Ravens’ Success Worth Saluting

The Baltimore Ravens began the afternoon with a salute to owner Art Modell for his for his 40 years as an NFL owner. Three hours later, they celebrated their first trip to the playoffs.

Trent Dilfer threw two touchdown passes and the Ravens took advantage of five San Diego turnovers Sunday to beat the Chargers, 24-3, clinching a spot in the postseason for the first time since Modell moved the team from Cleveland in 1996.

“At the beginning of the year we stood up and said, ‘Anything less than the playoffs would be unsuccessful,’ ” Coach Brian Billick said. “To stand up and be accountable that way and to live up to what you said you were going to do is sometimes undervalued.

“I’m happy for the organization. I’m happy for the city of Baltimore,” Billick said.

It was a team-record fifth consecutive victory for the Ravens (10-4), who will probably begin the postseason at home in a wild-card game. It would be the first NFL playoff game involving Baltimore since the Colts qualified in 1977.

“We’re not going to the playoffs just to play one game,” declared defensive end Rob Burnett. “We’re in the playoffs, but right now we have to keep the hammer down and stay focused.”

San Diego (1-13) absorbed its franchise-record 13th loss. Ryan Leaf completed nine of 23 passes for 78 yards with one interception and a lost fumble.

Baltimore went ahead, 17-3, when Jamal Lewis scored from the one after the Ravens recovered a fumble by Terrell Fletcher at the San Diego three. Dilfer then threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley after the Chargers botched a punt.

If there was one drawback for the Ravens, it was that they failed to record their fifth shutout. A second-quarter field goal by the Chargers ruined Baltimore’s bid to match the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers’ modern-day record of five shutouts in a season.

“We want the shutout, but we can’t get caught up in that. We need to win our last two games,” safety Rod Woodson said.

The Chargers and Ravens each had three turnovers in a sloppy first half that ended with Baltimore ahead, 10-3, despite giving up only 52 yards in 25 plays.

Baltimore held the ball for 17 plays and more than nine minutes in its opening series before Matt Stover kicked a 32-yard field goal.

San Diego’s third giveaway, a fumble by Leaf at the San Diego 46, was disastrous for the Chargers. Qadry Ismail was ruled out of bounds on a catch in the end zone, but Baltimore appealed the call and a replay reversal netted the Ravens a 28-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.