BALTIMORE SPORTS NEST

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1984-1993: After the Mayflower vans packed up and moved the Colts to Indianapolis, the city of Baltimore began efforts of landing an NFL team. Even when the Orioles moved to Camden Yards the city maintained historic Memorial Stadium so that it could be used as a temporary home when they landed a new team. In 1993 the NFL began to select teams for an expansion that was to follow two years later. Going into the process Baltimore was considered a heavy favorite to land a team as even a nickname (Bombers) and logo was developed. However, owners decided to award Charlotte and Jacksonville with teams leaving Baltimore in the cold again.

1994-1995: After being reject for expansion Baltimore landed a CFL team they called the Colts. However, Robert Irsay filed a lawsuit and the team changed its name to the Stallions. In its two years of existence it made the Grey Cup Final winning in 1995. However, despite the success of the Stallions Baltimore wanted the NFL, and that meant doing to another city what had been down to it when the Colts moved to Indianapolis. In October of 1995 they finally struck a deal with Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell to bring the Browns to Baltimore. The city of Cleveland went into a legal scramble to save their team. However, in court they knew they would likely lose, which led to a settlement between the city of Cleveland, the NFL, Art Modell and Baltimore. The deal allowed Modell to bring his team to Baltimore. However, they left behind their history and nickname to be used by an expansion team in 1999. This meant that the team playing in Baltimore would be an established roster with the clean history of expansion team complete with a new nickname. Eventually the name Raves would be chosen in honor of Edgar Allen Poe's famous book he wrote in Baltimore.

1996: On September 1st the NFL finally returned to Baltimore as the Ravens coached by former Colts coach Ted Marchibroda took the field at Memorial Stadium against the Oakland Raiders. Led by Quaretrback Vinny Testeverde the Ravens would beat the Raiders 19-14 before 64,124 rowdy fans. However, the joy would not last as the Ravens finished with a 4-12 record, despite holding the lead in 11 out of 16 games. Testeverde would have a solid season earning a trip to the Pro Bowl with 4,177 yards passing.

1997: The Ravens get off to a solid start in their second season winning three of their first fourgames. However offensive struggles would catch up with them as they won just one of their next nine games. Along the way the Ravens fought the Philadelphia Eagles to a 10-10, which was the first game to end deadlocked in eight years. Coming down the stretch the Ravens would win two straight including the final game at Memorial Stadium in which they beat the Tennessee Oilers 21-19 in a day in which Baltimore heroes past and present were honored. The Ravens would go on to finish with a 6-9-1 record, as Linebacker Pete Boulware won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors with 11.5 sacks.

1998: On September 6th the Ravens opened their new stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers by losing 20-13. The Ravens would continue to struggle as newly acquired Quarterback Jim Harbaugh and back up Eric Zeier played mediocre football al year as the Ravens got off to a 2-6 start. On November 29th the Indianapolis Colts returned to Baltimore, as the Ravens overcame two 14-point deficits and scored 25 second-half points to win a 38-31 thriller. On December 13th the Ravens and Minnesota Vikings set an NFL record with three kickoff returns for Thouchdowns, all in the 1st quarter. Ravens Corey Harris and Patrick Johnson along with Vikings David Palmer all scored Thouchdowns on returns in a Vikings 38-28 win. The Ravens would go on to finish the season with a 6-10 record, as Ted Marchibroda was fired at the end of the season. The Ravens would go on to hire Vikings Offensive Coordinator Brian Billick to replace him. Also needing replacement was the Ravens shield logo, which was the focus of a court case that said the team used it without permission of a bank security guard who claimed he came up with design. 

1999: The Ravens would get off to another slow start losing five of their first seven games. However, as the season progressed the team got stronger winning six of eight, including four in a row to enter the final week of the season with a chance to make the playoffs. However the Ravens would fall to 8-8 by losing their final game to the Patriots 20-3 in New England.

2000: The Ravens get off to a solid start winning three of four games in September including two shutout victories over division opponents. In October they continued to win winning their first two games despite not scoring a Thouchdown, while posting another shutout. However, the Ravens offensive struggles caught up with them as they lost three straight games closing the month of October without a Thouchdown. Sitting at 5-4 the Ravens had a stellar defense, but Quarterback Tony Banks struggles were hurting the team. This led to backup Trent Dilfer getting the starting nod for the rest of the season. Statistically Dilfer was not much better, but the Ravens won all seven games he started to finish with a 12-4 record and qualify for a Wild Card berth. In their final sevn games the Ravens outscored their opponents 193-63 as their defense led by Ray Lewis who overcame an off-season in which he faced murder charges to win Defensive Player of the year set a16-game record with only 165 points allowed. Along the way the Ravens defense shut their opponents out four times and allowed less then 10 points nine  times. In the first playoff game at PSInet Stadium the Ravens defense continued to overwhelm the opposition shutting down the Denver Broncos 21-3. A week later in Tennessee the Ravens were heavy underdogs facing the Titans in the Divisional Playoffs. The Titans controlled the game most of the way but the Ravens defense held the game tied 10-10 going into the 4th Quarter. However, the Titans appeared on the verge of taking the lead as Kicker Al Del Greco set up for a short Field Goal. The Ravens defense would step up and snatch the game away as Anthony Mitchell blocked and returned the kick 90-yards for a go ahead Thouchdown. The Ravens would seal the game 24-10 on a 50-yard Interception return by Ray Lewis moments later. In the AFC Championship at Oakland the Ravens were heavy underdogs again facing the Raiders. The Ravens grabbed control early as Quarterback Trent Dilfer hit Tight End Shannon Sharpe on a 96-yard Touchdown pass. It was all the points the Ravens would need as the defense smothered the Raiders in a 16-3 win to earn a trip to the Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XXXV: Facing the New York Giants in Tampa, the Baltimore Ravens found themselves in an unlikely Super Bowl match up. In the first half the Ravens defense was dominant holding a 10-0 lead. Late in the 3rd Quarter the Ravens defense scored again, as Duane Starks returned an interception 47-yards for a Touchdown. However, on the ensuing kickoff the Giants would get on the board as Ron Dixon returned the kickoff 97 yards for a Touchdown to get the Giants back into the game at 17-7. However, the Ravens would respond in the blink of an eye as Jermaine Lewis returned a kickoff of his own 84 yards to give the Ravens a 24-7 lead. In total a record three consecutive returns for touchdowns were made as fans got whiplash in the most exciting 36 seconds in Super Bowl history. The Ravens would go on to score ten points in the 4th Quarter for an impressive 34-7 victory as Ray Lewis was named Super Bowl MVP.

