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Greatest defense in NFL history
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00:28Transcription by CastingWords
00:45CastingWords
01:11CastingWords
01:11We had a team that was a classically underachieving team, had a lot of good athletes, had a number of
01:16pro bowlers, but had not yet to have a winning season.
01:20So there was a mindset that had to be changed, not only with the players, but with the organization.
01:24You know, I can tolerate a lot of things. I can tolerate arrogance, conceit, greed, right?
01:33But self-pity is one that just chaps my ass.
01:36Get in here. We've got to go fast now.
01:39We felt like we had something special going defensively.
01:43He won't make that one.
01:44We were able to draft Jamal Lewis with the fifth pick of the draft and felt very good about the
01:50physicality that we thought Jamal was going to bring to that ball club.
01:55Also at the 2000 camp was free agent Trent Dilfer, their new backup quarterback.
02:01Dilfer's six years in Tampa had been difficult, and he had more critics than touchdown passes.
02:08Some of the louder voices, it was bust, you know, one year wonder in 97, you know, not a great
02:18thrower.
02:19You know, I heard that a lot.
02:20And the reality that I...
02:22Well, you get your job taken by Sean King.
02:26Went from starting for five years and not missing a snap, and then hurting my collarbone,
02:32and now hitting the backup quarterback market was a little disappointing.
02:38And the one thing I went into that, quote-unquote, free agency period, the perspective I had was I wasn't
02:44going to settle.
02:45You know, I was going to go to a place where I could develop my skills, become a better player,
02:50and prove to people that the kind of archaic system that I had been through in Tampa wasn't me.
03:00Five of Baltimore's first seven games would be on the road.
03:04But as he would all season, Brian Billick turned the hardship to his advantage.
03:11He constantly fueled this us-against-the-world mentality.
03:15Kind of using it as motivation.
03:17Look at the leagues trying to screw us, and, you know, nobody thinks that we matter.
03:21Got another hell of one on the road.
03:23Hey, right? No big deal.
03:25On the road again.
03:26You know, we get the short end of the stick and all that stuff, and that was good.
03:31I mean, it definitely motivated some guys.
03:34Especially quarterback Tony Banks, who started the 2000 season with a hot hand.
03:39Got it, and he's in for a touchdown.
03:45After an opening day win in Pittsburgh, Banks threw a career-high five touchdown passes against the Jaguars.
03:52His last game with just 48 seconds left to win the game.
03:58He sets, throws deep down the middle for Sharp.
04:00He's got it!
04:01Good shot!
04:02Oh, Shannon Sharp in the end zone!
04:04And the place is going right now!
04:0839-36 in as wild a football game as you're going to say.
04:12Oh, my goodness!
04:14Banks was the confident starter.
04:16But oddly enough, his backup was even more self-assured.
04:20The competitive part of me obviously wanted to play.
04:23This is a hard thing to say on camera, but I never doubted that I would be the quarterback for
04:29that football team.
04:30And never once I was 100% sure that at some point I would be the quarterback of that football
04:36team.
04:40The real leader of the team was Ray Lewis.
04:44He was the spearhead of a defense that shut out two of its first four opponents.
04:51Rookie Jamal Lewis was turning heads.
04:55And Baltimore's veteran pass rushers were knocking out quarterbacks.
05:06Ravens were 3-1, but the schedule was about to get even tougher.
05:11Now begins the journey.
05:13That's all this whole thing leading up to three games on the road, and we'll get to where we want
05:18to go.
05:20When Ravens hit the road and hit the wall,
05:24their offense failed to score a touchdown the entire month.
05:27The team was unraveling.
05:30We can't block.
05:32We're going to take a knee every snap.
05:36I've got to be able to do something.
05:38There's something I can do to change this.
05:40That's my job.
05:41That's my responsibility.
05:42But you couldn't beat them up.
05:45Their egos, their confidence was going to be so fragile.
05:48The other part of that is the defense needs to know that you recognize the problem.
05:52They want to see something done.
05:54So all that frustration builds up.
05:56You're supposed to score touchdowns, not the owners.
05:59No, we're supposed to win games.
06:01We can score a ton of touchdowns.
06:02We can lead.
06:03I've been there.
06:04I've been fired at a San Diego State where we're fifth in total offense,
06:08sixth in scoring, and I got my a** fired because we lost games.
06:11Okay?
06:12So let's win the games, and if the numbers...
06:14You can't score touchdowns on the Browns, a change needs to be made.
06:19Just come with it.
06:20That's great.
06:22No, I'm not frustrated.
06:25Anytime you have a locker room where one side of the ball is playing poorly
06:29and the other side of the ball is playing very well,
06:32there's great potential for division.
06:36Admire those defensive guys for not allowing that to happen.
06:39Were they pissed?
06:40Absolutely, they were pissed.
06:42It's ridiculous, man.
06:46In week seven at Washington,
06:49Tony Banks threw a critical end zone interception,
06:51and it cost Baltimore the game.
06:59A week later, Banks threw three more interceptions,
07:02and the Ravens fell to five and three.
07:06Banks lost the game and his job.
07:11There's nothing more dramatic for a team to deal with,
07:15good or bad, than the change of the quarterback position,
07:18and it just...
07:20It had to happen.
