Well - this gives me a tingle---

**spoon** · 10-06-2011, 08:52 AM

From NYT

"We have unbelievable respect for those guys," linebacker Jarret Johnson said Monday. "When we talk about the Ravens defense and the history we have, it all started with those guys. They set the bar, and they set it as high you can set it. We're trying to beat it, and it's tough to do."

Ravens Defense

**HoustonRaven** · 10-06-2011, 08:59 AM

Those guys being the 2000 defense I assume?

**BLSmokey** · 10-06-2011, 09:12 AM

Come now, spork...don't leave us hanging!

**Justlovemybirds** · 10-06-2011, 09:31 AM

http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p....%3D0%26DPL%3D3

The current members of the Baltimore Ravens defense speak in reverent tones about the play of the 2000 unit, which set a record for fewest points allowed en route to winning the Super Bowl.

"We have unbelievable respect for those guys," linebacker Jarret Johnson said Monday. "When we talk about the Ravens defense and the history we have, it all started with those guys. They set the bar, and they set it as high you can set it. We're trying to beat it, and it's tough to do."

**moose10101** · 10-06-2011, 09:51 AM

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/r...,7194707.story

**Shas** · 10-06-2011, 10:14 AM

Just a sidebar comment about measuring defenses by points allowed. Right now the Ravens are just behind the Titans, second in points allowed with 14.2 to 14.0. However, the NFL counts kick returns and turnover returns for TDs. Meaning that two of the 6 TDs the Ravens have given up were when the offense and special teams crew was on the field. If that didn't count, then the Ravens defense would be giving up 10.8 per game...which I think would put them on pace with the 2000 defense...with a long way to go, of course.

**wickedsolo** · 10-06-2011, 04:46 PM

Except we actually have an offense that can put up some points.

**Haloti92** · 10-06-2011, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Shas

Just a sidebar comment about measuring defenses by points allowed. Right now the Ravens are just behind the Titans, second in points allowed with 14.2 to 14.0. However, the NFL counts kick returns and turnover returns for TDs. Meaning that two of the 6 TDs the Ravens have given up were when the offense and special teams crew was on the field. If that didn't count, then the Ravens defense would be giving up 10.8 per game...which I think would put them on pace with the 2000 defense...with a long way to go, of course.

The 2000 Ravens let up 2 TDs total while the defense was not on the field. So if the 2011 Ravens don't allow any more, the comparison would be fair. Not sure how likely that is considering how early we are in the season, but fingers are crossed.

**spoon** · 10-06-2011, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Except we actually have an offense that can put up some points.

Ssshh - someone call you a fan

**wickedsolo** · 10-06-2011, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by spoon

Ssshh - someone call you a fan

I don't understand what your saying.

**ballhawk** · 10-06-2011, 05:35 PM

i don't think we will ever see a defense allow less than 165 points again, not with all the rule changes favoring the offense and passing game. but it is good to see that the current ravens are mindfull of what that D accomplished and see themselves as a continuation of that legacy.

**wickedsolo** · 10-06-2011, 05:39 PM

Well, they could. I would argue that they've gotten through the most difficult portion of the schedule.

The Colts don't have Peyton.

The Chargers are beat up and just don't seem to be that high scoring team this year.

The Texans won't have Andre Johnson.

The Steelers' OL is putrid.

The Cardinals are a 1-trick pony offense.

I agree that a feat such as the 2000 defense is highly unlikely, but a lot of the teams that the Ravens face this season just aren't offensive juggernauts like they faced last year (Pats, Falcons, etc).

**ballhawk** · 10-06-2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Well, they could. I would argue that they've gotten through the most difficult portion of the schedule.

The Colts don't have Peyton.

The Chargers are beat up and just don't seem to be that high scoring team this year.

The Texans won't have Andre Johnson.

The Steelers' OL is putrid.

The Cardinals are a 1-trick pony offense.

