Throughout its history, the Baltimore Ravens have generally been known for great defense. Since the Ravens’ first season in 1996, the team has ranked in the top 10 in Football Outsiders’ Defensive DVOA metrics 21 different times, in the top five in 13 separate seasons, and first overall in four seasons (1999, 2003, 2006, 2011). The 2000 Ravens defense ranked among the greatest in NFL history ranked second in the league behind the Tennessee Titans; the best Ravens defense ever by DVOA was the 2008 unit (-27.6%; Defensive DVOA is better when it’s negative).
The point is that this is not a franchise used to defensive regression. Which is why the 2021 season was so alarming. Baltimore ranked 28th in Defensive DVOA, the worst such ranking since the inaugural season of 1996. The Ravens ranked fourth in run defense… and 30th against the pass.
Injuries certainly played a part. Only Marlon Humphrey and Anthony Averett managed more than 550 snaps among Baltimore’s cornerbacks. Marcus Peters missed the entire season with a torn ACL. Jimmy Smith, who hasn’t played a full season since 2015, lost more games to injuries and COVID. Humphrey was lost for the rest of the season in early December to a torn pectoral muscle.