07:22You knew they were coming.
07:23It's blocked up.
07:24Just deliver it to them, Tony.
07:27You got to let Trent try to do something here.
07:30Okay?
07:30We got to, Tony.
07:35I'm not going to promise anything spectacular,
07:37except that I'll prepare as hard as anybody in this league will prepare,
07:40and I'll play as hard as anybody in this league will play.
07:42A lot of people have failed to realize
07:48one of a practice against arguably the best defense in NFL history an entire season.
07:59He was prepared for anything.
08:04When I took over, I said,
08:09okay, if you're going to make me the quarterback,
08:10then we're going to do two things differently.
08:12We're going to have more tempo offensively.
08:13We weren't going to quit thinking so much.
08:15We were thinking so much.
08:17We were weighing ourselves down with trying to be perfect.
08:20And then the other thing is,
08:21we were going to get the ball to our best players, period.
08:24I don't care about this route concept
08:26and what we're trying to take advantage of here.
08:28We're only trying to score 17 points here.
08:31You know, we get 17, we're not going to lose.
08:34So let's get it the easy way.
08:36Let's get Shannon Sharp and Jamal Lewis the ball,
08:38and then let's hit Stokely in the middle and Kadra on the outside.
08:41If Shannon comes open first, he's going to get the football.
08:44And the next play, if he comes open first, he's going to get the football.
08:47And I just made it very clear,
08:49if you don't like it, put me on the bench.
08:53In week 10, after five games without a touchdown,
08:58Trent Dilfer got the Ravens into the end zone.
09:03Time in the pocket, throws underneath.
09:05Stokely's got it.
09:06He's at the 10 to 5.
09:08Touchdown!
09:09Brandon Stokely is gone where no Raven has for 21 quarters.
09:14You could tell the players responded to it.
09:16You could see the pure,
09:17you'd have really thought we'd have just won the Super Bowl.
09:19The look in their eye,
09:21and you knew from that point on we were going to be okay.
09:24And that touchdown started something very special.
09:28Nobody knew it would start an 11-game winning streak,
09:32but it did.
09:39That he earned the respect of his teammates.
09:44We went into Tennessee recognizing that Tennessee was probably going to win the division.
09:49This was a team that had never lost in its new stadium.
09:52Not only were we going to have to beat them there during the season,
09:56but we were likely going to have to come back there during the postseason.
10:11The Ravens built a quick 14-0 lead,
10:14but the Titans fought back to tie it.
10:17What happened next was a defining moment for Trent Dilfer.
10:22So we're working down in a position and Trent throws a bonehead interception.
10:32The kind of interception that had marked his career and he'd been criticized before.
10:39The players knew that.
10:41Trent knew that.
10:43You know, I made the mistake, obviously,
10:45and I recognize it,
10:46and I don't really need to hear anything.
10:48And Brian gives me his, you know,
10:50his big scowl,
10:51his big tough guy scowl,
10:52and looks at me and says,
10:53you just cost us the effing game.
10:55Hey, you can't come out.
10:57Oh, I'm making the play to win the game.
10:58Don't worry.
11:00I ain't going to let you do it this week.
11:01I want to do it.
11:02I want to do it.
11:03You ain't coming out of the game.
11:04I know we're not.
11:05I got to crop your ass up.
11:06I know.
11:07I got you.
11:07And I went right back in the huddle,
11:09and I looked at each guy in the huddle,
11:10and I said,
11:10listen, if you guys are looking for somebody right now,
11:13look at me,
11:13because I am going to make a play
11:15that's going to win us this football game.
11:18I knew at that moment
11:20that if I came through with that,
11:21that this was going to be a big deal
11:22for that football team.
11:26Dilfer rolling out to his right,
11:28looking, throwing,
11:30touchdown!
11:30Patrick Johnson,
11:31man!
11:33You talk about a football game.
11:40Nothing came easily for Dilfer.
11:43Moments of triumph were short-lived
11:44and sometimes stolen away.
11:48Game ends looking for my playbook.
11:50I can't find my playbook.
11:52So I tell Matt Calvin,
11:53hey, my playbook was stolen.
11:54I did not lose this thing.
11:55I mean, I have witnesses who saw me stunting,
11:57and this thing was stolen.
11:58Well, don't worry about it.
11:59You know, well,
12:00what can they do?
12:02While Dilfer searched nervously
12:04for his lost playbook,
12:06Brian Billick found a magazine.
12:09I got a cover of Sports Illustrated here.
12:13Says,
12:14Titans are the NFL's best team.
12:20Maybe they are,
12:21but not today.
12:27Suspects were arrested,
12:28and an investigation began.
12:33I got a phone call
12:34the night after the Super Bowl late.
12:37It's the phone call
12:38if you're a parent,
12:39you dread,
12:40other than I knew
12:41both my daughters were at home
12:42in their rooms.
12:44So I knew that
12:45this wasn't going to be good
12:46and that it was going to involve my team.
12:49One of those arrested
12:50was Ray Lewis,
12:52the Baltimore Ravens
12:53star linebacker.
12:55The defender
12:55was now a defendant.
12:57The charge
12:58was double murder.
13:01There was none of us
13:02that could call anybody
13:03that we knew
13:04that had dealt
13:05with an indictment
13:07of a current player
13:08for two counts of murder.
