2000–01 NFL Playoffs
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National Football League playoffs The National Football League (NFL) playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held after the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Currently, seven teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaki ...
for the 2000 season began on December 30, 2000. The postseason tournament concluded with the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
defeating the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
in
Super Bowl XXXV Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
, 34–7, on January 28, 2001, at
Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida that opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football program. The se ...
in
Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
. This would be the final season where the playoffs began in December. The following year, the league pushed the start of the season forward one week (to the weekend after
Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...
), which effectively pushed the start of playoffs one week later (into January).


Participants


Bracket


Schedule

This would be the last time that all playoff games during the first three rounds would normally be played at the accustomed times of 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST. The following season, the NFL scheduled
prime time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
playoff games for the first two rounds in an attempt to attract more television viewers. In the United States,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
broadcast the first two Wild Card playoff games.
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
then televised the rest of the
NFC NFC may refer to: Psychology * Need for cognition, in psychology * Need for closure, social psychological term Sports * NFC Championship Game, the National Football Conference Championship Game * NCAA Football Championship (Philippines) * Nati ...
games.
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
broadcast the rest of the AFC playoff games and
Super Bowl XXXV Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
(their first Super Bowl broadcast since
Super Bowl XXVI Super Bowl XXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
at the end of the 1991–92 playoffs).


Wild Card playoffs


Saturday, December 30, 2000


AFC: Miami Dolphins 23, Indianapolis Colts 17 (OT)

The Dolphins overcame three first half turnovers as running back
Lamar Smith Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives for for 16 terms, a district including most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as w ...
set a playoff record with 40 carries for 209 yards, including the game-winning 17-yard touchdown run in overtime. He also caught 3 passes for 18 yards. After the Dolphins threw an incomplete pass on 4th and 6 from the Colts 39-yard line, Colts quarterback
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
's 25-yard completion to tight end
Jerome Pathon Jerome Pathon (born December 16, 1975) is a South African-born Canadian American football coach and former wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He later was a position coach for both the University of So ...
set up the first score of the game on a 32-yard field goal by kicker
Mike Vanderjagt Michael John Vanderjagt ( ; born March 24, 1970) is a Canadian former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily with the Indianapolis Colts. He served as the Colts' placekicker from 1998 to ...
. Miami threatened to score late in the first quarter, but quarterback
Jay Fiedler Jay Brian Fiedler (born December 29, 1971) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played 76 games at quarterback in the NFL, starting 60, and threw 69 touchdowns. He was inducted into the National Jewi ...
's pass in the end zone was intercepted by Indianapolis safety
Chad Cota Chad Cota (born August 13, 1971) is a former professional American football strong safety in the NFL. He attended Ashland High School followed by the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Draft and went ...
. On the next play, running back
Edgerrin James Edgerrin Tyree James (; born August 1, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at the University of Miami ...
broke off a 34-yard run, but the drive stalled and the Colts had to punt. After that, Colts defensive end
Chad Bratzke Chad Alan Bratzke (born September 15, 1971) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). College career Bratzke played college football at Eastern Kentucky University. As a freshman, he totaled 47 solo tac ...
gave his team another great scoring opportunity when he intercepted Fiedler's
screen pass A screen pass is a play in gridiron football consisting of a short pass to a receiver who is protected by a screen of blockers. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is b ...
at the Dolphins 25-yard line. But Indianapolis failed to reach the end zone and had to settle for another field goal from Vanderjagt. On Miami's ensuing drive, they committed their third consecutive turnover when Cota picked off another pass and returned it 23 yards to the Dolphins 18-yard line. This time, the Colts made it into the end zone with Manning's 17-yard touchdown pass to Pathon with 7:47 left in the second quarter. He followed it up with a successful two-point conversion pass to tight end
Ken Dilger Kenneth Ray Dilger (born February 2, 1971) is a retired professional American football player. Early years Ken Dilger was raised in Mariah Hill, Spencer County, Indiana. He attended Heritage Hills High School in Lincoln City, Indiana where he ...
. Miami responded with a drive to the Colts 20-yard line, only to have
Olindo Mare Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse Orange#Football, S ...
miss a 38-yard field goal attempt with 31 seconds left in the half. Despite their sluggish start, Indianapolis had complete control of the game by the end of the first half, leading 14-0. Meanwhile, Fiedler completed only five of 14 passes for 42 yards. But Fiedler improved in the second half, completing 14 of 20 passes for 143 yards and rushing for 43 yards. The Dolphins took the opening kickoff and marched 70 yards in 11 plays. Smith carried the ball 7 times for 42 yards on the drive and finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown run to cut the lead in half. In the fourth quarter, an 11-yard run by Fiedler and a 19-yard run by Smith set up a 38-yard field goal from Mare, making the score 14–10. But Manning led the Colts back, completing a 13-yard pass to
Marcus Pollard Marcus LaJuan Pollard (born February 8, 1972) is a former American football tight end and current director of player development and youth football for the Jacksonville Jaguars. College career Born in Lanett, Alabama, Pollard attended Valley Hi ...
, a 38-yard pass to
Marvin Harrison Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. (born August 25, 1972) is an American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), much of it with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton ...
, and an 18-yard pass to Pathon. Then a 16-yard run by James moved the ball into Dolphins territory, and Vanderjagt finished the drive with a 50-yard field goal to give the Colts a 17-10 lead. Miami responded with a 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive. With 34 seconds left in regulation, Fiedler's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jed Weaver sent the game into overtime. The Dolphins won the toss in overtime, but after a holding penalty they were forced to punt, and the Colts advanced into Miami territory. Faced with third down and 12 from the Dolphins 42-yard line, Manning completed an 11-yard pass to
Marvin Harrison Marvin Darnell Harrison Sr. (born August 25, 1972) is an American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver who played 13 seasons for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL), much of it with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton ...
. The Dolphins were offside on the play, but the Colts elected to decline the penalty and attempt a 49-yard field goal to win the game. However, Vanderjagt's kick was wide right. The Dolphins then marched 61 yards in 11 plays, ending with Smith's game-winning touchdown. Manning threw for 197 yards and a touchdown. James rushed for 107 yards and caught three passes for 33. As of 2022, this is the Dolphins' most recent playoff victory. This was the second postseason meeting between the Colts and Dolphins. Miami won the only previous meeting while the Colts were in Balitmore.


