Ravens defense wins Super Bowl

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Monday, January 29, 2001

Ravens defense wins Super Bowl

Baltimore gets 5 turnovers, ties record with 4 interceptions

By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

TAMPA, Fla. — The Baltimore Ravens defense earned its place as one of the greatest in NFL history Sunday night in Super Bowl XXXV, beating up the New York Giants 34-7.

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The Ravens tied a Super Bowl record with four interceptions, collected a total of five turnovers and made the Giants punt as many times, 11, as the Giants had first downs.

The Giants had 18 possessions. Eleven ended in punts, and nine of New York's punts were on three-and-out possessions where Baltimore didn't give up even one first down. Four New York drives were stopped by Baltimore's Super Bowl record-tying four interceptions.

“I'm not surprised by what we did,” said Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who was named the game's most valuable player. “We dominated people, literally, all season.”

Lewis had only five tackles, but he broke up four passes and set the tone for the game.

Baltimore, which set an NFL record by allowing just 165 points in the regular season, allowed only 23 — and just one offensive touchdown — in four postseason games.

“I'll say this loud enough for everybody to hear: This is the best defense to ever play the game,” Baltimore defensive tackle Tony Siragusa said.

The Giants put the ball in running back Tiki Barber's hands most often. He had 49 yards rushing on 11 carries and led the team with six receptions for another 26 yards, but he had a shadow — Lewis.

“They are fast, so fast, and they catch you from behind,” Barber said of the Baltimore defense.

New York coach Jim Fassel pointed to his team's five turnovers as a major factor for the loss.

“They've caused turnovers all year,” Fassel said of the Ravens, who led the NFL with 49 regular-season takeaways. “I was hoping we wouldn't give up the turnovers. You can't turn the ball over on a team like that.”

All four interceptions were thrown by Giants quarterback Kerry Collins, also tying a Super Bowl record.

“They didn't do anything different,” said Collins, who had thrown for five touchdowns in the Giants' 41-0

NFC title game victory over Minnesota. He was 15-of-39 passing for just 112 yards Sunday and was sacked four times. “They did a good job of disguising coverages.”

The Ravens, who led the NFL in rush defense, limited the Giants to 66 yards on the ground. There was nowhere to run.

Baltimore had much better field position in the first half, starting its first three drives at the 37, 49 and the Giants' 41.

New York, on the other hand, started its first four drives on its 21-, 13-, 1- and 14-yard lines. The Giants didn't get into Ravens territory until the second quarter.

Baltimore scored in the first quarter on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Trent Dilfer to Brandon Stokley. Stokley was the player who snapped the Ravens' 21-quarter streak without a touchdown when he caught a TD pass from Dilfer against the Bengals on Nov.5.

On his Super Bowl touchdown, Stokley beat Giants cornerback Jason Sehorn, catching the ball at the 10 and pulling Sehorn into the end zone.

“I got beat,” Sehorn said. “It took me a while into the first quarter to feel into the game.”

The score was set up by a 38-yard punt return by Jermaine Lewis. In spite of a holding penality against the Ravens on the runback, Baltimore started at the Giants' 41-yard line.

A three-yard run by Jamal Lewis put the Ravens in position for the score. He finished with 102 yards and one touchdown on 27 rushing attempts.

A game dominated by field position and defense broke wide open in the third quarter when 21 points were scored in 36 seconds.

With Baltimore leading 10-0, Ravens cornerback Duane Starks intercepted Collins and ran 49 yards for a touchdown.

On the next play, New York's Ron Dixon took Matt Stover's kickoff and ran 97 yards for a touchdown, his second kickoff return for a touchdown in the postseason.

But Baltimore's Jermaine Lewis took Brad Daluiso's kickoff and, thanks to two midfield blocks by Corey Harris, went 84 yards for the score.

“That was devastating to them,” Ravens coach Brian Billick said of how Lewis' return affected the Giants.

The back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns were a Super Bowl first and were only the sixth and seventh returns for scores in 35 Super Bowls.

The victory came in the first Super Bowl berth for Ravens owner Art Modell, who moved his franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1996.

An NFL owner for 40 years, Modell won a championship in Cleveland in 1964 but lost four AFC Championship games during the 1980s.

“To be close so many times but no cigar, this is the cigar,” said Modell, who also was asked to say something about Cleveland. “I can't answer for them. I really don't know how they feel. I love that city and I love the people, but it wasn't meant to be.”

The Ravens scored in the second quarter when Matt Stover kicked a 47-yard field goal.

Baltimore drove 59 yards in seven plays, the big play being a 44-yard completion from Dilfer to Qadry Ismail on a third-and-two from the 20. Ismail beat Giants cornerback Dave Thomas and Dilfer lofted the ball high. Ismail almost got away, but Thomas made an ankle tackle.

Baltimore had several other chances to make big plays, but the erratic Dilfer was way off on throws to wide-open receivers.

On third-and-five from the New York 46, Dilfer overthrew Patrick Johnson, who had beaten Sehorn, in the end zone.

Late in the first quarter, Sehorn slipped while covering Johnson, but Dilfer's throw sailed out of bounds. Johnson was 20 yards behind Sehorn.

It was a typical win for the Ravens, who finished 16-4, winning their last 11 games.

“We just did what we've done all year long,” Billick said. “We played good team defense. We tried not to turn the ball over on offense. And we played good special teams. It was a great team effort.”

Baltimore ....... 7 3 14 10—34

N.Y. Giants ....... 0 0 7 0— 7

First Quarter

Bal—Stokley 38 pass from Dilfer (Stover kick), 6:50.

Second Quarter

Bal—FG Stover 47, 1:41.

Third Quarter

Bal—Starks 49 interception return (Stover kick), 3:49.

NY—Dixon 97 kickoff return (Dalusio kick), 3:31.

Bal—Je.Lewis 84 kickoff return (Stover kick), 3:13.

Fourth Quarter

Bal—Ja.Lewis 3 run (Stover kick), 8:45.