Ravens Beat Broncos 21-3

ByABC News
December 31, 2000, 5:42 PM

B A L T I M O R E, Dec. 31 -- The Baltimore Ravens delivered an emphaticmessage to the Denver Broncos and the rest of the NFL today: Weare for real.

The Ravens shut down the leagues second-ranked offense and gota bizarre touchdown from former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe ina 21-3 wild-card rout of Denver. The Broncos were held without atouchdown for the first time in 28 postseason games over a span ofthree decades.

We were like a pack of deer being chased by wolves, Ravensdefensive tackle Tony Siragusa said after they held the Broncos to177 yards, 233 below their average.

Baltimore, in its first playoff game in 23 years, had five sacksand held rookie Mike Anderson, who gained 1,500 yards rushing thisseason, to 40 on 15 carries.

I didnt really believe they ever saw a defense like ours,added middle linebacker Ray Lewis, the star of a unit that allowedan NFL-record 165 points and had four regular-season shutouts.

For Baltimore, the long wait for another playoff game was worthit. In winning the first postseason game in this city since 1977,when the Colts lost to Oakland, the Ravens earned a trip toNashville to play the Tennessee Titans, who edged them for the AFCCentral crown.

Emotions Were High After 23 Years

The emotions were high after 23 years, Lewis said. I was 2 the last time there was a playoff game here.

As for the Titans, whose only loss this season at AdelphiaColiseum was to Baltimore, Lewis added, We know it is atournament and that is our mindset. A lot of people said to get tothe Super Bowl, you have to go through Tennessee.

While the Ravens head south, the Broncos head home with theirfirst postseason loss since 1996. They won seven straight on theirway to Super Bowl titles in 1997 and 98, then didnt make theplayoffs last year.

When you come into a place like this and you make mistakes,its hard to overcome it, said quarterback Gus Frerotte, fillingin for injured Brian Griese. And we made mistakes.