13:10And what do you do
13:10in this situation?
13:12After four months
13:13of legal proceedings,
13:14the most serious charges
13:16were dropped,
13:17but Lewis pled guilty
13:18to a misdemeanor charge
13:20of obstruction of justice.
13:215-7-4.
13:23Guilty.
13:25In August,
13:26the Ravens held
13:27a press conference,
13:28but Lewis addressed
13:29the team privately.
13:32When I first came back,
13:33Brian said,
13:33do you want to speak?
13:34I said, no.
13:35Because the time wasn't right.
13:38My heart was going
13:39through too much other stuff.
13:42Lewis pledged
13:43to be their leader again
13:44on and off the field.
13:46Then he shared with them
13:47a jail cell vision.
13:50What God showed me is
13:52our destiny
13:53ends in Tampa, Florida.
13:5520 minutes away
13:56from my hometown.
13:57I said,
13:58I saw it.
14:00We're in the Super Bowl.
14:02It don't matter
14:03about me no more.
14:04I don't been to the Pro Bowls.
14:07I don't been lying back in the air.
14:08None of that matters.
14:10I need to get to Tampa
14:12now.
14:14I said,
14:15now I need every man
14:17to believe that
14:18in their hearts
14:20that I saw the vision.
14:22And I don't care
14:23what goes on
14:24in this season,
14:26don't you ever turn
14:27your back on one another.
14:29Ever.
14:32Suspicion would shadow
14:33Ray Lewis
14:34for the entire 2000 season.
14:39Juries of 70,000 people
14:41awaited him
14:42in every city
14:43he played in.
14:46Along the way,
14:47there would be
14:48scrapes and scars,
14:50which somehow
14:50made a tough team
14:52even stronger.
14:55I want to be very careful
14:56in characterizing
14:58how we benefited
15:00from this as a team
15:02because at the end
15:03of the day,
15:03we've got to remind ourselves
15:04that there were two individuals
15:06that died
15:06that evening.
15:08To go through this
15:09with Ray,
15:10we knew
15:10in every city
15:12we went into
15:12and any city
15:13we played,
15:14there were going to be
15:15certain attacks
15:15on Ray,
15:17on the team.
15:18The challenge of that
15:19is something
15:20that I think
15:21brought this team together.
15:29my role really,
15:30and it was kind of odd,
15:31here I'm this
15:32offensive guy
15:33that went to school
15:35at this
15:35Christian BYU
15:38and now I'm the head
15:40of a bunch of
15:41what some people thought
15:43was a bunch of thugs
15:43and gang members.
15:48Not only because
15:49of some of the things
15:49that transpired
15:50prior to the season,
15:52but any time
15:52you win defensively,
15:54you take on
15:55that personality.
15:59Nasty, mean,
16:00rough, raunchy,
16:01whatever term
16:02you want to put to it.
16:03So all of a sudden
16:04I find myself out
16:05in front of this
16:06kind of team.
16:07We were always
16:09pissed off.
16:10Always pissed off.
16:12You can't hurt this.
16:13I'm a machine, jerk.
16:14So we played
16:15with a chip on our shoulders.
16:16Grab him by the throat,
16:17take him with us,
16:18and we'll get out of here
16:19and go home.
16:20Who's with me?
16:21What was created
16:22through that chip
16:23on your shoulder
16:24was a bond.
16:25We got each other.
16:26We don't need nobody else.
16:27If I got your back,
16:29you got my back.
16:30If I go to war,
16:31we go to war together.
16:33Ryan Billick
16:34never forgot
16:35that in combat,
16:36the shield
16:37is just as important
16:38as the sword.
16:41He was the big brother.
16:43He was the big brother.
16:44He was the one
16:45that would get in
16:46the interviews
16:47and take the hits for us.
16:49The pundits
16:50and the experts
16:50are going to pick this apart
16:51and talk to me
16:52about some kiss-ass
16:53third-down percentage
16:54or red zone.
16:55Hey,
16:56f*** them all.
16:58Put that in NFL films.
17:00Bleep it any f***ing way
17:01you want, okay?
17:02He trusted us as men.
17:05I don't think
17:05you're fired up enough, right?
17:07I don't know, man.
17:08I don't see it yet.
17:09So he was like,
17:10look,
17:10I'm not really
17:11trying to step
17:12on nobody's toes
17:13or stop anything
17:14y'all are doing.
17:15I need y'all
17:16to be who you are.
17:18Now,
17:19Billick had to change.
17:20This wasn't
17:21the NFL's
17:22highest scoring team ever.
17:24He created that
17:25in Minnesota
17:26two years earlier.
17:28This was a field
17:29position team.
17:30A conservative team.
17:32A defensive team.
17:35I had a tough time
17:36believing that
17:37we could be successful
17:38and not have
17:40a higher level
17:42of explosiveness
17:43or productivity
17:44on the offensive
17:45side of the ball.
17:45write a book
17:46called
17:47How to Win Ugly
17:47in the NFL.
17:49But as we
17:50progressed through
17:51the season
17:51and we saw
17:52that not only
17:53were we a dominant
17:54defense,
17:54but we were
17:55quite possibly
17:56the best defense
17:57in the history
17:58of the game.
