Your Favorite Seasons of Ravens Football

[ROH522155]

Another topic to pass time in these boring offseason days. What years have you enjoyed the Ravens the most?  Which year had the best games/most memorable moments.

 

I'll list my top 4. It may surprise you.

 

1. 2008- I've never had more fun watching the Ravens then I did in 2008. It was really fun to see us bounce right back after a 5-11 season in 2007. The Steelers games were awesome, the Cowboys game was so much fun, and that win over the Titans in the playoffs felt oh so good.

 

2. 2006- We won a franchise record 13 regular season games that year. The demolishing of Pittsburgh was awesome to see. The defense that year was right up there with the 2000 defense in my opinion. I loved Steve McNair. May he rest in peace.

 

3. 2012- Don't get me wrong, winning the Super Bowl felt really good. But sadly I had things going on in my life that kind of tainted the Ravens season for me. Every Sunday they were my 3 hour escape from the real world. It pains me to say this but my heart just wasn't in it as much as usual. That's why this amazing year of Ravens football is just third on my list. 

 

4. 2011- Hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2006 was so great. The sweep of the Steelers was glorious. The loss to New England hurt, but I think we can all look back at that moment a little more fondly now that we got back to New England and made things right. I'm almost glad my heart was broken that day. Almost.

[1/28/01]

2012
2000
2008
2006

[Gordo52]

2012,
2008,
2006,
2011.

I would put 2000 on the list but I was to young back then to fully understand football and can't remember the full regular season.

2012 imo is by far the best ever.

With all the circumstances that team went through, it's really amazing. 4th & 29, "Flacco Fling", Lewis' last ride & so much more.

[PurplePassion824]

2012 - This postseason was by far my favorite.  We won the Superbowl.  We were underdogs every post season game.  Cam Cameron was fired.. What can get better than that.

2000 - I was only 10 when this happened, but I remember it like it was yesterday.  The excitement of our defense.  Beating the Titans in the postseason.  Going into the "Black Hole" and Oakland only scoring 3 points.  What a great year.

2011 - We may have lost the AFC championship game in heartbreaking fashion, but it was one of the best seasons I could remember.  The outbreak of Torrey Smith.  Sweeping the AFC North.  Getting all the way to the AFC Championship game.

2006 - This was a fun year.  We had Air Mcnair at QB.  We looked dominating on offense for the first time in a while.  we went 13 - 3.  I really felt like we were going to the SB.

[ravensdan]

You can't leave out 1996. The insane level of enthusiasm for football in baltimore was unprecedented in my opinion and why I am a ravens fan since I have lived in several towns over the years.

[CARavensFan]

2012 - Super Bowl, nuff said.

2006 - My first year as a Ravens fan, always will remember it.

2011 - We were so close this year, I was listening to the AFC Championship game on the radio with my wife and can still remember the feeling of disappointment when the announce said that Lee Evans dropped the pass and then Cundriff missed the kick.

2007 - Even though this was a down year for us, it cement my Ravens fandom, some of my friends thought I was just a bandwagoner because of our 13-3 record in '06. But in '07 I stuck with my guys and now I'm stuck to them lol

2008 - The start of a new era, new coach and new QB.

[Moderator 3]

You can't leave out 1996. The insane level of enthusiasm for football in baltimore was unprecedented in my opinion and why I am a ravens fan since I have lived in several towns over the years.

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for that year. The team and stadium sucked but the enthusiasm of us fans was just incredible. Those who didn't suffer through the drought may never understand what it felt like to FINALLY have a team again. When they played the Star Spangled Banner to start the first game, I had tears in my eyes.

[Speed Kills]

2012 was literally a story book year with all the adversity that team faced through critics and injuries in the regular season and limping into the playoffs at the end of the regular season and then riding the emotion of Ray Lewis's retirement tour through the playoffs despite being underdogs throughout. Also included the Denver game which was definitely the best football game I think I have ever watched. With that said I think the 1996 season has to be number 1 with 2012 being a close 2nd just because of the history behind football in Baltimore. I was too young to remember when the Ravens first came to town, but I can appreciate the history behind the Colts leaving and the draught and know it was a big deal when football returned.

[PurplePassion824]

You can't leave out 1996. The insane level of enthusiasm for football in baltimore was unprecedented in my opinion and why I am a ravens fan since I have lived in several towns over the years.

