Team Spirit author Mark Stewart talks about the OVERTIME web page.

Mark picks his favorite Ravens.

What’s new with the Baltimore Ravens? That’s what this page is all about.

The Team Spirit OVERTIME website begins where the Team Spirit books end.

That’s because football never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!

Scroll down for team updates, player profiles, and stats you won’t find in the book. Click on the videos to the left to hear me talk about Team Spirit OVERTIME as well as my favorite players. And take a look below at some of the Ravens collectibles I have in my home—pretty cool, right?

Enjoy this site, check back whenever you like, and contact me with any questions or comments.

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Updates

2022 Season

2022 Season Roundup: The Ravens chased the Bengals in the AFC North all year and nearly caught them in December. Their 10 victories earned them another shot at Cincinnati in the playoffs, but Baltimore fell in the Wild Card game, 24–17. The Ravens had a chance to win the game with less than five minutes to go, but fumbled at the goal line and watched the Bengals return the ball 98 yards for the winning score. Had Lamar Jackson been healthy for the game, the outcome might have been very different. It was a disappointing end to a season that featured a balanced offense starring Devin Duvernay, Mark Andrews, Patrick Ricard, and kicker Justin Tucker. Roquan Smith, Justin Houston, Marcus Williams, and Marlon Humphrey were standouts on the Baltimore D.

2022 Season Preview: The Ravens have as much talent as anyone in the NFL, but their 2022 schedule includes several teams that have made big improvements. If Lamar Jackson & Co. beat the clubs they are supposed to, the AFC North race should go down to the final weekend. As usual, Baltimore has a good defense. If the team’s running backs can stay healthy and Jackson gets into a rhythm with his receivers, a 12- or 13-win season is not out of the question.

2021 Season

2021 Season Roundup: Injuries limited Lamar Jackson to just 12 games and, despite quality players on offense and defense, the Ravens lost their last six games to finish 8–9. All but one of those losses came by three points or less. Receivers Devin Duvernay and Mark Andrews enjoyed standout seasons, while Justin Tucker proved he might be the greatest kicker in NFL history. The clutch plays the Baltimore defense made in past seasons weren’t there at the end of 2021 and it cost the team a trip to the playoffs.

October 17, 2021: 24-year-old quarterback Lamar Jackson won for the 35th time in his career—the most ever before the age of 25. Hall of Famer Dan Marino held the old record, with 34.

September 26, 2021: Justin Tucker booted a 66-yard field goal to defeat the Lions, 19–17. His kick was the longest in NFL history. Eight years earlier, Tucker beat the Lions with a 61-yard field goal.

2021 Season Preview: As if opponents didn’t have enough to worry about facing Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, now they have to cover newcomers Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins, who join young star Marquise Brown as the team’s go-to receivers. Rookie Ty’Son Williams replaces Mark Ingram in the backfield and the offensive line looks solid again. Marlon Humphrey, Calais Campbell, and veteran Justin Houston anchor an attacking defense.

2020 Season

2020 Season Roundup: Lamar Jackson had another wonderful year for the Ravens, who finished 11–5 and made it to the playoffs. Jackson threw for 2,757 yards and 26 touchdowns and ran for another 1,005 yards and seven TDs. As usual, Baltimore put an excellent defense on the field. Marlon Humphrey, Matt Judon, and Calais Campbell were all Pro Bowl picks, as the team allowed the second-fewest points in the league. Jackson’s great year ended in a playoff loss to the Bills, when he was knocked out of the game.

January 3, 2021: Lamar Jackson ran for 112 yards in a win over the Bengals to become the first quarterback in history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.

November 8, 2020: The Ravens defeated the Colts 24–10 and became the first team in NFL history to score 20 or more points 31 games in a row.

2020 Season Preview: A sudden, surprising end to the 2019 season taught the Ravens that they need to do more than unleash their amazing quarterback, Lamar Jackson. Baltimore fans (and enemy defenses) will see a lot of different plays in 2020. The really bad news for teams facing the Ravens is that their defense may be even better. Newcomer Calais Campbell is an expert at stopping the run and there are fast young linebackers competing for more playing time. The team’s pass defenders are also among the best in the AFC.

2019 Season

2019 Season Roundup: Baltimore fans got the treat of a lifetime watching opponents try to stop quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won the NFL MVP award after guiding the club to a 14–2 record. The team that finally stopped the Ravens were the Tennessee Titans, who won their playoff game, 28–12. During his MVP season, Jackson threw for 36 touchdowns, ran for 7 more and led the Ravens in rushing yards with 1,206—the most ever by a pro quarterback. All-Pros Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey led the league’s third-best defense.

