January 16,
2001
On
with the Show
Defense
smothers Oakland in AFC title game
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 The reality is beginning to sink in
for a city that hasn't tasted an NFL championship
game in thirty years: The Baltimore Ravens are
going to the Big Show. On Sunday, the Ravens'
defensive force stymied, stonewalled and
manhandled a high-powered Oakland Raiders offense
to the point of submission before 62,784
disbelieving, halloween-clad fans at Network
Associates Coliseum. To those already plentifully
bestowed, only one accolade remains for the
mother of all defenses: Super Bowl Champs. Rich
Gannon, the third leading passer in the AFC was
treated rudely by the visiting Ravens. After
injuring his left shoulder on a vicious sack by
Michael McCrary on the Raiders' opening drive, he
experienced the full brunt of lineman Tony
Siragusa's weight, driving that same shoulder
into the turf in the second quarter. The Raiders,
who averaged nearly 155 yards per game rushing
throughout the season, were held to just 24 yards
on the ground, with backup quarterback Bobby
Hoying leading the Black and Silver. The story of
this game however, is the manner in which
Baltimore's defense can truly frustrate a team
into making crucial, self-defeating mistakes. On
Baltimore's second half opening drive,
quarterback Trent Dilfer threw an ill-advised
interception, giving Oakland the ball deep in
Baltimore territory. Facing a first and goal at
the 2-yard line, the Raiders could not cross the
goal line and had to settle for a field goal.
This would tell the tale of the the will of these
two teams. Whenever it appeared that Oakland was
about to mount an offensive threat, the Ravens
defense responded with a big play; a sack, an
interception, a fumble recovery. The final blow
came when linebacker Jamie Sharper intercepted a
Hoying pass at the goal line late in the fourth
quarter, snuffing out, for all intents and
purposes, the Raiders' last breath. Thus has been
the story of the Ravens defense throughout the
2000 season. In the most frustrating fashion
possible, they repeatedly present a mirage of an
opening to their opponents, only to quickly close
and snatch the football away. Baltimore finished
the regular season with a league-high 49 take-a-ways,
only to step it up the post-season. Oakland,
ordinarily a sure-handed team, turned the ball
over 5 times on Sunday, all but assuring a
victory for the new AFC Champions. Offensively,
lightning struck early in the 2nd quarter for
Baltimore. Pinned at their own 4 yard line and
facing a 3rd-an-18, Trent Dilfer hit Shannon
Sharpe on a slant over the middle and Sharpe got
beyond Oakland's secondary, scampering the
distance for a record-setting 96-yard touchdown
reception. Little did the Raiders know at the
time that that would be the dagger in their
hearts, for Baltimore, led by its unprecedented
defense, is 13-0 in games in which they have
scored at least one touchdown. The Ravens, who
garnered little respect from the national media,
completed a three game sweep of some very
formidable playoffs foes, the last two of which
came on the road, in the most hostile of
environments. The two-week love-fest leading up
to the Super Bowl is underway in Baltimore, with
fans seemingly coming out of the woodwork to join
in the city's long-overdue celebration. On
January 28th, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens will be
given the opportunity to complete their journey. |
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