Ravens: OLBs turning up the heat

Much of Baltimore’s defense is predicated on their ability to get pressure on the quarterback. On the season their +55.3 team pass rush grade ranks first, well ahead of the second-place Dolphins (+44.0). But from Week 4 on, they’ve really turned up the heat.

Elvis Dumervil (+18.7), Pernell McPhee (+18.0) and Terrell Suggs (+10.3), rank, second, third and fifth respectively as pass rushers among 3-4 outside linebackers over the last nine weeks. Only nine 3-4 OLBs have racked up 30+ pressures over that time span, and you’ll find all three Ravens in the Top 5: McPhee (39), Dumervil (33), and Suggs (31).

Dumervil rushes off the left side 76.6% of the time where he ranks third in Pass Rushing Productivity (15.1) and where he has earned all 13 of his total sacks over the last nine weeks.

Suggs comes off the right side 77.9% of the time and ranks near the top there in raw pressure and sack numbers, but his 9.1 PRP has him only ranked 11^th.

McPhee has been the most productive rusher of the bunch. He has split his time much more evenly between sides but has been nearly twice as effective from the right (19.9 PRP vs. 10.5) where he leads the league in PRP.  This may surprise some because he hasn’t generated big sack numbers (only 4 total), but has been getting it done instead with hits (13) and hurries (22).

The Ravens have turned up the heat and the rest of the league will have trouble cooling them down.