2001: Despite going undefeated in seven starts at Quarterback, Trent Dilfer is released as the Ravens sign Elvis Grback. The offense would take a huge hit in training camp as Jamal Lewis suffers a season ending knee injury as cameras rolled for a HBO reality show. The Ravens defense continued to be strong s they won six of their first nine games. However, the team resented Grback, and publicly criticized him in the press. After splitting their next 6 games the Ravens needed to beat the Minnesota Vikings in a Monday Night season finale to qualify for the playoffs as a Wild Card with a 10-6 record. In the Wild Card game in Miami the Ravens returned to their previous playoff forum in a dominating 20-3 win over the Dolphins. However turnovers and mistakes would cripple them in a 27-10 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh. 

2002: The Ravens would enter the season without several of their top players from the Super Bowl team as they are forced to let them go due to salary cap concerns. The decimated Ravens would get off to a bad start losing their first two games by a combined score of 35-7. However, the Ravens spurred by key play by Chris McAlister on special teams would stun the Denver Broncos at home on Monday Night. A week later the Ravens would improve to 2-2 with a 26-21 win over the Cleveland Browns on the road. The Ravens would stay competitive most of the season despite being unable to find a proven quarterback as they were in the race for a playoff spot most of the season before losing three of their last four games to finish with a record of 7-9 that landed them in 3rd place in the newly formed NFC North.

2003: The Ravens entered the season with rookie Quarterback Kyle Boller under center, meaning the Ravens defense was going to have be stronger then ever, to help keep the young team competitive. With Boller learning under fire it meant a greater role in the offense for Running Back Jamal Lewis who going into the second Week against the Cleveland Browns, after losing their first game to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-15. boasted he could break the single game rushing record.  Lewis's boast backed up as galloped for a record 295 yards in a 33-13 Ravens win in the home opener. For much of the season the Ravens would alternate wins and losses, but in the weakest division in the NFL they were at or near first place all season. Boller's season would end early due to injury as Anthony Wright stepped in a keyed a dramatic 4th Quarter rally as the Ravens who trailed the Seattle Seahawks 34-17 late in the 3rd Quarter won 44-41 in overtime. With Wright under Center the Ravens offense began to click on a high level as they won three straight games, including a 31-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 to surge to the top of the division. The Ravens would go on to win the AFC North with a record of 10-6, as Jamal Lewis won the Offensive Player of the Year award by rushing for 2,066 yards the second highest total in NFL history. While Jamal ran led the team on offensive Ray Lewis again led on defense winning his second career Defensive Player of the Year award while newcomer Terrell Suggs won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.  However in the playoffs the Ravens offensive weaknesses would catch up against the Tennessee Titans who held Jamal Lewis to just 35 yards rushing in a 20-17 win, which ended the Ravens season in disappointment.

2004: It was a bad off-season for reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jamal Lewis as he faced Federal Drug Trafficking Charges. Eventually Lewis would plead guilty and would serve a sentence following the season while being suspend two games by the NFL. With the distraction along with nagging injuries he would rush for only 1,006 yards less then half the total from the previous season. Without Lewis putting up the same output the Ravens had one of the worst offense in the NFL. However, thanks to one of the best defenses the Ravens were in the playoff picture all season before missing out by just one game with a 9-7 record that landed them second in the AFC North. On defense the spotlight shifted from Linebacker Ray Lewis to the secondary as Deion Sanders came out of retirement to play for the Ravens while Ed Reed benefited from his presence with nine interceptions enroot to earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.

2005: The Ravens started the season behind the eight-ball as Jamal Lewis was not in good shape at the start of the season, after off-season knee surgery, in which his rehab was limited by four month prison sentence. In the season opening Sunday Night loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens had another set back as Kyle Boller was lost to a toe injury. Without a healthy Jamal Lewis and Anthony Wright as their quarterback the Ravens already questionable offense was downright anemic as they got off to a terrible 2-6 start, while failing to reach 20 points in any one game. Boller would return in Week 9, but would not do any better as the Ravens lost to the Jaguars 30-3, as injuries began to take their toll on the overworked defense as Ray Lewis was limited to just six games while Ed Reed missed six games. Despite missing two defensive stalwarts the Ravens did play a solid game in Week 10 stunning the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime on a 44-yard game winning Field Goal by Matt Stover. However at 3-7, there would be no saving the Ravens season as the ended up finishing in 3rd place and were not a factor in the playoff race with a record of 6-10. Despite finishing the season strong the Ravens appeared to be giving up on Kyle Boller as they acquired Quarterback Steve McNair in the off-season demoting Boller to the role of back up.

