Editing Baltimore Ravens (section)

====2000: Super Bowl XXXV champions====
{{main|2000 Baltimore Ravens season}}
Banks shared playing time in the 2000 regular season with [[Trent Dilfer]]. Both players put up decent numbers (and a 1,364-yard rushing season by rookie [[Jamal Lewis (American football)|Jamal Lewis]] helped too) but the defense became the team's hallmark and bailed a struggling offense out in many instances through the season. [[Ray Lewis (American football)|Ray Lewis]] was named Defensive Player of the Year. Two of his defensive teammates, [[Sam Adams (American football)|Sam Adams]] and [[Rod Woodson]], made the [[Pro Bowl]]. Baltimore's season started strong with a 5–1 record. But the team struggled through midseason, at one point going five games without scoring an offensive touchdown. The team regrouped and won each of their last seven games, finishing 12–4 and making the [[2000–01 NFL playoffs|playoffs]] for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2000 Baltimore Ravens Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/2000.htm |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

During the 2000 season, the Ravens' dominating defense broke a notable NFL record. They held opposing teams to 165 total points, surpassing the 1986 Chicago Bears mark of 187 points for a 16-game season, which at that time was the current NFL record. That record still stands, and the 2000 Ravens remain in the discussion as one of the greatest NFL defenses of all time, most notably alongside the [[1985 Chicago Bears season|1985 Chicago Bears]] defense.<ref name="i033">{{Cite web |last=Banks |first=Paul |date=May 13, 2024 |title=Comparing the 1985 Chicago Bears and 2000 Baltimore Ravens defenses |url=https://ravenswire.usatoday.com/2024/05/13/comparing-the-1985-chicago-bears-and-2000-baltimore-ravens-defenses/ |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=Ravens Wire |publisher=USA Today}}</ref><ref name="t201">{{cite web |title=Just how crazy good was the 1985 Chicago Bears defense? |website=ESPN.com |date=June 28, 2016 |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/120543/just-how-crazy-good-was-the-1985-chicago-bears-defense |access-date=August 16, 2024}}</ref>

Since the divisional rival [[2000 Tennessee Titans season|Tennessee Titans]] had a record of 13–3, the Ravens had to play in the [[Wild card (sports)#National Football League|wild card]] round. They dominated the [[2000 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] 21–3 in their first game.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens - December 31st, 2000 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200012310rav.htm |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In the divisional playoff, they went on the road to Tennessee. With the score tied 10–10 in the fourth quarter, an [[Al Del Greco]] [[field goal (football)|field goal]] attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Anthony Mitchell, and a [[Ray Lewis (American football)|Ray Lewis]] interception return for a score put the game squarely in Baltimore's favor. The 24–10 win put the Ravens in the [[AFC Championship]] against the [[2000 Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - January 7th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101070oti.htm |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The game was rarely in doubt. [[Shannon Sharpe]]'s 96-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter followed by an injury to Raiders quarterback [[Rich Gannon]] were crucial as the Ravens won easily, 16–3.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders - January 14th, 2001 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/200101140rai.htm |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Geoge W. Bush meets with Baltimore Ravens 20010607-4.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Ravens meet President [[George W. Bush]] in 2001. Bush is at center. On the left is [[Rod Woodson]], and on the right is [[Brian Billick]].]]
Baltimore then went to [[Tampa]] for [[Super Bowl XXXV]] against the [[New York Giants]]. The Ravens' defense carried them to a win. They recorded four sacks and forced five turnovers, one of which was a [[Kerry Collins]] interception returned for a touchdown by [[Duane Starks]]. The Giants' only score was a [[Ron Dixon (American football)|Ron Dixon]] kickoff return for a touchdown; however, the Ravens immediately countered with a touchdown return on the next kickoff by [[Jermaine Lewis (American football, born 1974)|Jermaine Lewis]]. The Ravens became champions with a 34–7 win.<ref name="n162">{{cite web |last=Zrebiec |first=Jeff |title='It was a different time': 2000 Ravens were one of the last teams of its kind |website=The Athletic |date=February 4, 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2365422/2021/02/04/baltimore-ravens-2000-super-bowl-champions/ |access-date=August 16, 2024}}</ref>