17:59We can win
18:00a championship
18:00this way.
18:01Hating it
18:02all the while.
18:03Hating every minute
18:04of it that
18:04this can't be right.
18:05If we go to
18:06Super Bowl
18:07like this
18:07I may never
18:08throw another pass
18:08for the rest
18:09of my life.
18:11Earn my degree
18:12from BYU.
18:13So it did feel
18:13like I was going
18:14over the dark side
18:15but the force
18:17was with me
18:17because I bought
18:18into it
18:18hook, line, and sink.
18:20Billick saw
18:21the big picture
18:22and perfected
18:23his winning formula.
18:25It was as easy
18:26as 1-2-3.
18:29Jamal got to
18:29touch the ball
18:3025 or 30 times.
18:32Don't turn
18:32the ball over
18:33and unleash
18:34our defense.
18:35Get us in position
18:37let's get us
18:373, let's get us
18:38a quick 7
18:39and let us hunt.
18:45We scored
18:45touchdown first
18:46game over
18:47and it repeated
18:48and that was
18:49the trend.
18:50If we got up
18:51on anybody
18:533 points
18:547 points
18:55game over.
18:57I remember
18:57looking at my wife
18:58at the dinner table
18:58one night
18:59and I said
19:00we're not going
19:00to lose
19:01and we may never
19:03lose a game again
19:03and she thought
19:04I was crazy.
19:06Don't worry
19:06about no playoffs
19:07don't worry
19:07about scenarios
19:08don't worry
19:08about this
19:09let's get in
19:10the door
19:12because if we
19:13get in the door
19:13they do not
19:15know what
19:15they're in
19:16for.
19:18Earth was in
19:19reach
19:20it was acceptable
19:21to think about
19:21a playoff spot
19:23but it was not
19:24to be mentioned.
19:25You got to earn
19:26the right
19:27to be a playoff team
19:29and until you are
19:30you're not
19:32and we're not
19:33going to talk
19:34about it
19:35we're not going
19:36to reference it
19:36because quite
19:37frankly guys
19:38you haven't
19:39earned it yet.
19:40You're going
19:40to wait
19:41until you make
19:42the playoffs
19:42before you use
19:44the P word.
19:45Here we are
19:45we're growing men
19:46we have families
19:47we
19:48most of us
19:49had more money
19:49than Brian
19:50at the time
19:53and here we are
19:54being told
19:55what we can say
19:55and what we can't
19:56say
19:57about the
19:58the P word
19:59the fines
20:01will be
20:01legitimate
20:01and they'll be
20:03severe
20:04and the players
20:04will be made
20:05aware of that
20:05as is everybody
20:06else in the building
20:07but to appease
20:09Brian we do not
20:09use the P word
20:10in the public.
20:13In week 15
20:14with a playoff
20:15spot at stake
20:16Baltimore
20:17honored owner
20:18Art Modell
20:19for his distinguished
20:2040 year career.
20:22I'll wager to a man
20:23that there wasn't
20:24one of us
20:25that your first
20:25thought didn't
20:26go to Art.
20:30The clock was
20:31ticking
20:31and we knew it
20:32and those of us
20:33that have the
20:33affection that we
20:34do for Art
20:36wanted it truly
20:37as much for Art
20:38as we wanted it
20:39for ourselves.
20:41Baltimore earned
20:42a wild card
20:43playoff berth
20:44and the ban
20:45on the P word
20:46was lifted.
20:49First time in
20:50Ravens history
20:51it's a playoff.
20:53Did somebody say
20:54playoff?
20:55P word?
20:56What's the
20:56P word?
20:57Playoffs?
20:58I think that's
20:58the P word.
20:59Playoffs.
21:00Why'd you say it
21:01now?
21:02Playoffs.
21:03The lifting of
21:04the P word
21:05was fun.
21:07Now obviously
21:09the fine for the
21:10P word is off.
21:12But then also
21:13as a coach
21:14always you got to
21:15throw in that
21:15next challenge.
21:16Men, the time
21:17is here.
21:18It's time to go
21:18to a Super Bowl.
21:19Woo!
21:20That's your site.
21:21Why not?
21:23This, in my opinion,
21:25was the most genius
21:26thing he's ever done.
21:27In my opinion,
21:29this set the stage
21:31and I'm so glad
21:32he showed the balls
21:33to do it.
21:33Why not?
21:34You're in it.
21:35You're in it.
21:36And why go
21:36if you don't want
21:37to take a run at it?
21:38Right?
21:38Why the hell go?
21:40Amen.
21:41You know,
21:42thank you for saying
21:42that because
21:44I just left
21:45Tampa where
21:46all we talked
21:46about was
21:47let's just get
21:47into the playoffs
21:48and see what happens.
21:49And I hear
21:49all these other
21:50coaches say
21:50the same thing.
21:51Let's just get
21:51into the tournament.
21:52You hear that
21:52every year.
21:53Let's get into
21:53the tournament.
21:54Bull crap.
21:55Let's try to win
21:55the Super Bowl.
21:56The playoffs?
21:59Nah.
22:00Mm-mm.
22:01So when he said,
22:02men,
22:04let's go get it.
22:04Let's go win
22:05the Super Bowl?
