Baltimore Ravens DC Sets New Turnover Target

The Baltimore Ravens’ offense has been outstanding this season, but what about the defense? Not really.

Everyone knows the Ravens’ struggles pass defensebecause they allowed 287.1 yards per game, which ranked last in the league. Another problem, and a somewhat related one, is the lack of takeaway services. They committed just seven turnovers (five interceptions, two fumble recoveries) in as many games, helping them finish the season with 17 turnovers. For context, the Green Bay Packers already have 17 turnovers to lead the league.

It goes without saying, but the Ravens want to take the ball out of their opponents’ hands more often. After two interceptions in a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, both Marlon HumphreyThey think they’re on the right track in the turnover department.

“At the end of the day, if you want to play good defense, yes, you can stop people and move people off the field, but the best way to play good defense is to get the ball.” coordinator Zach Orr he told reporters on Thursday. “The most important thing in football is football and our job is to get the ball and give it back to the attack. So two takeaways like that show our players that if you take the ball away, you clear the ball. It can change the game.”

The Ravens had 31 turnovers (18 interceptions, 13 fumble recoveries) last season, tied for the most by any team in the league with the New York Giants. There has been a lot of change in defense since then, but there is still a serious decline.

Yet there are other, potentially even bigger, issues on defense that need to be addressed. Not just against the pass, but also against closing plays. Baltimore put up 21 points on Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter, and that can’t happen in the future.

“So we definitely have to finish better,” Orr said. “That’s something we’ve got to do if we want to be the team we want to be. We’ve got to finish games defensively. But we’ll look at that now – this is, what, Week 8 – and like I said, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish the rest of the season, especially the fourth quarter.” .”

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