9. 1975 MINNESOTA VIKINGS at 8. 2008 BALTIMORE RAVENS
8. 2008 BALTIMORE RAVENS
Record: 11-5
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 11th
Def: 3rd
2nd NFC North
d. Dolphins WC 27-9
d. Titans Div Rnd 13-10
lost Steelers AFC Title 23-14
HC John Harbaugh OC Cam Cameron DC Rex Ryan
M&T Bank: 55 degrees
Gerry Sandusky/Stan White/Rob Burnett
Offense
QB Joe Flacco 23
RB Willis McGahee 27
FB LeRon McClain 24 All Pro
WR Mark Clayton 26
WR Derrick Mason 34
TE Todd Heap 28
LT Jared Gaither 22
LG Ben Grubbs 24
C Jason Brown 25
RG Chris Chester 25
RT Willie Anderson 33
Defense
LDE Justin Bannan 29
NT Haloti Ngata 24
RDE Trevor Pryce 33
LOLB Jarret Johnson 27
LILB Ray Lewis 33 All Pro
RILB Bart Scott 28
ROLB Terrell Suggs 26
LCB Fabian Washington 25
RCB Samari Rolle 32
SS Jim Leonhard 26
FS Ed Reed 30 All Pro
K Matt Stover 40
P Sam Koch 26
KR/PR Yamon Figurs 25
Last Ravens team we'll see in rnd 1, 3rd best defense from 2008. The two future Hall of Famers are both All Pros, Ray Lewis is 33, Ed Reed, with 9 picks, is 30. Joe Flacco is a 23 year old rookie, 16 scores and 12 picks. Le'Ron McClain is 24 and had 11 TDs, 34 year old Derrick Mason had over a thousand yards receiving.
9. 1975 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 12-2
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 3rd
Def: 3rd
1st NFC Central
lost Div Rnd Cowboys 17-14
HC Bud Grant OC Jerry Burns DC Neill Armstrong
Offense
QB Fran Tarkenton 35 All Pro
RB Chuck Foreman 25 All Pro
FB Ed Marinaro 25
WR John Gilliam 30
WR Jim Lash 24
TE Stu Voigt 27
LT Charles Goodrum 25
LG Andy Maurer 27
C Mick Tingelhoff 35
RG Ed White 28
RT Ron Yary All Pro 29
Defense
LDE Carl Eller 33
LDT Doug Southerland 27
RDT Alan Page 30 All Pro
RDE Jim Marshall 38
LLB Roy Winston 35
MLB Jeff Siemon 25
RLB Wally Hilgenberg 33
LCB Nate Wright 28
RCB Bobby Bryant 31
SS Terry Brown 28
FS Paul Krause 33 All Pro
K Fred Cox 37
P Neil Clabo 29
KR Sam McCullum 23
PR Bobby Bryant 31
The final Vikings team remaining in rnd one was 3rd in both offense and defense in '75; we may see a grind it out, low scoring, 1970s style game here in Baltimore today. 30 year old Alan Page is an All Pro, as is 33 year old Paul Krause with 10 picks. On offense, 35 year old Fran Tarkenton is an All Pro. 27 scores, 13 picks. 25 year old Chuck Foreman is an All Pro - he started 12 times and scored 22 TDs with over 1700 yards from scrimmage. 29 year old Ron Yary is also an All Pro. Winner will face the Steelers - if its Minnesota, they know about that matchup; let's head to Baltimore for the kick.
1st Qtr
Ravens at the 30.
They get a first down on a 13 yard Ray Rice run - but the drive ends in a punt.
Vikes at the 13. They get 2 first downs, Tarkenton 9 yards to Foreman, Tarkenton 16 yards to Lash the big plays. But - punt. Ravens take over at the 26.
On the first play, Joe Flacco is Picked Off by Paul Krause - Krause is down at the Ravens 20 yard line!
Minnesota does not advance, Terrell Suggs gets a sack - a Cox FG makes it 3-0.
Ravens at the 32. One first down, Flacco 11 yards to Rice.
Vikes at the 9.
1/10 - Nothing for Chuck Foreman
2/10 - Robert McClanahan gets 3 yards
3/7 - Fran Tarkenton picks it up - 14 yards to Chuck Foreman - Vikes first down at the 26 as the quarter ends.
2nd Qtr: Vikings 3 Ravens 0
We expected a rock fight, that's what we have so far, the Krause pick is what got these points for Minnesota. 1st down at their own 26 for the Vikes.
1/10 - Tarkenton finds Stu Voigt, 5 yards.
2/5 - Tarkenton finds John Gilliam, he has some room to run, 20 yard gain to the Raven 49.
1/10 - 7 yards for Foreman
2/3 - Foreman picks it up.
1/10 - Nothing for McClanahan.
2/10 - A dozen yards for Ed Marinaro - Vikes at the 27.
That's it -another Cox FG and it is 6-0.
Ravens at the 23 - once again, 1 first down, Ray Rice 18 yard pickup.
But a punt - and the Vikes are at their own 11.
One first down - Tarkenton 24 yards downfield to Jim Lash -- but a Ray Lewis sack ends the drive, and after the punt, Ravens at their own 38, 3 and a half minutes left in the half.
2 plays lose a yard -- and then Bobby Bryant Intercepts Flacco - it is the 2nd Minnesota Pick of the day - it's the 2 minute warning and Minnesota has the ball at the Raven 33.
But they can't move the ball at all - Trevor Pryce gets a sack - the Vikes wind up going for it on 4th down at the 35 - they don't pick it up - and the half is going to wind up ending at the 6-0 score.
3rd Qtr: Vikings 6 Ravens 0
This is the game we thought it would be - two high level defenses, two offenses built on running the ball - we may see a one score game all the way to the end.
Vikes at the 23.
2 first downs, a 20 yard Ed Marinaro run the big play. But there's a punt and Baltimore starts at the 22.
2 first downs -both Derrick Mason receptions, 11 yards, 28 yards - but an Alan Page sack, the first Vikings sack of the day, backs Baltimore up and they punt.
Vikes at the 12. 5 minutes left in the third. 6-0.
1/10 - Tarkenton is dropped, Ray Lewis with his second sack. 5th Ravens sack.
2/14 - A yard for Marinaro.
3/13 - From their own 8 yard line - Chuck Foreman just wills his way for the first down - Foreman to the 22.
1/10 - End around to Gilliam, he gets 4.
2/6 - Foreman is stopped.
3/6 - Tarkenton goes to Foreman -- and he just will not go down until he gets to the sticks - Chuck Foreman really helping the cause right now as the Vikes are so deep in their own end.
1/10 - 3 for Marinaro.
2/7 - Foreman runs to the Vikes 43 and the first down - that's another Foreman first down on the drive and the quarter ends.
4th Qtr: Vikings 6 Ravens 0
Baltimore's shown no inclination to move the ball today - Vikes not much more than that, but they have a 6 point lead and a first down at their own 43.
1/10 - Brent McClanahan gets a carry, 3 yards.
2/7 - Tarkenton finds Jim Lash, it's a first down at the Baltimore 45 - a holding call on the next play backs the Vikes up 10 yards.
1/20 - Marinaro for 12.
2/8 - Incomplete - an offsides call makes it 3rd and 3, feels like a big spot.
3/3 - Tarkenton to Voigt - 10 yards, Minnesota is at the Baltimore 28 yard line.
And -- that's the end of the drive -- the third Fred Cox FG and it is 9-0.
Ravens at the 23. 3 and out --Baltimore is down 2 scores, but they punt the ball back to Minnesota, who takes over at the 34 with 8 to play.
1/10 - Foreman for 4.
2/6 - 16 yards for Chuck Foreman -- Foreman imposing his will in the second half, Vikes at the Baltimore 46 with this 9 point lead. After a false start, it's 1st and 15.
1/15 - Marinaro goes for 19 -- Minnesota running behind White and Yary on the right side of the line and they are at the 32.
1/10 -- Foreman -- Foreman's through the line -- Foreman breaking tackles -- Chuck Foreman is Gonna Go Into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS -- that should wrap this up, there's 6 minutes left in the game and now it is 16-0.
Ravens at the 16 - they dink and dunk their way for a couple of first downs - but Carl Eller gets a sack and Baltimore gives it back to Minnesota on downs with 4 minutes left, Vikes at the Baltimore 30, this game is over.
Minnesota runs the ball into the line 3 times, burning through the Ravens timeouts - Minnesota kicks another FG and it is 19-0, the Ravens getting the ball back with 3 minutes left - Flacco throws his third Interception of the day, Paul Krause's second - and Minnesota can kill the rest of the clock and it is done.
Final: Vikings 19 Ravens 0
A rare shutout in the tournament, Baltimore never really threatens and Minnesota will head to Pittsburgh in round 2. Just 8 first downs today for the Ravens who had less than 150 yards of offense.
Tarkenton 17 for 28, 147 yds
Flacco: 8 for 26, 3 INT
Foreman: 25 carries, 97 yds TD, 7 catches, 53 yds
Rice: 8 carries, 45 yds
Lash: 4 catches, 62 yds
Mason: 4 catches, 58 yds
Krause: 2 INT
Lewis/Suggs: 2 sacks
Cox: 5 FGs
Player of the Game: Alan Page
