Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens didn't just beat teams, they shut them down. Behind one of the fiercest and stringiest defenses in the history of the NFL, the Ravens set a league record for allowing the fewest points in a 16 game season while rolling over opponents.
When the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV, they gave renewed life to the axiom that the way to win championships is with great defense. The Ravens smothered, crushed and dismantled offenses. The Ravens suceeded by doing whatever it took to get the job done - stuffing running backs, sacking quarterbacks, causing turnovers and grinding it out on offense.
Their outstanding defense was led by the likes of defensive end Michael McCrary, who made a habit of shutting down running backs and tormenting quarterbacks and safety Rod Woodson, one of the best defensive backs in league history.
The Ravens could be troublesome on offense too. A great compliment to their tough defense, the offense was efficient, effective, and helped the Ravens win 11 straight games on their way to winning the Super Bowl. Among the offensive leaders of the Ravens were tight end Shannon Sharpe, who provided veteran leadership, wide receiver Qadry Ismail, who helped move the chains, and tackle Jonathan Ogden, who anchored the offensive line.
The Ravens were a team that could beat opponents in so many ways, and they demonstrated just that in Super Bowl XXXV. |
