The 2000 Ravens defense was insanely dominant (obviously). Some stats that to my eye don't get enough play about them...
Out of 20 games played that mattered (playoffs included) the DEFENSE surrendered 10 points or less in 16 of them. 80% of the time they took the field, the DEFENSE gave up 10 or less. And that was with an offense that didn't always keep them off the field for LONG periods of time either. One of those 16 games, as a TEAM, they gave up 14 points but 7 of them were on an INT return while the offense had the ball.
In the 4 playoff games, the defense itself surrendered 16 points... total. The Giants only score in the Superbowl was on a kickoff return, which by chance happened because Duane Starks had just scored on defense with an INT return of his own. In the playoffs, the defense alone was outscored 16-7 over four games. Also in the AFC title game, the only 3 points the Raiders scored was on a drive that started inside the Ravens 40 after a Dilfer INT.
And the Titans took the #1 ranking largely due to the Jets coming out in the season finale deciding they would try to be Tom Brady before he even existed... and had Vinny chuck it up 69 times. SIXTY NINE passes in one game. So they managed to roll up a bunch of yardage which in the end was meaningless...
Interestingly enough, the season finale vs the Jets featured the only defensive TD of the regular season when Chris McAllister jump a quick out route and took to the house.
The perception was the defense scored a lot of points in 2000 but they didn't. They stopped a lot of scoring but didn't score much themselves.
