The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV 15 years ago yesterday.
Media prognosticators did not think highly of the Ravens or their Super Bowl XXXV matchup with the New York Giants. Many television personalities belittled each team’s offense in the two weeks leading up to the game and scoffed at the notion that a defensive battle would be an entertaining game.
Jim Rome predicted a 3-2 “blowout” victory for the Giants. ESPN poker analyst Norman Chad coined the phrase “Super Bore XXXV” to describe the game. A Time magazine article suggested CBS (who was broadcasting the game) sell advertising to Sominex, an over-the-counter sleep aid.
Geez. I don’t ever remember anyone suggesting the 1985 Monsters of the Midway in Chicago were ever boring. I guess the Steel Curtain of the 1970s failed to ever put anyone in the seats. There was no respect for the Ravens, Giants, or the matchup in general.
The doom-and-gloom pregame hype by these buffoons was completely unwarranted. In the playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl, the Ravens had many memorable and exciting plays. In Tennessee, backup defensive tackle Keith Washington blocked two Al Del Greco field goals, and the second was returned 90 yards for the go-ahead touchdown by Anthony Mitchell. Later in the game, Ray Lewis returned an interception 50 yards for another score. In the AFC Championship game in Oakland, tight end Shannon Sharpe took a short slant pattern 96 yards when the Ravens were facing a 3rd and long from their own four-yard line.
On the Giants’ side, they blew out the Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship game. Kerry Collins threw for 381 yards and five touchdowns in what was the most lopsided NFC Title game in history.
The game also featured the two cities (Baltimore and New York) that put the NFL on the map back in 1958 in what was dubbed “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” There were so many storylines to choose from, but the media chose the Johnny Raincloud approach and poo-pooed the game the entire two weeks leading up to the contest.
You probably remember these events just fine, but the game was anything but boring. Duane Starks had a 49-yard pick six in the second quarter. The Giants returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for their only touchdown of the game. That kickoff was then followed by an 84-yard kickoff return touchdown by Jermaine Lewis of the Ravens. 21 points were scored in a span of 36 seconds. I mean, sure, the two teams set the Super Bowl record for most punts in a game with 21 combined, and the two teams combined for the fewest net yards in Super Bowl history, but the thrashing put forth on the Giants by the Ravens was nothing short of mesmerizing.
This was the worst performance in Kerry Collins’ career. He finished the game going 15-39 for 112 yards, 0 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Collins had a 7.1 quarterback rating, the lowest QB rating in Super Bowl history. It’s probably the only time a quarterback has ever had a rating of 7.1. He was sacked four times as well. This game remains the only game in Super Bowl history in which one team’s offense failed to score a touchdown. Out of the Giants’ 18 offensive possessions in the game, only five went for more than nine yards. Two of those five drives still ended in interceptions.
Sorry, media jerks, but I fail to see how this is not entertaining. The Broncos just beat up Tom Brady this past Sunday, and everyone loved it. The Ravens destroy Kerry Collins, and it’s a snooze fest.
The old Baltimore sports double standard: It’s always there. Fortunately for the NFL and the media, the Lombardi trophy came home with the Ravens and Art Model. Bet’cha Paul Tagliabue loved that.
