Is Baltimore's Defense Overrated?

[WarDaddy]

Outside of Ed Reed, the secondary will do them in. The Colts lit them up and that has been the only team they lit up this year as it's been a down season for them offensively. They have had a slew of injuries bach there and they have been down to practice squad guys at corner earlier in the year.

Samari Rolle has always been an average corner at best and Chris McAllister is getting up there in age. Plus, he has been struggling with injuries since the early part of the year.

Romo, if given time to pass, could find some open receivers if he spreads it around.

These are the types of games Miles Austin may come up big in.

You saw it here 1st...

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don't know. Yea you play who's on the schedule but they've played the Browns and Bengals 4 times correct? They have a horrible record against winning teams. They beat who they're suppose to beat and I guess lose to who they're suppose to lose to as well. I won't say they're defense is overrated but i've seen their corners get torched some games this year. Especially Chris MccAlister who at one time was thought to be one of the best corners in the league. Ed Reed is a beast. Suggs and Ray Lewis are still solid. I don't know. I mean I knew why the Steelers defense was dominant. I don't know about this Ravens team. A decent pass rush and solid corners but aside from Ed Reed I don't know if they have as many playmakers as they once did.

 

[Rampage]

Outside of Ed Reed, the secondary will do them in. The Colts lit them up and that has been the only team they lit up this year as it's been a down season for them offensively. They have had a slew of injuries bach there and they have been down to practice squad guys at corner earlier in the year.

Samari Rolle has always been an average corner at best and Chris McAllister is getting up there in age. Plus, he has been struggling with injuries since the early part of the year.

Romo, if given time to pass, could find some open receivers if he spreads it around.

These are the types of games Miles Austin may come up big in.

You saw it here 1st...

Chris McCalister is on IR. I think we will win by 2 tds

 

[Don Corleone]

I think they're obviously pretty good, but I'm not sure if they're all that good.

The average of their opponents offenses rank at 20.5. This is the equivalent of playing Jacksonville (off rank 20) or themselves (off rank 21) every week. Not really very tough offensive competition there.

As a matter of fact, their opponents in the AFC North sport a god awful offensive ranking average of 28.6. The 29th ranked offense in the NFL is the Detroit Lions.

...and the average offensive rank of our opponents isn't much better. Do you think our defense could also be overrated?

Cowboys Opponents Average Offensive Rank 2008 (thru 14 games) = 17.9

Since Wade took over defensive calls (TB game) = 17.4

Since Romo's return from injury (2nd Skins game) = 20.0

 

[bobtheflob]

Their secondary is a little suspect. Their linebackers are very very good though.

If Romo can avoid mistakes, I think we match up pretty well against them. My guess is they'll try to use the safeties to double TO and Witten, but they'll have a lot of trouble stopping Austin and Bennett. Our running game may look very similar to that Giants game though.

 

[JD_KaPow]

Well, Football Outsiders' statistics (and yes, I know they have to be taken with a huge grain of salt) suggest that they're underrated, even after accounting for the quality of the opponents. They have them as the #1 defense, over Pittsburgh, mostly because they generate more turnovers than the Steelers do. Take it or leave it, but they're a very scary defense, especially with Tony's recent accuracy issues and penchant for unwise decisions.

If Tony protects the ball, we win. If he doesn't, it could get really ugly.

 

[jterrell]

I thought Pittsburgh's D was vastly overrated.

So let's just say I have learned my lesson and will keep my mouth shut until we play them

 

[DaBoys4Life]

The only game I saw them was vs. the NYG and they had it handed to them. But they're good, no doubt -- but not as good as the "hype."

We win this game anyway.

I saw that game and the Colts game I wasn't impressed I also watched the Steelers game there's no reason as to why Joe Flacco should be able to pick apart our Defense. When they have gone up against good offense this season they've gotten exposed and our Offense will expose them spread them out Witten will be huge and so will Crayton.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

I thought Pittsburgh's D was vastly overrated.

