2000 Ravens=1980 Raiders

[7DnBrnc53]

I am watching the 30 for 30 on the 2000 Ravens (on You Tube), and I saw an America's Game episode with the 1980 Raiders on the recommendations on the right side of the screen.

I realized something: The 1980 Raiders and 2000 Ravens were similar.

1. They had veteran first-round QB's (Jim Plunkett, Trent Dilfer) that had to prove themselves.
2. Both teams had controversy that had to do with moving (Raiders going to LA, Ravens moved to Baltimore four years earlier).
3. Both teams had controversial owners (Al Davis, Art Modell).
4. Both teams had good defenses with average offenses.
5. Both teams faced a division rival three times in those seasons (Air Coryell Chargers and the Titans).
6. Both teams soundly defeated an NFC East team in the Super Bowl.
7. Both teams weren't able to return to the SB the next year (although the Raiders would return to the SB in three years with a better team).

[Brian wolf]

Cool similarities 7D ... both had to win four postseason games to win it all. In both seasons, they also faced each other in postseason--though the Ravens had moved from Cleveland--

[SeahawkFever]

I am watching the 30 for 30 on the 2000 Ravens (on You Tube), and I saw an America's Game episode with the 1980 Raiders on the recommendations on the right side of the screen.

I realized something: The 1980 Raiders and 2000 Ravens were similar.

1. They had veteran first-round QB's (Jim Plunkett, Trent Dilfer) that had to prove themselves.
2. Both teams had controversy that had to do with moving (Raiders going to LA, Ravens moved to Baltimore four years earlier).
3. Both teams had controversial owners (Al Davis, Art Modell).
4. Both teams had good defenses with average offenses.
5. Both teams faced a division rival three times in those seasons (Air Coryell Chargers and the Titans).
6. Both teams soundly defeated an NFC East team in the Super Bowl.
7. Both teams weren't able to return to the SB the next year (although the Raiders would return to the SB in three years with a better team).

Could the following also be a similarity:

They won divisional round games against another team who could have gone all the way had it gone the other way.

Could that be said of the 1980 Browns like some say about the 2000 Titans?

[74_75_78_79_]

I am watching the 30 for 30 on the 2000 Ravens (on You Tube), and I saw an America's Game episode with the 1980 Raiders on the recommendations on the right side of the screen.

I realized something: The 1980 Raiders and 2000 Ravens were similar.

1. They had veteran first-round QB's (Jim Plunkett, Trent Dilfer) that had to prove themselves.
2. Both teams had controversy that had to do with moving (Raiders going to LA, Ravens moved to Baltimore four years earlier).
3. Both teams had controversial owners (Al Davis, Art Modell).
4. Both teams had good defenses with average offenses.
5. Both teams faced a division rival three times in those seasons (Air Coryell Chargers and the Titans).
6. Both teams soundly defeated an NFC East team in the Super Bowl.
7. Both teams weren't able to return to the SB the next year (although the Raiders would return to the SB in three years with a better team).

Could the following also be a similarity:

They won divisional round games against another team who could have gone all the way had it gone the other way.

Could that be said of the 1980 Browns like some say about the 2000 Titans?

Cool similarities 7D ... both had to win four postseason games to win it all. In both seasons, they also faced each other in postseason--though the Ravens had moved from Cleveland--

Quite interesting parallels offered here. I never really thought of the two as being similar otherwise.

Some consider the 2000 Ravens as a 'best-ever' candidate. Okay, perhaps mostly Ravens-fans think that. Make that, some consider their defense, at least, that way historically. The '80 Raiders, fair or not, are generally considered among the weaker of SB champions despite winning 13 of their final 15 games. They turned the ball over a lot - just two teams turned it over more - but were #1 in forcing turnovers as well as #1 in INTs, #1 against the run as well! Top ten, they were, PD-wise, but yardage/statistically pretty mediocre. Raiders more a big-play passing team, Ravens more a running one. Two different identities end-of-day.

Putting 'Red Right 88' in the same vein as Ravens/Titans? I don't know. That '00 divisional many considered the 'real' Super Bowl that year. Had the Titans won that game, sure-enough it would have been them running-the-table from there (a shoe-in)! Cardiac Browns ('live by the big-play, die by the big-play") getting by hypothetically? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'd imagine many seeing both SD & Buffalo as each being the better team; Chargers' D as well being better than Cleveland's D (despite they having Lyle) if only because they still had Dean. Yes, enough saw Cleveland as a very possible SB-participant going into those playoffs (pretty even field, of course, it being 1980 and all; I do remember my father saying "Cleveland and Dallas" when those playoffs began), but not seen that way in 'shoe-in' fashion among the masses.

[Brian wolf]

Some other similiarities ... both the 1980 Raiders and 2000 Ravens won their divisional playoffs against the Browns and Titans with deciding interceptions. Once Lewis picked off McNair's throw that was behind Eddie George, he returned it for a TD to end the game. Both the Browns and Titans had nervous teams who beat themselves. The Browns had dropped two TD passes from Sipe that could have been decisive.

In both SB games, the Raiders and Ravens had easy interceptions that decided the game.

Even had the Browns or Titans advanced, there is no guarantee they run the table. The Browns would have had to go to SD, though Alzado had good games against the Chargers with Denver and later with Oak/LA. Its doubtful they win a shootout with SD but you never know? They had backs to slow the game down with both Pruitts.

The Titans would have been favored at home over the Raiders, but Gannon might have played the full game and would have been throwing alot to Brown, Rison and Dudley, with runners to utilize as well. Despite being named All-Pro, it was sad to see Gannon get knocked out of the AFC championship game. What people dont remember was that after Siragusa flopped on Gannon knocking him out, he still returned to the game in the 3rd quarter but wasnt effective with the Ravens like sharks, smelling blood.