Defense picks up where it left off with turnovers
Offensive line coming together after two games
It is very early, and what happens in the preseason is not always indicative of what happens in the regular season. But thus far, the Ravens lead the NFL in total takeaways with six and takeaways per game with three.
The defense led the league last season in interceptions with 22 and takeaways with 34, and in an encouraging sign, it appears the unit is picking up under defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale where it left off under his predecessor Dean Pees.
“We’re real excited about that,” said Martindale, who replaced Pees after last season. “We just want to keep adding to it. When you’re getting takeaways, you have a fast defense. I think that’s what you guys can see. We’re playing really fast.”
The team has intercepted three passes and recovered three fumbles in victories over the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams. The offense has turned three of those takeaways into two field goals and one touchdown, which is exactly what the defense hopes for.
“You always want to get turnovers,” said strong safety Chuck Clark, who has one of the unit’s three interceptions. “Like the offense wants to get touchdowns, the defense wants to get turnovers. So that’s always fun.”
Clark and defensive tackle Patrick Ricard pointed out that the Ravens’ ability to take away the ball is honed in practice. The team organizes drills in which defensive players try to strip the ball to cause fumbles and try to catch errant passes off tips.
Thedefense finished Monday’s practice at the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills with four interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns by cornerback Brandon Carr and Ricard.
“We have to practice it,” Ricard said. “When we practice it, it’s going to happen in games. That’s what the coaches preach to us, and we try to do the best we can.” Offensive line making strides: After surrendering eight sacks in a 17-16 preseason win against the Bears on Aug. 2, the Ravens offensive line allowed just three sacks in Thursday’s 33-7 victory over the Rams. Rookie Lamar Jackson was sacked twice, and Robert Griffin III was taken down once.
The team has given up a preseasonworst11sacks thus far and the second most sacks allowed per game, trailing only the Jacksonville Jaguars’ six. In the win against Chicago, the offensive line featured only two projected starters in left guard Alex Lewis and center Matt Skura.
In the game against the Rams, the team opened with left tackle Ronnie Stanley and right guard James Hurst on the offensive line. Although Orlando Brown Jr. has started both games at right tackle, Hurst is considered the leading candidate to start there when the regular season opens against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 9.
Still, offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg put a more positive spin on the offensive line’s performance against Los Angeles.
“Our line had to be better than that first game, and they were,” he said. “My second thing: Out of those eight sacks, there were like six of them that the quarterback position could have gotten something done to avoid that. It wasn’t quite — and I told the line this — it wasn’t quite as bad as it looks on paper, but we’ve got to be better, and they were. So that’s a good thing.” Grant grateful: Two days before Thursday’s preseason game against the Rams, Janarion Grant committed a major faux pas. In a joint practice Tuesday with Los Angeles, the rookie wide receiver and return specialist evaded the Rams’ coverage unit and took a punt to the end zone. But before he crossed the goal line, Grant taunted the opposing team with the football, which earned him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a very public tongue-lashing from special teams coor- dinator and associate head coach Jerry Rosburg.
Despite the error, Grant lined up as the Ravens’ primary punt returner in Thursday’s 33-7 victory, returning one kickoff for 26 yards, fair-catching two punts and having another punt return negated by a holding penalty on safety Kai Nacua. The undrafted free agent, who also caught two of four passes thrown his way for 32 yards, was appreciative of the gesture.
“I was surprised,” he said Sunday of filling a role previously handled by Tim White, who did not play for unspecified reasons. “Just a rookie mistake. We’re not supposed to do that, and I learned from that. I’m not going to do that in a game, and you’ve got to practice what you’ve been taught.” Injury updates: The team practiced Monday with outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, safety Bennett Jackson and inside linebacker Alvin Jones. Suggs might have been enjoying a day off as a veteran. Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (groin), tight end Maxx Williams (unspecified) and fullback Christopher Ezeala (undisclosed) returned to practice. Strong safety Tony Jefferson (hamstring pull) left practice early. Wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo (upper leg muscle), linebacker Bam Bradley (ACL) and cornerback Jaylen Hill (right ACL, MCL) remain on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Extra points: About 1,400 youth football players and 56 youth football teams were the Ravens’ guests on Youth Football Day at Monday’s practice. Teams from as far away as Anne Arundel, Harford and Frederick counties attended the session and collected autographs from players. And 32 teams from Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Carroll counties and Baltimore City picked up equipment such as cleats, jerseys and pants through the team’s youth football grant. … Today’s practice is the last one of training camp that is open to the public. The session is scheduled to begin at 11:55 a.m.