2000 Titans- do they win SB if they get by Baltimore?

[CSKreager]

I don't think it would have been a foregone conclusion they beat Oakland in the AFC-CG or the Giants in the Super Bowl.

I know their defense was no slouch themselves in 2000, but what say you?

[74_75_78_79_]

IMO...YES! Titans definitely the best team that regular season. #1 in a 2000 Power Rankings poll. Made such a streamroller out of themselves going into the playoffs; looked even better than the year prior. And that's no disrespect to the Raiders or G-men who, yes, had quite a (John Fox-coordinated) defense themselves (before SBXXXV, Jerome Bettis who played vs both that year opined that Giants' D was better than Ravens). Titans beat Ravens well statistically in that divisional. If they avert those two big plays they, to me, easily get past Raiders and then Giants. '99/'00 was Jeff Fisher's best chance of a Ring or even back-to-back.

[Rupert Patrick]

2000 was one of those seasons when the two best teams faced off in the Divisional Playoff, and the winner would go all the way; if Tennessee had won, they would have won the Super Bowl over the Giants. Between the 1985 Bears and the 2013 Seahawks, the two best single season defense were the 2000 Ravens and 2000 Titans.

Another season when the two best teams in the league met in the Divisonal Playoff, when I knew the winner would go all the way from there, was in 1997 in the Kansas City-Denver game. Had KC won the game, they would have won the Super Bowl in my opinion.

I can't think of any other years off the top of my head where the best two teams in the league met in the Divisional Playoff, where the DP was in reality the Super Bowl.

[74_75_78_79_]

2000 was one of those seasons when the two best teams faced off in the Divisional Playoff, and the winner would go all the way; if Tennessee had won, they would have won the Super Bowl over the Giants. Between the 1985 Bears and the 2013 Seahawks, the two best single season defense were the 2000 Ravens and 2000 Titans.

Another season when the two best teams in the league met in the Divisonal Playoff, when I knew the winner would go all the way from there, was in 1997 in the Kansas City-Denver game. Had KC won the game, they would have won the Super Bowl in my opinion.

I can't think of any other years off the top of my head where the best two teams in the league met in the Divisional Playoff, where the DP was in reality the Super Bowl.

Maybe Steelers/Colts, 2005. With all due-respect to also-SB-caliber Seattle that year, had Colts won they simply would have remained the consensus-favorite as they were all along. When the 'Burgh won, however, there were many of those who weren't even Steeler-fans who now placed them in the driver's seat - especially considering the hot-(6-game-win)-streak they were now on.

[Rupert Patrick]

2000 was one of those seasons when the two best teams faced off in the Divisional Playoff, and the winner would go all the way; if Tennessee had won, they would have won the Super Bowl over the Giants. Between the 1985 Bears and the 2013 Seahawks, the two best single season defense were the 2000 Ravens and 2000 Titans.

Another season when the two best teams in the league met in the Divisonal Playoff, when I knew the winner would go all the way from there, was in 1997 in the Kansas City-Denver game. Had KC won the game, they would have won the Super Bowl in my opinion.

I can't think of any other years off the top of my head where the best two teams in the league met in the Divisional Playoff, where the DP was in reality the Super Bowl.

Maybe Steelers/Colts, 2005. With all due-respect to also-SB-caliber Seattle that year, had Colts won they simply would have remained the consensus-favorite as they were all along. When the 'Burgh won, however, there were many of those who weren't even Steeler-fans who now placed them in the driver's seat - especially considering the hot-(6-game-win)-streak they were now on.

The Colts were still reeling from the death of Tony Dungy's son on 12/22/05, and while they started the season 13-0, they lost two of their last three games, one of them to Seattle. I don't think the Colts had much of a chance of regrouping and winning the Super Bowl in 2005, but they were still a formidable team. By the Divisional Playoffs, the Colts were not the same team that went 13-0.

Against the Colts, the Steelers went up 14-0 in the first quarter, which demoralized the Colts, and the Steelers managed to hold on for dear life. Even when it looked like the Steelers were going in for the winning score and Bettis fumbled, it took a miracle play by Roethlisberger to save the winning touchdown on the fumble recovery by Harper, and a second miracle when Vanderjagt shanked the 46-yard FG that would have sent the game to OT. Had the game went to OT, I think the Colts would have won, and Denver would have beat them in the AFC Championship.

