Gridiron Glory
An analytical review of the 2000-01 NFL postseason, detailing the strategic battles, pivotal moments, and the Baltimore Ravens' ultimate triumph in Super Bowl XXXV.
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Overview
Key Dates and Season Context
The National Football League playoffs for the 2000 season commenced on December 30, 2000, and culminated with Super Bowl XXXV on January 28, 2001. This postseason marked a significant point as it was the final instance where the playoffs began in December. Subsequent seasons saw the league shift the regular season start date, consequently pushing the playoff commencement into January.
Champions and Contenders
The tournament featured 12 teams competing across 11 games. The ultimate victor was the Baltimore Ravens, who decisively defeated the New York Giants with a score of 34โ7 in Super Bowl XXXV. The conference runners-up, demonstrating strong campaigns, were the Minnesota Vikings from the NFC and the Oakland Raiders from the AFC.
Super Bowl XXXV Venue
The championship game, Super Bowl XXXV, was hosted at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. This neutral site selection is a standard practice for the Super Bowl, providing a grand stage for the culmination of the NFL season.
Participants
Playoff Seeding Explained
The NFL playoff system for the 2000 season involved 12 teams: three division winners and three wild card teams from each conference (AFC and NFC). Division winners were seeded 1โ3 based on their regular-season records, while wild card teams were seeded 4โ6. The top two seeds in each conference received a first-round bye, a significant advantage in the tournament structure.
AFC Playoff Seeds
The American Football Conference (AFC) saw a strong lineup of contenders:
- 1. Tennessee Titans (Central winner)
- 2. Oakland Raiders (West winner)
- 3. Miami Dolphins (East winner)
- 4. Baltimore Ravens (Wild card)
- 5. Denver Broncos (Wild card)
- 6. Indianapolis Colts (Wild card)
NFC Playoff Seeds
The National Football Conference (NFC) also presented a competitive field:
- 1. New York Giants (East winner)
- 2. Minnesota Vikings (Central winner)
- 3. New Orleans Saints (West winner)
- 4. Philadelphia Eagles (Wild card)
- 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Wild card)
- 6. St. Louis Rams (Wild card)
Structure
Playoff Progression
The NFL playoffs operate without a fixed bracket system, allowing for dynamic matchups. The tournament unfolds in several distinct rounds:
- Wild Card Playoffs: The third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth seed, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth.
- Divisional Playoffs: The number 1 seed hosts the lowest-remaining seed from the Wild Card round, while the number 2 seed plays the other remaining team.
- Conference Championship Games: The two winning teams from each conference's divisional playoffs meet, with the higher seed hosting.
- Super Bowl: The championship round, played at a neutral site, with the designated home team based on an annual conference rotation.
Broadcast Evolution
The 2000-01 playoffs marked the last season where all games in the first three rounds were consistently played at the traditional 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST kickoff times. In subsequent seasons, the NFL introduced prime-time playoff games for the initial two rounds, a strategic move to enhance television viewership and engagement.
Television Coverage
Broadcast rights for the 2000-01 NFL playoffs were distributed among major networks:
- ABC: Televised the first two Wild Card playoff games.
- Fox: Covered the remaining NFC games, including the NFC Championship.
- CBS: Broadcast the remaining AFC playoff games, including the AFC Championship, and held the prestigious rights to Super Bowl XXXV, marking their first Super Bowl broadcast since Super Bowl XXVI at the conclusion of the 1991โ92 playoffs.
Wildcard
Miami Dolphins 23, Indianapolis Colts 17 (OT)
In a thrilling overtime contest, the Dolphins overcame three first-half turnovers. Running back Lamar Smith delivered a record-setting performance with 40 carries for 209 yards, including the decisive 17-yard touchdown run in overtime. Despite a strong start from Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James for the Colts, Miami's second-half resurgence, led by quarterback Jay Fiedler, forced overtime. The Colts missed a 49-yard field goal attempt in overtime before Smith sealed the Dolphins' victory. This remains the Dolphins' most recent playoff win.
New Orleans Saints 31, St. Louis Rams 28
The Saints secured their first playoff victory in franchise history, holding off the defending champion Rams. Quarterback Aaron Brooks threw for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Despite an early Rams lead, New Orleans scored 31 unanswered points. The Rams, led by Kurt Warner, mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback with three touchdowns, but a muffed punt recovery by the Saints' Brian Milne ultimately sealed the win. Willie Jackson tied a playoff record with three touchdown receptions.
