Comparing the Baltimore Ravens defense to the “Elite Four”
The Baltimore Ravens feature what might be one of the most dominant defenses in the league. Teams are starting to take notice so it seems fair to wonder how this defense stacks up against the best of the best.
Baltimore Ravens fans should be excited about this defense. We, as a community, preach about how great the defense will be this year. If the preseason is any indication of what’s to come, we are going to see pure dominance.
Through the first three weeks of the preseason, the Ravens are first in total yards per game, rushing yards per game, and passing yards per game. And they lead each category by a very wide margin.
The NFL as a whole is starting to take notice, as well they should. Which means that we need to come up with a nickname for these guys ASAP!
With the success thus far, it seems like a good time to start comparing this defense to the NFL’s best. There seems to be an elite four when it comes to the top NFL defenses. The consensus seems to be these four: Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans. You can make a legitimate argument for any of those four to be the best in the league.
So, to break it down we’ll look at last season’s stats, this will show the five most crucial stats for a defense: points per game, rushing yards per game, passing yards per game, total turnovers, and 3rd down percentage. Next, we will highlighting four “superstars” on the team’s defense. Finally, talk about what is different this season about each team. We, of course, will start with the hometown Ravens.
Must Read: Ebony Bird podcast episode 1
Breaking down the Ravens defense:
Points per game: 20.1 (9th)
Rushing yards per game: 89.4 (5th)
Passing yards per game: 232.8 (9th)
Total turnovers: 28 (tied for 4th)
3rd down percentage: 35.0 (2nd)
Superstars: C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, Eric Weddle, Brandon Williams
I don’t need to tell you much about what has happened with the Ravens. We should all know by now what went down this offseason. If you have been sleeping under a rock, however, here’s what you missed:
The Ravens signed safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr in free agency. The Ravens then spent their first three picks in the 2017 draft on defensive players. First round pick cornerback Marlon Humphrey headlines the draft class. The Ravens also resigned nose tackle Brandon Williams.
Williams will transition to 3-tech defensive tackle. His former role as a nose tackle will be taken on by second-year man Michael Pierce. The Ravens reloaded at major positions throughout the defense and have budding stars in guys like Matt Judon ready to step in.
This defense was phenomenal last season. They finished top ten in the five major categories listed. The only thing this team was missing were sacks. Baltimore finished tied for 24th in the league with just 31 sacks. With a revamped pass rush, there’s no reason they can’t add ten more to that total. If that happens, we can talk about this Ravens defense as the best in the league.