2000 Baltimore Ravens season
| 2000 Baltimore Ravens season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Brian Billick |
| Owner | Art Modell |
| Home field | PSINet Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC Central |
| Playoff finish |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Broncos) 21–3 Won Divisional Playoffs (Titans) 24–10 Won AFC Championship (Raiders) 16–3 Won Super Bowl XXXV (Giants) 34–7 |
| Pro Bowlers | 5 |
The 2000 Baltimore Ravens season was the franchise's 5th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the second under head coach Brian Billick.
The Ravens concluded their season with a 12–4 record, and came in for second place in the AFC central, and also earning them a spot in the playoffs as a wild card team. The Ravens won three straight games in the 2000 AFC playoffs, culminating in a trip to Tampa Florida for Super Bowl XXXV, where they defeated the New York Giants, 34–7. The team's defense, which allowed 10.3 points per game in the regular season, is considered among the greatest of all time.
The Ravens spent most of the off-season concerned with the status of their star linebacker Ray Lewis, who along with two other acquaintances, was arrested and charged with murder after an incident outside of an Atlanta nightclub on January 31, 2000. On June 5, a plea bargain was struck, and murder and aggravated assault charges were dropped in exchange for testimony against his companions. Lewis pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and was sentenced to a year of probation.
The Ravens started the season with a 5–1 start, with three of their victories coming by shutout. Despite the great play of the defense, the offense hit a major swoon after the first month of the season. Following a 37–0 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens would not score a touchdown for five consecutive games. The Ravens won the first two of these games thanks to their defense, but lost the next three, including a critical division loss at home to the Tennessee Titans. During this game, quarterback Tony Banks was benched in favor of Trent Dilfer, who would take over for the rest of the season. After a loss at home to Pittsburgh, the Ravens broke both their touchdown-less streak and losing streak against the Bengals the next week. It would be the first of seven straight wins to end the season.
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