Broncos at Ravens
PSINet Stadium
Baltimore, Md.
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000
AT A GLANCE: Both teams enter this game after big wins,
but Baltimore had to rely on three touchdowns from its special teams and defense to beat
the Jets 34-20. The Broncos have won seven of eight and handled the 49ers in Week 17.
|
| OVERVIEW: The fact the Broncos and Ravens are in
this spot with 11-5 and 12-4 records, respectively, is a credit to their perseverence. The
Broncos played nearly the entire season without their two top running backs and five weeks
without rising star QB Brian Griese.
The Ravens went 21 quarters without scoring a touchdown during the middle of the season
and have had several other games in which they haven’t exactly lit up the scoreboard
offensively.
The Broncos bounced back from an embarassing 20-7 loss to the Chiefs in Week 16 to
trounce the 49ers 38-9 last week. Griese returned from the separated shoulder he suffered
in Week 11 but was knocked out of action again on the fifth play of the game.
Griese’s status for this game was still up in the air at presstime.
Ravens QB Trent Dilfer also is nursing an injury. He hurt his left wrist in
Baltimore’s Week 17 victory over the Jets but came back in when backup Tony Banks
injured his shoulder. Dilfer should be ready to play vs. Denver.
WHEN THE BRONCOS HAVE THE BALL:
While Griese provides more mobility than Gus Frerotte at the QB position and
doesn’t commit as many turnovers, the Broncos have continued to play well with
Frerotte under center. His strong arm has kept the Broncos’ balanced offense rolling
along.
No matter how many receptions the 100-catch tandem of Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith reel
in, Denver is still a team that likes to flaunt its power-running style. RB Mike Anderson,
who finished his rookie season with 1,500 yards on the ground, has done a better job of
running lower to the ground and has shown he can carry the load in tight games.
Denver’s three tight ends — Dwayne Carswell, Byron Chamberlain and Desmond
Clark — have been put to good use, combining for 98 catches and seven touchdowns this
season. They are all valuable options in short-yardage situations and on play-action
passes. |
|
|
| PSINet Stadium |
| Baltimore, Md. |
| Date: Sunday, Dec. 31, 2000 |
| 12:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time |
| Type Of Turf: Natural |
| Meeting Of The Year: First |
| Season Record: |
| |
Denver |
11-5-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
12-4-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Denver |
9-7-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
10-5-1 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
Denver (R) |
5-3-0 |
| |
Baltimore (H) |
6-2-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
Denver (R) |
6-2-0 |
| |
Baltimore (H) |
5-2-1 |
| Record On Natural Turf: |
| |
Denver |
9-4-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
11-4-0 |
| Record On Natural Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
Denver |
6-7-0 |
| |
Baltimore |
9-5-1 |
|
|
| Denver’s offensive line is technically very sound and provides plenty of cut-back
gaps for Anderson. It will have its hands full with the Ravens’ defense, which often
crowds the box to stop the run. Shutting down the opponent’s ground game is
Baltimore’s specialty, as the Ravens have kept their opponent under 65 rushing yards
11 times this season. Leading that charge are mammoth DTs Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams
and MLB Ray Lewis. The Ravens have possibly the smartest and best tackling defense in the
business. Although they don’t get a ton of sacks, the Ravens are the best in the
league in turnover differential, which has demoralized opponents this season.
The Jets attacked Baltimore with a no-huddle offense last week with positive results,
scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions. The Ravens were able to make
adjustments and make New York one-dimensional, but the Ravens did give up more than 500
yards of offense.
Ravens CBs Duane Starks and Chris McAlister have been picked on at times, but they also
are capable of coming up with big plays.
WHEN THE RAVENS HAVE THE BALL:
Just when it looked like the offense was coming together, it goes out and hits the
skids the past two games, recording just five first downs last week after failing to score
a touchdown vs. Arizona in Week 16.
While rookie RB Jamal Lewis is still prone to fumbling, he has become the centerpiece
of the Ravens’ offense with a combination of power and speed. Lewis gets great
blocking from FB Sam Gash and room to run because of the attention defenses must pay to TE
Shannon Sharpe.
Baltimore’s offensive line has not been that solid in its pass blocking the last
three weeks, surrendering 11 sacks over that time. QB Trent Dilfer hasn’t had ample
time, but he also has been making poor decisions.
