Purple Rewind: The 2001 Baltimore Ravens

Jun 14, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; A general view of the Baltimore Ravens logo painted on the hill outside the Under Armour Performance Center prior to the start of mini camp. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The 2001 Baltimore Ravens went for a repeat. Although they fell short, the Ravens had a memorable season.

The 2001 Baltimore Ravens got bad news before the season started. Jamal Lewis, their star running back was lost for the season. Terry Allen and Jason Brookins were asked to fill the void that their injured running back left. The Ravens offense wasn’t what made the magic for their championship run in the prior season. When 2001 started the Ravens had a completely different backfield. The Ravens parted ways with Trent Dilfer, who was under center for Super Bowl XXXV, and replaced him with Elvis Grbac.

Grbac will never be a popular name in Baltimore. Grbac was supposed to be a star quarterback. He had a Pro Bowl season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Dilfer may not have been more than a game manager, but Grbac turned out to be a downgrade. Grbac completed just 56.7 percent of his passes for 3,033 yards. He threw 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

The defense had to carry the team once again. The Ravens kept the band together and had a very similar defensive roster. The Ravens defense carried the team to a 10-6 record and the playoffs for the second straight season. Baltimore had an especially great season from a pass rushing perspective. Peter Boulware had 15 sacks, Michael McCrary had 7.5, while Jamie Sharper recorded six.

Oct 26, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens helmet on the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Bengals defeated the Ravens 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The Best Moments

The 2001 season started with a win in Baltimore against the Chicago Bears. It was a 17-6 win that was vintage Ravens. The defense made Shane Matthews have a brutally tough day. Matthews had a passer rating of 46.5 and two interceptions. Grbac had a misleadingly great start to the season. He only had six incomplete passes in the game.

One of the most exciting moments of the season was the Ravens week 11 game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Ravens won the game in the most dramatic fashion, a Shannon Sharpe touchdown with just 14 seconds remaining. The Ravens had built a 17 point lead early in the third quarter. The Jaguars then scored on three straight possessions to take a 21-17 lead. Sharpe came up with a diving catch, just tapping his feet in bounds, in the back of the end zone.

The Ravens had a few dominating wins. They beat the Bengals 16-0 in week 15. Two weeks later they crushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-3. The Ravens won their Wild Card game in Miami convincingly, 20-3.

Jul 24, 2014; Owings Mills, MD, USA; A detailed view of an Baltimore Ravens helmet in the grass after practice at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

A Frustrating Finish:

The Ravens lost in the Divisional Playoffs 27-7 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was an awful finish to a really good season. Elvis Grbac had the worst day of his career. He was sacked three times, threw three interceptions and completed only 49 percent of his passes. Any chance the Ravens had of beating the Steelers was ruined by incompetent quarterback play.

Kordell Stewart did not have a great day for the Steelers either. He threw for 154 yards and a touchdown and an interception. However, Stewart did not have to do much in this game. The Ravens beat themselves.

The Baltimore Ravens had a strong 2001 campaign. It did not have the magic of their Super Bowl XXXV run, but they made a valiant effort. They lost their best offensive player because of injury. Their new quarterback struggled and they still won 10 games.