NFC: New Orleans Saints 31, St. Louis Rams 28

The Saints, who were 3-13 the previous year, won their first playoff game in their 34-year history with quarterback Aaron Brooks' 266 passing yards and four touchdowns, holding off the defending champion Rams, who scored three touchdowns in the final quarter. Rams quarterback
Kurt Warner Kurtis Eugene Warner (born June 22, 1971) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend fr ...
committed four turnovers (three interceptions and a fumble), while running back
Marshall Faulk Marshall William Faulk (born February 26, 1973) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams. He is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
, who shredded the Saints with 220 rushing yards during their encounter in the regular season, was held to a season-low 24 yards on the ground. St. Louis scored on their opening drive, marching 68 yards in 11 plays to take a 7–0 lead with Warner's 17-yard touchdown pass to
Isaac Bruce Isaac Isidore Bruce (born November 10, 1972) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and a member of the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round o ...
. But New Orleans then scored 31 unanswered points, beginning with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that ended with Brooks' 12-yard touchdown pass to Robert Wilson on their opening drive. They appeared to suffer a setback when Brooks' 50-yard completion to Willie Jackson on their next drive was nullified by Devin Bush's interception a few plays later. But after several punts,
Sammy Knight Sammy D. Knight, Jr. (born September 10, 1975) is a former American football safety. He played college football at USC and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997. Knight was also a member of the Miami Dolphins, ...
's 52-yard interception return to the Rams 20-yard line set up kicker
Doug Brien Douglas Robert Zachariah Brien (born November 24, 1970) is a former American football placekicker and American businessman. He played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for seven teams: San Francisco, New Orleans, Indianapolis ...
's 33-yard field goal to give the Saints a 10–7 lead at halftime. Early in the third quarter,
Chris Oldham Christopher Martin Oldham (born October 26, 1968) is a former professional American football cornerback for twelve seasons in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Phoenix / Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New Orleans Sa ...
's interception gave New Orleans the ball at the Rams 45-yard line, setting up Brooks' 10-yard touchdown pass to Jackson that increased their lead to 17–7. Early in the fourth quarter, the Saints drove 74 yards in five plays and scored with Brooks' 49-yard touchdown pass to Jackson. Then on the Rams ensuing drive, defensive end Willie Whitehead forced a fumble while sacking Warner that defensive tackle
La'Roi Glover La'Roi Damon Glover (; born July 4, 1974) is an American former football defensive tackle who is the defensive line coach for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the XFL. He played college football at San Diego State University. Glover enjoyed a 13-yea ...
recovered on the Rams 16-yard line, and Brooks threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Jackson on the next play, giving the Saints a 31–7 lead with 11:57 remaining. But St. Louis stormed back, as Warner completed two passes to Faulk for 55 yards before throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to
Ricky Proehl Richard Scott Proehl (born March 7, 1968) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. Proehl played 17 seasons with the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panth ...
, cutting the deficit to 31–13 after the two-point conversion failed. With 6:28 left in the game, St. Louis had the ball inside the New Orleans 10-yard line but Knight recorded his second interception to halt the drive. However, the Saints were forced to punt and the Rams marched 62 yards on just three plays to score on Faulk's 25-yard touchdown reception to make it 31–20 with 3:52 left. Rams cornerback
Dré Bly Donald André Bly (born May 22, 1977) is a former American football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of North Carolina (UNC), and earned All-American ...
recovered the ensuing
onside kick In gridiron football, an onside kick is a kickoff deliberately kicked short in an attempt by the kicking team to regain possession of the ball. This is in contrast with a typical kickoff, in which the kicking team intends to give the ball to the o ...
. Two plays later on third down and 6, Warner completed a 38-yard pass to
Az-Zahir Hakim Az-Zahir Ali Hakim (born June 3, 1977) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at San Diego State. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the f ...
at the Saints 5-yard line before he took the ball into the end zone himself with a 5-yard touchdown run. Faulk's reception on the two-point conversion made it 31–28 with 2:36 left. St. Louis failed to recover their second onside kick attempt but forced New Orleans to punt. However, the punt was muffed by Hakim, and the Saints' Brian Milne recovered the ball to seal the victory. Jackson caught six passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns, tying a playoff record set by
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three championshi ...
in
Super Bowl XXIX Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champio ...
. Warner finished the game with 365 passing yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Bruce caught seven passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, while Faulk added seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. The ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
'' crew returned to the Superdome a year later to cover a regular season game between these teams, which the Rams won 34–21. It was their last game as division rivals, as the Saints moved to the
NFC South The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when ...
in 2002. This was the first postseason meeting between the Rams and Saints.