 

2012 was literally a story book year with all the adversity that team faced through critics and injuries in the regular season and limping into the playoffs at the end of the regular season and then riding the emotion of Ray Lewis's retirement tour through the playoffs despite being underdogs throughout. Also included the Denver game which was definitely the best football game I think I have ever watched. With that said I think the 1996 season has to be number 1 with 2012 being a close 2nd just because of the history behind football in Baltimore. I was too young to remember when the Ravens first came to town, but I can appreciate the history behind the Colts leaving and the draught and know it was a big deal when football returned.

I can't remember much about 1996 i was about 5.  I just remember everyone was really excited.  And, my family was excited they didn't have to root for the Redskins anymore.

[AsianRice]

In the Ravens fan family, I am one of the youngest boys; I join the Ravens fan club pretty late cuz that's when I start to love more about football. 

 

I have to say 2012 and 2000 are the top 2 in the list.

 

The rest from the list should belong to whichever season we swept the Steelers...

[JoeyFlex5]

2012 - our miracle season. beating the pats week 3, beating the steelers on a sack and a punt return, beating the cowgirls by a missed field goal, 4th and 29, and obviously our insane postseason and a super bowl win

2006 - man this was a fun season to watch, the ravens have never looked so dominant, we knew right away ngata was a big deal when he returned a pick in his debut game, we beat the chargers in a rrrreal tight one, and we just dominated every other game besides throwing up 3 clunkers against sub-par teams

2008 - start of an era, harbs, joe cool, mighty mouse, all of em, this super bowl started back in 08

2011 - smashing the steelers, joe's translation to the big boy league IN pittsburgh, sweeping the division, and the heartbreak did nothing but make 2012 that much better, after this season we knew joe was the real deal

2010 - we had so many nail biters, every half decent team we played ended up being a nailbiter, we won some and we lost some, this was the last season before the youth movement, and that game against houston... oh my god, i got so absolutely hammered and was screaming the whole game, and i jumped through the roof when josh wilson got the pick 6, that was one of the best games ive ever seen. and this was the last year that ray was REALLY dominant

i was too young to remember the 00 season specifically, i can remember stokleys SB TD and watching the3 consecutive td's in the super bowl, i remember shannon sharpes td's against the broncos and raiders, i remember jermaines 2 td's against the jets, and i remember stokley breaking the scoring drought, and i remember seeing dilfer crying on the sideline after the championship.. but i cant even remember a full game let alone a season lol

[Dudeman]

Great topic!  But I am going to go with my top 5 because 4 just isn't enough!

 

1.)  2000 was the year I truly became a Ravens fan.  The mystique surrounding our defense that year was surreal.  Mind you I was in my junior-senior year of high school, and it was a very busy time in my life.  But I started hearing the way people in school, and in the media were talking about the Ravens.  I can still hear it now with people whispering in hushed voices about a defense that scored at will and brought the hammer down on every play.  There was a strong feeling of pride in just how scared other teams and fans were of us and our defense.  I've never seen a defense like it before, and it made us unique and unconventional and I truly fell in love with the team that year.  This year of Ravens football established a mythology we will all talk about for generations to come. 

 

2.) 2008 the first year of Harbaugh, Flacco, and Rice was a year I fell in love with the Ravens all over again.  People forget that our offense performed way above expectations.  The battering ram of Lorenzo Neal and the running of Leron Mcclain was just fun to watch.  We'd run over and over for 3.5 yards and a cloud of dust until the opposing defense crumbled in the 4th quarter and succumbed to exhaustion.  The regular season was a reprisal of the defense's return to dominance, and the birth of the modern day Ravens offense.  This season we saw the torch pass from Rex Ryan to John Harbaugh, and from start to finish I was so proud of the way the team played and really gelled together.  Again this year is number 2 because of so many memorable performances and I feel this is the most balanced of a team as we've ever seen in Baltimore.  The offense finally found some toughness with a mauling run game and Derek Mason played with a true grit that was hard to not admire. 

