by “The biggest accomplishment of that period was making sure we put the right guys out there doing the right things,” said Macdonald, who spent seven seasons as an assistant with the Ravens before a 2021 stint as defensive coordinator at Michigan. last month. “Continuity has been great and I’ve also seen more trust from the boys. There’s the awareness that if a player does his job, the other boys will do theirs.”
Macdonald’s defense received a huge boost when two-time All-Pro Smith arrived. Smith is the kind of linebacker who can do it all in a diverse scheme like Baltimore’s—he’s an elite tackler, blitzer, and pass defender—and his teammates have felt the impact of him the moment he’s come down. in the field. He brings a confidence and communication skills that make life easier for younger teammates like linebacker Patrick Queen and rookie safety Kyle Hamilton. He is also the best player the Ravens have seen in that position since Lewis retired after the 2012 season.
Baltimore will not be in a championship run unless Jackson heals quickly from the knee injury he sustained in a win over Denver in Week 13. However, the more you look at the potential of this defense, the more you see a real avenue for it team to be a player in the postseason. There is no dominant team in the AFC this year. There are only teams with dominant individuals or dominant units, like Kansas City with quarterback Patrick Mahomes or Cincinnati with all its playmakers on offense.
The Ravens can be a scary team if that defense can play to its potential. In November, Campbell said this group had grown with each passing week and were trying to establish their identities in the process. He said he’d come to understand that he can’t rely solely on overwhelming teams with talent. He must grasp the importance of never thinking that he has the luxury of relaxing at any moment. It’s a good thing the Ravens are figuring that part out, even if they had to acquire that wisdom the hard way.
As Smith said last month, “Until we settle, we should be able to do anything we want.” If Baltimore needs to bolster that mentality, it just needs to glance courtside during games and see Jackson standing there in street clothes. The Ravens may not know exactly when he’ll be back, but it’s also clear what it will take to survive without him.
The Ravens aren’t the only defense under pressure in the final month of the season. Here are the other five that really need to deliver results for their respective teams:
