The Ravens are a middle-of-the-road defense in 2014 (15th overall), but that road hasn’t been an easy one to navigate.
With injuries marring their already suspect secondary and with few reinforcements to call upon, the Ravens are scouring the waiver wire seemingly weekly, yet find themselves with an 8-5 record and an eye on first place in the AFC North.
One reason for what success the defensive side of the football has been able to achieve has obviously been their fierce pass rush led by linebacker Elvis Dumervil.
[RELATED: Ravens Pass Rush Has a Day for the Ages]
Another reason is their ability to stop the run, often taking opponents out of their game plan completely in that respect.
The Ravens haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 23-straight games – ranking as the NFL’s longest active streak – thanks in part to a strong defensive front and the play of rookie linebacker C.J. Mosley and veteran Daryl Smith.
The dynamic duo of Smith and Mosley are the only NFL defenders to register at least 100 tackles, an INT, a sack, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble this season.
“C.J. played really well, and he got better as the game went on,” John Harbaugh said following the victory over Miami on Sunday. “All of our guys had to get a feel for their offense early on, and once he got a knack for what they were doing, he really made a lot of plays – very productive.”
While Smith provided a smooth transition taking over for Ray Lewis last season, the selection of Mosley with their first pick in the 2014 draft had many fans questioning the front office. Yet, with 13 games played in 2014, it’s crystal clear now what they saw in Mosley, the former Alabama standout.
“The Ravens plugged him as a starter in August and never looked back,” NFL.com’s Marc Sessler stated recently about the rookie Mosley. “He’s been an absolute rock against the run with a knack for making plays in coverage. Inside linebackers don’t pile up the sexy numbers, but Mosley has been as central to his defense as any rookie around.”
A look at the numbers Mosley has acheived this year rank reveals him among the league’s best and far surpassing other rookies in the AFC.
Mosley is the only NFL defender who has posted at least 80 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. His 110 total tackles lead the Ravens and tie for the NFL’s sixth-most entering Week 15. He leads all NFL rookies in tackles.
Not really known as a coverage linebacker in college, Mosley’s eight passes defensed tie for the league’s third most among those at the position.
Per the metric website Pro Football Focus, the rookie is ranked as the fifth best inside linebacker with a +14.3 overall grade.
Mosley has been the ironman on defense, playing on 880 snaps, the most by any Ravens defensive player this season. The wear an tear of a long season is upon him but he knows his team is counting on him.
“They pretty much have seen my pain, especially the last game with my wrist,” Mosley stated on Wednesday following practice. “[My] knee [is] hurting a little bit, and I caught a stinger or two. So, I kind of went through the grind for this past game. But that’s just what comes with it. I have to put my body on the line for this team. We have somewhere to be at the end of this year and in January, so we have to do what we have to do.”
Those words certainly sound like those of another linebacker this team knows rather well.
But that’s a different story for another day…
Follow me on Twitter @sportguyRSR
