2006 Baltimore Ravens Season
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2006 season was the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
' 11th in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL), their 8th under
head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...
Brian Billick, and their 5th season under
general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
Ozzie Newsome. The team improved on their 6–10 record from
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
to a 13-3 record and marks their greatest-single season turnaround for the team. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0. The Ravens ended the regular season with a then-franchise record thirteen wins (that stood until a fourteen-win season in
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
). The Ravens clinched the
AFC North The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the NFL realign ...
title and a 1st-round playoff bye, their first playoff berth since
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
. However, their season came to an end, with a 15–6 upset loss to the eventual
Super Bowl XLI Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2006 Indianapolis Colts season, Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2006 Chicago Bears season, Chicag ...
champions
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
in the divisional round.


Offseason

In the 2006 offseason, the Baltimore Ravens were in negotiations to try to obtain veteran quarterback
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
from the Tennessee Titans. On Sunday, April 30, 2006, the Titans allowed McNair to speak with the Ravens and on May 1, 2006, the Baltimore Sun stated that the Baltimore Ravens had been waiting for McNair to be released by the Titans since it was the free agency period. The deal was completed in June 2006. McNair and the Ravens agreed to an $11 million signing bonus on May 5, 2006. On June 7, 2006, the Ravens and Titans agreed to trade a 4th round pick in the 2007 draft for McNair, pending a physical.
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
brought a calm leadership presence to the quarterback role that had been absent from the franchise since its inception. The critical issue in the 2006 season remained whether McNair would hearken back to his
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...
performance days or whether the cumulative effect of injuries would continue to hamper his performance. During the
2006 NFL draft The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offe ...
the Ravens acquired future star defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning consensus All-American ho ...
as well as safety Dawan Landry and punter Sam Koch. During free agency, the Ravens also picked up former
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
RB Mike Anderson, who in 2005 posted a 1,000-yard plus season. He was expected to back up Jamal Lewis and to be insurance if Lewis posted stats similar to 2005. The Ravens also acquired DE Trevor Pryce of the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
who would prove a strong addition the Ravens defensive line, which had some pressuring problems the previous season. The Ravens also changed flagship radio stations, from
WQSR WQSR (102.7 FM, "102.7 Jack FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The station is owned by iHeartMedia through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC. It broadcasts an adult hits format, using the syndicated " ...
"
Jack FM Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits radio format, format, in most cases not using disc jockey, DJs. F ...
" to WBAL 1090AM and
WIYY WIYY (97.9 FM, "98 Rock") is a commercial radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. It is owned by Hearst Communications and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format. WIYY shares studios and offices with sister stations WBAL (1090 AM) and WBA ...
"98 Rock." The announcing team was not retained; Scott Garceau now co-hosts an "uncensored" pro football discussion program, with former Baltimore Colt
Tom Matte Thomas Roland Matte (Pronounced: MAT-tee) (June 14, 1939November 2, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) in the 1960s and 1970s and earned a Super Bowl ring. He attende ...
, simulcast on WHFS " Free FM" and WJZ,
ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The netw ...
1300AM.


Draft


Roster


Schedule


Preseason


Regular season

Apart from their
AFC North The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the NFL realign ...
division games, the Ravens played against the
AFC West The American Football Conference – Western Division or AFC West is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division comprises the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, ...
and
NFC South The National Football Conference – Southern Division or NFC South is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It was created before the 2002 NFL season when th ...
according to the conference rotation, and played the Titans and Bills based on 2005 divisional positions.


