There are only a handful of days that players and franchises will remember for the rest of their lives. Jamal Lewis and the Ravens had that day on September 14, 2003.
Brian Billick wanted to get his offense back to what it does best – rushing the football, after a poor start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.
After picking Kyle Boller in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Ravens began the 2003 season with a rookie starting quarterback. Boller brought a lot of potential and energy to the team, but he also brought a lot of inexperience.
Due to the history between the two teams, the animosity between the Browns and Ravens was ferocious, and it was growing with each game. Both teams were 0-1 at the start of the season and looking to get back on track.
From start to finish, the Ravens’ game plan remained consistent. In the first half, Jamal Lewis ran the ball 16 times for 180 yards, and Baltimore tried to play that manner as much as they could. The Ravens triumphed 33-13 once all was said and done, but that wasn’t the major story. Jamal Lewis had changed the course of history.
The game’s statistic
Jamal Lewis set an NFL record with 295 rushing yards. Lewis carried the ball 30 times for a total of 150 yards.
The average yardage per carry is 9.8 yards. Lewis’ mark was the NFL standard until Adrian Peterson carried for 296 yards in 2007.
Game’s best player
It was, without a doubt, Lewis. From start to end, he ran all over the Browns’ defense, effectively commanding the game. 30 carries for 295 yards and two touchdowns was his final stat line.
