Defense’s domination similar to ’11
CB Smith says unit compares favorably to franchise’s best
Playing on the Ravens defense, as several players described it Sunday, is “fun.”
In the team’s near-shutout win over the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-3, five Ravens defensive backs recorded a sack, a first for an NFL regular-season game. The defense forced a turnover for the 18th straight game, the longest active streak in the NFL.
And entering their Week 6 game on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Ravens have the stingiest scoring defense in the league, allowing 15.2 points per game.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith, who has been with the team since 2011, said this year’s iteration of the defense is among the most well-rounded he has been a part of.
“It’s similar to some of the defenses we had, as far as the veteran leadership, the young players,” Smith said Wednesday on a video conference call. “But I think we have an extremely talented defense this year. 2011 comes to mind when I think of it, 2017 I want to say, another defense that I could think of when I think of some strong defenses we had. But this ranks right up there with all of them as far as depth, talent and just veteran leadership.”
In 2011, Smith’s rookie season, the Ravens defense ranked top five in pass defense and rush defense and recorded 48 sacks, tied for third most in the league.
While the 2020 Ravens defense hasn’t been as stout against the pass — they’re allowing 243 yards per game — they rank fifth against the run, allowing 92 yards per game.
This year’s unit is also among the best in the NFL in forcing turnovers; its seven fumble recoveries rank at the top of the league and its 10 takeaways are tied for second best. Under defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale’s stewardship, the Ravens defense has been the most aggressive in recent years.
After the pass rush got off to a slow start
to the season, the Ravens rank fifth in sacks (16) and sixth in pressure rate.
Rodgers says he foresaw Jackson’s success
The public mutual respect between Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues to grow.
After an August preseason game between the two teams before Jackson’s MVP campaign in 2019, Rodgers told Jackson he loved watching him play and advised him to slide more often. In the postgame news conference, Jackson affectionately referred to Rodgers, himself a two-time MVP, as the “GOAT,” meaning “Greatest of All Time.”
Rodgers continued to praise Jackson, saying he foresaw Jackson’s impending NFL success back when he was burgeoning at Louisville as the youngest-ever player to
win the Heisman Trophy.
When asked on The Pat McAfee Show if one can tell early that a quarterback will be successful, Rodgers pointed to Jackson as an example.
“There’s just some things, boxes, I feel like you have to check. And one of them is being able to sling it,” Rodgers said. “I was talking to somebody earlier, I think just being able to throw the ball at a high level can make up for a lot of different things.
“You look at Lamar. As talented as Lamar is, athletically, — I mean, the guy is one of the fastest guys in the league — but you watch him in college and he could sling that thing. He could really sling the ball. Big-time arm, throwing it 75, 80 yards. So, you just knew, one, he’s supremely athletic. Two, he can really throw it. So like footwork wise, he’s going to figure it out with coaching and getting in an offense. … To me, that wouldn’t have been a big issue.”
After taking over as the starter in Week11 of the 2018 season, Jackson returned in 2019 a vastly improved passer. He threw a league-high 36 touchdowns and rushed for 1,206 yards, breaking Michael Vick’s singleseason rushing record for a quarterback.
When asked Wednesday about Rodgers’ comments, Jackson said the praise “means a lot.”
“It means a lot, coming from a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and a guy who’s still competing at a high level,” Jackson said with a smile. “A-Rod, yeah, that’s pretty cool coming from him. I appreciate that.”
Rookie Queen honored
Ravens rookie inside linebacker Patrick Queen has been named Week 5 AFC Defensive Player of the Week, the NFL announced Wednesday. It’s the first honor for the No. 28 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Queen recorded nine tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, including a 53-yard fumble return for a touchdown, in Sunday’s 27-3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Through five games, Queen has recorded 42 tackles (tied for most among rookies), two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
“[Queen] doesn’t try to force himself to do anything or assert himself in some weird way,” cornerback Jimmy Smith said Wednesday on a video conference call. “I think he gets the job done, he understands that it’s all a learning experience. Something happens to him once, he learns how to fix it the next time it comes around. Really smart guy, he’s got a great head on his shoulders and he plays with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of confidence. So, the sky’s the limit for him.”
Queen is the first Ravens defender since Patrick Onwuasor in the 2018 season to be named Player of the Week. He also joins quarterback Lamar Jackson as Ravens who have won Player of the Week honors this season. Jackson was named Week 1 AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.