I have a question. With Tavius Robinson and Ar'Darius Washington back in the mix, is the Ravens' defense stronger than it's been all season?
I think so, which means the Ravens, at 7-7, can't be dismissed as a contender in the AFC heading into Sunday night's home game against the New England Patriots.
It was wild watching Thursday night's offensive shootout won by the Seattle Seahawks, 38-37, over the Los Angeles Rams. No lead was safe, with one score after another.
While highly entertaining, that's not the Ravens' style this season. They're leaning on their defense. Over the past eight weeks, Baltimore has allowed the fewest touchdowns in the NFL (nine). The Ravens have ranked No. 1 in red zone defense, third in points allowed (15.3), third in quarterback hits (53), and tied for fifth in takeaways (13).
That's two months of consistent play from Baltimore's defense – fact, not fiction.
Since Week 5, the Ravens have allowed 30 points just once. That was Thanksgiving during their 32-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Ravens had five turnovers in that game, which didn't give the defense a fair chance.
Baltimore's defense got its rematch against Cincinnati last weekend and dominated. The 24-0 victory was Baltimore's first shutout since 2018 – the first time Joe Burrow had been blanked during his NFL career. Burrow is a bad man, but Baltimore's defense was better.
Which brings us to Sunday night, when the Ravens' defense will face Drake Maye, the second-year quarterback who has led the Patriots (11-3) to prominence. If the Ravens lose to Maye, there may not be a postseason for Baltimore.
However, a Baltimore victory that includes another stellar defensive performance would be more reason to believe the Ravens might be peaking at the right time.
Here are 10 other thoughts on the Ravens, all in 50 words or less:
- The Ravens beat the Chicago Bears (10-4) in Week 5, but that's Baltimore's only victory against a team currently above .500. The three teams remaining on Baltimore's schedule all have winning records. If the Ravens go 3-0 the rest of the way, you can't say they backed into the playoffs.
- Now that Washington is back, what team has a deeper safety rotation than Baltimore? I'll take Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Alohi Gilman, and Washington over any other team's foursome. There's a lot of talent and versatility in that group.
- Speaking of Washington, he must be among the toughest Ravens. Listed at 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, Washington's willingness to come up and stick people is impressive. He puts his body on the line to make tackles without hesitation.
- Washington detailed how hard he worked to return from his Achilles injury on "The Lounge" podcast. Overcoming serious injuries takes major dedication from athletes, and there are mental and physical hurdles to overcome. Kudos to Washington for coming back so quickly.
- Hamilton said the Ravens must be wary of Maye making plays with his legs. Hamilton is correct. Only seven quarterbacks have more than 350 yards rushing this season and Maye is one of them. The Ravens can't afford to let him escape the pocket.
- Dre'Mont Jones and Robinson combined for seven of the 10 quarterback hits Baltimore put on Burrow. They want to put the same kind of heat on Maye, who's been sacked 43 times – fourth most in the NFL. Look for Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr to dial up the pressure.
- Lamar Jackson's career record is 16-0 during the regular season in games played Week 15 or later. He knows what's at stake and knows his body. If Jackson keeps missing a day of practice each week, but the Ravens keep winning, that's a worthwhile tradeoff.
- Jackson echoed Head Coach John Harbaugh's desire to get DeAndre Hopkins more involved down the stretch. Hopkins hasn't been targeted more than four times in any game. Don't be surprised if more looks come Hopkins' way on Sunday night.
- Plenty of pundits are picking the Patriots to win. That could be a good sign for the Ravens, who embrace being underdogs. However, it seems harder than ever to predict what will happen from week to week. I like the Ravens on Sunday but think it will be close.
- Sunday is the last home game on the Ravens' schedule, but it doesn't have to be. They're hoping to be back at "The Bank" for the playoffs. The Ravens didn't expect to be 7-7, but if they have seven more wins left in them, it will be a memorable season.
