New York Giants at Baltimore Ravens: First Look at Ravens Defense

Nick Falato breaks down the Baltimore Ravens defense.

The Ravens have a stacked defense that consists of Pro Bowl names like Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, Matthew Judon, Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphry, and Jimmy Smith. They’re currently the 4th best team in opponents points for, and they only allow about 20 points per game.

They’re ninth in yards allowed per game. Their pass defense ranks 14th best in the league, and their run defense is 10th in terms of yards per game. 

Defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, who was in consideration for the Giants' head coaching position, is incredibly aggressive, and he brings a lot of pressure. Expect tight man coverage and zone match concepts on defense.

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Defensive Line

Calais Campbell plays on the left side of the defensive line, and he is the biggest name within the unit, but his play has been down the past several weeks, which is probably one reason why some teams have been able to run the football against Baltimore.

He was dealing with a calf injury and found himself on the COVID-19 list; he came off three weeks ago and hasn’t been the same. He has 20 pressures and three sacks on the season. Derek Wolfe plays on the right side of the line. Like Campbell, he’s an aging veteran who is still effective. Wolfe does well against the run and is incredibly smart in the trenches. He has 11 pressures on the season and two sacks.

The other defensive lineman are Justin Ellis, Justin Madibuke, and big nose tackle Brandon Williams. Ellis plays a rotational role for the Ravens and spells Derek Wolfe. He’s a solid player with limited pass-rushing upside. Madibuke is the rookie 3rd round pick out of Texas A&M.

He possesses a quick first step, very good lateral agility, and is an explosive athlete. He’s still a bit raw and is utilized more on pass-rushing downs on both the left and right side of the line of scrimmage. Brandon Williams is one of the best nose tackles in the NFL.

He’s a stout 6’1, 336-pound mountain of a man that clogs the A-Gaps and allows the linebackers to flow over the top and make more plays on the football. His role is important to the defense's function, but it’s not to stuff stat sheets. Martindale runs a lot of 3-4 attacking base type of defense with 2-4-5 sub-packages. He brings a lot of designed pressures and trap coverages to the field.

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Edge Rushers

Giants’ fans know the name all too well from the many 2020 offseason rumors about former Jaguar Yannick Ngakoue, who was traded to the Vikings and then to the Ravens.

He’s still putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback: 16 pressures in six games with Minnesota and 23 pressures in 8 games with the Ravens. He has seven sacks on the season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Ngakoue plays mostly on the right side and should see a lot of Andrew Thomas. He’s not known for his ability to shut the run down, so counter runs towards Thomas may be in the game plan.

Jihad Ward plays all over the defensive front for Martindale. He missed games with an ankle injury and also found himself on the COVID-19 list. Ward is aggressive, explosive, and can play the run and the pass well. He’s a long, thick athlete that will be difficult to deal with in the game.

Another difficult assignment is Matthew Judon, who is a bit more of a linebacker, who will also drop in coverage. Judon has 36 pressures on the season and five sacks. The 28-year-old veteran from Grand Valley State is a playmaker on the defensive front.

Tyus Bowser is another player to worry about. He has 27 pressures and two sacks on the season but can play the run, rush the passer, and drop into coverage. Bowser is a versatile piece to Martindale’s defense. Pernell McPhee is a rotational player who blitzes a lot, and most of these linebackers and edge rushers. He’s an older player but is playing well in his limited role with the team.

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Linebackers

Patrick Queen is an explosive playmaking linebacker that fell to the Ravens at pick 28 in the 2020 NFL Draft. His movement skills are incredibly impressive, but his tackling mechanics haven’t been great this season, and the truncated offseason may have affected his ability to put himself into optimal positions to defend the run.

There are times where he can’t get off blocks too. The struggles are understandable, but the playmaking ability is still very apparent for Queen.

L.J. Fort has been very impressive in the middle of Martindale’s defense. He’s a sure tackling, smart player that is solid in coverage. He’s been around the league for a while but has found his groove in Martindale’s defense.

Twenty-five-year-old Chris Board plays on the weak-side of the defense. From week 11 till now, his snap counts have increased. He’s not the best run defender, but he’s solid dropping into coverage.

Malik Harrison is a rotational linebacker that also plays for the Ravens. He’s a rookie third-round pick out of Ohio State who is more of a run down type of player.

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Secondary

Chuck Clark is the starting strong safety, and he’s becoming a star in the league. He is 6’0, 205 pounds, and is 25 years of age. Clark is a hard-hitting, sure tackling, physical run defender who does a good job playing the robber position and operating near the line of scrimmage.

DeShon Elliot is the free safety, and he’s another young player proving how good he is in Martindale’s defense. Both Elliot and Clark are ascending players.

The cornerback room is one of the best in the NFL. It consists of the aggressive Marcus Peters, the long and effective Jimmy Smith, and the all-around star cornerback Marlon Humphrey. Jimmy Smith has been dealing with injuries, and Davontae Harris, who has only been in Baltimore for a few weeks, has had to fill in for him in a few games.

Harris can be attacked, and the Giants have to target him if he’s in the game. Humphrey has played mostly in the slot but has started games on both the right and left sides.

The Giants will have to scheme some receivers open and create traffic in man coverage to help receivers create separation. Against zone, the Giants have to utilize better route spacing to create the voids the need to attack the defense and put defenders into conflict.