Postseason


Division standings


Game summaries


Regular season


Week 1: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

''at
Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tampa, Florida, United States. It opened in 1998 and is home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and the University of South Florida (USF) Bulls college football ...
,
Tampa, Florida Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
''
TV Time:
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
1:00 pm eastern The Ravens opened the regular season on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 10. In QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
’s inaugural start as a Raven, the team gave a dominating performance. RB Jamal Lewis got the team's first points as he ran into the endzone on a four-yard touchdown strike in the first quarter. Then, in the second quarter, CB Chris McAlister intercepted a pass from Tampa Bay QB Chris Simms and ran 60 yards for another touchdown. Rookie
Haloti Ngata Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, earning consensus All-American ho ...
recorded his first career interception and also returned for 60 yards to set up kicker Matt Stover with a 20-yard field goal to put the Ravens up 17–0 at halftime. Baltimore continued to suppress Tampa Bay in the second half, as Stover kicked a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter to put Baltimore up 20–0. In the fourth quarter, McNair put the game away with a 4-yard pass to TE Daniel Wilcox. While the Ravens offense had a very good start to the 2006 season, the defense also showed much promise, as they forced Simms into throwing three interceptions and limited star RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams to just 22 yards on eight carries. For his efforts in this game
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 17-year career as a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football f ...
was named NFL Defensive Player of the Week after recording 10 tackles and a sack. With the win, the Ravens were 1–0 and 1–0 against NFC Opponents.


Week 2: vs. Oakland Raiders

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
''
TV Time:
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
1:00 pm eastern The Ravens opened Week 2 with a home-opener against the visiting
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
. From the get-go, the Ravens dominated the game. The Ravens forced two fumbles by Oakland QB Aaron Brooks in the first quarter which led to two of Baltimore kicker's Matt Stover three field goals (25, 33, and 37-yarders). The Raiders would get on the board in the second quarter with a 34-yard field goal by opposing
Sebastian Janikowski Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former professional player of American football who was a placekicker for 18 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college fo ...
, but Baltimore would respond with QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Todd Heap. In the third quarter, the only score of the period would be LB Adalius Thomas sacking QB Andrew Walter in the end zone for a safety. In the fourth quarter, Stover increased the Ravens' lead with a 23-yard field goal. Even though Oakland would get three points on Janikowski's 51-yard FG, Baltimore RB Mike Anderson put the game away on a 34-yard TD run. With another win, the Ravens advanced to 2–0.


Week 3: at Cleveland Browns

''at Cleveland Browns Stadium,
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
''
TV Time:
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
4:05 pm eastern The Ravens traveled to
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...
for an AFC North match-up with the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens struck first with kicker Matt Stover getting a 32-yard field goal. However, in the second quarter, their small lead was wiped out, as WR
Braylon Edwards Braylon Jamel Edwards (born February 21, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was a unanimous All-American playing college football for the Michigan Wolver ...
caught a 58-yard TD pass and QB Charlie Frye got a one-yard TD run. In the third quarter, both sides stiffened their defenses and prevented each other from scoring. In the fourth quarter, down by 2 points, McNair drove down the field to set Stover up for a 52-yard field goal. With 0:29 left in the 4th quarter the field goal provided the winning points.
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
passed for 264 yards. He threw no interceptions and completed 23 passes out of 41. Jamal Lewis rushed for 86 yards. The leading receiver was Derrick Mason with 7 completions for 132 yards. The defense sacked Brown's quarterback Charlie Frye seven times. The defense also had one forced fumble and an interception. With their third straight win, the Ravens advanced to 3–0.


Week 4: vs. San Diego Chargers

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
''
TV Time:
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
1:00 pm eastern The Chargers visited Baltimore for the first time since
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
. The Chargers led down the field first with a 31-yard touchdown pass to WR Malcom Floyd. However, this was followed two drives later by an interception by OLB Bart Scott (who was named September's Defensive Player of the Month recently before the game), which led to a 5-yard touchdown pass from QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
to TE Daniel Wilcox. In the second quarter, 2 Chargers field goals from kicker Nate Kaeding put San Diego in the lead at the half. In the third quarter, the Ravens' defense held the Chargers to no points. They were assisted by a loud stadium, which led to a fourth quarter intentional safety by Chargers punter Mike Scifres. The Ravens took the ball at the 40-yard line with 3:12 to go. After Derrick Mason dropped a possible touchdown pass early in the drive, a 10-yard pass to TE Todd Heap won the game with 30 seconds to play. On the touchdown catch, Heap broke a tackle from Shawne Merriman. With the win, the Ravens were 4–0 for the first time in their 11-year history. However, Guard Edwin Mulitalo was injured for the entire season with a triceps injury.