2006: The Steve McNair era in Baltimore began with the Ravens using their defense to earn a road win as they blanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-0. A week later the defense was just as strong in the home opener allowing just two field goals in a 28-6 win over the Oakland Raiders. It would not be as easy the following week as they needed a 52-yard Field Goal by Matt Stover with 20 seconds left to beat the Cleveland Browns 15-14. A week later they needed 4th Quarter magic again, as McNair found Todd Heap in the endzone from ten yards out for a dramatic 16-13 win over the San Diego Chargers with 34 seconds left. A week later there would be no magic as their offense sputtered in a 13-3 road loss to Denver Broncos. A week later there would be more frustration as the Ravens lost Steve McNair to an early concussion then lost the game to the Carolina Panthers 23-21. Steve McNair would return a week later, and would pass for two touchdowns and run for another in an impressive 35-22 win over the New Orleans Saints, over the next four weeks the Ravens would take a stranglehold for the NFC North winning five in a row. After a frustrating 13-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens second ranked defense continued to lead the way as they would close the season with four straight wins, winning the division championship and earning a first round bye with a record of 13-3, their best regular season ever. In the playoffs the Ravens faced the ghosts of Baltimore as they faced the Indianapolis Colts with a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line. Once again the Ravens defense rose to the occasion, not allowing a Touchdown and intercepting Peyton Manning twice. However, the Ravens would have their own offensive struggles as the surging Colts held the Ravens to just two field goals, while the Colts with Adam Vinatieri hit five field goals and won the game 15-6, on the way to winning Super Bowl XLI. Following the season the Ravens would say good bye to Jamal Lewis, as they acquired Running Back Willis McGahee from the Buffalo Bills.

2007: The Ravens started the season with championships aspirations, however from the start of the season their season was doomed by series of injuries. The first injury to bite them was to Quarterback Steve McNair was banged up in a 27-20 season opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. With Kyle Boller under center the Ravens would recover to beat New York Jets in their home opener 20-13. McNair would return in Week 3 as the Ravens saw a 17-point lead evaporate against the Arizona Cardinals. However, Matt Stover would save the day for Baltimore as he kicked the Ravens to a 26-23 win, with a 46-yard field goal as time expired. However, against the Cleveland Browns there would be no saving the Ravens as they lost 27-13. McNair and the Ravens offense continued to struggle a week later on the road against the San Francisco 49ers, but the defense saved the day as the Ravens won 9-7. Kyle Boller would start the following week as the Ravens beat the winless St. Louis Rams 22-3 to hit 4-2, little did anyone know that the season was about to spiral out of control. After Boller started again in the Ravens 19-14 loss on the road to the Buffalo Bills, Steve McNair returned and looked out of sync as he was removed in both games as the Ravens lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. It would be the last football Steve McNair would ever play, as the one time MVP sat out the rest of the season with a series of injuries that would also lead him to retire. With Kyle Boller starting at home against the Browns, the Ravens who trailed 27-14 staged a fourth quarter rally to take a 30-27 lead on a 47-yard field goal by Matt Stover with 26 seconds left. However, the Browns would quickly get down the field for a tying field goal by Phil Dawson. At first the 51-yard field goal was called no good as it hit the support beam of the goal posts, but as the Ravens celebrated a win, the officials huddled and ruled the kick good. The stunned Ravens never had a chance in overtime as the Browns quickly drove down the field and won the game 33-30 on a kick by Dawson. With four straight losses the Ravens continued to fade as they lost to the San Diego Chargers 32-14. Against the unbeaten New England Patriots on Monday Night Football the Ravens finally showed up to play again, as they led through out. However, the Patriots drove down the field in the final minute of the game and won the game 27-24 on a Tom Brady to Jabar Gaffney eight yard touchdown pass with 44 seconds left. What made the loss extra painful is that the Ravens appeared to have stopped the Patriots drive twice, only to commit penalties on fourth down to keep the drive alive. The losses continued to mount as the Ravens lost their seventh straight to the Indianapolis Colts 44-20. Things would go from bad to worse a week later, as the same team that nearly beat the unbeaten Patriots, lost to the winless Miami Dolphins 22-16, after Coach Brian Billick decided to kick a game tying field goal, rather then attempting to win the game on fourth and goal from the one yard line. With former Heisman winner Troy Smith starting at quarterback the Ravens losing streak hit nine as the Ravens were crushed by the Seattle Seahawks. Smith would start again in the finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers who were on the way to the playoffs rested most of their starters and were beaten 27-21 as the Ravens finished the season with an awful record of 5-11. Following the season Brian Billick would end taking the blame for the Ravens collapse, as the Coach who led the Ravens to a Super Bowl, was fired, and replaced by John Harbaugh.

