Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens Basics: Conference: AFC
Highlights: Super Bowl XXXV victory over NY Giants
Home Field: M & T Bank Stadium
Owner: Steve Bisciotti
Coach: John Harbaugh
Colors: Purple, black and gold
Tickets: TicketsNow
Schedule: 2007 Season

The Back Story, 1984-1995: In the dead of night on March 28, 1984, Mayflower moving vans packed up the city's beloved NFL franchise, the Baltimore Colts, and moved it to Indianapolis. The bereft city then began the very slow process of acquiring a new NFL team. In 1993, the city missed out when the NFL awarded its first two expansion teams since 1976 to Jacksonville, FL, and Charlotte, NC.

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Finally in early 1996, Cleveland Browns' owner Art Modell made a deal to bring his team to Baltimore. After some legal wrangling, the NFL, the city of Cleveland and Modell hammered out a deal in which Modell's team would technically be an expansion team, leaving the rights to the Browns' name, colors and history in Cleveland. The team's new name, derived from Baltimore literary great Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem "The Raven," was chosen from a list of more than 100 contenders after telephone surveys and newspaper polls confirmed its popularity with residents.

Early Years, 1996-1999: On September 1, 1996, NFL football returned to Baltimore, as former Colts coach Ted Marchibroda and quarterback Vinny Testeverde led the team to victory over the Oakland Raiders (19-14) in front of 64,000 fans at the Colts’ old home, Memorial Stadium. The Raven's first two seasons were played there before the team moved to M & T Bank Stadium ( which has also been known as Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards and PSINet Stadium). Even with Testeverde's 33 touchdown passes, the Ravens finished the first season with a 4-12 record.

Despite winning 3 of the first 4 games in 1997, the Ravens finished their second season only a little better with a record of 6-9-1. Linebacker Pete Boulware won the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year award with 11.5 sacks.

In 1998, Testeverde left for the New York Jets. New QB Jim Harbaugh and backup Eric Zeier were disappointments. A season with 6 wins and 10 losses would result in Marchibroda's firing.

Things improved in 1999 under former Rams QB Tony Banks and new head coach Brian Billick, the Minnesota Viking’s offensive coordinator. After a slow start to the season, a winning streak put the team in playoff contention, until a loss to New England in the final regular-season game ended the Ravens’ post-season hopes. The team finished with an 8-8 record.

The 2000 Season: The Ravens started the 2000 season strong, but hit a small slump in October when they didn't post a single touchdown, yet still managed to win 2 of their 5 games that month. The offensive's poor showing led to back up QB Trent Dilfer replacing Banks as starter. The defense, powered by Ray Lewis, pulled off seven more wins to end the season with a 12-4 record, securing a wild-card spot in post-season play. Lewis was named Defensive Player of the Year.

In the Ravens' first-ever playoff game, they dominated the Denver Broncos, shutting them down 21-3. The next week the Ravens took on division rival Tennessee Titans, whose 13-3 record made them the favorite. The defense held the score to 10-10 until the 4th quarter, when Anthony Mitchell blocked a field goal attempt and retuned it 90 yards for a touchdown. Then Ray Lewis' interception and return for a score made the final score 24-10. In the AFC Championship in Oakland, Shannon Sharpe's 96-yard touchdown catch and an injury to Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon tipped the scales toward the a 16-3 Ravens victory.

Super Bowl XXXV: Tampa's Super Bowl XXXV saw the Ravens overpowering the New York Giants. Late in the 3rd quarter, Ravens Duane Starks returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score to 17-0. On the next kickoff, the Giants scored their only TD of the game, when Ron Dixon made a 97-yard return. But that feat was immediately met with an 84-yard kickoff return TD by the Ravens' Jermaine Lewis, bringing the score to 24-7, ending perhaps the most exciting 36 seconds in Super Bowl history. The Ravens went on to score 10 more points in the 4th quarter, sealing the game at 34-7. Ray Lewis was named Super Bowl MVP.

The Post-Super Bowl Fall and Rise of the Ravens: From 2001 to 2005, injuries, roster changes and lack of a strong offense sent the Ravens on a downward spiral. The team only managed to make it to the playoffs twice during that period and washed out early each time.

• The 2001 Ravens signed Elvis Grback as quarterback, replacing Super Bowl alum Dilfer. The defense remained strong, and the team finished the season 10-6 and won another wild card berth. The Ravens defeated the Dolphins 20-3 in that game, but lost in the next round to the Steelers 27-10.
• In 2002 a salary cap issue forced the Ravens to cut some of its Super Bowl players like Sam Adams, Rod Woodson and Shannon Sharpe. With a regular-season record of 7-9, the team did not make the playoffs.
• The 2003 Ravens quarterback, Kyle Boller, was injured mid-season and replaced by Anthony Wright. Running back Jamal Lewis set a 295-yard rushing record in a game against the Cleveland Browns. This feat and his stellar season helped him clinch the Offensive Player of the Year award. Finishing the season with a 10-6 record, the team won its divisional title, but lost in the first playoff game to the Tennessee Titans. In April 2004, Art Modell sold the team to local businessman Steve Bisciotti.
• 2004 was an off year for Jamal Lewis, who was slapped with federal drug trafficking charges. (He eventually pleaded guilty and served his sentence during 2005.) Rushing only 1,006 yards, his total was less than half the previous year. And with Lewis on the decline, the Ravens' hope for a first-rate offense collapsed. The Ravens finished 9-7 for the year.
• Injuries and four months of prison time served in the off-season kept Lewis off his game again in 2005. A foot injury in the first game put QB Boller out of play until week 9. Injuries kept Ray Lewis out of all but six games. And when it was all over, the 6-10 Ravens were left out of the playoff hunt again.
• With quarterback Steve McNair (acquired during the off-season from Tennessee) calling the plays in 2006, the Ravens' prospects took a turn for the better. The team got off to a breakneck 4-0 start on its way to an impressive season ending in which they sealed a playoff berth in the second to last game of the regular season.
• The 2007 season was a long string of disappointments with the Ravens never even having a chance at a plyoff berth.
• In January 2008 Raven management fired Brian Billick and hired John Harbaugh, former secondary coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, as the Ravens new head coach.