Baltimore Ravens Defense Needs an Identity

The Baltimore Ravens’ defense has notoriously been one of the most feared in the NFL. That has not been the case since Ray Lewis retired.

Ask someone outside Charm City their first thought of the Baltimore Ravens and they will likely tell you about their nasty defense led by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. A unit that made big play after big play.

Offenses would dread seeing the Ravens on their schedule. The run defense was always stout, limiting the success of talented running backs. Once they forced you to throw the ball, you had two more fears: a relentless pass rush attacking the quarterback and an opportunistic secondary that could turn a bad pass into points.

It’s sad to say that those days are no longer.

The Ravens used to not only beat you up on the field, but they backed it up with their mouths. They told you what was coming and you couldn’t stop them. It was a mentality that Lewis and Reed instilled into their teammates.

When you look at the Ravens defense today, there is one player that still has that brash demeanor and that is Terrell Suggs. He still brings the noise and backs it up. However, we found out last season just how different this defense can look without him and it was not pretty.

There were some rumblings following his injury that he could consider retirement or play elsewhere this season. The defense was awful last season to say the least. They clearly missed Suggs’ ability to get after the passer and no one responded in his absence.

The Ravens are entering an era that looks to be without a leader. Suggs is that guy, but it remains to be seen how much he still has left in the tank. At 33 and coming off his second Achilles injury, there is reason for concern.

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

John Harbaugh’s defense has its share of elders that will be vocal. Elvis Dumervil made the Pro Bowl last season, but his six sacks was the second-lowest total of his career. Eric Weddle has come in and made his presence felt, but at 31, how much longer does he play? Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith have been with the team for some time and have had moments of brilliance, but can we call them leaders or the face of the Ravens defense?

The strongest defenses in the league have three things: a defensive line that gets into the backfield, a linebacker that wreaks havoc and a secondary capable of creating turnovers.

The secondary is an experienced one with Weddle, Webb and Smith. We still do not know who will line up opposite Smith at corner, but they must make more plays than last year’s defense. That is the reason the Ravens have moved Webb to safety.

The Ravens do have one good thing going for them and that is the defensive line is their strength. Brandon Williams is a name that should be known throughout the league. Timmy Jernigan is underrated. They also have some young blood in Carl Davis and Bronson Kaufusi.

The Ravens have been known for having inside linebackers that represents the defense. Not only the signal caller on defense, but the identity of the unit. We all think of Lewis, but Bart Scott also brought that edge with him.

C.J. Mosley has to be the guy that steps up to take that role for the Ravens. Very rarely do rookies make the Pro Bowl, and it’s even more rare that they do from the linebacker position. The linebackers of today are asked to do much more than in the past, and Mosley has the physical skills to be a force.

Mosley does not have to be Ray Lewis. He never will be. This is a different era of football that requires linebackers to cover than chase down running backs. It’s also imperative for him to make that leap in his third season as the Ravens still have a hole at the position next to him.

This franchise needs an identity. The offense has never been prolific, and that is not changing this year. The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl because of their defense, not because of the arm of Peyton Manning. As cliche as it sounds, “defenses win championships” is a real thing in the NFL.

Next: Three Sleepers That Could Make Roster

The Ravens need to get back to playing championship-caliber defense if they hope to make some noise this season. Unless the defense becomes a factor once again, another disappointing season is likely.