The Broncos may look to keep their blitzing ways from Week 17 in the game plan for the
postseason. Denver’s defense has made a habit of giving up large chunks of yardage at
an alarming rate, but the Broncos were able to disrupt the 49ers’ potent attack last
week by sending extra pass rushers with regularity.
Denver’s much-maligned secondary fared quite well in battling San Francisco’s
hot group of receivers, and the Broncos rarely wasted opportunities to pressure the
elusive Jeff Garcia. They will have a much slower target in Dilfer this week, but CBs Ray
Crockett and Terrell Buckley have not played that consistently when Denver’s pass
rush has been average.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Dec. 25, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
80 SMITH, 83 McGriff, 84 Cole |
| OLT |
77 JONES, 65 Carlisle* |
| OLG |
64 FRIEDMAN, 66 Nalen, 63 Mercier |
| C |
66 NALEN, 60 K.C. Jones |
| ORG |
62 NEIL, 64 Friedman |
| ORT |
78 LEPSIS, 65 Carlisle* |
| TE |
89 CARSWELL, 88 Clark, 86 Chamberlain |
| WR |
87 McCAFFREY, 85 Fields* |
| QB |
12 FREROTTE, 14 Griese, 17 Jackson* |
| RB |
38 ANDERSON*, 30 Davis, 46 Coleman |
| FB |
29 GRIFFITH, 42 Smith |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
98 TANUVASA, 92 Archambeau |
| DLT |
94 TRAYLOR, 97 Lodish, 90 Johnson |
| DRT |
93 PRYCE, 99 Reagor |
| DRE |
95 PITTMAN, 96 Hasselbach |
| SLB |
53 ROMANOWSKI, 59 Cadrez |
| MLB |
56 WILSON, 55 Burns |
| WLB |
51 MOBLEY, 52 Gold* |
| LCB |
39 CROCKETT, 24 O'Neal*, 35 Suttle |
| RCB |
27 BUCKLEY, 33 Spencer |
| SS |
32 JENKINS, 28 Kennedy* |
| FS |
26 BROWN, 48 Coghill |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
16 ROUEN |
| PK |
1 ELAM, 2 Lindsey |
| H |
16 ROUEN |
| PR |
24 O'NEAL*, 27 Buckley |
| KR |
24 O'NEAL*, 84 Cole |
| KC |
78 LEPSIS |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
87 ISMAIL, 80 Stokley, 86 Davis |
| OLT |
75 OGDEN, 71 Folau |
| OLG |
64 MULITALO, 77 Vickers, 74 Bobo |
| C |
60 J. MITCHELL, 62 Flynn, 66 Hudson |
| ORG |
62 FLYNN, 77 Vickers, 74 Bobo |
| ORT |
70 SWAYNE, 71 Folau, 72 Williams |
| TE |
82 SHARPE, 81 Coates, 85 Jones |
| WR |
83 JOHNSON, 84 Je. Lewis, 11 Nash |
| QB |
8 DILFER, 12 Banks, 7 Redman* |
| RB |
31 JA. LEWIS* 33 Holmes |
| FB |
32 GASH, 29 Evans |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
90 BURNETT, 93 K. Washington |
| DLT |
95 ADAMS, 79 Webster |
| DRT |
98 SIRAGUSA, 91 Dalton |
| DRE |
99 McCRARY, 96 Thomas* |
| LLB |
58 BOULWARE, 51 Brown |
| MLB |
52 R. LEWIS, 50 Jackson, 57 Brigance |
| RLB |
55 SHARPER, 48 Davis, 57 Brigance |
| LCB |
22 STARKS, 38 Trapp |
| RCB |
21 McALISTER, 35 Bailey, 25 Love |
| SS |
20 HERRING, 43 Poindexter |
| FS |
26 WOODSON, 45 Harris, 42 A. Mitchell |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
5 RICHARDSON |
| PK |
3 STOVER |
| H |
5 RICHARDSON, 80 Stokley |
| KR |
45 HARRIS, 33 Holmes, 87 Ismail |
| PR |
84 JE. LEWIS, 22 Starks, 26 Woodson |
| KC |
66 HUDSON, 62 Flynn |
* Rookie |
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