Under defensive coordinator Rex Ryan, the Baltimore Ravens' defense furthered its reputation for "Organized Chaos," finishing in the top ten for the 9th time in 10 seasons.
Ranked 2nd in the league, the Ravens' defense took a backseat only to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Against the run, the Ravens finished 3rd, averaging a meager 81.4 yards per game. Even more impressive was the fact that Baltimore did not allow an individual 100-yard rusher for all 16 regular season games, furthering a streak that dates back to 2006.
Against the pass, Baltimore finished 2nd in the league, allowing an average of 179.7 yards per game, highlighted by a league-best 26 team interceptions. In addition to 12 fumbles, the Ravens' defense forced a league-leading 38 turnovers.
Though Rex Ryan's exotic blitz packages were susceptible to big plays, there were few offenses that could find the endzone with ease, as the Ravens allowed the 3rd-fewest points in the league (244) for an average of merely 15.2 points per game.
Defense wins championships, as the Baltimore Ravens had proven in 2000. With the same formula, the 2008 Ravens were only one game away from experiencing déjà vu.
Linebackers (A+): Ray Lewis started all 16 games at middle linebacker for the first time since 2003, when he had won his second Defensive Player of the Year award. As far as the city of Baltimore was concerned, No. 52 proved once again that he was still No. 1. Lewis played as if he was 10 years his junior, recording 117 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions, in addition to recovering 2 fumbles. His 2008 campaign marked his 11th 100-tackle season in his 13-year career, and earned his 10th trip to the Pro Bowl.
Opposite Lewis was the equally-impressive Bart Scott with 83 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 5 pass deflections to his credit. Both men struck fear into opposing receivers over the middle, and terrorized running backs that dared to run between the tackles.
On the outside, Jarret Johnson quietly had a career year with 57 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections. Opposite of Johnson, hybrid linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs notched another trip to the Pro Bowl under his belt as the team's designated franchise player. With 68 tackles, 8 sacks, 9 pass deflections, and 2 interceptions (both returned for touchdowns), Suggs significantly raised his price tag as he enters the free agent market along with teammates Lewis and Scott.
Should the Ravens' trio of star linebackers be disbanded in the offseason, the future looks bright with young talent on the bench. Antwan Barnes played well on situational downs, and undrafted rookie free agent Jameel McClain continually surprised with every snap, recording 2 safeties as well as 2.5 sacks in limited action.
Defensive Line (A-): With the absence of Kelly Gregg due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason, nose tackle Justin Bannan filled in admirably, recording a career-high 45 tackles, including 1 interception on a deflected pass. Not to be outdone, Pro Bowl snub Haloti Ngata had 2 interceptions to his credit to accompany his 55 tackles and 6 pass deflections. Both men played well at the point of attack, often stopping runs in the backfield and freeing the Ravens' myriad of blitzers between gaps.
After an injury-plagued 2007 season, Trevor Pryce returned to form, providing pressure on the edge and notching 4.5 sacks along the way. Terrell Suggs, in his hybrid role, saw fewer snaps as a rusher with his hand down, giving more opportunities to Marques Douglas, the returning Raven who had spent the past three seasons in San Francisco after initially making his mark in Baltimore.
As the offseason gets under way, question marks abound as the Ravens attempt to find a balance of youth and veteran experience on the line. The future of Kelly Gregg is presumably in doubt with the outstanding play of Justin Bannan in his absence; the coaching staff's decision will be contingent upon the rehabilitation and recovery of his knee. However, given the Ravens' penchant for acquiring talent with versatility, the defensive line should have an encore performance in 2009.
Secondary (B-): Despite a promising start to the season with 3 interceptions in 5 games, veteran Chris McAlister missed the remainder of 2008 with a nagging knee injury. On the opposite end of the field, Samari Rolle also lost significant time, missing 6 games due to a shoulder and neck injury. In their stead, offseason acquisitions Fabian Washington and Frank Walker played well, combining for 64 tackles and 26 pass deflections, but only 2 interceptions.
With an NFL-high 9 stolen passes, however, Ed Reed more than made up for the secondary's dearth of interceptions in the first half of the season. Free agent acquisition Jim Leonhard also had a breakout campaign in the absence of the injured Dawan Landry, who missed most of 2008 with a neck injury. Leonhard demonstrated great versatility, returning kicks in addition to playing virtually every down at safety. Reed, meanwhile, made his case for his second Defensive Player of the Year award before losing out to the Steelers' James Harrison.
The secondary's weakness, however, was in giving up big plays, as much of the Ravens' scheme revolved around cornerbacks playing man coverage, with safeties shading areas vacated by blitzers.
With the likely departure of Chris McAlister due to age and alleged disciplinary issues, the Ravens will be in the market for a young starting cornerback to take his place. Additionally, the future of Samari Rolle remains in doubt with his injury history and cap figure both working against him. Regardless of any departure, Baltimore's patched-up secondary played well with reserves coming off the bench, and will look to improve upon their depth in the offseason.
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