| |  | |
 ESPN's Sal Paolantonio examines Trent Dilfer's aerial effectiveness.
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Trent Dilfer went to Disney World and joins ESPN's Trey Wingo from the ESPN Club in Orlando.
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Trent Dilfer talks about the view that the Ravens won despite him.
wav: 1102 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
| | |
| | Monday, January 29
Nothing brilliant about Dilfer's game
Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. -- As expected, his numbers were not
sensational. As always, he threw several passes that wobbled and
went awry.
And, as usual, Trent Dilfer helped deliver a victory for the
Baltimore Ravens.
Dilfer's final winning performance of the season came in the
most significant game of his life and in the same city where he
experienced the most disappointment of his career.
Cast aside by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a year ago, Dilfer
enjoyed a triumphant return Sunday night in the Super Bowl. He went
12-for-25 for 153 yards and one touchdown, numbers that did not
conjure memories of Joe Montana or Joe Namath.
But, like those two great Super Bowl quarterbacks, Dilfer walked
off the field a winner, helping Baltimore beat the New York Giants
34-7.
"I've never felt anything this good," Dilfer said. "The last
month I've meditated on a verse in the Bible: Everything is
possible for he who believes."
One year ago, the Bucs benched him and ultimately told him he
wouldn't be their starter. Dilfer signed as a free agent with
Baltimore and stepped into the role as backup to Tony Banks.
But after Banks struggled, coach Brian Billick called on Dilfer
in the eighth week of the season to pull the Ravens out of their
skid. He failed to produce a touchdown in his first start, against
Pittsburgh on Oct. 29, but never lost again.
"He let the defense do the job and got out of the way," Ravens
owner Art Modell said.
Dilfer's job this season was to avoid giving the ball away and
allow one of the best defensive units in NFL history to do the
rest. It was a role he accepted, and handled well.
Baltimore won 11 straight with Dilfer at quarterback, a run that
culminated with a victory in the most important game in franchise
history.
"We're a great football team. We played to our strengths," he
said. "I think we're even better than we played tonight."
When he returned to Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday, Dilfer
looked around and was overcome by a wave of nostalgia.
"I thanked God for the great memories that I have here," he
said.
And now he has one more.
"Obviously, it's pretty sweet," he said. "It was never about
revenge. It was about doing whatever I could to win football games
for my team."
He won't be going to the Hall of Fame when his career is over,
but that's not what Dilfer is about, anyway.
"I'm never going to be the prettiest quarterback. I'm not going
to always play the smartest, or throw the prettiest ball," Dilfer
said in the middle of the season. "But I'm going to enjoy my
teammates, the game, the competition. And when there's a play to be
made, hopefully I'll make it."
He did that Sunday.
After completing his first pass for 4 yards, he misfired on
seven of his next eight. But the lone completion was a 38-yard
touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley, and by the time the Giants
matched that score, Baltimore had already put 10 more points on the
board.
"I didn't throw the ball very accurately the first half," he
said. "I tried to stay relaxed, and I was almost flat. Getting the
one to Stoke was big. I settled in after that."
Dilfer left in the third quarter with an injured left hand. He
gave way to Banks for a series, then returned to finish what he
started.
"I told the doctors I didn't want to go out, but they thought I
broke my hand," he said. "I was so mad."
There were times when he was horrid Sunday. He threw a ball 20
feet over the head of Patrick Johnson on one play, and later he
lofted a pass out of bounds after Johnson got 15 yards behind his
fallen defender.
But he didn't throw an interception, didn't lose a fumble.
What he did do, in short, is exactly what Trent Dilfer did all
season: He won.
| |