 

3.) 2012 was and may always be the very best post-season performance that I have ever seen by the Ravens.  The defense may have been over-shadowed by the offense but they were tough when it mattered and made the plays they NEEDED to make to win each game.  The only reason 2012 isn't higher on my list was the regular season was as stark a contrast to the post-season as you will ever see.  Terrell Suggs started the year injured, we lost Webb and Lewis in the same game against the Cowboys in a game that so many said we had no business winning.  Then to go on to bad performances against Houston and Denver that were hardly watchable games.  However, the adversity we faced shaped us into the team that became so dominant in the post-season and taught us a lesson that once again you can't always judge a book by its cover. 

 

4.)  2006 was a great year to watch and saw the Ravens post their best regular season total.  This was another balanced year between the defense and the offense, but I would put it as a runner-up to the most balanced team to the 08 squad.  However the defense was so good in 06 and many say it was BETTER than the 2000 defense.  This was the year Bart Scott really emerged and put on the highlight of the season roughing up Ben Rothlisberger on a blindside sack.  We also beat top seeded San Diego in a very memorable game that promised to be a play-off preview.  However, a tough outing by our offense against the resurgent Colts defense found us one and done in the play-offs. 

 

5.  1996, and how could you not include the Ravens inaugural season?  Surprisingly enough this was the season that really set the record books for passing stats for a very long time.  Also turns out this was the year of the start of something special and that is the relationship between the fans and the team.  That connection has only grown stronger between the fans and the team ever since and you could see the culmination of that in the Super Bowl celebration we just hosted!

[Moderator 2]

2000-- that year was insane, in 1999 we actually went to Fed-Ex to see the Redskins-Lions just to go to a playoff game and we had our own the very next year!
2012- being the underdog was amazing-- the trolls were not I am wearing my Out of Luck playoff shirt for Purple Friday today
2006-- McNair one of my favorite QBs even as a Titian
2008-- We finally get a franchise QB not someone else's castoff
I remember taking time off the board since over half of the mods at that time went to the AFCCG to go to the Mall because I was so afraid no one would be there to greet the team -- it was so cool with all the other fans that felt the same way, even though the team never made it because of the awful weather in Pittsburgh.

1996 I was not yet a Ravens fan, I had 2 kids under 5 and a 9 yo that just came to live with us so I was waaaaay busy doing the mom thing . I was also still a Redskins fan until I got turned to the purple side in 1998 by some good friends. They took me to 3 games and by halftime of the first game my husband was signing on the dotted line for PSLs -- we bought 3 seats 2 rows behind our friends. I am not as good as Mod 3, I've missed games due to illness and holidays, but I do my darnedest to go to every game!

[codizzle]

Went to my first NFL game when i was 8 years old in 96 against the Oilers.
We lost the game but I grew a love for football and obviously the ravens, so 96 would have to be up there for me

2012
2000
1996
2008

[Tank 92]

1996 - Thank You Art!!!

 

2000 - That D will never be replicated.

 

2012 - SB Champs, again!

[JohnnyBoy8102]

I agree with everyone's selections but one of the seasons that always had a soft spot in my heart was 2003. 

 

Somehow that team went 10-6 and won the division. 

 

*There was an amazing come back win vs the Seahawks that season. 

*Jamal's chase at 2,000 yards and Dickerson

*Jamal won OPOY

*Ray had an incredible season and won DPOY (6 INT & 14 PD is insane for a MLB/ILB)

*Suggs won DROY with 12 sacks 

*Jamal, Ogden, Heap, Ray, Ed, Boulware, C-Mac, and AD (Special Teamer) were all Pro Bowlers 

 

I think the season resonates with me due to the division title and having 3 award winners on the roster. 

 

 

My order:

 

2000- was a junior in HS and the ONLY raven fan in Michigan it seemed. 

 

2012- unexpected and culminated years of frustration

 

2008- Great rebound year and started the upswing that led to 2012

 

2006- That D was incredible and I can still picture the Bart hit on Big Ben

 

2003- See Above 

 

Honorable Mention:

 

2009- Just because of the destruction of the Pats at home in the playoff game. 

 

1996- 1st Season

 

1999- Great D which helped the team gain momentum into 2000

[codizzle]

I agree with everyone's selections but one of the seasons that always had a soft spot in my heart was 2003.

Somehow that team went 10-6 and won the division.