Week 5: at Denver Broncos

''at
Invesco Field at Mile High Empower Field at Mile High is an American football stadium in Denver, Colorado. Its primary tenant is the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). It opened in 2001 to replace the Broncos' original home, the old Mile High Stadium. T ...
,
Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
''
TV Time:
ESPN ESPN (an initialism of their original name, which was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by the Walt Disney Company (80% and operational control) and Hearst Commu ...
8:30 pm eastern The Ravens suffered their first loss of the season as they were beaten 13–3 by the Denver Broncos. In a defensive struggle most of the game,
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
was intercepted three times and Jamal Lewis was held to 43 yards rushing. The Ravens got on the board first when Matt Stover kicked a 24-yard field goal, following a fumble by Broncos RB Tatum Bell. The Broncos responded with a 43-yard field goal of their own by
Jason Elam Jason Douglas Elam (; born March 8, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Denver Broncos. He was selected by Denver in the third round of the 19 ...
. The Ravens drove deep into Broncos territory late at the end of the first half, but that drive was thwarted as Steve McNair was intercepted by Champ Bailey in the end zone on a pass intended for Clarence Moore. The third quarter saw no points scored by either team as the defensive struggle continued. The Broncos controlled the clock in the second half with the running game led by Tatum Bell, who atoned for his fumble in the first quarter, by bouncing back with 92 yards rushing. Ravens QB McNair was intercepted again by Darrent Williams, which led to a
Jake Plummer Jason Steven "Jake" Plummer (born December 19, 1974) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Pl ...
to Rod Smith touchdown pass. McNair was intercepted a third time, ending the Ravens' final drive, this time by Domonique Foxworth. With their first loss, the Ravens dropped to 4–1.


Week 6: vs. Carolina Panthers

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' The Ravens lost their second straight game in a contest with the
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
. The Panthers got on the board first with a 21-yard field goal by kicker John Kasay. Ravens quarterback
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
was knocked out in the first quarter with a concussion, and backup Kyle Boller took over, connecting on a touchdown pass with Mark Clayton, on a pass intended for Derrick Mason that was tipped to Clayton. The Panthers responded when Drew Carter caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme, and Kasay kicked another field goal, this time from 31 yards. The Panthers went into halftime with a 13–7 lead. The third quarter was scoreless, and midway through the fourth quarter, Panthers kicker Kasay kicked his third field goal of the day from 21 yards out. Ravens wide receiver Clayton caught his second touchdown pass from Boller, again on a tipped pass, bringing the score to 16–14 Carolina. Panthers quarterback Delhomme continued his career day, this time throwing a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Smith. Delhomme threw for a career-high 365 yards. Ravens tight end Todd Heap caught a 7-yard pass from Boller in the final minutes, but it wasn't enough as the Panthers extended their current winning streak to four games. The loss dropped the Ravens to 4–2, and 1–1 against NFC Opponents.


Week 7: Bye week

On Tuesday, October 17, 2006, it was reported that Ravens head coach Brian Billick fired offensive coordinator
Jim Fassel James Edward Fassel (August 31, 1949 – June 7, 2021) was an American college and professional football player and coach. He was the head coach of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1997 to 2003. He was offensive coo ...
and that he had taken over Fassel's job of offensive coordinator. Also with the Bengals’ loss this week the Ravens were also able to take the lead of the AFC North.


