Baltimore Ravens Outside Linebackers Season Grades
Oct 12, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (58) celebrates as he high fives fans after they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
There is no such thing as too many good pass rushers, as the Baltimore Ravens outside linebackers proved this season. With three guys among the leagues best pass rushers, the Ravens were able to generate a pass rush as good as any in the league.
These guys also excelled at stopping the run, setting the edge as well as ever. Naturally, there will be some good grades here. Let’s get into it.
Terrell Suggs – A
Arguably among the team’s biggest surprises was Terrell Suggs’ dominance as a pass rusher. Everyone knew he’d be solid, but few could have predicted his trip to the fountain of youth. With 12 sacks and 61 total tackles, Suggs had one of his most productive seasons after struggling with injuries in 2012 and wearing out in 2013.
Even more importantly, Suggs was the defense’s emotional leader. This front seven fed on his injury, flying around to the football and obliterating blockers.
If there is a downside to Suggs’ game, it is his over-aggressiveness. There are times when Suggs will over-pursue himself out of a play, and his nine penalties this season isn’t a pretty number.
Considering all the good, the Ravens are happy to live with these minor warts. It was another great season from T-Sizzle.
Elvis Dumervil – A+
How can a guy who broke the Ravens’ single-season sack record get anything less than a perfect grade? Elvis Dumervil was incredible all season, showing an uncanny knack for getting offensive tackles off-balance.
Though Dumervil is a one-trick pony for the Ravens, he is so remarkably good at that trick that it doesn’t matter. Courtney Upshaw can handle the dirty work while Dumervil continues to put all his effort into rushing the passer. It’s a system that works, so expect the Ravens to keep doing it.
Pernell McPhee – A+
The most versatile player on the Ravens defense, Pernell McPhee had a breakout season just in time for unrestricted free agency.
More from The Baltimore Wire
- What other Baltimore Orioles Offseason Storylines will you be interested in seeing?
- Baltimore Orioles to Face Numerous Playoff Contenders Down the Stretch
- Baltimore Orioles Showing Encouraging Signs During Recent Wins
- The Baltimore Orioles and the Expanded September Roster
- Maryland Football: Terps honor Jordan McNair, beat Longhorns 34-29
McPhee played as an outside linebacker at times, then would bump inside to rush the passer with Dumervil and Suggs on the outside, a devastating look. Give credit to Dean Pees for his creativity in using three outside linebackers on the field at the same time.
Though McPhee didn’t generate a ton of sacks (7.5), he created a ton of pressure and pushed the pocket to create sacks for Suggs and Dumervil. He was every bit as important to this pass rush as the big names.
In run defense, McPhee was adequate in limited reps. He made some youthful mistakes, having never played a big role setting the edge before, but he caught on quickly.
Courtney Upshaw – C+
The weak link in the Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker rotation was undoubtedly Courtney Upshaw. Though he is important to the defense for his willingness to take on blockers, Upshaw does not shed blocks well enough to consistently make plays in the ground game. Further, he is a complete non-factor as a pass rusher.
The main problem with Upshaw was that he wasn’t quite dominant enough in the ground game to justify being on the field. He was acceptable, but considering his inability to rush the passer, Upshaw needs to be dominant to justify significant playing time.
His leaps in coverage did help offset that problem. Upshaw played more reps in coverage than any Ravens outside linebacker (by far) and he was solid in that role.
At this point, Upshaw is basically just a guy who plays to keep Dumervil fresh. Maybe Upshaw can recapture the run-defending dominance of his rookie year, but at this point, he is just an adequate performer for the Ravens.