How Good Was Daryl Smith Last Year?
By Brett Foote
Daryl Smith has gotten a lot of accolades recently for the impact he had last season for the Ravens. Those accolades are well deserved, and perhaps took a little too long to surface since the Ravens D under performed as a whole. While everyone else struggled down the stretch, Smith was easily the most consistent player on D.
What many fail to realize is that the 32 year old didn’t just have a great season in 2013, he had the best season of his ten year career. Last year he set career highs in tackles (123), sacks (5.0), passes defensed (18), and interceptions (3). In fact, the only category that really matters that he didn’t set a career high in was forced fumbles – he had 2 last year vs. his career high of 3 in 2009.
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It could be that Smith is a better fit for the Raven’s system than the Jags, or maybe he was just more motivated last season. He is certainly happy in Baltimore, recently telling reporters that he wants to retire a Raven. And unlike the vocal Ray Lewis, Smith is more of a quiet guy who leads with his play instead of his words.
Perhaps that’s why Smith is just starting to get the praise he deserves for the career year he enjoyed last season.
Oct 20, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Daryl Smith (left) causes Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller (83) to fumble the ball during the second quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports