Super Bowl XXXV to pit Baltimore Ravens Vs. New York Giants

The New York Giants thrashed a Minnesota Vikings team that seemed to have taken the day off on Sunday, handing the usually high-powered offense of the Vikes a 41-0 shutout loss with some offensive production of their own. Kerry Collins, the beleaguered quarterback of the Giants who had been released by Carolina in 1998, charged with a DWI, and then notified that the New Orleans Saints would not be resigning him shortly thereafter, had a career day, throwing 5 touchdown passes.

Meanwhile, the Ravens won again on the strength of their seemingly unstoppable defense, which gave up the fewest points in NFL history during the 2000 season (in the era of the 16-game schedule). The Oakland Raiders usually high-powered offense came up against a brick wall in Ray Lewis and company, as many teams have in the past. Pro-Bowl Quarterback Rich Gannon left the game for a stretch in the second quarter after a vicious Tony Siragusa hit and 1,000-yard rusher Tyrone Wheatley gained just 7 yards on 12 carries. Said Siragusa of his hit on Gannon, "I came down on him will all my weight. He screamed a little bit. I knew he was hurt once I fell on him." Siragusa is "generously" listed as 350 pounds in the Ravens' media guide.

The offensive fireworks of the Baltimore-Oakland game came in the second quarter, when Ravens quarterback Trent Dilfer hooked up with Shannon Sharpe over the middle on a 3rd and 18 play from his own 4 yard line. Sharpe took the pass across the middle, past Marquez Pope, and 96 yards for the game's only touchdown. The Ravens' defense, meanwhile, has given up just one touchdown in its three playoff games and was the only visiting team to win a game during the playoffs, winning not once, but twice, on the road en route to the Super Bowl.