Week 8: at New Orleans Saints

''at the
Louisiana Superdome Caesars Superdome (originally Louisiana Superdome and formerly Mercedes-Benz Superdome), commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium in the Southern United States, southern United States, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...
,
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
'' In
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
's return from a strained neck and concussion last week, he dominated while running for one touchdown and threw for 2. The Baltimore Ravens snapped a 2-game losing streak with this 35–22 win October 29, 2006. The Ravens defense was excellent as well. They had four interceptions, two for touchdowns by Ronnie Prude and Dawan Landry, and a fumble recovery. Bart Scott knocked Reggie Bush out of the game with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. This was the first game the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
have lost in the
Louisiana Superdome Caesars Superdome (originally Louisiana Superdome and formerly Mercedes-Benz Superdome), commonly known as the Superdome, is a domed multi-purpose stadium in the Southern United States, southern United States, located in New Orleans, Louisiana. ...
since the stadium reopened for the 2006 season. First quarter consisted of a five-yard quarterback draw by
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
which made the score 7–0. Early in the second quarter, Clarence Moore caught a short four-yard pass in the endzone to make it 14–0. About 6 minutes later, Ronnie Prude intercepted
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
for a 12-yard interception return. Later on,
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
passed to
Joe Horn Joseph Horn (born January 16, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL draft, and also ...
for a 32-yard touchdown pass to make it 21–7. Late in the second quarter tight end Todd Heap was passed a ball that was another Baltimore touchdown to make it 28–7 at halftime. In the third quarter Dawan Landry intercepted
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
for 12 yards for another Baltimore score to make it 35–7 Baltimore. In the fourth quarter,
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
passed to
Marques Colston Marques E. Colston ( born June 5, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hofstra Pride, and was selected by the New Orleans Sai ...
for a 47-yard touchdown to make it 35–14. Then
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees is sec ...
passed to
Marques Colston Marques E. Colston ( born June 5, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hofstra Pride, and was selected by the New Orleans Sai ...
for a 25-yard touchdown catch. A 2-point conversion was made to make it 35–22. New Orleans went for an onside kick but it failed so the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
won by the score of 35–22. With the win, the Ravens advanced to 5–2 and 2–1 against NFC Opponents. Jamal Lewis ran for 109 yards on 31 attempts.
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
ran for 23 yards on 5 carries and completed 17 passes out of 23 for 159 yards.


Week 9: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' Riding high from their road win over the Saints, the Ravens returned home for an AFC North showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. In the first quarter, RB Jamal Lewis got a touchdown on a 2-yard run. Afterwards, the defense did some stepping up, as CB Samari Rolle got an interception at the Bengals 49-yard line. He ran 24 yards and then lateraled the ball to Free Safety
Ed Reed Edward Earl Reed Jr. (born September 11, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL), spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college footbal ...
who returned it the remaining 25 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, kicker Matt Stover kicked a 43-yard field goal to give Baltimore a dominating lead. The Bengals would finally score, as QB Carson Palmer completed a 26-yard TD pass to WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh. In the third quarter, Stover helped the Ravens increase their lead with two more field goals (a 25-yarder and a 36-yarder). Cincinnati would have kicker Shayne Graham nail a 51-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Bengals drew closer, as RB Rudi Johnson got a 4-yard TD run. Stover would give Baltimore one more field goal, which came from 35 yards out. Even though Cincinnati would get a 31-yard field goal from Graham, the Ravens held on to win and improve to 6–2. File:BJ Sams.jpg, B.J. Sams against the Bengals File:Jeremi Johnson and Ray Lewis.jpg, Jeremi Johnson runs the ball,
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 17-year career as a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football f ...
misses tackling him File:Johnathan Joseph and Todd Heap.jpg, Johnathan Joseph and Todd Heap File:Reggie Kelly diving reception.jpg, Diving catch by Reggie Kelly File:Domata Peko tackles Musa Smith.jpg, Domata Peko tackles Musa Smith File:Chris Henry (2310846707).jpg, Baltimore makes an interception against Chris Henry (wide receiver)


Week 10: at Tennessee Titans

''at LP Field,
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
'' For this road game of former AFC Central rivals, QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
would go up against his successor and his former team, QB
Vince Young Vincent Paul Young Jr. (born May 18, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Young was selected by the Tennessee Titans as the third overall pick in th ...
and the Tennessee Titans. In the first quarter, the Titans struck first with kicker
Rob Bironas James Robert Douglas Bironas (January 29, 1978 – September 20, 2014) was an American professional football placekicker who played the majority of his professional career with the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Auburn Universit ...
nailing a 21-yard field goal. The Ravens would respond with McNair completing a 65-yard TD pass to WR Mark Clayton. However, Tennessee started showing signs of an upset, as Young got a 2-yard TD run, while DE Tony Brown got to McNair in the endzone for a safety. In the second quarter, the Titans continued their dominance with TE Bo Scaife getting a 13-yard TD run and RB Travis Henry getting a 1-yard TD. Afterwards, Baltimore responded with McNair completing a 30-yard TD pass to FB
Ovie Mughelli Ovie Phillip Mughelli (born June 10, 1980) is a former American football fullback (American football), fullback who played for the Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Wa ...
, along with kicker Matt Stover ending the half with a 27-yard field goal. After a scoreless third quarter, Stover completed a 40-yard field goal and McNair completed an 11-yard TD pass to WR Derrick Mason to take the lead. The Ravens ended any chance of a Titans upset by blocking a game-winning field goal attempt as time expired. With the win, they improved to 7–2.