22:07My mouth got
22:07watered.
22:09I say,
22:10phew.
22:13The Ravens
22:14had come a long
22:15way
22:17through the trials
22:18of Ray Lewis,
22:19the scoring drought
22:21and a quarterback
22:23change.
22:25But in December,
22:26the team faced
22:27a personal tragedy
22:28when Geronimo,
22:30the son of the
22:31littlest Raven,
22:32Jermaine Lewis,
22:33was stillborn.
22:36That was as
22:37a difficult a time
22:39for this team
22:41for the obvious
22:42reasons of the
22:43loss of a child,
22:44the affection we
22:45had for Jermaine.
22:48It certainly
22:48lent a sense
22:50of appreciation
22:52of how tenuous
22:53this all is.
22:55We had a responsibility
22:56to each other
22:57personally as well.
22:59Jermaine to us
23:00was that little
23:00brother.
23:01So, of course,
23:02Geronimo was our
23:03baby.
23:04And when
23:06they came in
23:06and they told us
23:07what had happened,
23:10I remember
23:10and never forget
23:11because me and
23:11Jermaine used to
23:12hang out so much.
23:12I told them,
23:13I said,
23:13man,
23:16God got
23:16something special
23:17for us.
23:18I said,
23:18man,
23:19we going through it.
23:22After taking a
23:23week off to grieve,
23:24Jermaine Lewis
23:25rejoined the team
23:26for the regular
23:26season finale.
23:30Wobbly,
23:31Jermaine takes it
23:31on his own,
23:3247,
23:33midfield,
23:33at the 45,
23:3540,
23:35through the pack,
23:3635,
23:3630,
23:3725,
23:37Tupa,
23:38can't get him,
23:39touchdown,
23:39yes,
23:40Jermaine Lewis,
23:41all right.
23:45He pointed up
23:46in the sky
23:47and,
23:47you know,
23:48he came to the
23:48sideline,
23:49you know,
23:49he had tears,
23:50he was like,
23:50that's for my son.
23:51And he'll tell you,
23:52I said,
23:52you're going to get
23:53another one.
23:54Jermaine's going to
23:55have a chance
23:55to return this one,
23:56takes it at the 11.
23:5715,
23:58looking for a block,
23:5920,
23:5925,
24:00still up,
24:01puts it back
24:01to the middle,
24:0235,
24:0240,
24:03up to far side,
24:04oh,
24:04midfield,
24:05he's gone,
24:06Jermaine Lewis,
24:07second punt return
24:08of the day,
24:09yes sir!
24:11To be on the
24:12sideline and watch
24:13Jermaine Lewis,
24:14having just buried
24:15his son,
24:17returning kicks
24:18for touchdowns
24:19and basically winning
24:19the game for us
24:20was something I'm
24:21going to remember
24:22for as long as I live.
24:32There's a third one,
24:33don't follow Ray Lewis.
24:34How do I follow that?
24:38If following Ray Lewis
24:40was hard at home,
24:41it was even harder
24:42standing behind him
24:44on the road.
24:46as I would come
24:47out of the tunnel
24:48and heard the things
24:50that were yelled
24:51at Ray Lewis.
24:54At first,
24:55you're embarrassed
24:55that one human being
24:57would say something
24:59like that.
25:02when I walk on the
25:03football field
25:03and I hear
25:03and I hear
25:05you black son
25:05of a bee
25:06and I hear
25:07you nasty murderer,
25:08you mother,
25:09you know,
25:10it's like,
25:10wow!
25:11I would not have
25:12been able to
25:14not jump up
25:15in the stands
25:15and go after people
25:17and he didn't.
25:18But after a while,
25:19you began to recognize
25:20they don't know
25:22what they're doing.
25:23Not that this man
25:24needs any more focus,
25:25but when you start
25:26throwing those things
25:28out at him,
25:29the way that brings
25:31that steely-eyed
25:33focus and resolution
25:34to do what
25:36Ray Lewis can do,
25:38I'm sure the opponents
25:39didn't realize
25:40just how much
25:41they were playing
25:41into Ray's hands.
25:43Now,
25:46even people
25:47that don't like me
25:49got to watch me.
25:54I went into
25:55a gladiator mentality.
25:57I went into
25:58a gladiator mode.
26:00We were in
26:01grudge matches.
26:03It was pure dominance.
26:06We're trying to be
26:07the greatest
26:08of all time,
26:09bottom line.
26:10And that's what
26:10they put before us.
26:11Let's go get it.
26:29I'm a natural born leader.
26:31Follow my leader
26:32and I promise you
26:32I'll get you there.
26:33Follow my leader.
26:34Come on.
26:34just by looking at
26:36a man's eyes
26:36and say,
26:36look,
26:37I'm not telling you
26:38something for my benefit.
26:40I'm telling you something
26:41for the benefit of us.
26:42We got to communicate
26:43and thank millions.
26:45Everybody got to know
26:45that there's somebody
26:46beside you
26:47that's depending on you.
26:48Right?
26:48It's up to us
26:49to go out
26:50and win this game.
26:52Ray gave the orders.
26:55Everyone obeyed.
26:56Not a single
26:58100-yard rusher
26:59allowed.
