Could Marlon Humphrey/Jimmy Smith be Ravens greatest duo?

The “OG” dominant duo:

Good luck dethroning the duo of Chris McAlister and Duane Starks. Not only are they undoubtedly Baltimore’s greatest cornerback pairing of all-time, but they stack up well against some of best corner pairs in NFL history. That’s what happens when you line-up with one of the greatest, if not the greatest, defense of all-time.

When the 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense took the field, quarterbacks were in terror of the formidable pass rush waiting to crush them. It didn’t help that McAlister and Starks would make them pay for every tiny mistake they’d make when throwing the ball. The two combined for 10 interceptions during the 2000 season, while racking up 25 total in three years together (10 for McAlister and 15 for Starks).

Even beyond the gaudy pick numbers, the two simply made life hell on opposing quarterbacks and offense as a whole. McAlister and Starks made the defense elite in their own right because of their coverage skills. Both would blanket their assigned receiver and give their team’s pass rush more time to get to the quarterback. That makes for a deadly combination when you already have an elite pass rush in front of you.

Because of the symbiotic relationship they had with each other and the entire defense, McAlister and Starks were regularly making highlight reel plays. You could argue that during their stretch together in Baltimore that they were the funnest players to watch on the Ravens defense.

You’d be hard pressed to find multiple cornerback tandems throughout NFL history greater than Chris McAlister and Duane Starks, and the Baltimore Ravens were blessed to have had them. Thankfully, the team has continued to draft well at the position and now has a potential contender for the title of greatest cornerback duo in Baltimore Ravens history…