2008: It was an era in Baltimore, as a rookie Coach, John Harbuagh, and a rookie Quarterback, Joe Flacco led the Ravens into the season. In their opener, the Ravens jumped out fast thanks to a 42-yard run by Receiver Mark Clayton on a double reverse. Flacco, would take care of the ball just fine, and would add a touchdown run of his own of 38 yards as the Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals 17-10. The Ravens would end up getting an early rest a week later, as damage from Hurricane Ike in Houston, forced the Ravens to reschedule their game against the Texans to Week 10. After beating the Cleveland Browns in Week 3, Flacco and the Ravens faced their first test as they faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Monday Night Game on the road. The Ravens played well early, holding a 13-3 lead at the half. However, the Steelers clawed their way back into the game as a Joe Flacco fumble led directly to a Steelers touchdown, as the Steelers won the game in overtime 23-20. The Ravens would see another game slip through their fingers a week later, as the Tennessee Titans scored ten unanswered points in the 4th Quarter to stun the Ravens in Baltimore 13-10. After a 31-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts dropped them to 2-3, Flacco and the Ravens went to Miami, and came up with a big win, as Terrell Suggs returned an interception 44 yards to lead the Ravens to a 27-13 win over the Dolphins. The win would be turning point for the Ravens, as they won seven of eight games, entering a rematch with the Steelers at home. Once again the Ravens controlled the game early, only to see the Steelers rally late winning the game 13-9 with ten unanswered points in the 4th Quarter. Needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive the Ravens played spoiler to the Dallas Cowboys in the final game ever at Texas Stadium, winning 33-24 behind to dazzling 4th Quarter Touchdown runs, one by Willis McGahee who streaked 77 yards down the field, and the other by Le'Ron McClain who galloped 82 yards down right through the heart of Texas. Entering the final week of the season controlling their own playoff destiny the Ravens jumped out early and never looked back as Joe Flacco passed for 297 yards to lead the Ravens to a 27-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to clinch the Wild Card with an 11-5 record. While his number were not overwhelming, Flacco was good enough to take care of the football and let the Ravens running game and defense lead them to a playoff berth. Facing the Miami Dolphins again in the Wild Card round the Ravens defense led the way as Ed Reed returned a Chad Pennington pass 64 yards for a touchdown to give the Ravens the lead, as they picked off the Miami Quarterback four times on the way to a solid 27-9 win. In the Divisional Round the Ravens were underdogs facing the Tennessee Titans, who secured home field in the AFC with a 13-3 record. However, the Ravens defense held the Titans in check all game, as a 48-yard touchdown pass from Flacco to Derrick Mason enabled the Ravens to answer the Titans only touchdown quickly in the 1st quarter. Still tied 7-7 entering the 4th Quarter the Ravens took the lead for the first time with a 21-yard field goal from Matt Stover. After Rob Bironas tied the game, with a 27-yard kick, it was Stover again with the game winner, nailing a 43-yarder with just 53 seconds remaining to give the Ravens a 13-10 win, to send them on to the AFC Championship Game where they would get another shot at the Steelers. This time it would be the Steelers jumping out early, as the black and gold led 13-0 early in the 2nd Quarter. The Ravens would finally get on the board late in the half as Willis McGahee scored from three yards out. After the Steelers added a field goal in the 3rd Quarter, McGahee again got the Ravens on the board with a 1-yard run in 4th Quarter to get the Ravens within two points. However, it would get no closer as Joe Flacco had a pass intercepted by Troy Polamalu who returned it 40 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach, as the Steelers advanced to Super Bowl XLIII with a 23-14 win.

2009: The Ravens made news in the NFL Draft when they traded with the New England Patriots to select Guard Michael Oher from Ole Miss., with 23rd overall pick. Oher was on hand with his guardians Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy completing a heartwarming story, where Oher was left homeless due to his mother's drug problems, while his father was in prison. The Tuohys tutored Oher allowing him to get his grades up to attend a private school, where he first excelled at football. The Oher story would be the subject of blockbuster movie "The Blind Side," which earned an Oscar Nomination for Best Picture, while Sandra Bullock won the Award for Best Actress for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. In his rookie season with the release of the "The Blind Side" Oher became an instant star on the Raven line starting every game, while finishing second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Coming off an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, the Ravens jumped out to a fast start winning their first three games. However, Joe Flacco struggled and the Ravens lost three games in a row. From there the Ravens alternated wins and losses for the next six weeks, and stood at 6-6 with four games remaining. The losses included a second frustrating loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and Indianapolis Colts while, the wins included an overtime 20-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Needing to finish strong to reach the playoffs, the Ravens delivered a 48-3 pounding of the Detroit Lions, and a 31-7 win over the Chicago Bears. However, with a chance to clinch a playoff spot the Ravens suffered a 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Through most of the season Ray Rice emerged as the Ravens go to Running Back, with a 2,041 All-Purpose Yards. However, in the finale it was Willis McGahee who ran the Ravens into the playoffs with a career high 167 yards rushing and three touchdowns as the Ravens beat the Oakland Raiders on the road 21-13. At 9-7 the Ravens were underdogs as they faced the New England Patriots for the second time in Foxboro, where they suffered 27-21 loss in Week 4. This time with Ray Rice running the first play from scrimmage 83 yards for a Touchdown the Ravens were able to get off to a quick start, scoring 24 points in the 1st Quarter, as the Ravens picked off Tom Brady three times. With Rice rushing for 152 yards the Ravens took the crowd out of the game and did not even need Joe Flacco, who completed just four of ten passes for 34 yards as the Ravens won 33-14 to hand Tom Brady and Bill Belichick their first home playoff loss, and only home loss during the season. A week later the Ravens would not be as fortunate, as they committed four turnovers and were eliminated by the Indianapolis Colts 20-3.

2010: Looking to build off a strong finish the Ravens began the season on Monday Night Football facing the New York Jets in the opener of the New Meadowlands Stadium. The game would be a defensive struggle from beginning to end with the Ravens spoiling the Jets opener 10-9. The Ravens would not allow a Touchdown in their next either, but with Mike Nugent nailed five Field Goals as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Ravens 15-10. In their home opener the Ravens fought off a pesky challenge from the Cleveland Browns to win 24-17 as Joe Flacco had a solid day with three touchdown passes. A week later Flacco would play the role of hero as he hit T.J. Houshmandzadeh on a 18 yard Touchdown pass with 32 seconds left to get a big 17-14 on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Raven would improve to 5-1 heading with a 31-17 win over the Denver Broncos as they faced the New England Patriots in a rematch in Foxboro. Things looked good for the Ravens as they held a 20-10 lead early in the 4th Quarter. However, the Pats would claw their way back into the game and force overtime, where Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 35 yard Field Goal to hand the Ravens their second loss of the season. A week later against the winless Buffalo Bills, the Ravens found themselves in a similar situation, as they blew a 10 point lead in the 4th Quarter to go to overtime. This time however, the Ravens would win 37-34 on a Billy Cundiff 38 yard Field Goal. Coming off the bye week with a 6-2 record the Ravens stayed atop the AFC North with a 26-10 win against the Miami Dolphins, as the Ravens defense intercepted Chad Henne three times. In a Thursday Night showdown with the Atlanta Falcons on the road, the Ravens had trouble getting their offense on track, as they trailed 20-7 early in the 4th Quarter. However, Joe Flacco had two TD passes to put the Ravens up 21-20 with 1:05 left in the game. The emotional swing would not last as the Falcons just as quickly went down the field and won the game 26-21 as Matt Ryan connect with Roddy White on a 33 yard Touchdown pass with 20 seconds left. Following the loss in Atlanta the Falcons won their next two games against the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to set up a Sunday Night showdown at M&T Bank Stadium against the Steelers with the division on the line. The game was typical Steelers-Ravens slobber knocker with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger suffering a broken nose on the first series. The Ravens would hold a lead late into the 4th Quarter, when Joe Flacco was stripped by Troy Polamalu. The Steelers would score on a Roethlisberger to Ike Redman TD pass to take a 13-10 lead with 2:51 left which would be the final score. The Ravens would close the season with four straight wins, to finish the year with a solid 12-4 record. However, the Steelers would win the division by tiebreaker forcing the Ravens to again play on the road in the Wild Card round.

