Comparing 2018 Ravens defense to Baltimore’s best defenses
By now, we should all be aware of how good the 2018 Ravens defense has been, but how do they stack up vs. Baltimore’s other historic defenses?
When you think of Baltimore Ravens football, you think of great defenses, power run games, and solid special teams. Of those three attributes, the defenses in Baltimore have always stood out the most. But when it comes to defenses in particular, three stand out among the rest: 2000, 2006, and 2011. But now, 2018 is attempting to throw its name into that hat.
After a ridiculous performance against the Tennessee Titans last week, fans are really starting get a true feel for just how dominant this defense might be. The Ravens were all over the field last week, but honestly besides a crappy game to Cincinnati back in week two, this Baltimore defense has been the real deal. They’re so fun to watch, in fact, that I’m here to compare these 2018 Ravens with the aforementioned best defenses the team has ever fielded.
Before we get started, I’ll give a brief description of this defense if for some reason you’ve been sleeping under a rock. Additionally, there will be a projection of what the team’s stats would look like over 16-games. With that being said, the team’s 11 sacks (a franchise single-game record) last week versus the Titans has inflated some of our current projections, but it is nonetheless impressive. Let’s dive right in:
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2018 Ravens defense:
Veterans like Terrell Suggs, Eric Weddle, and Brandon Williams captain this team behind franchise linebacker C.J. Mosley and their crew of misfits. Youngsters like Marlon Humphrey and Tim Williams continue flashing potential, while other stalwarts such as Jimmy Smith and Tony Jefferson make the team stable. From top-to-bottom, there aren’t too many weaknesses in this squad.
The defensive line, featuring Williams and Michael Pierce, is massive and eats gaps for breakfast, allowing guys like Mosley and Patrick Onwuasor/Kenny Young to come in and clean up plays. Meanwhile, the pass rush is starting to click and now is receiving production from others such as Matt Judon and Za’Darius Smith. The only thing truly missing right now are the turnovers, but yet opposing team’s can’t move the ball on them anyways.
Six weeks in, we can’t project anything too accurately, but the numbers are jaw-dropping and we can safely assume the defense will have a few Pro Bowlers (Suggs, Mosley, Jefferson, Humphrey have the best odds). 2018 looks to be a very promising year for the Ravens, but now it’s time to do some comparing to the greats…
Projected season stats: 12.8 PPG, 69 sacks, 13 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles