The Baltimore Ravens have put together the best defense in the NFL in 2023, largely due to a number of factors. Veterans and young players alike have stepped up, as has second year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
“Because they talk trash all day to us, even when we’re going against each other in practice, so we pretty much feel how those guys feel on offense – for the opposing team – sometimes. So, we get a whiff of that, [and] we were like, ‘Yes, we’ve got to talk trash back,’ [and] we’ve got to start beating them [to] the punch [and] beating them at their own game. Our defense is phenomenal. But I like the confidence in our defense. It definitely gives us a confidence to go out there and make plays and stuff like that happen. Especially if we have a big play against them, it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, we can do this week in and week out.’ But keeping a level head is the most important thing for us right now, because now the narrative is changing. It was just, ‘This team is … The Ravens; we don’t know about the Ravens.’ Now it’s, ‘Oh, they’re the No. 1 team.’ So, we’re not paying [any] mind to that. I feel like that’s bait – that’s clickbait. And like I said, we’re trying to make it to February, so we’re going to take it a game at a time.”
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was asked about his team’s defense and how he gains energy from the unit. He pointed to them talking trash to the offense when going up against them in practice, so they get a first-hand look at how good the group is during the week.
In a dominant 33-19 Week 16 win at San Francisco on Monday Night Football, Baltimore recorded 5 interceptions (2 by S Kyle Hamilton and 1 apiece by CB Marlon Humphrey, ILB Patrick Queen & S Marcus Williams), scoring 17 points off the takeaways. The Ravens also posted 4 sacks (2 by DE Brent Urban and 1 apiece by DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney & OLB Kyle Van Noy).