2010 NFL Playoffs: Facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round, the Ravens let an early Touchdown opportunity by the board, as Billy Cundiff put the Ravens up 3-0 with a Field Goal from PAT distance. The Chiefs however, would score a Touchdown in the 1st Quarter as Jamaal Charles scampered down the field 41 yards for pay dirt. The Chiefs 7-3 lead would hold up late into the 2nd Quarter, when Flacco connected with Ray Rice for a 9 yard TD pass with 19 seconds left to take a 10-7 lead into the half. The rest of the way the game belonged to Baltimore as the Ravens defense forced five turnovers as they went on to win the game going away 30-7. In the Divisional Round the Ravens would face the Pittsburgh Steelers again at Heinz Field. Early on things looked good for the Ravens as they jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead, with Cory Redding making the biggest play on a 13 yard fumble return for a Touchdown. However, in the second half the Ravens turnovers would doom them as they gave the ball back to the Steelers three times, including an early 3rd Quarter fumble by Ray Rice that seemed to lift the spirits of the Steelers home crowd. The game would not be decided until late as Rashard Mendenhall gave the Steelers the 31-24 win with just 93 seconds left on a two yard TD run.

2011: The Ravens began the season against a familiar foe as they hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers. Knowing they needed to beat the Steelers to win the division title and get a home game in the playoffs, the Ravens flat out embarrassed the team that eliminated them from the playoffs, beating them 35-7. The Ravens defense forced seven turnovers as Terrell Suggs sacked Ben Roethlisgerberger three times. After a letdown loss on the road against the Tennessee Titans, the Ravens again looked like the best team in football as the crushed the St. Louis Rams 37-7.The Ravens continued to cruise into their bye week as the doubled up the New York Jets 34-17 in their first game in primetime in Week 4. After the bye, the Ravens continued to soar as they beat the Houston Texans 29-14 in a game that saw Ray Lewis become the first player in NFL history with 40 sacks and 30 interceptions when he sacked Matt Schaub in the first quarter. However, after three straight road wins the Ravens again laid an egg on the road, as they were stunned by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football 12-7. Returning home the Ravens fell behind 24-3 again facing the Arizona Cardinals. After a sloppy first half the Ravens seemed to settle themselves just before halftime as Billy Cundiff kicked a 47 yard field goal to cut the deficit to 24-6. In the second half it was all Ravens as Ray Rice had three touchdowns as the Ravens rallied to improve to 5-2 with a 30-27. Facing the Steelers on the road in a primetime match up the Ravens and Steelers battled back and forth with the Steelers hold a 20-16 lead later in the fourth quarter. However, Joe Flacco led the Ravens on a 92 yard scoring driving culminating with a Touchdown pass to Torrey Smith with 8 seconds left that gave the Ravens a 23-20 win, and a sweep of the hated Pittsburgh Steelers.  However, once again they had a let down on the road, as they lost to the Seattle Seahawks 22-17. Return home they would bounce back to earn a key division win against the Cincinnati Bengals, as they entered a Thanksgiving Night home game with a record of 7-3. Sibling Rivalry was the center of attraction on Turkey Night as John Harbaugh faced young brother Jim Harbaugh who had the San Francisco 49ers off to a surprising 9-1 start. After a defensive struggle for the first three quarters saw the game tied at 6-6, the Ravens finally broke things open in the fourth quarter as Joe Flacco connected with Dennis Pitta on an eight yard Touchdown pass as the Ravens won the game 16-6.  After twin 24-10 wins over the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens had another letdown on the road, losing to the San Diego Chargers 34-14. The Ravens would go on to close the season with wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, as they won the AFC North with a record of 12-4. Along the way they were a perfect 8-0 at M&T Bank Stadium, while not one of their four losses were to a team with a winning record. Meanwhile, Terrell Suggs continued a proud Ravens tradition by being named Defensive Player of the Year.   

2011 Playoffs: After a bye, the Ravens hosted the Houston Texans in the Divisional Playoff Round. The Texans look to get off to a fast start as they returned the opening kickoff 60 yards to the Ravens 21 yard line. However the Ravens defense allowed just a field goal as their offense took over and took a 17-3 lead, as they took advantage of a few Texans turnovers. The Texans would rebound with ten points in the second quarter as Arian Foster became the first player to rush for 100 yards against the Ravens in the playoffs.  The Ravens defense would hold the lead, as they picked off T. J. Yates three times on the way to a 20-13 win. Facing the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in Foxboro, the Ravens found themselves in another back and forth battle. The Patriots would hold a 23-20 lead late in the fourth quarter as Joe Flacco drove the Ravens down the field looking to win the game and advance to Super Bowl XLVI. However, Flacco's pass to Lee Evans was swatted out of his hands at the last moments by Sterling Moore with 22 seconds left. The Ravens still had a chance to force overtime, but Bill Cundiff's 32 yard field goal attempt sailed wide left as time expired, giving the Patriots a 23-20 win. 

