Ravens crush Giants in Super Bowl

Jamal Lewis stretches for the fourth Baltimore TD

The Baltimore Ravens claimed Super Bowl XXXV as their defence squeezed the life out of the New York Giants in a 34-7 win.

Ray Lewis, who hogged most of the headlines in the build-up to the match, was named the game's most valuable player, but it was the Ravens defence collectively which won the game for Baltimore.

In fact, had Ron Dixon not managed one inspired play to return a kick-off the length of the field for a touchdown, the Giants would have been on the wrong end of the first shut-out in Super Bowl history.

That score brought the Giants to within 10 points at 17-7 with just under four minutes left to play in the third quarter.

Defensive battle

But seconds later, Jermaine Lewis repeated the trick for the Ravens and the Giants' hopes were snuffed out.

A further touchdown and a field goal in the fourth quarter brought the final score to 34-7 in favour of the Ravens.

The winning Baltimore coach gets the usual reward

The match was billed as a battle of defences and the experts were tipping a low-scoring affair.

That looked likely as it took more than five minutes for either team to earn a first down.

That went to the Giants, but two minutes later it was the Ravens who put the first score on the board when Brandon Stokley outmanoeuvered Jason Sehorn to escape and Trent Dilfer picked him out for a 38-yard touchdown reception.

Kerry Collins, the New York quarterback, had a miserable game and was intercepted a record-equalling four times.

Big plays

The first came in the second quarter when Lewis tipped a pass which was picked off by Jamie Sharper.

A measure of the dominance of the Baltimore defence was demonstrated five minutes from the end of the second quarter when New York reached Ravens territory for the first time.

Trent Dilfer, the Baltimore quarterback, holds aloft the trophy

But it did not help them get on the score sheet and it was the Ravens who extended their lead by adding a 47-yard field goal from Matt Stover before the break.

There was concern for Baltimore when Dilfer was replaced by Tony Banks early in the second half after being injured in a Giants blitz.

But it was the Ravens defence which was making the really big plays, and Collins was again intercepted four minutes from the end of the third quarter.

Duane Starks picked off a pass intended for Amani Toomer on the Giants 49-yard line and returned it all the way for a touchdown.

That brought the score to 17-0 and inspired Dixon and Lewis' kick-off returns that brought three touchdowns in 38 seconds.

With that, the Giants' faint hope was over, and a three-yard touchdown run from rookie Jamal Lewis, and a further field goal from Stover completed the scoring in the fourth quarter.