2006 Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens had a disappointing season in 2005, completing the year with 6 wins and 10 losses. Just the same, the Ravens have plenty of loyal fans, thousands of whom bought tickets and showed up at M&T Bank Stadium to cheer them on. In fact, their paid attendance averaged over 70,000 tickets sold per game.

Brian Billick looks to turn things around in his 8th year as head coach, and he has snagged Steve McNair, the QB who took the Titans to their only Super Bowl, from Tennessee to help. All 11 offensive starters, including Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton and Todd Heap, are returning, The Ravens' first-round draft pick, strong and agile nose tackle Haloti Ngata, and fearsome end Trevor Pryce, acquired from the Denver Broncos, will join Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to bolster the defense.

Some Baltimore Ravens history: Baltimore was home to the Baltimore Colts (now Indianapolis Colts) from 1953 through 1983. This franchise, one of the most respected in the entire NFL, was lured to Indianapolis by that city, which had built a domed stadium that was standing empty. The Irsay family, owners of the Colts, packed up the team's gear and moved it at night to Indianapolis. The city of Baltimore, stunned by the move, turned the tables by coaxing the Cleveland franchise to come to Baltimore.

The Ravens' franchise was founded after the 1995 NFL season, when Arthur B. Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns, moved his team to Baltimore and renamed it the Ravens. (In 1999 a new Browns franchise began play in Cleveland.) The Ravens are named after the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe, one of Baltimore's favorite sons.

Modell brought to Baltimore a roster of veteran stars, including quarterback Vinny Testaverde and running back Earnest Byner. He also hired former Baltimore Colts head coach Ted Marchibroda to lead the new Baltimore team.

Marchibroda had produced three consecutive Eastern Division titles for the Colts in the mid-1970s, but coaching the Ravens proved difficult. Despite fielding a potent offense, the franchise struggled defensively and finished at the bottom of the Central Division in 1996 and 1997. Testaverde left following the 1997 season and signed as a free agent with the New York Jets. After finishing the 1998 season with 6 wins and 10 losses, the Ravens hired Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick as head coach.

Through shrewd draft picks and free agent signings, the Ravens rebuilt their team around a standout defense. The team was led by linebacker Ray Lewis, who became one of the leading tacklers and top defenders in the NFL. The Ravens' defense gave up a record-low 165 points during the 2000 season, then allowed just 23 points in the postseason, including a 34-7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV.