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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Ravens delivered an emphatic
message to the Denver Broncos and the rest of the NFL on Sunday: We
are for real.
The Ravens shut down the league's second-ranked offense and got
a bizarre touchdown from former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe in
a 21-3 wild-card rout of Denver. The Broncos were held without a
touchdown for the first time in 28 postseason games over a span of
three decades.
|  | | Rob Burnett got one of the Ravens' four sacks on Broncos QB Gus Frerotte. The other three were by Michael McCrary. |
"We were like a pack of deer being chased by wolves," Ravens
defensive tackle Tony Siragusa said after they held the Broncos to
177 yards, 233 below their average.
Baltimore, in its first playoff game in 23 years, had five sacks
and held rookie Mike Anderson, who gained 1,500 yards rushing this
season, to 40 on 15 carries.
"I didn't really believe they ever saw a defense like ours,"
added middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the star of a unit that allowed
an NFL-record 165 points and had four regular-season shutouts.
In Sunday's NFC wild-card game, the Philadelphia Eagles also won
21-3 at home, beating Tampa Bay.
For Baltimore, the long wait for another playoff game was worth
it. In winning the first postseason game in this city since 1977,
when the Colts lost to Oakland, the Ravens earned a trip to
Nashville to play the Tennessee Titans, who edged them for the AFC
Central crown.
"The emotions were high after 23 years," Lewis said. "I was 2
the last time there was a playoff game here."
As for the Titans, whose only loss this season at Adelphia
Coliseum was to Baltimore, Lewis added, "We know it is a
tournament and that is our mindset. A lot of people said to get to
the Super Bowl, you have to go through Tennessee."
While the Ravens head south, the Broncos head home with their
first postseason loss since 1996. They won seven straight on their
way to Super Bowl titles in 1997 and '98, then didn't make the
playoffs last year.
"When you come into a place like this and you make mistakes,
it's hard to overcome it," said quarterback Gus Frerotte, filling
in for injured Brian Griese. "And we made mistakes."
But it's questionable whether even John Elway would have
mastered the Ravens' defense and the tricky wind that gusted to 27
mph. Frerotte didn't complete a pass until his first attempt of the
second quarter, and most of his throws were off target. A
half-dozen others were dropped, and he finished 13-for 28 for 124
yards.
They also were victimized by Sharpe's stunner and Jamal Lewis'
big day: 110 yards on 30 carries and two touchdowns.
Sharpe's strange touchdown in the second quarter made it 14-3
and effectively ended Denver's chances. Trent Dilfer's pass in the
flat was bobbled by Lewis, then glanced off the arms of Denver
cornerback Terrell Buckley. Sharpe, who spent the first 10 seasons
of his outstanding career in Denver, caught the carom and headed to
the sideline.
With crushing blocks by Sam Gash and Pat Johnson freeing the
way, he sped 58 yards for the score.
"I was basically getting ready to chase T-Buck," Sharpe said.
"But the ball floated in the air and when I got it, I thought I
could get 10 yards. But the end zone kept getting closer and
closer."
Combining such big plays with the dominating defense that forced
Denver into seven three-and-outs was enough to keep a PSINet
Stadium record crowd of 69,638 in full throat in support of the
team owner Art Modell brought to Baltimore from Cleveland in 1996.
"The Modell family was a part of the fabric of society in
Cleveland. I didn't want to leave. I had no choice," Modell told
CBS-TV. Asked if time will heal the wounds, he said, "If I live to
102, maybe. Not completely. There will always be people there that
mark me as a man who betrayed the community."
But he is beloved in Baltimore. So, for the moment, is Jamal
Lewis, the rookie counterpart to Mike Anderson. One of them is
expected to win The Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year
award, which will be announced Monday.
"That's an individual award, and I'm into team awards" said
Lewis, who rushed for 1,364 yards this season. He scored on a
1-yard dive after his 20-yard dash got Baltimore close to the goal
line.
Late in the third quarter, he burst through college roommate Al
Wilson's tackle and a pile of other players for a 27-yard score,
making it 21-3.
"This team can go a long ways, just play like we know how to
play, just go out and attack other teams," he said.
Denver, which also was missing star runner Terrell Davis, got
its only points on Jason Elam's 31-yard field goal in the first
half.
The Ravens, winners of eight straight, haven't allowed a
100-yard rusher in 34 games. They had five sacks, three of them by
Michael McCrary, and Ray Lewis had an interception.
Now they have a date in Tennessee.
Game notes
Ravens safety Kim Herring was kicked in the left ankle on
the second-half kickoff. X-rays were negative, but he did not
return. ... Denver was held to three points in the first half only
once before this season, against New England. ... Baltimore has
held its last eight opponents under 100 yards rushing. ... Ravens P
Kyle Richardson had 86 kicks without any problems during the
regular season, but his first punt Sunday was tipped by Denver's
Keith Burns and went 5 yards. He later kicked a 66-yarder. ...
Broncos P Tom Rouen's first kick went 62 yards, a career playoff
high, but he had 16-yarder in the third quarter. ... Denver QB
Jarious Jackson threw his first NFL completion in the fourth
quarter.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Denver Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
Clayton: Lewis honored to play another game
Clayton: Ravens cut down Broncos
Sharpe turns wrong play into big TD
ESPN.com's Broncos-Ravens page
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Shannon Sharpe talks with ESPN's Suzy Kolber after the Ravens' victory.
wav: 561 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Ray Lewis just doesn't think the Broncos defense can compare to the defense of the Ravens.
wav: 121 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Brian Billick feels the Ravens win today was all about the players.
wav: 160 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Mike Shanahan thinks the Ravens played on Sunday the way great defenses do.
wav: 125 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Gus Frerotte feels he let his team down with his performance against the Ravens.
wav: 126 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Shannon Sharpe Official Site
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