Ebony Bird
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Comparing 2018 Ravens defense to Baltimore’s best defenses

By Richard Bradshaw

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Tony Jefferson #23 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after a defensive stop during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on September 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 30: Tony Jefferson #23 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after a defensive stop during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on September 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 24: Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after making a tackle against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on December 24, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 24: Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates after making a tackle against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on December 24, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

2011 Ravens Defense:

Season stats: 16.6 PPG, 48 sacks, 15 interceptions, 22 forced fumbles

The year of T-Sizzle. The 2011 Ravens defense ranks third on our list because, while it was outstanding (obviously since it made this list), it was carried heavily by the shoulders of Terrell Suggs. Taking Suggs off this team would make a significant impact to the level of play we saw from the unit in 2011.

Suggs was an absolute terror in 2011. That year, T-Sizzle racked up a career high 14.0 sacks while tagging on seven forced fumbles and two interceptions en route to a Defensive Player of the Year Award. Suggs earned this award despite the stiff competition provided by the likes of Jared Allen, DeMarcus Ware, and Jason Pierre-Paul (among many others). It’s obvious how great Suggs was in 2011, but we can’t overlook the rest of this Ravens defense. After all, 2011 was the breakout party for one of Baltimore’s best defensive backs…

Related Story. Baltimore Ravens: How the defense is so dominant in today's NFL. light

Mr. Lardarius Webb became a shut-down corner before it was cool, nabbing a team-high five interceptions. This, of course, was before Webb’s unfortunate knee injury which would derail his career trajectory. However, 2011’s Lardarius Webb was as good as it got for cornerbacks.

Ray Lewis and Ed Reed were on this team, but both were nearing the end of their careers in Charm City and weren’t as flashy as they were in the late 2000’s. Still, the vibes they brought to the field were enough to bring together a decent crew and make them dominant. With these players, plus the so-often-forgotten Haloti Ngata, the Ravens 2011 defensive unit was formidable.

Compared to the current 2018 defense, the two stack up fairly well. While 2011 has more total turnovers than 2018, the latter has a sizable advantage in the sack department. Unfortunately, 2011’s PPG severely hurts their hopes against the 2018 squad. 2011 seemingly was carried by Suggs and motivation from the elders, while 2018 looks to be a more complete group top-to-bottom. While the current team’s defense doesn’t have any serious Defensive Player of the Year contenders, they’re certainly deeper across the board.

Taking away Suggs from the 2011 squad would hamper the team’s production, while there are few (if any) players you could take from today’s unit that would derail what they’re doing.

Advantage: 2018 defense

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