Baltimore Ravens 21, Denver Broncos 3
The Ravens' formidable defense dominated, limiting the Broncos to just 177 total yards, 42 rushing yards, and three points. Baltimore recorded five sacks and contained star rookie running back Mike Anderson. Key plays included a 58-yard touchdown pass from Trent Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe and a 27-yard touchdown run by Jamal Lewis. This game marked the first time in 28 postseason games that the Broncos were held without a touchdown.
Philadelphia Eagles 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3
The Eagles' defense stifled the Buccaneers, holding them to 199 total yards and 11 first downs. After an early Buccaneers field goal, Philadelphia took control. Quarterback Donovan McNabb scored a 5-yard touchdown run and threw two touchdown passes, one to Na Brown and another to Jeff Thomason. Key turnovers, including a forced fumble by Hugh Douglas, shifted momentum in the Eagles' favor, securing a comfortable victory.
Divisional
Minnesota Vikings 34, New Orleans Saints 16
Quarterback Daunte Culpepper led the Vikings to victory with 305 passing yards and three touchdowns, without any sacks or interceptions. Randy Moss caught two touchdown passes, including a 53-yarder on the game's third play and a 68-yarder in the third quarter. Cris Carter also contributed significantly with a career-high 120 receiving yards and a touchdown. Despite Aaron Brooks' efforts for the Saints, the Vikings maintained a commanding lead throughout the game.
Oakland Raiders 27, Miami Dolphins 0
The Raiders delivered a dominant shutout performance in their first home playoff game in Oakland since 1980. They scored 20 points in the first half, amassed 140 rushing yards, and forced four turnovers. Tory James' 90-yard interception return for a touchdown set the tone early. Rich Gannon threw a touchdown pass to James Jett, and Tyrone Wheatley added a rushing touchdown. The Dolphins' offense struggled, turning the ball over multiple times.
Baltimore Ravens 24, Tennessee Titans 10
Despite a modest offensive output, the Ravens secured victory through exceptional defensive and special teams plays. The game was tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter until Anthony Mitchell returned a blocked field goal 90 yards for a touchdown. Shortly after, Ray Lewis intercepted a Steve McNair pass and returned it 50 yards for another touchdown, sealing the win for Baltimore. Trent Dilfer's 56-yard pass to Shannon Sharpe was a key offensive highlight.
New York Giants 20, Philadelphia Eagles 10
The Giants established an early lead and held off the Eagles. Ron Dixon returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Jason Sehorn added a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown, contributing to a 17-0 lead. Despite Donovan McNabb's efforts and three forced turnovers by the Eagles, New York's defense, highlighted by Michael Strahan's two sacks and forced fumble, maintained control. Brad Daluiso added two field goals for the Giants.
Conference
NFC Championship: New York Giants 41, Minnesota Vikings 0
In a historically lopsided NFC Championship Game, the New York Giants delivered a dominant 41-0 shutout against the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterback Kerry Collins threw for 381 yards and five touchdowns, with Ike Hilliard catching 10 passes for 155 yards and two scores. The Giants' defense was impenetrable, limiting the Vikings to just 114 offensive yards, sacking Daunte Culpepper four times, and forcing five turnovers. This marked the Vikings' worst postseason loss and first shutout in their playoff history.
AFC Championship: Baltimore Ravens 16, Oakland Raiders 3
The Baltimore Ravens' defense once again proved to be the decisive factor, forcing four interceptions and holding the Raiders' offense to a mere 191 total yards and three points. Ravens kicker Matt Stover contributed three field goals. A pivotal moment occurred when Shannon Sharpe caught a short pass and ran 96 yards for a touchdown from their own 4-yard line. Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon was sidelined by injury, and his replacement, Bobby Hoying, was intercepted twice. Jamie Sharper sealed the game with a late interception.
Superbowl
Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7
The 2000-01 NFL postseason culminated in Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, where the Baltimore Ravens faced the New York Giants. The Ravens' dominant defense, a hallmark of their season, completely stifled the Giants' offense, limiting them to just seven points. Baltimore secured a resounding 34-7 victory, claiming the franchise's first Super Bowl title. This marked the first Super Bowl meeting between these two franchises.
Schedule
Game Timings and Broadcasts
The following table provides a comprehensive overview of the 2000-01 NFL playoff schedule, including game dates, kickoff times (Eastern Time), and television broadcasters. This season maintained traditional kickoff slots, a practice that would evolve in subsequent years with the introduction of prime-time playoff games.
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Important Notice
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