*There was an amazing come back win vs the Seahawks that season.
*Jamal's chase at 2,000 yards and Dickerson
*Jamal won OPOY
*Ray had an incredible season and won DPOY (6 INT & 14 PD is insane for a MLB/ILB)
*Suggs won DROY with 12 sacks
*Jamal, Ogden, Heap, Ray, Ed, Boulware, C-Mac, and AD (Special Teamer) were all Pro Bowlers

I think the season resonates with me due to the division title and having 3 award winners on the roster.

I honestly was debating putting either 03 or 04 or mine.. It was cool having ray and then Ed win DPOY..

Our D was starting to gain that league wide overall respect that we're now just used to

[JohnnyBoy8102]

I honestly was debating putting either 03 or 04 or mine.. It was cool having ray and then Ed win DPOY..

Our D was starting to gain that league wide overall respect that we're now just used to

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9NVUf7yl4o

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgspNvFqRw4

[Tank 92]

I agree with everyone's selections but one of the seasons that always had a soft spot in my heart was 2003. 

 

Somehow that team went 10-6 and won the division. 

 

*There was an amazing come back win vs the Seahawks that season. 

*Jamal's chase at 2,000 yards and Dickerson

*Jamal won OPOY

*Ray had an incredible season and won DPOY (6 INT & 14 PD is insane for a MLB/ILB)

*Suggs won DROY with 12 sacks 

*Jamal, Ogden, Heap, Ray, Ed, Boulware, C-Mac, and AD (Special Teamer) were all Pro Bowlers 

 

I think the season resonates with me due to the division title and having 3 award winners on the roster. 

 

 

My order:

 

2000- was a junior in HS and the ONLY raven fan in Michigan it seemed. 

 

2012- unexpected and culminated years of frustration

 

2008- Great rebound year and started the upswing that led to 2012

 

2006- That D was incredible and I can still picture the Bart hit on Big Ben

 

2003- See Above 

 

Honorable Mention:

 

2009- Just because of the destruction of the Pats at home in the playoff game. 

 

1996- 1st Season

 

1999- Great D which helped the team gain momentum into 2000

 

 

Jamal broke the single game rushing record in the second game of '03 as well. That game against the brownies is one of my favorites. It was awesome to witness in person. However that season ended with such disappointment, losing to the titans in the first round.

 

Edit;  The seahawks game!  I was at a friend's bday party that day and was the lone Ravens fan in a crowd of skins fans. They were ragging on me about how bad my boys were getting beat, and then........... Sweeeet!

[SeaHawk]

Another topic to pass time in these boring offseason days. What years have you enjoyed the Ravens the most?  Which year had the best games/most memorable moments.

 

I'll list my top 4. It may surprise you.

 

1. 2008- I've never had more fun watching the Ravens then I did in 2008. It was really fun to see us bounce right back after a 5-11 season in 2007. The Steelers games were awesome, the Cowboys game was so much fun, and that win over the Titans in the playoffs felt oh so good.

 

2. 2006- We won a franchise record 13 regular season games that year. The demolishing of Pittsburgh was awesome to see. The defense that year was right up there with the 2000 defense in my opinion. I loved Steve McNair. May he rest in peace.

 

3. 2012- Don't get me wrong, winning the Super Bowl felt really good. But sadly I had things going on in my life that kind of tainted the Ravens season for me. Every Sunday they were my 3 hour escape from the real world. It pains me to say this but my heart just wasn't in it as much as usual. That's why this amazing year of Ravens football is just third on my list. 

 

4. 2011- Hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2006 was so great. The sweep of the Steelers was glorious. The loss to New England hurt, but I think we can all look back at that moment a little more fondly now that we got back to New England and made things right. I'm almost glad my heart was broken that day. Almost.

 

Other than putting 2006 at the top of my list over the 2008 season, I completely agree with this list, even with 2012 being my 3rd best season. I, too, had personal issues clouding me during this past season, so I couldn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I was going through a lot, so I can feel where you're coming from on that one. I want to remember the season, and will forever because of the Super Bowl, but I don't want to remember anything else about that time of my life.

 

Edit: The 2000 season was by far my favorite. I was just 7 years old at the time, but I remember watching every single game that I could, even at that young age. That's when I truly became a Ravens fan. I later grew a respect for the Seahawks, but the 2000 season will always be magical to me.