Week 11: vs. Atlanta Falcons

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' Kicker Matt Stover lost his consecutive field goals-made streak, yet the Ravens were able to beat the visiting
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
24–10. Using the kick/punt returns by returner B.J. Sams, the Ravens rallied in the second half to win. After being scoreless in the first half, RB Jamal Lewis finished with a 91-yard, 3-TD performance, ending his 35-game multi-TD drought. QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
completed 24 out of 34 passes for 236 yards. The leading receiver was Mark Clayton, who had 5 receptions for 89 yards. With the win, the Ravens improved to 8–2.


Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' The Ravens collected their second shutout of the season against the Steelers. The defense set a new team record by collecting 9 sacks against the strong
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
offense. Todd Heap and
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
hooked up to score the first touchdown of the game in the 1st quarter. Jamal Lewis rushed for the second touchdown in the second quarter. Adalius Thomas returned a fumble by Pittsburgh quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. The 27-point margin of victory was the Ravens’ largest against the Steelers to this point (since surpassed on September 11, 2011, when the Ravens won 35–7), and the second shutout recorded against the Steelers this season. After being sidelined for 2 games,
Ray Lewis Raymond Anthony Lewis Jr. (born May 15, 1975) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 17-year career as a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football f ...
returned to the lineup and recorded one of the 9 sacks. With the win, the Ravens improved to 9–2. File:Steelers captains approach midfield 2006.jpg, Pittsburgh captains approach midfield for the coin toss File:Steelers-Ravens midfield.jpg, Steelers and Ravens players before the coin toss File:NajehDavenport Steelers 2006.jpg, Baltimore pursue Pittsburgh's Najeh Davenport File:Willie Parker and Cedric Wilson.jpg, Ray Lewis tackles Willie Parker File:Tyrone Carter 23 and Anthony Madison 37.jpg, Baltimore on offense File:BigBen WParker middle handoff 2006.jpg,
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
hands off to Willie Parker File:Willie Parker runs the ball against the Ravens.jpg, The Ravens face Willie Parker File:ChrisGardocki Steelers 2006.jpg, Chris Gardocki punts for Pittsburgh File:Roethlisberger being sacked.jpg, Baltimore sacks Ben Roethlisberger File:Roethlisberger handoff to WParker.jpg, Handoff to Parker File:Hines Ward making a catch.jpg,
Hines Ward Hines Edward Ward Jr. (born March 8, 1976) is an American American football, football coach and former player who is the wide receivers coach for Arizona State Sun Devils football, Arizona State. He played as a wide receiver in the National Foo ...
catches File:Roethlisberger preparing to throw.jpg, Roethlisberger prepares to throw


Week 13: at Cincinnati Bengals

''at Paul Brown Stadium,
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
'' Coming off of their dominant home win over the Steelers, the Ravens flew to Paul Brown Stadium for an AFC North rematch with the Cincinnati Bengals, trying to win the division and a playoff berth on this Thursday Night fight. After a scoreless first quarter, the Ravens trailed early as Bengals kicker Shayne Graham kicked a 23-yard and a 27-yard field goal. In the third quarter, things went from bad to worse for Baltimore as QB Carson Palmer completed a 40-yard flea-flicker TD pass to WR T. J. Houshmandzadeh for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Ravens valiantly tried to fight back, as QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
completed a 36-yard TD pass to WR Derrick Mason. However, a failed onside kick spelled Baltimore's doom. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 9–3.


Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs

''at
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). It was built at the same time as neighboring Kauff ...
,
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
'' After a Thursday night loss at Cincinnati, the Ravens got an extra 3 days of rest before they traveled to
Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). It was built at the same time as neighboring Kauff ...
in Kansas City, beating the Chiefs 20–10. This was Kansas City's first loss at home in December since the 1996 season when they fell victim to the Colts. Ravens quarterback
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
threw for 283 yards and an 89-yard touchdown pass to receiver WR Mark Clayton, McNair's longest career touchdown pass. Other Baltimore scores included a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Jamal Lewis and two Matt Stover field goals. Chiefs quarterback
Trent Green Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers. He was selected by the San ...
threw two interceptions, both to Baltimore safety
Ed Reed Edward Earl Reed Jr. (born September 11, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL), spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. He played college footbal ...
, and one touchdown pass to
Dante Hall Damieon Dante Hall (born September 20, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He is nicknamed "the Human Joystick" and "the ...
. LB Terrell Suggs also forced a fumble, the 16th of his career making him the Ravens all-time leader in that stat. With this game, the Ravens improved to 10–3, sharing the second best record in the NFL, one game behind the
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
. This would be the Ravens' first win against the Chiefs in franchise history.


Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' The Ravens beat Cleveland 27–17 in an AFC North Division match up. Baltimore's quarterback,
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
, sustained an injury on his right throwing hand, and backup Kyle Boller came off the bench in the first quarter. Boller showed flashes of excellence at times, throwing two vital touchdown passes and setting up a Matt Stover field goal. Jamal Lewis also had a rushing touchdown. The
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
improved to an 11–3 record, clinching their first playoff appearance since the 2003 season. In addition, with a Cincinnati loss on
Monday Night Football ''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
, the Ravens clinched the AFC North Division Title.


Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

''at
Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium, formerly (and still colloquially) known as Heinz Field, is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Foot ...
,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
'' The Ravens beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31–7 for the second time this season. and improved to a 12–3 record, moving up to the #2 AFC playoff seed with a Colts loss during Week 16 against the Texans. The Ravens defense held Pittsburgh RB Willie Parker to just thirty yards rushing and sacked
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
five times. On offense
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
threw three TD passes and was 21/31 for 256 yards with 2 interceptions. RB Jamal Lewis added 77 yards and a touchdown, and Matt Stover delivered a 26-yd field goal. This was the Ravens first win at
Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium, formerly (and still colloquially) known as Heinz Field, is a football stadium located in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Foot ...
since 2001. It was also the first time the Baltimore Ravens swept the season series against the Steelers in franchise history. The Ravens also tied their franchise record for wins in a season at 12 while improving to 12–3. They had last won 12 games during the 2000 season, after which they went on to win
Super Bowl XXXV Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2000 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2000 New York Giants season, New York Giant ...
in Tampa.


Week 17: vs. Buffalo Bills

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' The Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills to end the season with a 13–3 record, clinch the #2 AFC playoff seed and clinch the first-round bye. Matt Stover kicked a 26-yard FG in the 1st quarter, a 37-yard FG in the 2nd quarter, and a 39-yard FG in the 3rd quarter. The Ravens almost shut out Buffalo, but Lee Evans caught a 44-yard TD pass from J. P. Losman midway through the 3rd quarter. The Ravens came back by recording an interception and a 31-yard interception return and TD by Chris McAlister. The Ravens ended the game in the 4th quarter by a 28-yard FG by Matt Stover.


Postseason


AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. Indianapolis Colts

''at
M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It has been the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL) since its opening in 1998. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriol ...
,
Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
'' Coming off their bye week, the second-seeded Ravens began their playoff hunt at home against the third-seeded
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
. In the first quarter, Baltimore trailed early with kicker
Adam Vinatieri Adam Matthew Vinatieri (born December 28, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for 24 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Vinatieri is the ...
getting a 23-yard and a 42-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Ravens managed to score as kicker Matt Stover nailed a 40-yard field goal, yet Vinatieri would respond with a 51-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the Colts improved on its small lead with Vinatieri getting a 48-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Baltimore would manage to get a 51-yard field goal, yet Vinatieri helped the Colts get the win with a 35-yard field goal. QB
Steve McNair Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),Steve McNair Found Dead
was 18 of 29 for 173 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Overall, the Ravens lost four turnovers during the game. With the loss, Baltimore ended its season with an overall record of 13–4.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2006 Baltimore Ravens Season
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
AFC North championship seasons Baltimore Ravens seasons
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
2000s in Baltimore