Breakdown of 2019 NFL Pass-Rushing...Ravens DB Blitzes and 5+ Blitzes

[PTORaven]

the whole article is good, but i'll kick off the discussion by highlighting what the author considered the most noteworthy aspect of all teams' pass-rushing last season...

We're nearly 2,000 words into this story and we've kind of buried the lede, but Baltimore absolutely destroyed the record for DB blitz rate at 28.4%. The prior record was just 21.8% by the 2012 New York Jets. Only three other teams this decade have even topped 20%, none since 2015. The Ravens called a raw total of 153 DB blitzes last season, nearly 10 per game. The Jets were the only other team in triple digits, and they just got there with 101. There were 11 DBs last season who had at least 10 pressures; four of them (Brandon Carr, Chuck Clark, Marlon Humphrey, and Earl Thomas) were Ravens. And that's not even counting the half-dozen sacks Baltimore defensive backs had.

And as you can see from those hurries and sacks, it was effective. Only New Orleans got pressure more frequently on DB blitzes, and they only blitzed about half as often. Only San Francisco had a better DVOA, and they only blitzed about a quarter as often.

The Ravens won a league-high 14 games in 2019, and they did it by asking players on both sides of the ball to perform outside the typical confines of their position. You're probably aware that the offense was built around a quarterback who ran like none ever has before, but let's not forget that the defense revolved around a secondary that was as effective rushing the passer as it was in coverage.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2020/defense-number-pass-rushers-2019

[PTORaven]

i'd expect the DB blitzing frequency to go down this year with the pairing of Judon and Campbell, but still it's good to know we have massive potential there, and will hopefully be roughly as successful (or perhaps more successful) at it this year.

[Ravenswintitle]

Last year they got off the bus blitzing. Almost every play someone was sent, or so it seemed. Rewatching the games last week the announcers were commenting they've never seen a team blitz so much. They're not going to allow the other QB to have more than a couple of seconds.

Now stopping the run is another topic...

[ravens1991]

i'd expect the DB blitzing frequency to go down this year with the pairing of Judon and Campbell, but still it's good to know we have massive potential there, and will hopefully be roughly as successful (or perhaps more successful) at it this year.

I agree that Wink and crew will change the defensive scheme up noticeably. Look at the investment that was made into our front 7 this offseason. Wink clearly did not want to create an innovative defense like this on purpose. He essentially turned a turd into a diamond. I cannot wait to see Wink this year with the kind of horses he wants.

[GreatWhiteNorthRaven]

Last year they got off the bus blitzing. Almost every play someone was sent, or so it seemed. Rewatching the games last week the announcers were commenting they've never seen a team blitz so much. They're not going to allow the other QB to have more than a couple of seconds.

Now stopping the run is another topic...

This team is actually built to stop the run much better.

[JimZipCode]

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2020/defense-number-pass-rushers-2019

The other item is that the Ravens sent 5+ rushers more frequently than any other team. The top 8 teams in terms of sending 5+ rushers were:

Ravens	48%
Tampa	40%
Cards	39%
Brownies	35%
Stillers	34%
Bengals	32%
Jets	31%
Pats	30%

Everyone else was below 30%. Lowest were the Lions at 11%.

[Jfoh]

Last year we did not set the edge well. This year they should do a much better job. Suggs was able to set the edge as he was rushing the passer. That is a unique talent. This year I expect less blitzing needed to generate pressure but when we do it a lot more sacks will happen.

Sacks are sexy stats but Judon is at his best when he is forcing fumbles. A fumble by a qb can be a game changer while a sack often is only a drive changer at best. Strip sack a qb at his 25 and recover the ball its points on the board, 3 or 7. Sack him and they still can make a first down later it just punt the ball well down the field.

[PTORaven]

it'll be interesting to see how last year's best defenses fare this year. i can't remember a year like last where there were so many amazing defenses. there's always 2 or 3, but last year NE, PIT, BAL (after a rough start to the season), SF, and BUF all had amazing defenses.

[ReedInTheWind]

Wink would blitz his own grandmother if he had to. We blitz on first down more than any other team. I love it

[edromeo]

Love how aggressive and effective Wink was w/ DB blitz.

Hopefully we won't need to blitz DBs to get pressure this year because the interior DL.

When you combine the ability to blitz DBs successfully w/ the ability to get pressure w/4 then you've got something

[QtR Nevermore]

Wink would blitz his own grandmother if he had to. We blitz on first down more than any other team. I love it

I agree. We showed last year that we can blitz without paying a price with passes behind the rushers, so why would Wink stop if it isn't broke?