1997 Baltimore Ravens season

The 1997 Baltimore Ravens season was the team's second year in the National Football League. While the Ravens failed to finish above 5th in the AFC Central they improved from 4–12–0 in 1996 to 6–9–1.

1997 Baltimore Ravens season
Head coach	Ted Marchibroda
Home field	Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	6–9–1
Division place	5th AFC Central
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	T Jonathan Ogden LB Ray Lewis

The Ravens introduce new uniforms with new style numbers with a shadow in the back which is still used as of 2019 and removed the home black home pants to white.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1997 NFL Draft

1997 Baltimore Ravens draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	4	Peter Boulware *	Linebacker	Florida State
2	34	Jamie Sharper	Linebacker	Virginia
2	58	Kim Herring	Safety	Penn State
3	64	Jay Graham	Running back	Tennessee
4	118	Tyrus McCloud	Linebacker	Louisville
5	134	Jeff Mitchell	Center	Florida
6	167	Steve Lee	Running back	Indiana
6	194	Cornell Brown	Linebacker	Virginia Tech
7	205	Chris Ward	Defensive end	Kentucky
7	234	Wally Richardson	Quarterback	Penn State
7	236	Ralph Staten	Defensive back	Alabama
7	238	Leland Taylor	Defensive tackle	Louisville
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[1]

Undrafted free agents

1997 Undrafted Free Agents of note

Player	Position	College
Mike Flynn	Center	Maine
Priest Holmes	Running back	Texas

Staff

1997 Baltimore Ravens staff

	Front office Owner and President – Art Modell Vice President of Player Personnel – Ozzie Newsome Director of College Scouting – Phil Savage Director of Pro Personnel – James Harris Head coaches Head Coach – Ted Marchibroda Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator – Kirk Ferentz Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Don Strock Running Backs – Al Lavan Wide Receivers – Richard Mann Tight Ends – Ken Whisenhunt Quality Control/Offense – Lester Erb			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Marvin Lewis Defensive Line – Jacob Burney Linebackers – Maxie Baughan Defensive Backs – Alvin Reynolds Quality Control/Defense – Jim Schwartz Special teams coaches Special Teams – Scott O'Brien Quality Control/Special Teams – John Settle Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Jerry Simmons

Roster

1997 Baltimore Ravens roster

	Quarterbacks 12 Vinny Testaverde 10 Eric Zeier Running backs 21 Earnest Byner 40 Kenyon Cotton FB 34 Jay Graham 33 Priest Holmes 33 Bam Morris FB 44 Tony Vinson FB Wide receivers 82 Derrick Alexander 85 Ray Ethridge 81 Michael Jackson 84 Jermaine Lewis 83 James Roe 87 Nate Singleton 80 Ryan Yarborough Tight ends 86 Eric Green 88 Brian Kinchen 89 A. J. Ofodile		Offensive linemen 69 Jeff Blackshear G 77 Orlando Brown Sr. T 65 Ben Cavil G 72 Bernard Dafney T 71 Spencer Folau G/T 62 Leo Goeas G 67 Quentin Neujahr C 75 Jonathan Ogden T 63 Wally Williams C Defensive linemen 90 Rob Burnett DE 94 Mike Frederick DE 97 James Jones DT 99 Michael McCrary DE 98 Tony Siragusa DT 92 Leland Taylor DT 95 Chris Ward DE 93 Keith Washington DE 79 Larry Webster DT		Linebackers 58 Peter Boulware OLB 51 Cornell Brown OLB 52 Ray Lewis MLB 54 Tyrus McCloud MLB 53 Tyrell Peters OLB 55 Jamie Sharper OLB Defensive backs 24 Donny Brady CB 22 Dorian Brew CB 30 Eugene Daniel CB 20 Kim Herring FS 25 DeRon Jenkins CB 31 Rondell Jones FS 38 Antonio Langham CB 29 Lamar Lyons S 27 Stevon Moore SS 41 Ralph Staten SS 37 Bennie Thompson SS 36 John Williams CB Special teams  9 Greg Montgomery P  3 Matt Stover K		Reserve lists 60 Jeff Mitchell C (IR) Practice squad Rookies in italics

[2]

Preseason

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record
1	August 2, 1997	New York Giants	L 20–21	0–1
2	August 8, 1997	at New York Jets	L 29–39	0–2
3	August 16, 1997	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 13–24	0–3
4	August 22, 1997	Buffalo Bills	L 28–31	0–4

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Attendance
1	August 31	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 27–28	0–1	61,018
2	September 7	Cincinnati Bengals	W 23–10	1–1	52,968
3	September 14	at New York Giants	W 24–23	2–1	69,768
4	September 21	at Tennessee Oilers	W 36–10	3–1	17,737
5	September 28	at San Diego Chargers	L 17–21	3–2	54,094
6	October 5	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 34–42	3–3	64,421
7	Bye
8	October 19	Miami Dolphins	L 13–24	3–4	64,354
9	October 26	at Washington Redskins	W 20–17	4–4	75,067
10	November 2	at New York Jets	L 16–19 (OT)	4–5	59,524
11	November 9	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 0–37	4–6	56,669
12	November 16	Philadelphia Eagles	T 10–10 (OT)	4–6–1	63,546
13	November 23	Arizona Cardinals	L 13–16	4–7–1	53,976
14	November 30	at Jacksonville Jaguars	L 27–29	4–8–1	63,712
15	December 7	Seattle Seahawks	W 31–24	5–8–1	54,395
16	December 14	Tennessee Oilers	W 21–19	6–8–1	60,558
17	December 21	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 14–16	6–9–1	50,917

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
^(2) Pittsburgh Steelers	11	5	0	.688	372	307	L1
^(5) Jacksonville Jaguars	11	5	0	.688	394	318	W2
Tennessee Oilers	8	8	0	.500	333	310	W1
Cincinnati Bengals	7	9	0	.438	355	405	W3
Baltimore Ravens	6	9	1	.406	326	345	L1

[3]

References

1. "1997 Baltimore Ravens draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
2. "1997 Baltimore Ravens starters and roster". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
3. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 291