 passes for 110 yards, but two of them were good for touchdowns as opposed to one interception. Reidel Anthony had 5 catches for 49 yards and a TD. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott were held to 27 yards apiece, on 10 and 8 carries, respectively. However, Tommy Barnhardt (pictured at right) had an outstanding game, averaging 49.4 yards on eight punts, with two stopping inside the five yard line and had the pass completion for 25 yards on the fake. DT Brad Culpepper accounted for three sacks.

For the Cardinals, Kent Graham went to the air a season-high 52 times and was successful on 31 for 339 yards and a TD, but also had two intercepted with one of them directly resulting in a Tampa Bay score. Rob Moore caught 8 of those passes for 147 yards and a touchdown while FB Larry Centers also had 8 receptions for 58 yards in addition to his four carries for four yards. Leeland McElroy ran for 40 yards on 13 attempts.

“I wouldn’t say we were lucky, I’d say we hung in there, persevered,” said Tony Dungy on behalf of the Buccaneers. “You’ve got to win some games when you’re not playing well.”

“We’ve lost so many games like this in the past,” echoed John Lynch. “It’s hard work and preparation and believing you can win. You don’t just get lucky at this. You get lucky for a reason.”

After matching the 5-0 start of the 1979 team, the Buccaneers lost the next three games but came back to finish at 10-6 and second in the NFC Central. Qualifying for a Wild Card playoff spot, they beat Detroit in the first round but lost to the division-champion Packers in the Divisional round. Arizona continued to struggle, ending up at the bottom of the NFC East with a 4-12 record.

Trent Dilfer went to the Pro Bowl after passing for 2555 yards and 21 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions. Warrick Dunn (1440 yards from scrimmage) and Mike Alstott (665 rushing yards) were selected as well. Tommy Barnhardt averaged 45.0 yards on his 29 punts before a broken collar bone in the sixth game cost him the remainder of the season.

Kent Graham also went down with an injury and gave way to rookie QB Jake Plummer. In eight games, Graham completed just 52 percent of his passes for 1408 yards and four TDs with five intercepted.  Rob Moore continued to excel and was a consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl selection as he caught 97 passes for a league-leading 1584 yards and eight touchdowns. 

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.