Sunday, December 31, 2000


AFC: Baltimore Ravens 21, Denver Broncos 3

The Ravens defense held the Broncos' offense to only 177 total yards, 42 rushing yards, nine first downs, and three points. Baltimore also recorded five sacks and held running back and Rookie of the Year Mike Anderson, who rushed for nearly 1,500 yards during the season, to 40 yards on 15 carries. Baltimore got an early scoring chance when
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who played as a Linebacker#Middle linebacker, middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in th ...
intercepted a pass from Denver quarterback
Gus Frerotte Gustave Joseph Frerotte (; born July 31, 1971) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa. Frerotte, who was selected to ...
on the Broncos 39-yard line. But the team could only get to the 34 and ended up punting. After several punts, Baltimore drove 75 yards in 10 plays, including a 20-yard run by
Jamal Lewis Jamal Lewis (born August 26, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Tennessee and was s ...
, to go up 7-0 on Lewis' 1-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter. Denver responded as Frerotte completed four passes for 59 yards on a 68-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard field goal from
Jason Elam Jason Elam (born March 8, 1970) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft and played 15 seasons with the Broncos and two with the Atlanta Falcons. A three-time Pro B ...
with 4:31 remaining in the first half to cut the lead to 7–3. But on the Ravens' next drive,
Trent Dilfer Trent Farris Dilfer (born March 13, 1972) is a former American football quarterback and analyst who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He is best known as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Su ...
threw a pass that was bobbled by Lewis, deflected by cornerback
Terrell Buckley Douglas Terrell Buckley (born June 7, 1971) is a former American football cornerback and current Head Coach of the Orlando Guardians. He also played professional baseball for the Mobile Baysharks in the Texas-Louisiana League. College career Buc ...
, and ended up in the arms of tight end
Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he ranks th ...
, who took it 58 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter, Ravens receiver Jermaine Lewis returned a punt 17 yards to the Broncos 28-yard line, setting up the final score of the game, a 27-yard touchdown run by Jamal Lewis. He finished the game with 110 rushing yards, one reception for 15 yards, and two touchdowns. This was the first time the Broncos were prevented from scoring a touchdown in 28 postseason games over a span of three decades. This was the first postseason meeting between the Broncos and Ravens.


NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 21, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3

The Eagles defense held the Bucs to only 199 total yards and 11 first downs. After the first six drives of the game ended in punts, Buccaneers fullback
Mike Alstott Michael Joseph Alstott (born December 21, 1973), is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nicknamed "A-Train", he played college football at Purdue an ...
rushed for 18 yards and caught a pass for eight yards as the team drove 58 yards in eight plays to score on
Martín Gramática Martín Gramática (born November 27, 1975) is an Argentine-born former American football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and New Orleans Saints. He played c ...
's 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter. But late in the quarter, Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas forced Tampa Bay quarterback
Shaun King Jeffery Shaun King (born September 17, 1979) is an American writer, civil rights activist and co-founder of Real Justice PAC. King uses social media to promote social justice causes, including the Black Lives Matter movement. King was raised ...
to fumble, and the ball was recovered by linebacker
Mike Mamula Michael Brian Mamula (born August 14, 1973) is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boston College. C ...
at the Buccaneers 15-yard line, setting up Philadelphia quarterback
Donovan McNabb Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and b ...
's 5-yard touchdown run. Tampa Bay punted on their next possession and the Eagles marched 69 yards on eight plays to take a 14–3 lead on Na Brown's 5-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left in the half. The Eagles opening drive of the second half consumed over eight minutes. It ended with no points because of a missed field goal attempt by
David Akers David Roy Akers (; born December 9, 1974) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He began his career in 1998 with the Washington Reds ...
, but the team got the ball back with good field position after receiving
Mark Royals Mark Alan Royals (born June 22, 1965) is a former American football punter in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Miami ...
' 27-yard punt on their own 43-yard line. Philadelphia then drove 57 yards in eight plays to go up 21-3 on the third play of the fourth quarter with McNabb's 2-yard touchdown pass to
Jeff Thomason Jeffrey David Thomason (born December 30, 1969) is a former American football tight end. First NFL stint After playing college football at Oregon, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals in 1992. He played for the B ...
. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay's final two drives of the game would both result in turnovers on downs. This was the second postseason meeting between the Buccaneers and Eagles. Tampa Bay won the only prior meeting.


