I’ve been highly critical of defensive coordinator Dean Pees for the past two seasons. His blitz schemes have been too vanilla and predictable at times, lack of press coverage has been maddening, and the defensive breakdowns in closing situations (San Diego, Cincinnati) could have been season-crushers.
Yet, since blowing a 10-point fourth quarter lead against the Chargers in which Philip Rivers feasted on soft, cushion coverage, the defense has been nothing short of outstanding.
They’ve only given up three touchdowns in a four-game span and racked up a ridiculous 18 sacks. Despite losing Haloti Ngata, the run defense also held up, yielding 94.25 yards per game.
The season stats of the D are easily the best since the 2011 season. Eighth in total defense. Sixth in points. Second in sacks. And as horrid as the pass defense has been (plummeting to dead last in the league a few weeks ago), they have risen to 24th in the league.
All of this has been accomplished with Ngata out for four games, Jimmy Smith missing the second half of the season, Lardarius Webb being in and out of the lineup, lack of front-line depth, and of course… a secondary that has lost four DBs to season-ending injuries outside of Smith.
By any measure, that’s an impressive feat. Even the staunchest Pees critics (myself included) would have to agree.
The defense is heating up at the right time entering the postseason. Pees’ unit will get its biggest litmus test to date against a Pittsburgh offense that has been unstoppable.
But something tells me that they won’t give up six touchdowns through the air against Roethlisberger like they did back in November…
Alright, time for me to get something off of my chest that has been bothering me for weeks. I need to take a moment to go off on the Baltimore fan base. Not the entirety so much as a small segment that ruins it for everyone else.
I’ve been following the Ravens since the beginning, when they weren’t the Ravens at all. When they didn’t have a name or logo. Many of you have been supporting the franchise for the same amount of time. So you understand what earning a trip to the playoffs really means in the grand scheme, especially if you dealt with four playoff-less seasons before the team made its first appearance in 2000.
However, it’s pretty clear that there is a contingent of fans that have become spoiled by what the organization has accomplished in recent years.
This would be the same people that call talk radio to express that they would rather see the team miss the playoffs than to get bounced out in the first round. Or the people that believe heads should roll Sopranos style if the Ravens win nine games instead of 10.
Fans are certainly entitled to their opinions. But the level of whining over a team that has been nothing short of excellent in their performance, especially over the last 10 years, has been over-the-top ridiculous.
Like Aaron Rodgers said earlier this season… R-E-L-A-X.
You’re not in Buffalo.
The Ravens miss the playoffs once in seven seasons and it’s a travesty?
Imagine going 15 years without a trip?
The Ravens remain one of the top 5-6 franchises in the NFL and respected around the league. They are making the playoffs despite experiencing a slew of on-field and off-field problems that would have crippled another team.
Most of the fans (especially the ones that read this fine website) see all of that and appreciate this run of success. But for the ones that don’t, you really need a history lesson.
I’m not being a homer. I’m just stating the cold, hard facts.
Sure, there are plenty of things the Ravens need to improve to remain successful and they aren’t infallible. I’ve certainly taken them to task on a number of coaching and personnel decisions. But they tend to get it right more often than they get it wrong.
So sit back and enjoy the ride.
Enjoy it now because if the organization ever hits a dry spell, you won’t get the moment back.
And you will regret it.