2012: After their heartbreaking loss in the AFC Championship Game, there was a feeling the window of opportunity was closing on the Baltimore Ravens. Ray Lewis was not getting any younger and several key players including Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin, Safety Ed Reed and Quarterback Joe Flacco were set to be free agents at the end of the season. Just before the start of the season, Ravens patriarch Art Modell passed away at the age 87. Despite selling control of the team a few years earlier, Modell had remained a part of the Ravens community. The Ravens would wear a patch with the name Art all season as they dedicated the entire season to the man who brought the NFL back to Baltimore. Opening the season with a Monday Night game at home, the Ravens got off to a strong start, slamming the Cincinnati Bengals 44-13. During the game, Ed Reed became the NFL's all-time leader in return yards off an interception during a 34 yard return for a TD. A week later the Ravens would suffer their first loss of the season as the suffered a 24-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, as Michael Vick scored with 1:57 left in the game. A week later the Ravens returned home for a Sunday Night Game against the New England Patriots. The Ravens got off to a rough start, trailing 13-0 at the end of the 1st Quarter. However, with Torrey Smith playing just hours after learning his brother was killed in a motorcycle crash the Ravens answered back in the 2nd Quarter, briefly taking a 14-13 lead. The Patriots would answer back and take a 20-14 lead at the half. The score would go back and forth, but late in the 4th Quarter it looked like another win for the Pats as they led the Ravens 30-21. However, Smith scored his second TD of the game with 407 remaining; while rookie Justin Tucker hit the game winning Field Goal as time expired. Turner's kick was barely good just clearing over the right upright. Four days later, the Ravens avoided the let down by beating the Cleveland Browns in another primetime game. Following an ugly 9-6 road win against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens faced a tough test against the Dallas Cowboys as they lost CB Lardarius Webb and LB Ray Lewis to injuries. A torn ACL would end Webb's season, but Lewis vowed to return from a torn triceps as the Ravens held on to a 31-29 win, thanks in part to a thrilling 108 yard kickoff return from Jacoby Jones. With the loss of Lewis, Terrell Suggs who suffered an off-season Achilles' injury returned to the lineup as the Ravens faced the Houston Texans and suffered their worst loss of the season 43-13. The Ravens would bounce back to win their next two games heading into a Sunday Night Showdown on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens offense was stalled all game, but with Jacoby Jones returning a punt 63 yards for a Touchdown the Ravens squeezed out a 13-10 win to improve to 8-2 on the season. The Ravens offense continued to struggle as they appeared to be heading for a stunning loss to the San Diego Chargers. However, on 4th and 29 Joe Flacco dumped the ball off to Ray Rice keeping the drive alive. The Ravens would tie the game on a Tucker Field Goal as time expired and would go on to win the game in overtime 16-13. Despite being 9-2 the Ravens play was less then sharp as they went into their home game with the Steelers. The game again would be close, but this time it was the Steelers who won the game 23-20. The Ravens would see an eight point lead evaporate in the final seconds against the Washington Redskins as they lost in overtime 31-28. Hoping for a jumpstart the Ravens fired Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron and replaced him with Jim Caldwell. However, they would lose a third straight against the Denver Broncos 34-17. Despite their losing streak, the Ravens still clinched the playoffs as they looked to wrap up the division title against the New York Giants. Against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Ravens offense finally came alive, as they clinched the AFC North with a 33-14 win. With several key players resting in the final week, the Ravens regular season would end 23-17 loss to the Bengals as they posted a record of 10-6.

2012 Playoffs: As the playoffs began, Ray Lewis the team's leader on and off the field for 17 years announced that he would be retiring after the playoffs. Lewis who had not played since Week 6 returned to action as the Ravens hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round. All eyes were on Ray Lewis as he gave his traditional pre-game dance and pre-game speech with the crowd just as fired up as the team itself. The match up also contained the usual emotion that comes whenever the Colts returned to Baltimore. The Ravens defense bent to allow 419 yards total offense, but did not break as they forced two big turnovers, had three sacks and allowed just four field goal attempts as they won the game 24-9, was Ray Lewis led the team with 13 tackles. Also having a big game was Anquan Boldin who had 145 receiving yards with a 4th Quarter Touchdown that sealed the game. Facing the Denver Broncos on the road in the Division Round, most thought the Ravens season would come to an end, as the Broncos went into the game with an 11-game winning streak. The Broncos jumped out early on a 90 yard punt return by Trindon Holliday. However, the Ravens used the big play themselves as Joe Flacco connected with Torrey Smith on a 59 yard TD pass, which was quickly followed by a 39 yard interception return for a TD by Corey Graham. The Broncos would bounce back and take a 21-14 lead in the 2nd Quarter, but once again it was Flacco to Smith on a 32 yard connection that had the game tied at the half. On the second half kickoff it was Trindon Holliday again who put the Ravens in a hole scoring on a 104 yard return. The Ravens would not go away, tying the game on a Ray Rice 1 yard TD run. The Broncos would take the lead again 35-28, as the Ravens had the ball with under a minute left and no timeouts. After a Flacco scramble netted 7 yards, the big play again arrived as Joe Flacco hocked up with Jacoby Jones on a 70 yard Touchdown pass which forced overtime. The play would get instant NFL lore status as the Mile High Miracle. The two defenses would stiffen in overtime as both teams could not score in their first three possessions. With the first 15 minutes winding down, Corey Graham picked off Peyton Manning for a second time. The first overtime would end with Ray Rice getting the ball into Field Goal position. The Ravens would win the game 38-35 on a 47 yard Field Goal by Justin Tucker. Back in Foxboro one year later the Ravens looked to reach the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots again standing in the way. The Patriots controlled the game early, holding a 13-7 lead at the half. However, the Ravens defense would shut down the Patriots in the second half, as an 87 yard TD drive that end with a Dennis Pita five yard reception would see the Ravens take control. The Ravens would get two Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin Touchdowns in the 4th Quarter, as Bernard Pollard's bone jarring hit on Stephen Ridley that led to a fumble seemed to take the life out of the Patriots as the Ravens advanced to Super Bowl XLVII. 

