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 Comments and analysis from the Ravens' Super Bowl victory.
Real: 28.8
MVP
 Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis speaks with ESPN's Andrea Kremer.
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Commitment to winning
Trent Dilfer talks about the view that the Ravens won despite him.
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Defense wins championships
ESPN's Ed Werder talks with Shannon Sharpe about the Ravens' defense and his third Super Bowl title.
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Another word for arrogance
Brian Billick talks with ESPN's Andrea Kremer about his Super Bowl win.
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No doubt
ESPN's Ed Werder talks with CB Rod Woodson after the Ravens won the Super Bowl.
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Sunday Conversation
Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis is this week's Sunday Conversation.
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No rhythm
Kerry Collins gives the Ravens credit for taking him out of his game plan.
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Not good enough
Tiki Barber and the Giants came up short all night against the Ravens.
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Giant Disappointment
Jason Sehorn says the Giants could not turn things around in the second half.
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Ravens' defense delivers fitting finale
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This really goes back to what the Baltimore Ravens knew every week
when they played a team outside their division. Until you experience the
brunt force of their defense, you don't know the trouble you are about to
confront.
Nothing on film can prepare you for the Ravens. The Giants found
that out in Super Bowl XXXV.
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Best defense ever? I'll say it this way -- greatest season ever for a defense. ” |
Best defense ever? Like Ravens safety Rod Woodson said, ever is a
big word. I'll say it this way -- greatest season ever for a defense. Yes,
even greater than the '85 Bears because the Bears played a defense that was
still a novelty in its 46 scheme. This Ravens' defense was straight-up, basic
football, though beautifully schemed by defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis.
Speaking of Lewis, he had to be MVP. Ray Lewis ... Jermaine Lewis ... Jamal Lewis. Although a strong case certainly could be made for Jermaine Lewis' kick and punt returns, I had to concur with the selection of the
Ravens' menacing middle linebacker. Because this game was about the
Baltimore defense, and the presence of Lewis in the middle dictated a
one-dimensional game by the Giants.
Every interception -- all four of them -- was a tribute to Lewis because the Giants understood that they had to win or
lose the game through the air.
Even then, we should never label this as a one-man gang. This is a
talented bunch of players assembled by the Wizard of Oz -- personnel
director Ozzie Newsome. Six defensive starters were first-round draft picks
and two were second-rounders. And a fifth-rounder, defensive end Rob
Burnett, deserved to be a Pro Bowl player this season.
Ravens outside linebacker Jamie Sharper made two huge plays -- delivering a crushing blow to Giants WR Ike
Hilliard that sent a message, along with an interception on a pass tipped
by Lewis.
The Ravens' corners -- Chris McAlister and Duane Starks -- made their
statements. Starks' 49-yard TD interception was a back-breaker. McAlister's
leaping interception near the goal line at the end of the first half was one
of the game's key plays. The Giants were trailing at the time. A touchdown
or even a field goal would have sent them into the half with something
positive.
Instead, they were down 10-0, which was really the magic mark in
this game. The first team to have a 10-point lead was going to win it.
|  | | Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis (52) fights for position against New York tight end Pete Mitchell.
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Trent Dilfer, no, he wasn't all that pretty. The Ravens might have
scored 24 points in the first half if Dilfer had been accurate. But he was
accurate on the one big play he needed in the first half when he hit Brandon Stokely for a 38-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. His 44-yarder to Qadry Ismail also set up a field goal for the 10-0 lead.
Dilfer was also on the mark in his post-game interviews when he
basically said that those who follow the NFL get too caught up in the
"fantasy football" syndrome. It's about winning. Dilfer is a Super Bowl
winning QB, and he need not apologize to anyone.
Back to the defense, though. This was a shutout, with an asterisk. Ron Dixon's 97-yard kickoff return for a New York score spoiled the shutout bid, but Lewis' 84-yarder took away its bitter taste.
The Giants needed Kerry Collins to be on his game. He got plenty of
shots. But by his own admission, he was not "seeing the field" very well. He
was usually a hair off on his throws. If he had been sharp early, maybe it
would have been a different game. Maybe.
The Giants almost got the big play they needed from their own
defense when Jessie Armstead returned an interception for a touchdown, only
to see defensive tackle Keith Hamilton flagged for "holding" the intended
receiver. Actually, he tackled running back Jamal Lewis on a screen pass.
Happens all the time in the NFL. Never gets called. It did Sunday.
Still, the Giants could hardly point to one call, or one play, with
a heartfelt "what if?"
We saw the Ravens dominate the Denver Broncos, beat the Tennessee
Titans by two TDs, and suffocate the Oakland Raiders in the AFC playoffs.
Sunday's annihilation of the New York Giants was the conclusive evidence we
needed to render a verdict: The best team in football is owned by Art Modell.
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