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When the Ravens take on the New England Patriots on “Sunday Night Football” this weekend, millions of fans across the country will come together in hopes of seeing Lamar Jackson do some magic.
This is understandable. Jackson is the reigning league MVP and a reliable producer of winning electric games. The Ravens are 25-5 with him as a quarterback.
But while many of those fans expect what is essentially a new, Jackson-centric take on the Ravens, they’ll find that the 2020 Ravens currently resemble the classic franchise contenders of years gone by.
Defense is the heart of the team.
The point is now irrefutable, the day after Sunday’s victory in Indianapolis. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s unity allowed for an early touchdown, then practically crushed an attack piloted by a future Hall of Fame quarterback. The game remained tense as Jackson and the attack mumbled through the first half, but once they started the Ravens pulled out and won easily.
The Colts ‘quick defense seemed stronger at first, but it was the Ravens’ defense that never flinched and ultimately prevailed. After keeping the scoring tight when the going was tough, the defense didn’t allow a point after half-time.
And remember, that was with the shorthanded unit missing three starters, including All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey and Pro Bowl tackle Calais Campbell; and also with a batch of players having missed practice all week due to COVID-19 protocols.
None of this matters in the end as the defense continued to establish themselves as a worthy example of the Ravens’ fine tradition on this side of the ball.
Midway through the 2020 season, no NFL defense has allowed fewer runs, collected more fumbles, or scored more touchdowns.
He might not rank with Ray Lewis’ heyday blackout defenses; the Ravens are No. 8 running defense and No. 10 passing defense, so the ball is moving. And yes, there were several breaches.
But honestly, the offenses are faster now and less predictable than at Lewis’s heyday, and that changes what we should expect from a top defense. Complete stops are rare.
Today’s game is all about speed and matches, which raises different questions for a defense. Are you fast enough? Can you match anywhere? Can you generate the pressure? Do your playmakers deliver?
The Ravens are checking those boxes in 2020. Only five other teams have more sacks and quarterback pressures. Only four have forced more turnover. Only five allow fewer yards per play on average.
As Jackson and the offense continue to strive for the consistency and level of performance that burned the NFL in 2019, the defense is playing well enough to win every week.
No matter what the offense does, as long as it avoids twists and turns the Ravens are going to be in the game – good thing to know because the kickoff starts in the air.
When you add higher special teams to the mix that produced a 6-2 record, you really have a returning Ravens team.
And to be clear, the Ravens just set an all-time NFL record scoring at least 20 points in 31 straight games, so it’s not like the offense is hurting badly. Jackson and his unit are just trying to achieve better consistency and realize their potential.
The rest of the AFC are hoping that doesn’t happen.
The rise of Defense 2020 is no accident. The front office has given priority to this side of the ball during the offseason. He retained Matthew Judon with the franchise tag, traded for Campbell, signed Derek Wolfe, re-signed Jimmy Smith and drafted Patrick Queen. Then he was traded for Yannick Ngakoue last month.
That’s a lot of movement and money invested to bolster a unit that had some good times in 2019 but also showed enough fraying to warrant the upgrade.
The foundation for a high level defense was already in place with an aggressive coordinator that players love; a seasoned gaming enthusiast with a green dot helmet in Chuck Clark; and a dominant mentality of playing hard and putting the greater good first.
Now, with more talent on hand, the 2020 defense is truly a pleasure to watch. Deep. Implacable. Opportunistic.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
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