I agree that a feat such as the 2000 defense is highly unlikely, but a lot of the teams that the Ravens face this season just aren't offensive juggernauts like they faced last year (Pats, Falcons, etc).

that's a good point. and the schedule this year kinda reminds me of 2000 as well. the best QB's we faced that year were brunell and testaverde. aikman was washed up and mcnair wasn't exactly a prolific passer. other than that, a bunch of scrubs.

**Beerracuda** · 10-06-2011, 05:54 PM

That 2000 team faced some pretty bad teams that year.

PIT: 9-7
JAX: 7-9
CIN: 4-12
CLE: 3-13
WAS: 8-8
DAL: 5-11
SD: 1-15
AZ: 3-13
NYJ: 9-7 (won 34-20, but gave up 524 yds of offense. Meaningless game for the Ravens though)

The only decent teams were:
MIA: 11-5 (lost 19-6)
TEN: 13-3 (split season series)

Of course, the D turned it up in the postseason, only giving up 23 points in 4 games (including SB), and one of those TDs was a KO return.

**Mista T** · 10-06-2011, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Beerracuda

That 2000 team faced some pretty bad teams that year.

PIT: 9-7
JAX: 7-9
CIN: 4-12
CLE: 3-13
WAS: 8-8
DAL: 5-11
SD: 1-15
AZ: 3-13
NYJ: 9-7 (won 34-20, but gave up 524 yds of offense. Meaningless game for the Ravens though)

Jets, Stillers, Landover (offseason SB Champs of 2000) and Jax (Brunell, of the 39-37 home opener) were pretty good teams. You're reaching!

**Ibravenfan** · 10-06-2011, 08:18 PM

Also finished 2nd in the division. Had 4 shutouts. And went 5 weeks without scoring a touchdown. I try to black out Tony Banks from the memory bank.

http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/re...Teams/2000-bal

**bacchys** · 10-06-2011, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Ibravenfan

Also finished 2nd in the division. Had 4 shutouts. And went 5 weeks without scoring a touchdown. I try to black out Tony Banks from the memory bank.

http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/re...Teams/2000-bal

I don't. Banks won us that Jax game in Week 2.

Billick screwed up Banks, imo. I have fond feelings for the man who brought Baltimore it's first Ravens SB championship, but he was not the QB guru he thought he was.

Banks had a beautiful deep ball when he was with St. Louis, and he brought it with him here. A year-and-a-half of Billick trying to force him to play against his strengths and he lost even that. Banks was a flawed QB, and Billick had a way of really bringing out the flaws in his quarterbacks. Dilfer was the only one unaffected by him, it seems to me, but Dilfer was the only one whose strengths actually ran to what Billick was demanding.

**Ibravenfan** · 10-06-2011, 08:59 PM

O.K. I now understand. It was Billicks fault that Banks couldnt get the ball to the end zone.

**Beerracuda** · 10-07-2011, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by Mista T

Jets, Stillers, Landover (offseason SB Champs of 2000) and Jax (Brunell, of the 39-37 home opener) were pretty good teams. You're reaching!

Ted, I don't really think I am. Of those 4 teams you mentioned above, while none were terrible teams, none of them made the playoffs that year either. The Jets and Jaguars both put up pretty good numbers against us (36 for Jax, 20 for the Jets). We only played 3 games against playoff teams during the season (Miami and Tenn (x2)), and went 1-2 against them.a

I'm not really trying to take away anything from the 2000 team. I do think that was an incredible defense (4 shutouts). But I also realize that the 2000 schedule, in retrospect, was rather soft. But hey, that's ok, because it's kind of comparable to this year's schedule, and to be honest, I'll be happy to take the same end result!

**Trentler99** · 10-07-2011, 04:53 AM

That Super Bowl Season the league had water downed QB Talent, and our schedule that year we didnt actually play a Great QB. McNair good not great, Aikman was'nt the same QB anymore. Kordell was decent, Brunell was good. But we did'nt play the type of QB's that are of today where you have 5 Top QB's who can be debated. But beside Farve and Cullpepper there really wasnt anybody that good. Manning was comming into his own. But even you have to admitt we played piss poor QB's that year.