Super Bowl XLVII: The Super Bowl in New Orleans came with several big storylines as Ray Lewis prepared to play his final game in the brightest spotlight. The biggest storyline was a sibling rivalry as Ravens Coach John Harbaugh faced his younger brother Jim Harbaugh, coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens seized control of the game early as Joe Flacco connected with Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones for two long Touchdown passes to build a 21-6 halftime lead. The Ravens would expand the lead to 28-6 on a record 108 kickoff return by Jacoby Jones to being the second half. The run by Jones electrified the crowd at the Superdome, but it could not keep on the lights as shortly after the ensuing kickoff a power failure left the Superdome darkened. The Ravens who had been dominating the game were forced to sit and wait the next 30 minutes, while the 49ers who were on the ropes had a chance to settle down and refocus on trying to overcome a 22 point deficit. The blackout would reenergize the 49ers as they quickly got back in the game with 17 unanswered points to close the 3rd Quarter. The Ravens would get back on track in the 4th Quarter with a long drive that ended with a Justin Tucker Field Goal. However, the 49ers offense continued their resurgence as Colin Kaepernick cut the lead to 31-29 with a 15 yard scramble. The Ravens defense would hold the lead, stopping the 49ers attempt to tie the game on a two point conversion. The Ravens would get some breathing room at 34-29 on another Justin Tucker Field Goal. However, just before the two minute warning the 49ers got the ball down to the Ravens seven yard line. With the Lombardi Trophy on the line the Ravens defense would turn the 49ers away, forcing four straight incompletions. The Ravens would not be able to run out the clock before the 49ers offense stepped back on the field, as punter Sam Koch ran the ball out the back of the endzone to milk every last second he could. The game would end on the free kick as the Ravens won 34-31 for their second Super Bowl Championship. Joe Flacco who would earn a big pay day in the off-season would be named Super Bowl MVP, with 287 passing yards and three Touchdowns.   

2013: Coming off their second Super Bowl Championship the Ravens took on a whole new look as several key players departed in the off-season. Ray Lewis and Matt Birk both retired, while they lost several key Free Agents including Paul Kruger, Ed Reed, Dannell Ellerbe and Cary Williams. To assure they would not lose the Super Bowl MVP. The Ravens inked Quarterback Joe Flacco to a six-year contract worth $120.6 million. This would force the Ravens to make some salary cap cuts, as they dealt Anquan Boldin to the San Francisco 49ers and released Bernard Pollard. The Ravens would also lose one of the great rewards of winning a Super Bowl as they were unable to open the season at home, due to the Baltimore Orioles refusing to reschedule a Thursday Night Game. The Ravens would still play in the season opener, but would have to begin the season on the road against the Denver Broncos. The Broncos would come out to make a statement in the season opener, as Peyton Manning tied a record with seven touchdowns as the Broncos trampled over the champions 49-27. In their home opener against the Cleveland Browns the Ravens defense would play much better, limiting the Browns to two first half field goals. However, for most of the game their offense could not get anything going. Eventually the Ravens would wear down the Browns and take the lead in the third quarter with a five yard run from Bernard Pierce, add a Joe Flacco TD pass to Marlon Brown to win the game 14-6. The Ravens would have a better account of themselves in Week 3, as they beat the Houston Texans 30-9, despite missing Ray Rice to injury. Trailing 6-3 in the second quarter, the Ravens turned the game around on a 37 yard interception return by Daryl Smith, while Tandon Doss added an 82 yard punt return to give the Ravens a 17-9 halftime lead. Back on the road the Ravens would suffer another setback in Week 4, as Joe Flacco was picked off five times in a 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Joe Flacco continued to struggle against the Miami Dolphins, as the Ravens blew a ten point lead in the fourth quarter, with Rashad Jones returned a Flacco interception to even the score.  However, the Ravens would salvage the game with a 26-23 win as Justin Tucker nailed a 44 yard Field Goal with 1:42 left. The Ravens continued to play close games, but dropped their next two games to the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers as their offense faltered/ After hitting the bye week with a record of 3-4, the Ravens offensive blues continued as they saw an 11 game winnings streak snapped against Browns, losing in Cleveland 24-18. Against the Cincinnati Bengals at home, the Ravens appeared to be well on their way to getting their season back on track as they led 17-3 in the 4th Quarter. However, the Bengals would rally to tie the game with a big run by Giovani Bernard and a 51 yard Hail Mary pass caught by A.J. Green at the end of regulation. Despite the stunning comeback, the Ravens resettled themselves and stopped the Bengals on defense in overtime, as Justin Tucker won the game 20-17 with a 46 yard Field Goal. Despite the win the Ravens, could not get their season turned around, as they suffered an 23-20 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, despite a big game by Ray Rice who rushed for 131 yards with a touchdown. As the sun began to set on their season, the Ravens began to look like Super Bowl Champions as they shut down the New York Jets 19-3, and beat the Steelers 22-20 in a Thanksgiving thriller that saw the Ravens hold on after turning back a two point conversion attempt with 66 seconds left. At 6-6 the Ravens hosted the Minnesota Vikings on snowy Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. For three quarters the two teams trigged and slipped through the icey field, with the Ravens holding a 7-6 lead. The Vikings would take a 12-6 lead early in the fourth quarter on a Matt Cassel touchdown pass. With 2:05 left the Ravens answered with Flacco connecting with Dennis Pitta, adding the two points to take a 15-12 lead. The Vikings would regain the lead on a 41 yard run by Toby Gerhart starting one of the craziest final 90 seconds in NFL history. Trailing 19-15, the stunned crowed would quickly have reason to cheer as Jacoby Jones returned the kickoff 77 yards for a TD. Though the lead would be short lived as the Vikings answered back Cordarrelle Patterson had a 79 yard catch and run to give the Vikings a 26-22 advantage with 45 seconds left. However, Joe Flacco looking like he did in their playoff run, led the Ravens down the field and connected with  Marlon Brown on a nine yard pass with nine seconds left to give the Ravens a 29-26 win. The Ravens resurgence continued with an 18-16 Monday Night win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Ravens offense stalled all game, but Justin Tucker saved the day with a team record six Field Goals, including a 61 yard prayer with 38 seconds to win the game. However, the Ravens playoff hopes would suffer a fatal blow six days later, when they suffered a 41-7 home loss to the New England Patriots. The Ravens season would end with a 34-17 loss to the Bengals, as they finished the year with a record of 8-8. In the first year of his six year deal, Joe Flacco passed for 3,912 yards, but had a career high 22 interceptions and 19 touchdowns. Ray Rice also had a disappointing season, rushing for just 660 yards, with four touchdowns.     