[harfordravenfan]

In the Ravens fan family, I am one of the youngest boys; I join the Ravens fan club pretty late cuz that's when I start to love more about football.

I have to say 2012 and 2000 are the top 2 in the list.

The rest from the list should belong to whichever season we swept the Steelers...

Kind of agree with ya: 2000 & 2012 should be at top (in that order, at least for me), then 1st year ravens came to us, 2006, & 2011 would finish my top 5. for me it was the 2011 year that I saw us as a yearly competitor for years to come (why didn't ya cover the ball & fall to ground Evans?)

[ravensdan]

This thread makes me feel so old. I was 19 for the innaugural season and it seems most on here were just little kids. Ouchhh

[harfordravenfan]

This thread makes me feel so old. I was 19 for the innaugural season and it seems most on here were just little kids. Ouchhh

I was 25 so don't feel bad youngster

[BALTIMOREFLACCO]

1. 2012

2. 2008 

3. 2000

4. 2006

5. 2011

[SuggsBarber]

2000 - Defense got hot (with the exception of the Jet game)at the end.You knew whatever it took to win be it special teams(which were awesome that yr) or big play defense,we did it.

 

2012 - Wasn't the same defense we had been accustomed to.But held in big moments.It was Joe and the big play offense.

 

2011 - What shoulda/coulda been.But hey they swept the division.

 

2006 - They were dominant that year.To me the highlight was Bart Scott planting Rothlisberger into the M&T turf.

[ravensdan]

I was 25 so don't feel bad youngster

Thanks! Lol

I also feel the 2000 defense is being underestimated. It was all time greatness. The goal was a shut out. In the modern era of football that is an insane idea. Don't underestinate the magnitude of this unit. To compare that bucs d to this one is a serious joke. That is not in the same library. There will never be as dominant a defense as this one ever imo.

[codizzle]

Thanks! Lol

I also feel the 2000 defense is being underestimated. It was all time greatness. The goal was a shut out. In the modern era of football that is an insane idea. Don't underestinate the magnitude of this unit. To compare that bucs d to this one is a serious joke. That is not in the same library. There will never be as dominant a defense as this one ever imo.

Agreed.. Only reason I put 2012 over 2000 is because I appreciated this one more mostly because we have had a legit chance to make it to the Superbowl every year since 2008 and everything that happened made it so much sweeter and also because I was older and followed it all better

[ravensdan]

Agreed.. Only reason I put 2012 over 2000 is because I appreciated this one more mostly because we have had a legit chance to make it to the Superbowl every year since 2008 and everything that happened made it so much sweeter and also because I was older and followed it all better

I understand your point about 12. But I just remembered another important note about 2000. The team had never sniffed the playoffs before let alone a championship. This current team has been knocking on the doorstep for years.

[codizzle]

I understand your point about 12. But I just remembered another important note about 2000. The team had never sniffed the playoffs before let alone a championship. This current team has been knocking on the doorstep for years.

Yea but I put 12 over 00 mainly for personal reasons.. I was 12 during the 2000 run.. I watched it but didnt appreciate it like I do this one

With that being said, nothing tops that 2000 defense ever.. So yes that would be our best season but not my personal favorite I guess

[Dudeman]

It really is hard to compare the championship years we've had, but this thread really is a 2 horse race between the 2 super bowl years as most peoples favorites.

 

Obviously the latest one is fresh in our minds and who knows what kind of stepping stone the 2012 SB can become.  But I have a certain nostalgia for the 2000 team and specifically the defense.  Ravensdan said they were looking for a shut-out but I'd take it a step further and say the defense wanted to outscore the other teams offense.  Sounds crazy I know but that was the way people talked about the Ravens D at that time.  I've just never seen a team with that kind of mystique and the mythology of that team keeps growing.  

 

When you hear an old Steelers fan wax poetic about the Steel Curtain I feel you can talk about the 00 Ravens D the same way.

 

Yet with all that being said time has a way of making things in the past look magical.  If anything the 12 Super Bowl was a miracle of triumph in the face of adversity.  The 00 Ravens didn't face the level of talent that the 12 team played against across the board from Pro-Bowl QB's to defeating the top seeds on the road no less.  Lastly what makes 12 special was the way the SB was able to bookend Ray Lewis' remarkable career.