Divisional playoffs


Saturday, January 6, 2001


NFC: Minnesota Vikings 34, New Orleans Saints 16

Quarterback
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
led the Vikings to victory with 305 passing yards and three touchdowns, without being sacked or throwing any interceptions. Culpepper threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee ...
on the game's third
play from scrimmage A play from scrimmage is the sequence in the game of gridiron football during which one team tries to advance the ball, get a first Down (gridiron football), down, or score, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. Once a play ...
. New Orleans responded by driving 65 yards in 10 plays, boosted by a 40-yard pass interference penalty against cornerback
Wasswa Serwanga Wasswa Serwanga (wasswa meaning older male twin) (born July 23, 1976) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League and Arena Football League. He played one season for the San Francisco 49ers and two for the Minnesota ...
.
Doug Brien Douglas Robert Zachariah Brien (born November 24, 1970) is a former American football placekicker and American businessman. He played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for seven teams: San Francisco, New Orleans, Indianapolis ...
finished the drive with a 33-yard field goal to make the score 7–3. Minnesota then ran off a 10-play, 65-yard drive of their own, the longest gain a 34-yard completion from Culpepper to
Cris Carter Graduel Christopher Darin Carter (born November 25, 1965) is an American former American football, football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles (1987–1989), the Minnesota Vikings (1990†...
. With less than two minutes left in the first quarter, Gary Anderson finished it with a 24-yard field goal that put the Vikings up 10–3. The scoring pace slowed down in the second quarter, as the first five possessions ended in punts. With time running out in the half, Culpepper ripped off a 30-yard gain on a QB scramble, and then threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Carter on the next play, giving the team a 17–3 lead going into halftime. Then on the 3rd play of the 3rd quarter, they went up 24–3 on Culpepper's 68-yard touchdown pass to Moss. The Saints responded with quarterback Aaron Brooks completing 7 consecutive passes for 85 yards, the last a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Dave Stachelski, his first career NFL touchdown. But the Vikings scored again on their next drive, moving the ball 50 yards (25 of them on a carry by Robert Smith) and taking a 27–10 lead on Anderson's 44-yard field goal. Then on the second to last play of the quarter, Robert Tate's interception of a Brooks pass gave the Vikings a first down on the Saints 29-yard line, and they went on to clinch the game with Smith's 2-yard touchdown run. After that, all the Saints could muster was a meaningless 48-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to receiver Willie Jackson with 2:28 left on the clock. The 35-year-old Carter had the best postseason performance of his career, catching eight passes for a career-high 120 yards and a touchdown, while Moss recorded 121 yards and two touchdowns on just two receptions. Jackson caught nine passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in the final postseason game of his career. Smith rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown, while also catching 2 passes for 25. Brooks completed 30 of 48 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked and intercepted twice. Saints running back
Chad Morton Chad Akio Morton (born April 4, 1977) is a former American football running back and kick/ punt returner in the National Football League. He was drafted from USC late in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. After a st ...
tied a playoff record with 13 receptions for 106 yards. This was the second postseason meeting between the Saints and Vikings. Minnesota won the only prior meeting.