2014: As the season began the Baltimore Ravens were surrounded by turmoil, as Running Back Ray Rice was set to serve a two game suspension for a much publicized domestic violence assault in Atlantic City. Despite missing their top rusher, the Ravens played well in their season opener losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 23-16 as Andy Dalton's 77 yard Touchdown pass to A.J. Green was the difference maker. A day later the Ray Rice situation went from bad to worse, as more video was uncovered showing Rice punch his future Wife Janay Palmer and dragging her out of the Revel Casino's elevator. Rice would be immediately released by the Ravens and suspended indecently. The Ravens would have little time to prepare for Week 2 as they hosted the hated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens defense put forth a strong effort, while Owen Daniels caught two Touchdowns from Joe Flacco to lead the way in a 26-6 win at M&T Bank Stadium. A week later the Ravens showed the ability to comeback as they defeated the Cleveland Browns 23-21 on a 32 yard Field Goal by Justin Tucker as time expired. Back home the Ravens set the tone against the Carolina Panthers early as Steve Smith Sr. caught a 61 yard touchdown pass against his former team from Flacco leading the way to an easy 38-10 victory. Following a hard fought 20-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens continued their strong play on offense, as Joe Flacco has record five touchdown passes in the game's first 16 minutes during a 48-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens would also defeat the Atlanta Falcons to improve to 5-2. However, with a chance to firmly establish themselves as the team to beat in the AFC North, the Ravens would suffer back-to-back road losses to the Bengals and Steelers. The loss to the Bengals was particularly frustrating as Steve Smith Sr. was called for offensive pass interference wiping out an 80 yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the fourth quarter during a 27-24 loss. Following their 43-23 Sunday Night loss to the Steelers the Ravens restructured their secondary cutting Chykie Brown and Dominique Franks and reacquiring Danny Gorrer. The move seemed to help as the Ravens went into the bye week with a record of 6-4 following a 21-7 win over the Tennessee Titans. Coming out of the bye week it was Justin Forsett continuing to fill the role left by Ray Rice nicely, rushing for 182 yards with two touchdowns as the Ravens edged the New Orleans Saints 34-27 in a Monday Night Game at the Superdome. Forsett would finish the season with 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns. Returning home the Ravens would suffer their worst loss of the season, blowing a ten point lead in the fourth quarter as the San Diego Chargers won 34-33 on Phillip Rivers touchdown pass with 38 seconds left. The resilient Ravens continued to rebound, sacking Ryan Tannehill six times in a 28-13 road win over the Miami Dolphins that would be key to keeping their playoff hopes alive. The Ravens would split their next two games, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-12 at home and losing on the road to the Houston Texans 25-13. Needing to beat the Cleveland Browns in their final game, the Raven scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win 20-10, combined with the Chargers losing their finale to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens were back in the playoffs after a one year absence with a record of 10-6, as Joe Flacco bounced back from a disappointing season to pass for 3,986 yards with 27 touchdowns. 

2014 Playoffs: In the playoffs the Baltimore Ravens would face the arch rival Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round. After splitting the regular season meetings, the Ravens defense played a key role forcing three turnovers. Meanwhile the offense scored on six of nine possession in a 30-17 win at Heinz Field. The win marked the first time that the Ravens beat their rivals in the playoffs. Joe Flacco was solid with 259 yards and two touchdowns, while Justin Turner continued to be the most reliable kicker in the NFL with three Field Goals two of which were over 45 yards. Against the top seeded New England Patriots, the Ravens got off to a fast start with two early touchdowns by Joe Flacco to build a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. After the Patriots evened the score the Ravens continued to deliver body blows, with Flacco connecting with Owen Daniels on an 11 yard Touchdown pass late in the first half. On the first series of the third quarter the Ravens rebuilt their two touchdown lead, on a 16 yard pass play to Justin Forsett. However, once again the Patriots would fight back and tie the score 28-28 at the end of the third quarter. Controversy arose on the game tying score as the Patriots aligned in an illegal formation. Joe Flacco would see his string of 197 straight postseason passes without an interception, but the Ravens defense held firm keeping the game tied. The Ravens would again take the lead on a grinding 16 play drive, but this time they settled for a 25 yard Field Goal from Justin Tucker. The Patriots would answer with ten play drive that resulted in a touchdown giving them their first lead of the game. The Ravens appeared to be set to answer, and drove down to the New England 36, before Joe Flacco was picked off in the end zone by Duron Harmon. The Patriots would win the game 35-31 as last ditch Hail Mary from Flacco was deflected away.