USATSI
Nearly 20 years in the past, Trent Dilfer publicly revealed throughout a documentary on the 2000 Ravens that he had all the time suspected his playbook had been stolen out of the Titans’ visiting locker room late that season. As he discovered years later, Dilfer was proper.
While talking on ESPN’s recently-aired documentary on that Ravens staff, Dilfer stated that longtime NFL assistant and former Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ultimately fessed as much as stealing his playbook.
“I’m at an NFL operate with Gregg Williams most likely 12 years in the past, and he admits that he stole that sucker out of the locker room,” Dilfer stated. “To this present day this pisses me off. … He stated, ‘Man, that will need to have been tough realizing that we had your playbook. So now you are enjoying an amazing protection [and] you are enjoying an amazing protection that is aware of the solutions to the take a look at earlier than the take a look at.”
Dilfer’s playbook disappeared following Baltimore’s 24-23 win in Nashville in Week 11. Not one to lose issues, Dilfer’s thoughts instantly went to considering that the playbook was stolen. Those ideas have been bolstered two months later when the 2 groups squared off within the divisional spherical of the playoffs.
“They’re calling out all the pieces,” Dilfer stated of Tennessee’s protection. “They know what we’re doing earlier than we’ll do it.”
Despite their tactical benefit, the Titans nonetheless got here up on the quick finish of a 24-10 rating. While their protection held Baltimore’s offense to 10 factors, Tennessee surrendered touchdowns on offense and on particular groups. The defensive rating — which occurred when Ray Lewis plunked Steve McNair’s cross out of the air and away from Eddie George — proved to be the game-clinching rating.
After vanquishing the defending AFC champion Titans, the Ravens posting convincing wins over the Raiders and Giants to say the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy. Williams ultimately received his ring in 2009 because the Saints’ defensive coordinator, however was later pressured to serve a yearlong suspension for his position in New Orleans’ bounty scandal. He most just lately served because the Jets’ defensive coordinator in 2020.
