Greatest team in Ravens history

[cobrajet]

That 2000 defense was something special. Not only did they shutout a few teams which is extremely hard to do. In the Super Bowl the only points scored by the Giants was the one return given up by our special teams. It is too bad we didn't get the only shutout in Super Bowl history, because that is got to be difficult to accomplish. I agree, that 2011 team could have beaten the Giants and may have been our best team. I think the 2012 team had the most adversity to overcome with all the injuries.

[ratedr]

Oh, and now I feel like the Bears Superfans from SNL...

 

but who do you think would have won a match between the 2013 Superbowl Ravens (on Superbowl game day) or the 2000 Ravens (on their own Superbowl game day)

 

?

The 2012 Ravens would've been wallopped. That 2000 defense couldn't be scored on and Jamal Lewis would've manhandled our defense.

[Speed Kills]

2000 for sure! This shouldn't even be debated! That had to be the worst offense to ever win a Super Bowl. Now most complete team I would go with the 2011 team and the scary thing is thinking how much better they could have been minus cam plus Caldwell at OC.

[CARavensFan]

2000 for sure! This shouldn't even be debated! That had to be the worst offense to ever win a Super Bowl. Now most complete team I would go with the 2011 team and the scary thing is thinking how much better they could have been minus cam plus Caldwell at OC.

 

That right there is the only reason you could consider this a debate. If you go purely by each unit then the 2000 and 2006 defense are right at the top of the all time defense in NFL history. However, as for the best TEAM all time I would most likely have to say the 2006 or 2011 teams because they had such great balance on both sides, they just didn't have the ball bounce their way in the playoffs.

[RedFire]

2006. McNair was injured and couldn't throw more than 20yrds.

any smart QB with more than a wet noodle of an arm would have taken us to the promise land. ROLLE AND MCCALISTER AT CORNER CRUSHED THE BULDING! they could jump routes and be aggressive since the pass rush was excellent. And rolle and c-mac were top corners without a top pass rush,so they shut down both sides like Pippen and Jordan in 06'. 

 

never forgot that season. I was 20yrs old and down south for college and the last 8 games took over the steelers 4:30 national coverage spot on CBS....saw every game!

[JoeyFlex5]

Came to say this. I forget exactly how many, but the 2006 defense broke a record for being #1 in like 13 or 15 different defensive categories. That was a scary defense. In fact, I'd even say it was a better defense than the 2000 defense. Jamal Lewis had a 3.6 YPC avg that year, and McNair only an 82 QB rating (which seemed good, considering Boller) and that team still did remarkably well. 

 

Ed Reed

Dawan Landry

Chris McAlister

Samari Rolle

Adalius Thomas

Ray Lewis

Bart Scott

Terrell Suggs

Trevor Pryce

Kelly Gregg

Haloti Ngata

 

what a fearsome 3-4. And with Adalius and Trevor it could also be a 4-3, or a 46. That defense was so versatile. Rex Ryan was back there. Definitely at least my favourite defense of all time.

 

Imagine if we didn't trade up to draft Kyle Boller in 2003. Instead, we waited and drafted Anquan Boldin in the 2nd round. And then in 2005 instead of drafting Mark Clayton, we took Aaron Rodgers. Or, (and I don't like this one at all) drafted Drew Brees instead of Todd Heap back in 2001 (Brees was taken right after Heap with the 1st pick of the 2nd round). Those defenses between 2003 and 2007 could have really gone to use. That era peaked in 06. Then the 2007 decline. Then the start of the Harbaugh era. 

 

Then again, just one of those "hindsight is 20/20 draft moves" would have probably had a butterfly that changed so much. 

we used a base 4-3 with alot of 46, or just placed players all over the front seven 3-4 wasnt used very often in 06, i remember being excited when we would punt just to see what our defense would do, ed in his prime, cmac in his prime, adalius thomas wreaking havoc everywhere in 3 or 4 different positions, a young haloti ngata, a young suggs with his ears pinned back pass rushing every play, kelly gregg beating blocks then moving around as fast as the linebackers, bart scott laying the wood every time he made a tackle, and ray just.. being ray lol. the pre-snap was so exciting to watch with our players running into and backing away from the LOS and you just always knew there was gonna be some crazy unexpected stunt blitz, but you never knew who it would be. rex is a arrogant jerk but mannn if he was our dc again we would become a dynasty with the new speed and versatility we got on defense. harbs needs to burn down his doghouse when rex gets fired from the jets and pick him back up on a fat contract

[billick]

Teams quit against the 2000 team in the third quarter. While the D lacked game changing innovations,

we were well coached. Marvin Lewis cracked the whip.

