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The 2000 Ravens were legends. The 2000 defense was a stifling powerhouse and their legacy will never be forgotten. This is a tale of one of the most dominant displays of that team against their rival.
The 2000 Bengals were a very different team than the 2000 Ravens. While the Ravens were headed towards glory, the Bengals were still in full-on Bungals mode with Akili Smith at the helm and they were on pace for a 4-12 season. The Ravens would absolutely cream the Bengals in their meetup.
Akili Smith would only complete one pass before a Rob Burnett sack knocked him out of the game. Scott Mitchell would come on in relief and complete 14 out of 23 passes for 97 yards and two interceptions. The Bengals rushing attack could only gain four yards on 16 attempts, a soul crushing 0.25 yards per carrry. Corey Dillon would gain only 9 yards on 12 carries before he quit and went back to the bench.
The Ravens would use this game against the Bengals as a dress rehearsal for Super Bowl XXXV against the Giants. And the Bengals didn't get a kick return in either. Here's how the game went for the Bengals: Punt, Fumble, Punt, Interception, Interception, Fumble, Downs, Punt, Downs, Punt, End of Game.
Tony Banks would throw two touchdowns, Jamal Lewis had 116 yards rushing and one touchdown, and Obafemi Ayanbadejo would add another touchdown. Matt Stover would kick three field goals.
The Ravens would go on to win Super Bowl XXXV in a glorious manner, while the Bengals would be awful for the next two seasons. They would go on to hire Ravens defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis as their head coach.