AFC: Oakland Raiders 27, Miami Dolphins 0

The Raiders scored 20 points in the first half, recorded 140 rushing yards, and forced four turnovers to shut out the Dolphins in their first home playoff game since returning to Oakland from Los Angeles in
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, which occurred in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...
. In the first quarter, Miami threatened to score first with a drive to Oakland's 17-yard line, but
Tory James Tory Steven James (born May 18, 1973) is a former American football cornerback who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). James attended Archbishop Shaw High School before going to college at Louisiana State University, an ...
intercepted quarterback
Jay Fiedler Jay Brian Fiedler (born December 29, 1971) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played 76 games at quarterback in the NFL, starting 60, and threw 69 touchdowns. He was inducted into the National Jewi ...
's pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown. After a Dolphins punt, Oakland drove 41 yards in 10 plays to score on
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
's 36-yard field goal. The next time they got the ball, Oakland advanced 78 yards, featuring a 32-yard completion from
Rich Gannon Richard Joseph Gannon (born December 20, 1965) is an American former football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Subsequently, he was a sports commentator with CBS Sports for 16 years. Gannon was born in ...
to running back
Terry Kirby Terry Gayle Kirby (born January 20, 1970) is a former professional American football player who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL) from 1993 to 2002. A 6'1" running back from the University of Virginia, he is the younger br ...
, and scored on Jankikowski's 33-yard field goal to go up 13-0 early in the second quarter. Later on, Tory James forced a fumble from
Lamar Smith Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States House of Representatives for for 16 terms, a district including most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as w ...
that was recovered by Raiders cornerback Charles Woodson on the Miami 43-yard line. This led to Gannon's 6-yard touchdown pass to
James Jett James Sherman Jett (born December 28, 1970), is a former American football wide receiver and Olympic sprinter who played nine seasons for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders from 1993 to 2002, in the National Football League. He attended college at ...
, giving the Raiders a 20-0 lead going into halftime. The Dolphins had to punt after three plays on the opening possession of the second half, and
Darrien Gordon Darrien Jamal Gordon (born November 14, 1970) is a former professional American Football player who played cornerback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) (1993–2002). During his NFL career, he played for 5 different teams and ...
returned
Matt Turk Matthew Edward Turk (born June 16, 1968) is a former American football punter. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1993. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. A three- ...
's 39-yard kick 24 yards to the Oakland 46-yard line. The Raiders then drove 54 yards in 12 plays to make the score 27-0 on
Tyrone Wheatley Tyrone Anthony Wheatley Sr. (born January 19, 1972) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Previously, he served as the running backs coach of the Denver Broncos of ...
's 2-yard touchdown run. The next time Miami had the ball, they turned it over on downs at the Raiders 37. In the fourth quarter, Oakland finished off the Dolphins by intercepting Fiedler twice, one by James and the other by
Eric Allen Eric Andre Allen (born November 22, 1965) is an American football coach and former cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and Oakland Raiders from 1988 to 2001. A six-time ...
. Gannon completed 12 of 18 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 31 yards. Miami running back
Autry Denson Autry Lamont Denson (born December 8, 1976) is an American gridiron football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Charleston Southern University, a position he has held since 2019. Denson played college footbal ...
had 5 kickoff returns for 116 yards. This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Dolphins and Raiders. Oakland won two of the previous three meetings.


Sunday, January 7, 2001


AFC: Baltimore Ravens 24, Tennessee Titans 10

Even though they had only 134 yards of total offense and six first downs, with quarterback
Trent Dilfer Trent Farris Dilfer (born March 13, 1972) is a former American football quarterback and analyst who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He is best known as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Su ...
completing just five of 16 passes, the Ravens broke a 10–10 tie in the fourth quarter with Anthony Mitchell's 90-yard blocked field goal touchdown return and
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who played as a Linebacker#Middle linebacker, middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in th ...
' 50-yard interception touchdown return. The Titans scored first on the game's opening drive after marching 68 yards in 11 plays to reach the end zone on running back
Eddie George Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily f ...
's 2-yard touchdown run. But Baltimore tied the game early in the second quarter after Dilfer's 56-yard pass to
Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he ranks th ...
set up running back
Jamal Lewis Jamal Lewis (born August 26, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He played college football at Tennessee and was s ...
' 1-yard touchdown run. Tennessee kicker
Al Del Greco Albert Louis Del Greco (born March 2, 1962) is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality. After eight years as golf coach at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama, Del Greco was named the head coach of the ...
attempted two field goals before halftime, but his 45-yard try was blocked and he missed a 31-yard attempt. The teams then traded field goals in the third quarter, with Tennessee getting their field goal following a blocked punt. Early in the fourth quarter, Del Greco's field goal attempt was blocked, Mitchell caught the ball, and ran 90 yards to the end zone to give the Ravens a 17–10 lead. The Titans reached midfield with 6:55 remaining, but
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
...
’s pass ricocheted off of Eddie George’s hands, then into the hands of Ray Lewis for the interception, who then returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory for Baltimore. This was the first postseason meeting between the Ravens and Titans.


