It’s rare that a Baltimore Ravens defense seems to be its weakest link, so when that is the case, there’s plenty of shoulders bearing blame. As of late, Defensive Coordinator Don Martindale seems to be taking the brunt of it, as his commitment to blitzing has cost the Ravens a few games and could have cost them others. Sunday’s victory in Chicago was yet another close call, when CB Chris Westry was left on an island and fell victim to a double move on what could have been the game-winning score.
On 4th and 11, Andy "Red Rifle" Dalton scores to take the lead late. pic.twitter.com/DFXfTGYGJi
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 21, 2021
Martindale’s blitz packages are typically terrifying for opposing quarterbacks, but much less so when the outside defenders aren’t up to par. This season, it seems there are numerous holes on this defense to be attacked. That’s easy to chalk up to the plethora of injuries suffered (which is certainly part of the problem), but I want to highlight the larger issue at-hand:
Baltimore’s defense was nowhere near as talented as we want to give it credit for.
At this point in the season, the primary injuries to Martindale’s unit have been CB Marcus Peters and S DeShon Elliott. This will naturally hamper the secondary, but I don’t believe it should cause the back-end to be quite as poor as it has been. Further, receivers have been feasting on Baltimore’s pass defense since Week 1, when only Peters was down. In reality, their performance isn’t only tied to injuries, but also to scheme, to overall talent, and to the lack of a pass rush. Considering the latter two, the Ravens have bigger problems than one cornerback getting hurt.
I want to focus on the skill level of Baltimore’s defensive players this year, which I feel needs more attention. Yes, a few are injured, I’ve already covered that. Beyond Peters and Elliott, however, this team has key holes from years prior that still have not been addressed. Despite drafting Odafe Oweh, who appears to be a star in the making, the pass rush has been inconsistent and has looked rather old. Similarly, despite spending a first round pick on LB Patrick Queen, the Ravens have turned to veteran Josh Bynes in the middle. These are two areas that remain problems for Baltimore, and it appears they’ll be that way next year, as well.
The Ravens defense has been rejuvenated with a few high draft picks in recent years, but on the whole, it’s still an older unit. Considering the interior defensive line, Baltimore will soon have to move on from DT Brandon Williams, the oft-injured Derek Wolfe, and veteran Calais Campbell. Who outside those three is instilling great confidence in the future of that group?
Additionally, if Queen continues playing a new role on the defense, inside linebacker will still be a priority heading into the offseason. Finally, even with the promising start of Oweh at EDGE, there must be multiple players generating consistent pressure on the outside.
The Ravens defense hasn’t been good for a variety of reasons, and I’m willing to grant the unit a down year given the injuries and pedigree, but I’m not confident in the group’s ability to prevent this year from snowballing into successive ones. This previously vaulted Baltimore defense is weak in many areas, and unless GM Eric DeCosta is able to fill numerous holes with resounding success while also adding depth in key positions, 2021 might be the first of a few seasons in which the biggest weakness on the team is an unfamiliar one.