27:01We can talk about
27:03the greatest defense
27:04of all time,
27:05but it might not be
27:07the greatest defense
27:08of all time,
27:08but they're by far
27:09the greatest run defense
27:10of all time.
27:12They played
27:13Eddie George twice,
27:16Corey Dillon twice,
27:17Fred Taylor,
27:19Rome Bettis twice,
27:20Emmitt Smith,
27:21Curtis Martin.
27:22None of those guys
27:23ran for 100 yards
27:26and they're all
27:2610,000-yard rushers.
27:28Four shutouts.
27:31The fewest points
27:32ever surrendered
27:33in a 16-game season.
27:42They established
27:43themselves as one
27:44of the greatest defenses
27:45of all time,
27:47but they had yet
27:48to win a playoff game.
27:50Defense wins
27:52championships,
27:53but a little luck
27:54certainly helps.
27:56Dilfer in the pocket,
27:57plenty of time,
27:58throws out the flat
27:59to Jamal Lewis.
28:00Here's the ball
28:01in the air
28:01and I'm going,
28:02oh no.
28:03And Shannon catches.
28:05It is caught
28:07by Shannon Sharp
28:07out of deflection.
28:09Sharp up the far
28:09sideline.
28:10I sat there
28:11with my arms crossed
28:11and watched him
28:13run down the sidelines
28:13going,
28:14this is unbelievable.
28:15You know,
28:16this is perfect.
28:17Shannon Sharp,
28:18touchdown!
28:21And I'm sitting
28:22over there saying,
28:24it's IU.
28:26The Ravens adhered
28:28to their winning formula.
28:29They took the lead,
28:31unleashed Ray Lewis
28:32in their history-making defense,
28:34then let Jamal Lewis
28:35put the game away.
28:38Right back to Jamal Lewis
28:39off the right side,
28:40keeps his feet,
28:41he's on,
28:42he's going to score,
28:4310-5,
28:43touchdown!
28:47A rematch in Tennessee
28:49was next
28:49and the war of words
28:51commenced.
28:54Who's the only team
28:55to beat
28:55Tennessee Titans
28:56in the Delphi Coliseum?
29:03If you pick the Baltimore Ravens,
29:04you're right.
29:05You know,
29:06they think they're the best
29:07in their eyes
29:07and we think we're
29:08the best in our eyes
29:08and it's going to be
29:11a hell of a war.
29:16The battle began
29:17with a surprising
29:18pre-game volley.
29:21On their Jumbotron
29:23or whatever it is,
29:24came up a montage
29:25of vignettes.
29:29And there was one
29:30with me
29:30in the locker room sequence
29:31and some of the other things
29:32that I've said and done.
29:34It was extensive
29:35and the fans
29:36were hooping it up.
29:37I didn't appreciate it
29:40but the players
29:41noticed it
29:41and they knew exactly
29:42what was going on.
29:44Yeah, we said it!
29:46Whatever they say,
29:47we said it!
29:48We said it!
29:48More than one player
29:50came by me
29:51and said,
29:53we got your back
29:54on this coach.
29:56The Titans had
29:58another surprise
29:59for Trent Dilfer.
30:00He noticed it
30:01right away.
30:04The Titans seemed
30:06to know exactly
30:07what was coming
30:07and Dilfer found himself
30:10running for his life.
30:13He returned
30:14to his playbook
30:15that had disappeared
30:16there
30:17two months earlier.
30:20They knew
30:21what we were going to do
30:22going into that game.
30:23They had us
30:24and nobody's ever
30:24heard this story before
30:26and they played us
30:27completely different.
30:29We were shell-shocked.
30:30I think that's one
30:31of the hardest
30:31I've ever been hit.
30:33Over and over
30:34and over
30:35I just took a beating
30:36in that game.
30:37I remember sitting
30:37on the sideline
30:38going, wow.
30:39I mean, this
30:39we better win
30:40the whole thing
30:41and I'm going to take
30:41this kind of beating.
30:43The Titans made one mistake
30:46and left Shannon Sharp
30:47uncovered.
30:49Dilfer made the play
30:50and the Ravens built
30:51a 17-10
30:52fourth quarter lead.
30:55The game came down
30:57to a clash
30:57of two Titans,
30:59Eddie George
31:00and Ray Lewis.
31:04in that game
31:07he'll tell you
31:08I said
31:09one of us
31:09is going to make
31:10the game
31:10when they play.
31:12I saw McNair
31:13drop back
31:13I gave Eddie
31:15a little cushion
31:15because he broke
31:16sharp.
31:18As soon as he broke
31:20I broke.
31:22McNair has the football
31:23has a lot of time.
31:25I saw him turn
31:27and I saw the ball
31:28coming off his hands
31:30and honestly
31:31I'm sitting there
31:32like
31:34wow
31:36it's
31:37it's like
31:38right here.
31:40Throws underneath
31:41and it's picked off
31:42Ray Lewis has the ball
31:43I remember
31:44Eddie grabbing my leg
31:46and I remember
31:47snatching my leg
31:48from Eddie
31:48He's on to 40
31:5030
31:50couldn't go all the way
31:51and running down
31:53that sideline
31:55I could not
31:56hear
31:57a sign.