NFC: New York Giants 20, Philadelphia Eagles 10

The Eagles never recovered after the Giants' Ron Dixon returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. For the rest of the game, they gained only 186 yards and scored 10 points, despite forcing three turnovers. New York also recorded six sacks. Philadelphia failed to get a first down on their first three possessions. Then on the Eagles fourth drive,
Torrance Small Torrance Ramon Small (born September 4, 1970) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for ten seasons for the New Orleans Saints, the St. Louis Rams, the Indianapolis Colts, the Philadelphia Eagl ...
fumbled while being tackled by Shaun Williams, and
Dave Thomas Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital ...
recovered the loose ball for New York on the Eagles 34-yard line to set up
Brad Daluiso Bradley William Daluiso (born December 31, 1967) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played twelve seasons, the majority of them with the New York Giants. In addition, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, ...
's 37-yard field goal. Late in the second quarter, Eagles quarterback
Donovan McNabb Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Before his NFL career, he played football and b ...
lost a fumble while being sacked by
Michael Strahan Michael T. Strahan ( ; born November 21, 1971) is an American television personality, journalist, and former professional football player. He played his entire 15-year professional career as a defensive end for the New York Giants of the Nation ...
, which New York lineman Cedric Jones recovered on the Philadelphia 15. Two players later, the Eagles got the ball back when
Damon Moore Damon Moore (born September 15, 1976, in Fostoria, Ohio) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oh ...
forced and recovered a fumble from running back
Tiki Barber Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber (; born April 7, 1975) is an American former football running back who played for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Virginia. B ...
. But the ensuing drive lasted barely a minute before cornerback
Jason Sehorn Jason Heath Sehorn (born April 15, 1971) is a former American football cornerback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants from 1994 to 2002 and St. Louis Rams in 2003. He played college football a ...
made a diving interception from McNabb, then got back up and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown to increase the Giants lead to 17–0. The Eagles finally caught a break when Brian Mitchell returned the following kickoff 34 yards to midfield, after which McNabb's 21-yard completion to receiver Charles Johnson set up
David Akers David Roy Akers (; born December 9, 1974) is an American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He began his career in 1998 with the Washington Reds ...
' 28-yard field goal before halftime, making the score 17–3. In the third quarter the Eagles drove 75 yards to the New York 12-yard line, only to have Akers miss a 30-yard field goal attempt. After a few punts, New York drove 88 yards in 13 plays, including a 33-yard completion from
Kerry Collins Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, ...
to tight end Pete Mitchell.
Brad Daluiso Bradley William Daluiso (born December 31, 1967) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played twelve seasons, the majority of them with the New York Giants. In addition, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, ...
finished the drive with a 25-yard field goal that gave New York a 20-3 lead on the last play of the quarter. Late in the fourth quarter the Eagles blocked a Giants punt. New York receiver
Amani Toomer Amani Askari Toomer (born September 8, 1974) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner who played his entire career for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He registered over 1,000 receiving yards each ...
recovered it, but then fumbled the ball, and
Luther Broughton Luther Rashard Broughton, Jr. (born November 30, 1974) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles. He graduated and played his high school football at ...
recovered it for the Eagles on the Giants 8-yard line. Philadelphia then scored with McNabb's 10-yard touchdown pass to Small, making the score 20–10, but their subsequent onside kick failed and the Giants held the ball for the rest of the game. Strahan finished the game with 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. This was the second postseason meeting between the Eagles and Giants. New York won the only prior meeting.