December 14, 2019: Lamar Jackson broke Michael Vick’s record of 1,039 rushing yards by a quarterback in a win over the Jets.

October 13, 2019: Kicker Justin Tucker scored his 1,000th point in the 118th game of his career—faster than any player in NFL history.

September 8, 2019: The Ravens beat the Dolphins 59–10 and scored 42 points in the first half—the most ever in a half on opening day.

2019 Season Preview: Baltimore fans were delighted by their unexpected division title in 2018. Can the Ravens repeat in 2019? That may depend on how well the offense can be matched to the skills of QB Lamar Jackson, one of the NFL’s most exciting players. Mark Ingram, longtime star with the Saints, will be in the backfield to help him. The Baltimore D lost some veteran talent in the off-season, but the secondary and defensive line are good enough to survive. The loss of CJ Mosley leaves the team’s linebackers without a proven leader, so it will be interesting to see who steps into that role.

2018 Season

2018 Season Roundup: After a so-so start, the Ravens won six of their last seven games to make the playoffs. Longtime quarterback Joe Flacco was injured, but his replacement, Lamar Jackson, gave the offense new energy. Jackson was the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner as the top college player. Baltimore won its division for the first time since 2012, but lost to the Chargers in the playoffs.

2018 Season Preview: The Ravens may need to rebuild soon, but it won’t be this season. The team will grind out tough yards on offense and beat up opponents on defense. Baltimore prides itself in preventing big plays and long drives. If the Ravens continue this tradition, they could compete for a Wild Card slot.

2017 Season

2017 Season Roundup: Baltimore finished 9–7 but missed the playoffs after losing to the Bengals on the final day of the season. QB Joe Flacco did not put up his usual numbers, but the offense still put points ion the board. The defense was led by linebackers Terrell Suggs and C.J. Moseley.

2017 Season Preview: The Baltimore defense is one of the league’s best year in and year out. That’s the case once again in 2017, as the Ravens made deals to strengthen their pass coverage. Without a first-rate running game, QB Joe Flacco will need to be a difference-maker in close games.

2016 Season

2016 Season Roundup: After a disappointing season in 2015, the Ravens improved to 8–8 in 2016. The team got good years from running back Kyle Juszczyk, linemen Jeremy Zuttah and Marshall Yanda, and defensive stars C.J. Mosley and Eric Weddle. Kicker Justin Tucker was a busy man; he led the NFL with 38 field goals. Joe Flacco threw for over 4,000 yards for the first time thanks to veteran receivers Steve Smith and Mike Wallace. But the offense still had trouble putting points on the board, averaging just 21 a game.

2016 Season Preview: Injuries ruined Baltimore’s 2015 season. Will Joe Flacco be 100 percent in 2016? Who will be his go-to runner and receiver? Can the offensive line give these players a chance to shine? These are some of the big question surrounding the Ravens, who play in the tough AFC North. The defense will need big years out of veteran Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervill to return to the top of the standings.

2015 Season

2015 Season Preview: Joe Flacco is in the prime of his career, but a new group of receivers make take some getting used to. If Baltimore can survive a tough early season schedule, it should be in the hunt for a playoff spot at the end of the year.

2014 Season

September 2, 2014: Baltimore fans are still wondering what happened in 2013 after the team went to Super Bowl champs to playoff also-rans. Veteran Steve Smith joins Torrey Smith to give QB Joe Flacco two great targets. Stopping the passing game could be a problem for the Ravens, however. They are not very deep in the secondary, so one or two injuries could leave them exposed to strong-armed quarterbacks.

2013 Season

December 8, 2013: The Ravens outlasted the Minnesota Vikings 29–26 that saw a record six lead changes in the fourth quarter.

September 4, 2013: Right after winning the Super Bowl, the Ravens lost several key defensive players—including Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. Even with good replacements, they may take a step backwards in 2013. The offense lost Anquan Boldin, who was traded to the 49ers. Baltimore fans hope that Joe Flacco and Ray Rice have enough star power to keep the Ravens in front of the up-and-coming Bengals in the AFC North.

2012 Roundup

February 3, 2013: The Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII by a score of 34–31. Baltimore held a commanding lead in the second half when the lights went out in the Louisiana SuperDome. The 49 mounted a thrilling comeback, but the Ravens held on to win. Ray Lewis retired as a Super Bowl champion and quarterback Joe Flacco was named game MVP. Jacoby Jones set a Super Bowl record with a 108-yard kickoff return, and 290 total yards.

