published on May 29, 2024 in gacor

Ravens defense has been good so far, but its about to take a step up in class

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Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith acknowledged how well Sunday’s opponent, the Detroit Lions, are performing offensively. He praised Jared Goff and the way they are playing to the veteran quarterback’s strengths.

When asked whether the matchup with the 5-1 Lions is a measuring stick for the defense he leads, Smith said, “We’ll be ready to welcome those guys here. They’re playing good ball, but, hey, I’m from the show-me business. You’ve got to show me.”

The Lions have the NFL’s third-ranked offense. They’ve won four straight games, each by at least two touchdowns. They’ve worn teams down on the ground and created big plays through the air.

The Ravens have the league’s second-ranked defense. They’re taking down the quarterback as often as any team in football, and they’ve been at their best in the red zone. Yet, despite their impressive ranking in just about every notable category, there still seem to be questions about how good the Ravens truly are defensively.

That’s because Baltimore hasn’t faced an offense ranked in the top 10 in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) or points per game. It has opposed C.J. Stroud in his NFL regular-season debut, a banged-up Joe Burrow and Kenny Pickett, backups Gardner Minshew and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and a struggling Ryan Tannehill.

As well as Baltimore’s defense has played this season, it has yet to face a high-flying offense. (Frank Jansky / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

On Sunday, the Ravens will be taking a major step up in class. The Lions have at least 350 total yards of offense in every game this year. They’ve not been just a 2023 revelation either. They’ve scored 20 or more points in 15 straight games dating back to last season.

Ravens outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney said Detroit has “by far” the best offense Baltimore has faced this season. Ravens coach John Harbaugh stays out of the comparison game, but he didn’t minimize the magnitude of Sunday’s challenge.

“Obviously, they’re very good,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. “They have one loss. They’re leading (their) division. They’ve won their recent games by large margins. They haven’t even been in a close game, I don’t think, since early in the season. They’re tough. They’re physical. They’re legit.”

Offensively, the Lions rank third overall in yards per game (383.7), fourth in passing yards (259.5) and points per game (28.0), fifth in yards per play (5.76), eighth in rushing yards per game (124.2) and ninth on third downs (42.2 percent). They have 32 plays of 20 yards or more, the second most in the league, and yet, they are third in the NFL in time of possession (33:41).

The numbers paint a picture of an offense that can strike quickly and is plenty equipped to thrive in a shootout type of game, but also can dial it back and play a physical, ball-control style with Goff at the helm.

Goff “is playing good ball right now,” said Smith, no stranger to facing the Lions during his four-plus-season run with the Chicago Bears. “The picture is clear for him. He makes a lot of good throws in the intermediate game as well as taking his shots when they need him. They’ve got the team playing to his strengths.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the league’s best young receivers and has 38 catches for 455 yards and three touchdowns in just five games. Receiver Josh Reynolds and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta both have more than 300 yards receiving to go along with three touchdowns themselves. After serving a suspension for betting on games, 2022 first-round receiver Jameson Williams is back in the mix as well, and it took him just two games to find the end zone.

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Veteran David Montgomery and first-round rookie Jahmyr Gibbs head a powerful one-two punch in the running game, although a rib injury is expected to sideline Montgomery Sunday. Then, there’s arguably the Lions’ biggest strength: their offensive line. Pro Football Focus recently ranked the group as the best in the sport.

“I just feel like they get all their guys involved,” said Ravens safety Geno Stone, who is expected to start Sunday with Marcus Williams sidelined by a hamstring injury. “Goff is a guy that’s going to control that offense very well. He’s a very talented guy. He’s going to make sure everyone is in the right spots to get the right checks. And they have good backs, too, that are going to run the ball, (and) a solid offensive line. Those guys are playing well right now, and they’re on a streak. You know you’re going to get the best out of them.”

Baltimore’s defense, meanwhile, has been on a good run of its own. It has allowed more than 300 yards of offense just once in six games, and it took overtime for the Indianapolis Colts to eclipse that mark back in a Week 3 meeting. The Ravens have surrendered just six touchdowns, two fewer than any other team. Their red zone defense is second best in all of football, allowing just four touchdowns on 16 trips.

Overall, the Ravens rank second in defensive DVOA and second in total defense (260.8 yards per game). They are giving up just 4.1 yards per play, which is second fewest in the league. They also rank second against the pass (163.2 yards per game) and fourth in points allowed per game (15.2).

It’s accurate to point out that those numbers have not occurred against a string of high-flying offenses. The Cincinnati Bengals were supposed to possess one, and still may, but the Ravens got them in Week 2 when Burrow was still struggling with a calf injury. The result was a 27-24 Baltimore victory.

At least according to the rankings, the Houston Texans, who are ninth in yards per game and 14th in points per game, have the best offense the Ravens have faced to this point. The Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans all rank around the bottom third of the league.

Still, additional context is needed. The Ravens haven’t been anywhere close to full strength, either. Marlon Humphrey, the team’s No. 1 cornerback, missed the first four games and still hasn’t found top form since his return. Marcus Williams, the team’s high-paid safety, has missed three full games and parts of two more, first with a torn pectoral muscle and now with a hamstring strain. In the secondary, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and his staff have relied on many players and gotten strong results. The Ravens have mostly avoided coverage breakdowns and are keeping balls in front of them.

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The inside linebacker duo of Smith and Patrick Queen has been the strength of the defense, while the outside group has been a revolving door. Injuries to Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo have forced the team to rely heavily on Clowney, a mid-training camp signing; Kyle Van Noy, who signed late last month; and first- and second-year players Tavius Robinson and Jeremiah Moon. Yet, Baltimore’s 24 sacks tie the Buffalo Bills for the league lead and exemplify the Ravens’ balanced defensive approach.

Eleven players on the team have at least one sack. Thirteen have been credited with a tackle for loss. Fourteen have a pass breakup on their stat line.

Will the recipe work, however, against the Lions? Can the Ravens create pressure against a very good offensive line with their front four? If they can’t, will blitzing heavily expose them on the back end against a dynamic group of Detroit targets?

The answers will become clear by late Sunday afternoon. The rest of the NFL will have a better idea of how good Baltimore’s defense is by then, too.

“We know that this is a big game for both of us. We know we’re going to get every team’s best when they come into our stadium. We’ve just got to play our game. We don’t have to change anything with what we’re doing. We don’t need to make it bigger than what it is,” said cornerback Brandon Stephens, whose emergence has been a huge development for the Ravens this season.

“I wouldn’t say this is a measuring stick. We’ve just got to go prove what we’ve been proving all year. We’ve just got to go out and play, execute our game, fly around, make big plays and help this team win.”

(Top photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

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