Conference Championships


Sunday, January 14, 2001


NFC: New York Giants 41, Minnesota Vikings 0

Quarterback
Kerry Collins Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, ...
led the Giants to victory by throwing for 381 yards and five touchdowns in the most lopsided contest in NFC Championship Game history and the second-most lopsided conference title game ever (after the 1990 AFC Championship Game). As of the 2021 season, this game is tied for the most lopsided NFL playoff game from the 2000 playoffs to the present with the New York Jets' 41-0 win over Indianapolis in the 2002 playoffs. The Giants shut out the Vikings by limiting them to only 114 offensive yards, sacking quarterback
Daunte Culpepper Daunte Rachard Culpepper (born January 28, 1977) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at UCF and was selected ...
four times, and forcing five turnovers, and handing the Vikings their first shutout and worst loss in their postseason history. New York wide receiver
Ike Hilliard Isaac Jason Hilliard (born April 5, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver Who most recently served as the wide receivers coach for the Auburn Tigers (NCAA). He played college football for the University of Florida, and earned All-A ...
had 10 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns. The Minnesota sports community sometimes refers to this as "41–doughnut" after a post-game comment from Randy Moss: "I was just talking to Daunte, and 41-to-doughnut, I think that's the worst defeat I've ever been in my life." Culpepper completed only 13 of 28 passes for 78 yards, with three interceptions, while Moss caught only two passes for 18 yards. Minnesota got off to a bad start and never recovered. After the opening kickoff, Collins led the Giants 74 yards in just four plays, throwing a 46-yard touchdown pass to Hilliard to give them a 7–0 lead less than two minutes into the game. Then Giants safety
Lyle West Benjamin Lyle West (born December 20, 1976) is a former professional American football safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played four seasons for the New York Giants (1999– ...
recovered a fumble from kick returner Moe Williams on the Vikings 18-yard line and Collins capitalized with an 18-yard touchdown pass to fullback Greg Comella on the next play, giving New York a 14–0 lead before the Vikings offense had even stepped onto the field. Minnesota eventually got a chance to score when cornerback Robert Tate intercepted a pass from Collins and returned it to the Giants 37-yard line. But Culpepper soon returned the favor with a pass that was intercepted in the end zone by
Emmanuel McDaniel Emmanuel McDaniel (born July 27, 1972) is a former professional American football cornerback who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and the Ariz ...
. Collins threw another interception on New York's following drive, this one to Don Morgan on the Vikings 12-yard line. However, Minnesota could not advance the ball, and
Mitch Berger Mitchell Shannon Berger (born June 24, 1972) is a Canadian former American football punter. He played college football at Colorado and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Berger has also been a memb ...
's 26-yard punt gave the Giants great field position on the Minnesota 41-yard line. Collins then threw a 22-yard pass to
Amani Toomer Amani Askari Toomer (born September 8, 1974) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner who played his entire career for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He registered over 1,000 receiving yards each ...
that set up a
Brad Daluiso Bradley William Daluiso (born December 31, 1967) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League. He played twelve seasons, the majority of them with the New York Giants. In addition, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, ...
field goal on the first play of the second quarter. The next time New York got the ball, Collins' 43-yard completion to Ron Dixon set up an 8-yard touchdown pass to receiver
Joe Jurevicius Joseph Michael Jurevicius (born December 23, 1974) is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State. Jurevicius played for ...
, making the score 24–0. Then after a punt, New York drove 62 yards and scored another Daluiso field goal, aided by a 21-yard run from
Tiki Barber Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber (; born April 7, 1975) is an American former football running back who played for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Virginia. B ...
, and a 21-yard pass interference penalty against cornerback
Wasswa Serwanga Wasswa Serwanga (wasswa meaning older male twin) (born July 23, 1976) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League and Arena Football League. He played one season for the San Francisco 49ers and two for the Minnesota ...
. On the last drive of the half, Hilliard caught four passes for 59 yards on a 77-yard drive that ended with his 7-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left. By the time the first half ended, New York had scored 34 points (more than they had scored in any of their regular-season games) and gained 386 yards, while holding the Vikings to 45 yards. This achievement is broadly recognized as accomplished due to the giants stealing play calls from the Viking communications devices. In the third quarter, Culpepper lost a fumble while being sacked by safety Shaun Williams, and
Cornelius Griffin Cornelius Griffin (; born December 3, 1976) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pearl River Community College and Alabama. ...
recovered the ball on the Vikings 29, setting up Toomer's 7-yard touchdown reception to close out the scoring. New York's defense would dominate the Vikings for the rest of the game, not allowing them to get beyond the Giants 40-yard line. They also intercepted Culpepper twice, one by
Sam Garnes Sam Aaron Garnes (born July 12, 1974) is a former professional American football defensive back and coach and current radio personality on The Ryan Show FM. He was selected by the New York Giants in the 5th round of the 1997 NFL Draft. A nativ ...
and the other by
Jason Sehorn Jason Heath Sehorn (born April 15, 1971) is a former American football cornerback who played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants from 1994 to 2002 and St. Louis Rams in 2003. He played college football a ...
. This domination is noted as taking place By starting this game, Collins became the sixth quarterback to start in the conference championship for two different franchises joining
Craig Morton Larry Craig Morton (born February 5, 1943) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He played college football at California, ...
,
Ron Jaworski Partner owner , highlights= * Pro Bowl (1980) * Bert Bell Award (1980) * Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame ;NFL record * Longest touchdown pass: 99 yards (tied) , statlabel1= TD– INT , statvalue1=179–164 , statlabel2=Yards , statvalue2=28,19 ...
, Doug Williams,
Jay Schroeder Jay Brian Schroeder (born June 28, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback. He played college football at UCLA, after which he was selected in the third round (83rd overall) of the 1984 NFL draft by the Washington Redskin ...
and
Joe Montana Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "the Comeback Kid", ...
, which would later be joined by
Kurt Warner Kurtis Eugene Warner (born June 22, 1971) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend fr ...
,
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
,
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
and
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
. Collins had previously started the 1996 NFC Championship Game for the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
. This game was the final time the Giants won a playoff game at
Giants Stadium Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands or The Swamp) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and it primarily hosted sp ...
. It was also their last playoff win at home until they defeated the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
during the Wild Card round during the
2011–12 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 2011 season began on January 7, 2012. The postseason tournament concluded with the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, 21–17, on February 5, at Lucas Oil Stadiu ...
. This was the third postseason meeting between the Vikings and Giants. Both teams split their first two meetings.


