Pass rush under pressure

Ravens searching for ways to fix sudden drop-off in sacks, QB hits

Terrell Suggs knew why the question was being asked. How can you make the inconsistent pass rush more consistent?

“That’s a shot, right?” replied the venerable Ravens outside linebacker who is the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks with 1171⁄ “That’s like a direct shot, right?”

The response drew laughs, but there has been little mirth among defensive players and coaches regarding the sudden drop-off in sacks and pressures in the team’s past two games — back-to-back losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In season-opening wins against the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, the unit amassed eight sacks and six additional quarterback hits while intercepting eight passes and allowing only 437 passing yards and one passing touchdown.

In the past two setbacks, the defense has produced one sack and nine additional quarterback hits while making one interception and surrendering 452 passing yards and five touchdown passes.

Defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who rejected criticism about his unit after the Sunday, 4:05 p.m. TV: Ch. 13 Radio: 97.9 FM, 1090 AM Line: Raiders by 3 44-7 loss to Jacksonville in London on Sept. 24, had a simplified answer for how to hone the pass rush.

“I’m concerned because we’ve got to have the pass rush, but we just got to coach