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Ravens Legends Bracket: Ray Lewis vs. Trent Dilfer

By Chris Schisler

Oct 9, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Ray Lewis attends the Washington Redskins game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 9, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Ray Lewis attends the Washington Redskins game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Ravens Legends Bracket gets kicked off with two leaders on the Super Bowl XXXV team. It’s Ray Lewis against Trent Dilfer in the first contest:

The Baltimore Ravens went five straight games without scoring a touchdown in the 2000 NFL season. Trent Dilfer then replaced Tony Banks as the starting quarterback. The purple and black went on to win 11 straight games, with the final stop being a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. Dilfer wasn’t the reason the Ravens won it all. The team was led by Ray Lewis and the defense. The 2000 Ravens defense is considered by many (myself included) to be the best defense of all time. Number 52 led the way, and in doing so he built the foundation for the Ravens way.

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Why Trent Dilfer is a Legend:

Dilfer’s role in Baltimore football’s history was a short one. He took over in the midst of the 2000 touchdown drought and stabilized the team. The offense never got flashy. It wasn’t like the offense became a well oiled machine that propelled Baltimore to victory. What Dilfer did, was he took a sinking ship and he steered it all the way to glory. The defense did the heavy lifting. Dilfer’s job was to not waste a historically good defense.

Dilfer was a class act and a leader. One of the reasons the 2000 team was so successful was because there was a great chemistry. The team had a will to win, the team had heart and toughness. Dilfer was a big part of that. Dilfer will always be a beloved player in Baltimore. . He got just enough out of a struggling offense, to allow a great defense to make history.

Why Ray Lewis is a Legend:

This kind of goes without saying, Ray Lewis may be the best linebacker of all time. He certainly is the greatest Raven of all time. There is a reason he is the number one overall seed. His stats speak volumes. Lewis had over 1,000 career tackles; he made plays as a sideline to sideline linebacker. He had 41.5 sacks, forced 17.5 fumbles and picked of 31 passes.

Lewis got the most out of his teammates. He was one of the greatest leaders the NFL has ever seen. He had a football IQ that nobody could rival. His career ended in the most spectacular way possible. Lewis and the defense stopped the San Francisco 49ers on a goal line stand in Super Bowl XLVII.

Next: Ravens Legends Bracket: A full list of the match ups

The Winner: Ray Lewis

Dilfer holds a special place in Ravens history. He just isn’t number 52. There will be many debate worthy contests in this Legends Bracket. This isn’t one of them. Lewis will take on the winner of a pretty interesting contest between Eric Weddle and Matt Birk. Keep tuned for all the battles in the Ravens Legends Bracket. We’ll sprinkle the results in with all the news and analysis Ravens fans depend on.

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