October 14, 2012: Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. Not a single Dallas tackler laid a hand on Jones, whose run tied an NFL record for a kickoff return.

September 10, 2012: In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Ed Reed intercepted a pass and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. On that play, Reed broke Rod Woodson’s all-time record for interception return yards, with 1,497.

Summer, 2012: The defense is strong, the offense is good, and special teams should be greatly improved in 2012. This all adds up to another winning season for the Ravens, who narrowly missed a trip to the Super Bowl last winter.

More Go-To Guys

Rod Woodson signed this photo when he joined Baltimore after a long career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Author’s Collection)

This insert card came with a piece of Derrick Mason’s jersey. (Topps, Inc.)

  • Rod Woodson —  Defensive Back
    Born: 3/10/1965
    Played for Team: 1998 to 2001
    Rod Woodson joined the Ravens when he was 33 and most fans thought he was past his prime. Woodson proved them wrong. In four seasons in Baltimore, he had 20 interceptions and made the Pro Bowl three times. Woodson was one of the defensive leaders when the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV.

  • Adalius Thomas —  Linebacker
    Born: 8/17/1977
    Played for Team: 2000 to 2006
    Adalius Thomas was a perfect fit for the Ravens. He was big, fast, and atheltic. Thomas was just as effective rushing the passer as he was dropping back in pass coverage. In 2005 and 2006, Thomas returned three fumbles for touchdowns.

  • Derrick Mason — Receiver
    Born: 1/17/1974
    Played for Team: 2005 to 2010
    The Ravens signed Derrick Mason to give them an experienced star at wide receiver. In 2007, the Ravens used three different quarterbacks. It made no difference to Mason, who set a team record with 103 catches.

More Fun Facts

No one was hotter than Tony Banks at the end of the 1999 season. Even though he lost the starting job in 2000, I wasn’t surprised when the Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl. (Author’s Collection)

  • NO DOUBTING THOMAS
    In 2005, the Ravens asked Adalius Thomas to do the impossible: play linebacker and cornerback. He finished the year with 84 tackles and nine sacks, intercepted two passes, recovered three fumbles, and scored three touchdowns on turnovers.

  • ON A RIVAL
    When the Ravens began play in Baltimore, NFL fans could hardly wait to start a rivalry with the Washington Redskins, who played less than an hour away. In their first meeting, the Ravens beat the ‘Skins, 20–17.

  • MONEY IN THE BANKS
    In the first half of the 1999 season, the Ravens tried two new quarterbacks without success. Scott Mitchell and Stoney Case started the first six games and were benched. Baltimore gave Tony Banks a chance and he had the best season of his career. Banks started the final 10 games, threw 17 touchdown passes, and led the team to six victories. The Ravens’ final record of 8–8 marked the first time in team history that they avoided a losing season.

League Leaders

When I got this card of Jamal Lewis, I thought it was a real piece of his uniform. Silly me! (NFL Players Inc.)

Someone actually gave me this Bowman Chrome card of Ed Reed. It’s a very expensive pack to buy, so I was happy to have it—no charge. (Topps, Inc.)

  • RUSHING YARDS
    2003 — Jamal Lewis — 2,066

  • RECEIVING YARDS
    No Raven has led the league in receiving yards.

  • PASSING YARDS
    No Raven has led the league in passing yards.

  • RUSHING TDs
    No Raven has led the league in rushing touchdowns.

  • RECEIVING TDs
    1997 — Michael Jackson — 14 (tied for NFL lead)

  • PASSING TDs
    2019 — Lamar Jackson — 36

  • POINTS
    No Raven had led the league in points.

  • INTERCEPTIONS
    1999 — Rod Woodson — 7 (tied for NFL lead)
    2004 — Ed Reed — 9
    2008 — Ed Reed — 9
    2010 — Ed Reed — 8

  • SACKS
    No Raven has led the league in sacks.

Playing for the Championship

SEASON GAME OPPONENT SCORE
2000 AFC Championship Oakland Raiders Won 16–3
2000 Super Bowl XXXV New York Giants Won 34–7
2008 AFC Championship Pittsburgh Steelers Lost 23–14
2011 AFC Championship New England Patriots Lost 23–20
2012 AFC Championship New England Patriots Won 28–13
2012 Super Bowl XLVII San Francisco 49ers Won 34–31

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