The Baltimore Ravens already have reached a level thrice denied their antecedents, the Cleveland Browns, in 1980s losses to the Denver Broncos. Fittingly the Broncos were the first victims in the Ravens’ playoff run. Now Baltimore would like to close that run with a conquest of the New York Giants.
Question–This has been one of the low-voltage Super Bowl buildups. Is there any reason to expect it to have a big finish?
Answer–Baltimore-New York games can be historic. The Colts and the Giants staged the first sudden-death overtime game in “The Greatest Game Ever,” the 1958 title game and the launching pad for football on television. The Colts and Jets were the Super Bowl III teams when Joe Namath made history. The Colts’ first-ever game in 1947 was in the All-America Football Conference against the Brooklyn (football) Dodgers.
Q–The Ravens have run over their three playoff opponents. Can they do that to the Giants?
A–Their team bus ran over a police car on the way to the Baltimore airport. After a start like that, anything is possible. If the Ravens defend their goal line against the Giants the way they defended Ray Lewis against questions last week, the Giants are in trouble.
Q–Is there anything the Bears can learn from the Ravens?
A–Probably just that they will have no chance in the NFL if they do not draft better and that it still will take several years even when they do. The Ravens were 4-12 in 1996 despite drafting offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and linebacker Lewis, and were 6-10 and 8-8 the last two seasons before this year’s breakout.
Q–The Ravens believe they need only a few points and turn the game over to their defense. Is the defense really that good?
A–The Ravens haven’t allowed a back to run for 100 yards since 1998 when James Allen got 163 yards. And if 1,000 yards rushing in a 16-game season is so easily attainable, someone should tell the Ravens defense, which allowed only 970 this season. That’s more than 300 fewer than even the great Bears defenses of the 1980s.
The Ravens used No. 1 picks in four straight drafts on defense, starting with Lewis in 1996, plus a couple No. 2s–linebacker Jamie Sharper and safety Kim Herring, 1997, who both start.
Q–Is there any real way to determine whether the 1980s Bears defenses or this 2000 Ravens defense is better?
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A–Mike Ditka said he might like to see the two defenses in a bar fight. Probably not a good idea.
Q–Can a team with Trent Dilfer at quarterback win a Super Bowl?
A–Absolutely. Shannon Sharpe says so. Anyone want to argue with Shannon Sharpe? Besides, is Dilfer any more unlikely a Super Bowl champion quarterback than Jim Plunkett, Kurt Warner, Mark Rypien or even the young Terry Bradshaw, once derided for an alleged lack of smarts?
Q–But Dilfer was never a winner with Tampa Bay and had a propensity for the big mistake at the big moment. Is this a different Dilfer?
A–The Ravens believe so. Coaches determined that his problem wasn’t that he was thinking too little, but rather too much. Now he does his thinking off the field. The Ravens have a computer system that gives their coaches a system with digital film for in-depth study. Dilfer is the one Ravens player who has his own access to the system.
Q–With so much attention on Lewis’ situation, do the Ravens understand how big this game is?
A–Ex-Seminole Peter Boulware says this is bigger than Florida-Florida State. They understand.