Super Bowl XXXV

In U.S. football, Super Bowl XXXV took place on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

The final result was Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7.

Before the game

Playoffs:

• Wild-card round:
  • 12/30/2000: NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, St. Louis Rams 28

This prevented the Rams from repeating as world champions.

• • 12/30/2000: AFC: Miami Dolphins 23, Indianapolis Colts 17
  • 12/31/2000: NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3

The Buccaneers were the host team for Super Bowl XXXV, yet were eliminated in this first round of the playoffs.

• • 12/31/2000: AFC: Baltimore Ravens 21, Denver Broncos 3
  • byes: AFC: Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans; NFC: New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings

• Divisional playoff:
  • 1/6/2001: NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, New Orleans Saints 16
  • 1/6/2001: AFC: Oakland Raiders 27, Miami Dolphins 0
  • 1/7/2001: NFC: New York Giants 20, Philadelphia Eagles 10
  • 1/7/2001: AFC: Baltimore Ravens 24, Tennessee Titans 10
• Conference championship:
  • 1/14/2001: NFC: New York Giants 41, Minnesota Vikings 0
  • 1/14/2001: AFC: Baltimore Ravens 16, Oakland Raiders 3

The game

The Ravens had the stingiest defense by far in the NFL in 2000, and they proved it against the Giants. New York quarterback Kerry Collins was helpless against the Baltimore attack, being sacked four times, throwing four interceptions and completing only 15 of 39 passes. One of those interceptions was returned by Dwayne Starks 49 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, which set off a chain of events unseen before in Super Bowl history - three touchdowns on three consecutive plays.

On the ensuing kickoff, Ron Dixon ran 97 yards for the Giants' only score of the game. Then, Baltimore's Jermaine Lewis returned the next kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown.

But by that point, the game was already over. New York had only 152 yards of total offense - Baltimore QB Trent Dilfer got 153 yards on passing alone. Ravens running back Jamal Lewis added another 102 yards to the offense.

The Ravens joined the 1972 Miami Dolphins (Super Bowl VII) as the only teams in Super Bowl history to shut out the opposing offense. Both teams gave up their only touchdowns on special teams plays.

In a major turnaround for one player, Ray Lewis, who had been arrested on murder charges a year earlier, was named Super Bowl MVP.