The Baltimore Ravens pride themselves on their defense. It has been the key to much of their success throughout their history. Units headed by the likes of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata dominated the league for over a decade, and now Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, and Kyle Hamilton are leading the next great Ravens defense into battle. However, great was not the way to describe 2024’s group.
Last year, the Ravens' defense was the laughingstock of the league. Their secondary was among the worst, giving up the second-most passing yards in the NFL, and although the pass rush racked up 54 sacks (also the second-most in the NFL), they had their fair share of inconsistencies. The run defense was the only aspect that was elite, holding opposing offenses to a league-low 3.6 yards per carry.
While defensive coordinator Zach Orr and his unit picked it up down the stretch, constructing one of the most remarkable midseason turnarounds, it was still an unimpressive campaign. One of the key catalysts in their struggles was the severe lack of turnovers.
Baltimore ranked eighth-worst in the league in total turnovers forced. They had just 17, which included 12 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. Over a third of those came from the team’s All-Pro corner Humphrey, so another defensive playmaker must arise.
Humphrey emphasized how crucial the turnover battle is in Thursday’s press conference at training camp. The 29-year-old has been a part of several elite defenses across his eight-year career, and he did not hide his disappointment in that one crucial area. To make matters worse, it sounds like those ghosts are still haunting them to start camp.
“We had a good day yesterday, but ultimately, we had zero turnovers, and percentages to win a game drop extremely low when you don’t have turnovers. That’s kind of the key,” Humphrey said. “Turnovers are by far the biggest thing that is being preached…You can check all the boxes, but if the turnover box isn’t checked, it wasn’t too good of a practice.”
Ravens must force more turnovers in 2025
The phrase, “defense wins championships,” may not reign as true today as it did in the 2000s and early 2010s, but you are unlikely to win championships if you do not force turnovers. The NFL is rich with high-powered offenses in this era of football, and the majority of those reside in the AFC.
Baltimore is tasked with taking down the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow each year if they want to make it to the Super Bowl, and that is not possible if you do not take the ball away. Sure, a defensive unit can make the occasional stop to flip the momentum, but when the going gets tough for the Ravens’ offense, sometimes they need the defense to make a play. Their failure to do so hurt last year in the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills, where Buffalo controlled the time of possession, a key factor leading to their win.
If Humphrey and the defense can force more turnovers in 2025, they should be on track for a Lombardi Trophy. The addition of dynamic safety Malaki Starks should help in that regard. However, they need to prove they can get it done in training camp.