 

Our offense may have been outscored by our special teams.

 

We simply crushed the will of the other teams offense to play, let alone win.

 

Ray's abiltity to play from scrimmage line to goal line was never before seen in the NFL.

 

Unquestionably the Greatest Ravens Team ever. The "Dark Side ". 

[Speed Kills]

That right there is the only reason you could consider this a debate. If you go purely by each unit then the 2000 and 2006 defense are right at the top of the all time defense in NFL history. However, as for the best TEAM all time I would most likely have to say the 2006 or 2011 teams because they had such great balance on both sides, they just didn't have the ball bounce their way in the playoffs.

Terrible choice of words my friend. You can not consider a Raven squad as the best team in franchise history if they did not win the super bowl. Therefore, the debate is between 2000 and 2012 and a more fair debate would be which squad was the most complete team in franchise history.

[Bltravens]

The 2012 Ravens would've been wallopped. That 2000 defense couldn't be scored on and Jamal Lewis would've manhandled our defense.

 

This.  We gave up no defensive POINTS in the Super Bowl.  And last years defense would have wanted no part of Jamal Lewis, even as a rookie.

[Ice Kriem]

Came to say this. I forget exactly how many, but the 2006 defense broke a record for being #1 in like 13 or 15 different defensive categories. That was a scary defense. In fact, I'd even say it was a better defense than the 2000 defense. Jamal Lewis had a 3.6 YPC avg that year, and McNair only an 82 QB rating (which seemed good, considering Boller) and that team still did remarkably well. 
 
Ed Reed
Dawan Landry
Chris McAlister
Samari Rolle
Adalius Thomas
Ray Lewis
Bart Scott
Terrell Suggs
Trevor Pryce
Kelly Gregg
Haloti Ngata
 
what a fearsome 3-4. And with Adalius and Trevor it could also be a 4-3, or a 46. That defense was so versatile. Rex Ryan was back there. Definitely at least my favourite defense of all time.
 
Imagine if we didn't trade up to draft Kyle Boller in 2003. Instead, we waited and drafted Anquan Boldin in the 2nd round. And then in 2005 instead of drafting Mark Clayton, we took Aaron Rodgers. Or, (and I don't like this one at all) drafted Drew Brees instead of Todd Heap back in 2001 (Brees was taken right after Heap with the 1st pick of the 2nd round). Those defenses between 2003 and 2007 could have really gone to use. That era peaked in 06. Then the 2007 decline. Then the start of the Harbaugh era. 
 
Then again, just one of those "hindsight is 20/20 draft moves" would have probably had a butterfly that changed so much.

Just touching on the Drew Brees "what if".....Rather than drafting him over Todd Heap that year, what if we acquired him instead of Steve McNair in 2006. They were both unrestricted free agents at the same time that offseason. Now that would have been an amazing run!

[CARavensFan]

Terrible choice of words my friend. You can not consider a Raven squad as the best team in franchise history if they did not win the super bowl. Therefore, the debate is between 2000 and 2012 and a more fair debate would be which squad was the most complete team in franchise history.

 

Yes "complete" was the word I omitted, I think it could be argued that the 1006 and 2011 teams were the most complete teams we have had, I would also say that they might be the two best teams we've had that haven't won the Super Bowl.

 

Of course the teams that actually won the finaly prize are the better teams, excuse my poor word choice.

[RedFire]

Yes "complete" was the word I omitted, I think it could be argued that the 1006 and 2011 teams were the most complete teams we have had, I would also say that they might be the two best teams we've had that haven't won the Super Bowl.

 

Of course the teams that actually won the finaly prize are the better teams, excuse my poor word choice.

 

balls can bounce the right way and the league can be less talented....also major injuries can occur to opponents changing the dynamics.

 

super bowl means you were the best team in the NFL that year by luck and/or skill. a superbowl doesn't measure aggregate talent.

[mgridda]

Just touching on the Drew Brees "what if".....Rather than drafting him over Todd Heap that year, what if we acquired him instead of Steve McNair in 2006. They were both unrestricted free agents at the same time that offseason. Now that would have been an amazing run!

 

Drew Brees agreed to a 6 year, 60 million deal back then when he was off the back of shoulder surgery. That would never be an Ozzie move. Drew wasn't the right player at the right price. He might have been the right player, but definitely not the right price.

 

Plus, to be honest I'd rather have Joe Flacco now than have had Drew Brees then. I just like Joe that much.