BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The last time a team from Baltimore was in the NFL playoffs, Art Modell was in Cleveland, Trent Dilfer was in kindergarten and Cal Ripken was less famous than his father.
The Ravens clinched a postseason berth with a 24-3 victory over the awful San Diego Chargers, giving Baltimore football fans their first playoff team in 23 years.
"I'm happy for the organization and I'm happy for the city of Baltimore," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "This town not being able to appreciate a playoff game ... well, now they can."
The last time a team from Baltimore made the NFL playoffs was in 1977. The Colts, led by Bert Jones, Lydell Mitchell and Roger Carr, suffered a 37-31 home overtime defeat to Oakland in the AFC divisional round.
Owner Bob Irsay moved the Colts to Indianapolis in 1984, leaving Baltimore without an NFL team. Modell made a similar move in 1996, relocating his Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and renaming them the Ravens.
Prior to the game, Modell reluctantly allowed himself to be honored by the Ravens for his 40 years in the NFL.
"I wouldn't consider it under any circumstances unless we were in the playoff hunt," the owner said.
Modell is headed to the playoffs for the first time since 1994, when the Browns went 11-5 and beat New England before losing to Pittsburgh. Defensive end Rob Burnett is the only player left from that club.
"(In) '94 in Cleveland (it) was actually a hassle," Burnett said. "We're having fun with this team. In moving here, it was rough for us. Sundays used to be a church social gathering in this city. Not any longer."
Coming off their bye, the Ravens (10-4) continued their strong play as they extended their club-record winning streak to five games. That stretch has coincided with Billick's switch at quarterback from Tony Banks to Dilfer, who was 5 in 1977.
Dilfer completed 16-of-24 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns as he improved to 5-1 as a starter and continued his career renaissance. After losing his starting job in Tampa Bay last season, he has given the Ravens stability at a problem position.
"Getting in is huge," Dilfer said. "Getting in the way we did it was very tough. This isn't over."
Baltimore also got another awesome game from its defense, which is on a record-setting pace. For the sixth time this season, the Ravens did not allow a touchdown as they smothered a sorry San Diego attack, limiting the Chargers to 128 total yards.
All three of Baltimore's touchdowns followed turnovers by San Diego. Two were forced by the defense and another by special teams.
"Our worst fears came into play today," San Diego coach Mike Riley said. "We know they have a great defense and didn't want to give their offense good field position. We did for 21 points worth today. It's hard to make up that ground."
It all added up create to Baltimore's first playoff team since Ripken -- a fixture on the Inner Harbor for two decades -- was a junior in high school who spent his summers hanging around the clubhouse of the neighboring Orioles, for whom his father was a third-base coach.
"Wow, I did not know that," Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe said. "All year, we haven't been talking about the playoffs. Now we're in and now we're talking about the whole thing. Anything less, we're not going to be satisfied. It's been a long time for this city to enjoy something like this."
A steady drizzle could not douse the spirit of the 68,805 at PSINet Stadium, many of whom have waited a generation for a hometown team this good. The Ravens never finished above .500 in their first four years in Baltimore, going 27-39-1.
Baltimore is one game behind first-place Tennessee (11-3) in the AFC Central Division with games at Arizona and home against the New York Jets. Tennessee is at Cleveland and hosts Dallas.
"It's very satisfying getting in, especially with two games remaining," said Billick, who prohibited his team from using the word "playoffs" until it had clinched a berth. "The `P' word is off."
"We have a strong running game, we have a strong defense and we have a great special teams," Burnett said. "I think we will do OK (in the postseason)."
The Chargers (1-13) have dropped two in a row since their only win and with games remaining at Carolina and against Pittsburgh virtually are assured of the top pick in April's NFL draft. That is small consolation to a team that is on its way to the worst record in franchise history.
"That's a team in a tough spot right now and they fought to the end," Billick said.
San Diego went three-and-out on the game's first possession and Baltimore took the lead for good as it marched 60 yards in 17 plays, consuming more than nine minutes.
Three third-down conversions on third down set up Matt Stover's 32-yard field goal with 3:35 left in the first quarter. It was the game's only score not preceded by a turnover.
In the second quarter, Ryan Leaf drove the Chargers into Ravens territory before he was sacked by linebacker Cornell Brown. His fumble was recovered by defensive tackle Larry Webster at the San Diego 46.
Eight plays later, Dilfer threw deep in the end zone for Qadry Ismail. The play was ruled incomplete but Billick challenged and the play was reversed for a 28-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 4:16 left in the first half.
"I was shaking today," Dilfer said. "I didn't play my best football. (But) I got the job done."
Cornerback Chris McAlister picked off Leaf and returned it nine yards to the Chargers 46 with 3:07 remaining. Looking for another score before the half, Dilfer was picked off by safety Rodney Harrison, who returned it 19 yards to the Ravens 43.
Seven plays later, John Carney kicked a 47-yard field goal to deny Baltimore its fifth shutout of the season.
But that was it for the Chargers as the Ravens scored a pair of easy TDs in the third quarter. Safety Kim Herring forced a fumble by Terrell Fletcher that was recovered by Burnett at the San Diego 3. Rookie Jamal Lewis banged in two plays later for a 17-3 lead with 10:47 left.
The teams traded punts and a muff by San Diego's DeRon Jenkins was recovered by Brad Jackson on the 17. On 3rd-and-17 from the 22, Dilfer found Brandon Stokley for a touchdown and a 24-3 lead.
"We made it a one-score game and fumbled the ball," Riley said. "We then fumbled off the punt return right after that. That was a big turning point."
After a slow start, Lewis finished with 91 yards on 29 carries and 39 yards on three catches. Ismail caught six passes for 80 yards and Stokley four for 55 for Baltimore, which held the ball for 37:36.
Baltimore has yielded just 138 points and easily is on pace to break Chicago's 1986 record of 187 for fewest allowed in a 16-game season.
Leaf was 9-of-23 for just 78 yards. Fletcher had 44 yards on 16 carries for San Diego, which lost four fumbles and managed just nine first downs.