By the Divisional Playoffs, I think the two strongest teams in the NFL were Denver and Seattle, but after the way the Steelers held on the beat the Colts, it was clear it was Pittsburgh and Seattle were the two best teams going into the Conference Championships.

[74_75_78_79_]

2000 was one of those seasons when the two best teams faced off in the Divisional Playoff, and the winner would go all the way; if Tennessee had won, they would have won the Super Bowl over the Giants. Between the 1985 Bears and the 2013 Seahawks, the two best single season defense were the 2000 Ravens and 2000 Titans.

Another season when the two best teams in the league met in the Divisonal Playoff, when I knew the winner would go all the way from there, was in 1997 in the Kansas City-Denver game. Had KC won the game, they would have won the Super Bowl in my opinion.

I can't think of any other years off the top of my head where the best two teams in the league met in the Divisional Playoff, where the DP was in reality the Super Bowl.

Maybe Steelers/Colts, 2005. With all due-respect to also-SB-caliber Seattle that year, had Colts won they simply would have remained the consensus-favorite as they were all along. When the 'Burgh won, however, there were many of those who weren't even Steeler-fans who now placed them in the driver's seat - especially considering the hot-(6-game-win)-streak they were now on.

The Colts were still reeling from the death of Tony Dungy's son on 12/22/05, and while they started the season 13-0, they lost two of their last three games, one of them to Seattle. I don't think the Colts had much of a chance of regrouping and winning the Super Bowl in 2005, but they were still a formidable team. By the Divisional Playoffs, the Colts were not the same team that went 13-0.

Against the Colts, the Steelers went up 14-0 in the first quarter, which demoralized the Colts, and the Steelers managed to hold on for dear life. Even when it looked like the Steelers were going in for the winning score and Bettis fumbled, it took a miracle play by Roethlisberger to save the winning touchdown on the fumble recovery by Harper, and a second miracle when Vanderjagt shanked the 46-yard FG that would have sent the game to OT. Had the game went to OT, I think the Colts would have won, and Denver would have beat them in the AFC Championship.

By the Divisional Playoffs, I think the two strongest teams in the NFL were Denver and Seattle, but after the way the Steelers held on the beat the Colts, it was clear it was Pittsburgh and Seattle were the two best teams going into the Conference Championships.

Steelers caught Colts off-guard with passing instead of running early on to build that 14-0 lead while at the same time simply out-physical-ing them throughout. It, to me, was a true Steeler-win. Remember the Steelers suffered that bad call nullifying Troy's INT. And then that anomaly of a rare-Bettis fumble...Had Colts ended up pulling it off whether winning in OT or Big Ben missing 'The Tackle', the win would have been considered a bit fluky. The tragedy that Dungy faced hence affecting his team deserves mention but I think a bigger explanation to Colts losing - in addition to Steelers having peaked - was they rest/rusting their starters in December a la '96 Broncos (and other '00s Colt seasons).

Back to that bad call, Cowher did well to gather up his troops during the review and tell them to stay focused and not let it get to them if the call goes the other way. Perhaps his opposing HC three weeks later should have applied that as well. Holmgren letting those questionable calls get to him (rubbing off on his players) along with his/Hasselbeck's subject clock-management may have possibly cost them.

[JWL]

I think so. The Titans and Ravens were probably the two best teams in 2000. The NFC was very soft that year.

[sluggermatt15]

I can agree the Titans would've won the SB. I don't see any other contenders in the NFC.... Minnesota was railed by the Giants in the NFCCG. The Saints and Rams may have been a test, but I doubt they would've beaten Tennessee.

[SixtiesFan]

This is like asking if the LA Rams would have beaten the Raiders in Super Bowl XI if they had "gotten by" the Vikings in the 1976 NFC Championship game. The Rams could have made a close game of it. They would have had something of a home field advantage at the Rose Bowl and they matched up better on both lines (and linebackers and DBs) against the Raiders than the Vikings.

But it doesn't really matter.