So let's just say I have learned my lesson and will keep my mouth shut until we play them

they were overrated if Holland doesn't get hurt we win, if we don't play in a horrible field with horrible conditions we win. If we see them again we will destroy them.

 

[Slashar00]

...and the average offensive rank of our opponents isn't much better. Do you think our defense could also be overrated?

Cowboys Opponents Average Offensive Rank 2008 (thru 14 games) = 17.9

Since Wade took over defensive calls (TB game) = 17.4

Since Romo's return from injury (2nd Skins game) = 20.0

The Cowboys defense isn't overrated because they're not highly regarded to begin with, although they're beginning to make a name for themselves. Regardless, the Cowboys defense has laid some major stinkers this year against bad offenses - St. Louis being the most obvious example - so they don't deserve to be highly regarded like Baltimore's defense. However, many people think Baltimore's defense is a world-class beast. I'm not convinced.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I think they're darn good and not overrated. Maybe one of the reasons those division opponents are ranked so low offensively is that they play the Steelers and Ravens defenses a quarter of the year?

I'd love to be wrong on Saturday and see us roll them, but I think they really are that tough.

 

[CarlJohnson]

I dont know why but i always fear playing the giants or eagles defenses more than anybody else. Pittsburgh's defense didnt scare me and neither does baltimore's. I know they're good, but just seems like giants and eagles can really dial up the pressure on us. If we dont turn the ball over we should win a really tough game imo

 

[Smith22]

They have 16 players on IR and still have done pretty darn well, especially considering they have a starting corner and safety on IR.

No playmakers besides Ed Reed? Are you kidding me? You ever seen Suggs play? Haloti Ngata? Ray Lewis?

Unreal.

We are in for a physical game, and both teams need this win badly to make the playoffs. Romo and the offense need to play smart and not turn the ball over. The Ravens biggest weakness is still their offense, so just don't give them good field position or scores due to turnovers and we should be able to outscore them.

 

[l0ngsh0t]

Also something to consider

They are not that great at sacking the QB. They rank 10th in the league with 31 sacks, just above Seattle with 30.

In contrast we rank number 1 with 53.

In what seems to be a contradiction in causality - They are ranked number 1 in the interception with 22.

We rank 27 with 8 interceptions.

Over the last 3 games games
Ravens have 8 sacks and 3 interceptions
Cowboys have 20 sacks and 3 interceptions

*edit over the last 3 games we have 5 forced fumbles and they have 3

 

[ethiostar]

No, there are not overrated at all.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Also something to consider

They are not that great at sacking the QB. They rank 10th in the league with 31 sacks, just above Seattle with 30.

In contrast we rank number 1 with 53.

In what seems to be a contradiction in causality - They are ranked number 1 in the interception with 22 interceptions.

We rank 27 with 8 interceptions.

Over the last 3 games games
Ravens have 8 sacks and 3 interceptions
Cowboys have 20 sacks and 3 interceptions

It still amazes me that we have 22 more sacks than the Ravens with two games left to play. Twenty-two!

 

[l0ngsh0t]

What amazes me is we have 20 in 3 games. Thats almost 7 per game. That's crazy. More than a quarter of our sacks have come in the last 3 games.

So - Forget if they are overrated. Who's playing better defense right now?

 

[DallasEast]

Defense has been a hallmark of the Ravens for over a decade. Their defense shouldn't be regarded as overrated for just that fact alone.

 

[tomson75]

I don't think their defense is overrated at all.

I do, however, think ours is underrated...at least for the last few weeks. There isn't a defense in the league that has played as well as ours.

Thankfully, we should have the advantage on offense. Theirs just doesn't match up to ours. We should win another close one here if the last few weeks are any indication of things to come.

 

[l0ngsh0t]

I don't think their defense is overrated at all.

I do, however, think ours is...at least for the last few weeks. There isn't a defense in the league that has played as well as ours.

You think our D is overrated?