32:04He took it away
32:05from Eddie George
32:06and Ray Lewis
32:07the defensive player
32:09of the year
32:09in the NFL
32:10sealed the deal
32:11for the Ravens.
32:12And I remember
32:13I put my hand
32:13to my mouth
32:15and I told
32:16the Delphi Coliseum
32:18to be quiet
32:20because y'all done.
32:24Ray Lewis
32:24and the Ravens
32:25were one win away
32:26from Super Bowl 35.
32:30Folks
32:30when you go
32:31into the Lions den
32:32you don't tippy toe in.
32:33You carry a spear
32:35you go in screaming
32:36like a banshee
32:37and you kick in
32:37you kick whatever
32:38doors in
32:39and say
32:39where's the son of a
32:40if you're going
32:41any other way
32:41you're going to lose.
32:42I'm going to make
32:43it short and simple
32:43today.
32:44Defense wins
32:45championships.
32:47Defense.
32:48With what we're
32:48trying to do
32:49and where we're
32:49trying to go
32:51we dominate today.
32:53Early in the
32:53second quarter
32:54Trent Dilfer
32:55faced a third
32:56and eight team
32:57from his own
32:58four.
32:59Dilfer
33:00under center
33:01back in the end
33:02zone short drop
33:02over the middle
33:03Sharpe's got it
33:0420
33:04with up the middle
33:0530
33:06he's up there
33:07he's going to
33:08How many tight ends
33:09score a 90 plus
33:10yard touchdown
33:11ever
33:12in the playoffs
33:13regular season?
33:14Go baby
33:15go
33:16Shannon Sharpe
33:1720
33:1810
33:18touchdown
33:19once he scored
33:21that touchdown man
33:22the confidence
33:23of our team
33:24as if we didn't
33:26already walk
33:27with a certain
33:27swag
33:28it quadrupled
33:30you know
33:31it was like
33:32okay
33:32let's get this
33:34over with
33:36the Ravens
33:37raw speed
33:38contained the
33:39NFL's top
33:40rushing team
33:40get off the field
33:41get off the field
33:43I told you I'm coming
33:44their sheer size
33:46knocked Rich Gannon
33:47out of the game
33:50Super Bowl
33:5135
33:53he's 350
33:55at least
33:56that's a lot
33:56of weight
33:57was in their
33:58sights
33:58back to throw
34:00pretty good time
34:01thrown down
34:01the middle
34:01it's picked off
34:02that's it
34:03James
34:03shot
34:04that lady
34:05can't sing
34:06now
34:063
34:072
34:081
34:09pack your bags
34:10Baltimore
34:11the Ravens
34:12are going to the
34:12Super Bowl
34:13Super Bowl
34:14no not
34:16another playoff
34:17game
34:18we're talking about
34:19the dance
34:21of all
34:21dances
34:23and the Ravens
34:24are in it
34:26unbelievable
34:28give me a kiss
34:30unbelievable
34:30you're going back
34:31to Tampa
34:32you deserve it
34:32now
34:33it's wrong
34:35now
34:36now
34:36now
34:37now
34:38I'm going to think I'd be able to come up with something pretty funny but right now I'm really struggling
34:44I know all the good restaurants in Tampa
34:55run over one of the cop cars on the freeway crashed into the side of the median
35:00the bus fears left that traffic officer is sandwiched and is nearly launched over the retaining wall
35:04they both bump along the car scraped on both sides and underneath
35:10and we're looking down and this man is stuck between the bus and the median
35:14but we weren't going to stop
35:15he was fine
35:16and so we just kept going
35:18it really wasn't until we got on the plane that we recognized that we had run over a police officer
35:22in his car
35:23that collision was a mere bump in the road compared to the clash between Brian Billick
35:28and the Super Bowl media over Ray Lewis's past
35:32as much as some of you want to
35:34we are not going to retry this
35:37it's inappropriate
35:38and you're not qualified
35:40making this point the next day at the news conference
35:43I did so more emotionally than I probably should have
35:46you've labeled us sensationalizing
35:48you've said you've disappointed in the media
35:50you've called us three or four different names already
35:52what is your purview that you could stand up there and tell 200 people how to do their jobs
35:57is that I have the podium and you all are here to listen to me
36:03at media day
36:04despite Billick's edict
36:06the press surrounded Lewis
36:07and their questions weren't about the Super Bowl
36:12yeah I got money
36:13yeah I'm black
36:14yeah I'm blessed
36:16but at the same time let's find out the real truth
36:18the real truth is this was never about those two kids that's dead in the street
36:21this is about Ray Lewis
36:23and that's the same thing this is about
36:25and that's not right
36:27good evening ladies and gentlemen
36:28and welcome to Super Bowl 35
36:34Ray Lewis was finally on pro football's ultimate stage
36:38he knew he'd be there five months ago
36:41I've been to the Pro Bowls
36:43I've been linebacker yet
36:45none of that matters
36:47I need to get to Tampa
36:49now
36:51Lewis had come full circle from his trial of a year before
36:56he had much to prove
36:59so did Trent Dilfer
37:00who played for years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
37:03on this very field
37:06I was getting a lot of heat
37:07you know there was a lot of criticism on
37:10the worst quarterback to ever go to the Super Bowl
37:12now I had a big chip on my shoulder
