OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Ravens say they don't want to be considered a great defense until they win a championship. They are one win away from being considered great.
Using the NFL's stingiest defense to set the tone and a 96-yard touchdown pass from Trent Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe, the Ravens advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history with a 16-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders.
In their fifth season since moving from Cleveland, the Ravens (15-4) will meet the New York Giants (14-4) in Super Bowl XXXV on January 28 in Tampa.
Baltimore also became the third wild card team from the AFC to advance to the Super Bowl in the last four seasons.
Heading to the Super Bowl has to be sweet for 75-year-old Ravens owner Art Modell, who saw his Cleveland Browns lose to the Denver Broncos in all three of their AFC championship game appearances in 1986, 1987 and 1989.
The Ravens' defense, which set an NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game season with 165, came up big in its biggest game.
Baltimore forced five turnovers and knocked out Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon for most of the second quarter with a shoulder injury. Gannon returned after halftime but was ineffective, throwing a pair of interceptions and losing a fumble. He was replaced by Bobby Hoying in the fourth quarter.
The Ravens also got a huge play from their offense early in the second quarter, when Dilfer hit Sharpe with a quick slant that the veteran tight end turned into a 96-yard TD -- the longest scoring pass in postseason history -- that gave Baltimore a 7-0 lead.
Things got worse for Oakland on its ensuing possession when 340-pound defensive tackle Tony Siragusa drove Gannon's left shoulder into the turf.
It was another forgettable AFC title game for the Raiders (13-5), who were routed by Buffalo, 51-3, in January 1991 in their last championship game appearance.
