Getty Marcus Peters steps in front of a pass in the playoffs.
The Baltimore Ravens have long had one of the best defenses in the NFL, and a big reason why has been the play of their backfield.
Long one of the most accurate and solid cornerback groups in the league, the Ravens once again have the look of an elite tandem heading into 2021, and that’s what the experts are seeing as well just ahead of a new season on the field.
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Recently, Bleacher Report took a look at picking out the top 5 cornerback tandems in the league, and not surprisingly, the Ravens’ group was high on the list. In fact, Maurice Moton ranked them the top team overall in the league at the position.
He wrote:
“The Baltimore Ravens can also rely on Humphrey to make tackles in the open field and force turnovers upon contact. In 2020, he led the league in forced fumbles (eight), an impressive feat for a cornerback. Humphrey also recorded a team-leading 70 solo tackles with four for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Peters isn’t a reliable tackler in open space, but he’s arguably the top ball hawk in the NFL. The two-time All-Pro has the most interceptions (31) since 2015. In 2019 and 2020, he allowed a passer rating below 79.
Humphrey fills in the physical gaps where Peters isn’t at his best, but they’re both top-tier cornerbacks who can impact the game with takeaways via forced fumbles and interceptions.
The Patriots’ tandem and the Ravens’ duo are separated by a thin margin, but the latter pair has no concerns about a potential drop-off in production with the accolades to take the top spot.
With Humphrey and Peters healthy in the prime of their careers, we don’t have to worry about whether either cornerback will trend downhill because of age or condition. That isn’t clear for soon-to-be 31-year-old Stephon Gilmore coming off a quad injury.”
The Ravens have one of the best defenses in the league and a big reason why is this defense and cornerback group. Once again, they look elite coming into a new season.
Ravens Cornerbacks Solid Statistically
Both Humphrey and Peters have been amongst the most elite options in the league at their positions, as the numbers have shown through the years. Just last season, Peters had 4 interceptions and 52 tackles. Humphrey had 82 tackles and 1 interception. That’s pretty good production for the group as a pair of players. Obviously, the Ravens would probably like to see a little more of that next season, but the production and ability to lock wideouts down is impressive enough to make them the best in the league according to this piece.
Ravens 2020 Defensive Statistics
Baltimore’s defense was once again a top group in the league this past season. Coming off the 2019 year when they were rated a top three defense in terms of total yards allowed (300.6), the sixth-overall defense in terms of passing yards per-game (207.2), and the fifth ranked rush defense in the league with 93.4 yards per-game, Baltimore once again boasted a top 10 unit in 2020.
The Ravens ranked seventh in terms of total defense, and also allowed a stout 221 passing yards per-game as well as a decent 108 rushing yards-per game.
In spite of the good work the Ravens did on that side of the ball, defensive coordinator Don Martindale was not promoted, but that only might serve to benefit the Ravens the most in the end. This season, Martindale can stick around and once again apply his genius to his home team in Baltimore. Along with Rob Ryan coming in, it’s a strong veteran staff that should only figure to continue to get the most out of their players statistically and otherwise.
The defense looks ready to dominate again for the 2021 season, and the cornerback spot is a big reason why.
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