37:14I wanted to stick it up all there
37:16you know what
37:16and show
37:17he's not worse than David Woodley
37:20so let's start there
37:22no football is still about playing the position the way it's supposed to be played
37:26and just winning
37:27not glamour
37:28Stover approaches the football
37:30we are underway
37:31the flashbulbs sparkle
37:36back to throw Trent Dilfer
37:37throwing deep down the middle for Stover
37:40he's got it
37:40come on Brandon
37:41come on Stover
37:42Brandon Stover
37:43you made it Brandon
37:49and what a pass
37:50Stover threw right down the middle
37:52I haven't thrown one here in Tampa Bay ever
37:54like that
37:54that pass was gorgeous
38:04nice call
38:05nice call
38:07yeah
38:10true to form
38:11the Ravens scored first
38:12then the defense battered the Giants
38:15and won the game
38:18oh
38:18yeah
38:30inspired by Lewis
38:31the NFL's defensive player of the year
38:34the Ravens forced five turnovers
38:36and allowed no offensive points
38:41I mean from the first snap
38:43we was like look
38:44they better not get a first down
38:46and every play
38:48was another step of saying
38:50we're not done
38:53slant over the belt
38:54kicked out by
38:55Delane Starks
38:56he's got a touchdown
38:57touchdown
38:58Delane Starks
38:59up to the races
39:04it's rare
39:05you
39:08can at the moment
39:09know
39:10that
39:11the game is won
39:12and you're a world champion
39:15standing behind
39:16Jermaine Lewis
39:16as he rounded
39:17the far side
39:18with a kickoff return
39:20with a touchdown
39:20that was it
39:21there's no way
39:22they could come back
39:23from this
39:42Trent Dilfer's unbreakable spirit
39:44made him a world champion
39:46but he had to hoist the trophy
39:48with a hand he'd broken
39:49earlier in the game
39:53maybe the significance
39:54of hoisting up the Lombardi
39:55with the bandaged hands
39:56is to achieve anything great
39:58you gotta go through
39:59a lot of pain
40:01I think it always feels better
40:03when you achieve something
40:04after you've endured a lot
40:06and
40:08it's a lesson that
40:09not everybody wants to learn
40:10because they don't want to
40:11go through the pain
40:12but I wouldn't trade it
40:13for anything
40:13most valuable player
40:15for the Super Bowl 35
40:16for the Baltimore Ravens
40:18Ray Lewis
40:22oh my goodness
40:24as a child
40:26I've dreamed this
40:28I've dreamed to see
40:30this confetti just drop
40:31and now I'm living it
40:35all of those days
40:36all of those worries
40:39those doubts
40:40those fears
40:41everything
40:42you're sitting there saying
40:44now
40:47say what you please
40:49because what I've answered
40:51this game to do
40:52I've done
40:53they beat the Giants
40:55on all three sides
40:56of the ball
40:57passing
40:57rushing
41:01defense
41:01you gotta pick six
41:02special teams
41:04Jermaine Lewis
41:05you gotta return touchdown
41:07they beat them
41:08on all three sides
41:09of the ball
41:12and that's
41:13Tustin Lombardi trophy
41:18MVP Ray Lewis
41:19was not welcome
41:20at Disney World
41:23Trent Dilfer
41:24went in his place
41:25but he never returned
41:26to Baltimore
41:29Dilfer became
41:30the only quarterback
41:31ever to be released
41:32right after winning
41:33a Super Bowl
41:38but in 2000
41:39the Ravens
41:40were champions
41:41what do you think
41:42about this
41:42they won the respect
41:44of the football world
41:45with their toughness
41:46and the resounding
41:47Super Bowl victory
41:50Baltimore embraced them
41:51but the same
41:52might not be said
41:53for the rest of America
41:56it does not bother me
41:58one bit
41:58that we didn't
41:59grab the hearts
42:00of America
42:02but America
42:03could learn a lot
42:04from learning
42:05about that group
42:06of men
42:06and what they achieved
42:10if I could preach
42:11to the world
42:11for 10 seconds
42:13I would preach
42:15substance
42:15not glamour
42:18this team
42:19had great
42:19substance
42:21there's no question
42:22what we were able
42:23to accomplish
42:24and overcome
42:24in 2000
42:25had to earn
42:27the respect
42:27of the country
42:28but because
42:30of the nature
42:30of what we had
42:31to come through
42:32from Ray Lewis' situation
42:34to when you win
42:36with that defensive mentality
42:38the swagger
42:38that we had
42:39that rubs people
42:40the wrong way
42:41sometimes
42:42this was an incredible
42:43group of young men
42:45that had a great deal
42:46of character
42:46they really did
42:47and I think
42:48that got overshadowed
42:49by our circumstances
42:51and this group
42:52was deserving
42:54of more than that
42:55the hearts
42:58of people
43:01be very careful
43:02to try to please
43:04the hearts
43:05of your family
43:07is what's the most important
43:10and that right there
43:13is enough for me
43:15not just to live
43:17a lifetime of
43:18but to always remember
43:21that I was a part
43:22of something
43:24that no matter
43:25how they felt
43:25about us
43:27no one can ever
43:28take a break
43:28of this
43:29you
43:30you
43:35you
43:36you
43:37you
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