Former Ravens receiver Qadry Ismail says the 2000 Baltimore defense was superior to the vaunted 1985 Bears' defense that carried Chicago to its first and only Super Bowl win.
"That 2000 defense it's up there with the all-time, if not the all-time best defense ever, including the '85 Bears," Ismail, now a Ravens broadcaster, said Wednesday on "Carmen, Jurko & Harry" on ESPN Chicago 1000. "It wasn't quite the domination that you would expect (from) that Bears team compared to the total and utter destruction that this 2000 Ravens team inflicted on its opponents. When you have guys like Jerome Bettis, Eddie George, Corey Dillon and Fred Taylor in his prime getting up and just flat out saying we can't play. They're not giving us a chance.
"When you have quarterbacks scared to go back in, that's what the defense brought to the table. "
The 2000 Ravens allowed just 165 points (10.6 per game) all season, an NFL-record and were almost impossible to run on, giving up just 970 yards rushing, another league record. Baltimore posted four shutouts and had 11 games in which they allowed 10 or fewer points.
The 1985 Bears defense was the backbone of a 15-1 season and punished quarterbacks with Buddy Ryan's 46 scheme. They had 64 sacks and led the league in points allowed (198), yards allowed (4,135), interceptions (34) and turnovers (54).