AFC: Baltimore Ravens 16, Oakland Raiders 3

The Ravens forced four interceptions and held the Raiders offense to only 191 total yards, 17 rushing yards, and three points. Ravens kicker
Matt Stover John Matthew Stover (born January 27, 1968) is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Ravens. After five seasons for the Cleveland Browns, he was amon ...
also made three field goals. Meanwhile, Raiders quarterback
Rich Gannon Richard Joseph Gannon (born December 20, 1965) is an American former football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Subsequently, he was a sports commentator with CBS Sports for 16 years. Gannon was born in ...
was knocked out of the game by a ferocious hit from Baltimore defensive tackle
Tony Siragusa Anthony Siragusa Sr. (May 14, 1967 – June 22, 2022), nicknamed "the Goose", was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 12 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football L ...
. He returned briefly in the second half, but was ineffective and was replaced by
Bobby Hoying Bobby Hoying (born September 20, 1972) is a former college and professional American football quarterback. He is the grandson of baseball player Wally Post, who played 15 years in the Major Leagues. Post was an outfielder for the Cincinnati Re ...
. Late in the first quarter, the Ravens had a great scoring opportunity when cornerback Robert Bailey intercepted a pass from Gannon at the Raiders 19-yard line. But Baltimore could only gain one yard with their next three plays and then Stover hit the right upright on a 36-yard field goal attempt. Oakland was forced to punt on their ensuing possession, and
Shane Lechler Edward Shane Lechler (; born August 7, 1976) is an American former professional football player who played as punter for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M University and was drafted by th ...
's 56-yard kick pinned the Ravens deep in their own territory. A few plays later, facing third down and 18 from their 4-yard line, Baltimore tight end
Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he ranks th ...
caught a short pass and ran 96 yards for a touchdown. Gannon was knocked out of the game on the Raiders next drive and replaced by Hoying. Ravens cornerback
Duane Starks Duane Lonell Starks (born May 23, 1974) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 10th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. Starks, who earned a Super Bowl ...
subsequently intercepted Hoying's first pass of the game and returned it nine yards to the Oakland 20-yard line, setting up Stover's 31-yard field goal to give his team a 10–0 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Oakland safety
Johnnie Harris Johnnie Harris (born August 21, 1972) is a former American football Safety. He played in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Tampa Bay Storm (1996–1998), Orlando Predators (2005), Grand Rapids Rampage (2006–2007), Philadelphia Soul (2007) ...
intercepted a pass from
Trent Dilfer Trent Farris Dilfer (born March 13, 1972) is a former American football quarterback and analyst who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He is best known as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Su ...
and returned it to the Ravens 39-yard line. The Raiders then drove to a first down on the Ravens 2-yard line, aided by two penalties against Baltimore for 27 yards. But they could not penetrate the end zone. First
Tyrone Wheatley Tyrone Anthony Wheatley Sr. (born January 19, 1972) is an American football coach and former player who is the head coach at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Previously, he served as the running backs coach of the Denver Broncos of ...
was dropped for a 1-yard loss. Then Gannon was sacked on second down by
Jamie Sharper Harry James Sharper Jr. (born November 23, 1974) is a former American football linebacker and coach who is currently the Linebackers coach for the DC Defenders of the XFL. Sharper played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, and ...
. On third down, Gannon's pass was incomplete and the Raiders had to settle for
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
's field goal to cut the score to 10–3; those were the only Raiders points of the game. Ravens receiver Jermaine Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 29 yards to the 38-yard line. Then Dilfer completed a 13-yard pass to
Brandon Stokley Brandon Ray Stokley (born June 23, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver and current radio personality. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at University of L ...
and a 24-yard pass to tight end
Ben Coates Benjamin Terrence Coates, Jr. (born August 16, 1969) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League for 10 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Livingstone and was ...
on a 51-yard drive that ended with another field goal by Stover. In the fourth quarter,
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional American football, football player who played as a Linebacker#Middle linebacker, middle linebacker with the Baltimore Ravens for his entire 17-year career in th ...
recovered a fumble from Gannon on the Raiders 6-yard line, setting up Stover's third field goal to close out the scoring. With 4:30 left in the game, Raiders receiver
Andre Rison Andre Previn Rison (born March 18, 1967) is a former American football wide receiver who played professionally for the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Green Bay Packers, ...
caught a 5-yard touchdown pass, but was penalized for pass interference before making the catch and the score was called back. One play later, faced with third and goal from the 12-yard line, Hoying threw a pass that was intercepted by Sharper. This was the first postseason meeting between the Ravens and Raiders.


Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

This was the first Super Bowl meeting between the Ravens and Giants.


References


2000–01 NFL playoffs
from CNNSI.com (Last accessed January 12, 2006) *''NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book'' () {{DEFAULTSORT:2000-01 NFL Playoffs National Football League playoffs
Playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
St. Louis Rams postseason