I've made it no secret that I'm a Ravens fan. I love my team and will always support my team. Although some folks in my blog family has called me a homer ( *cough* Ed The Sports Fan *cough*), I'm far from it. When the Ravens do bad, I ream them a new one on what they did wrong. When they do things right, I praise them. But no matter what they do, I'll always love the purple and black.

This off season, I've heard a lot of doubt from the naysayers about the 2009 Ravens defense. How they will drop off from last year, how certain pieces to the puzzle are gone and an inexperienced coach will have us slump out of the Top 5 in total defense. Even NFL.com has the Ravens declining in some areas in 2009.

It is my duty to prove you guys wrong and give you reasons why folks shouldn't be so soon to write the Ravens defense off just yet.


1) Ngata, Ray Ray and REEEEEEEEEEEEEDDD-


There are 3 good reasons why the Ravens will not fall in 2009. NT Haloti Ngata, LB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed. While most folks know all about Lewis and Reed, not many fans outside of Baltimore have heard about Ngata. The former 1st round pick out of Oregon hasn't done anything flashy. But he plugs holes and makes plays. Ngata is very well respected around the league by his opposition. Steelers NT Casey Hampton once told Ngata that he selected him for the Pro Bowl and that he's snubbed every year he doesn't get in. If that's not respect, then I don't know what is. Ngata is a hell of an athlete. Don't let his 6'4", 335 lb frame fool you. Ask Houston's QB Sage Rosenfels about Ngata's athleticism.


As for Ray and Reed, they are natural born leaders and great athletes in their own right. While Lewis isn't the spring chicken he one was, he's still one of the best emotional leaders and teachers of the game. Whatever skills have diminished on the field, he's made up for in teaching young LBs how to study film and learn their opponent. Lewis is known to have one of the best football instincts around. With newcomers like Tavares Gooden, Jameel McClain and Antwan Barnes, Ray has a lot to show these young LBs how they can excel. Reed is a beast, even with a nerve impingement injury. His career shows why he continues to make this defense better



2) The Ozzie Factor


Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has always been great at picking up defensive pieces of the Ravens' puzzle. The Wizard Of Oz has drafted the likes of Lewis, Reed and Terrell Suggs and signed free agents such as Tony Siragusa, Rod Woodson and Trevor Pryce. The best knack that Newsome has, is the signing of undrafted rookie free agents. Players such as Bart Scott, Maake Kemoeatu and Will Demps, all have contributed heavily to the Ravens defense.

When good players left the Ravens for big contracts, Ozzie brought in new players who fit the system. The former players became a distant memory, thanks to Newsome's specialty of getting defensive players who fits the Ravens style of playing defense.

If Ed Hartwell doesn't leave for the Atlanta Falcons, whose to say that Bart Scott would've become a starter? If Dawan Landry doesn't get hurt, whose to say you would know who Jim Leonhard is??? There is a reason why Oz is regarded as one of the Top 5 GMs in the NFL.



3) History Says So


People love to bring up the fact that the Ravens lost so many key components on defense. Rex Ryan, Bart Scott and Jim Leonard have all gone to NY to coach/play for the Jets. But history shows that the Ravens won't miss a beat. Ryan's predecessors, Marvin Lewis and Mike Nolan, weren't too shabby as coordinators either.

The 2000 Ravens are regarded as one of the best defenses of all time. I think some forget, that Ravens fans heard the same thing when Lewis left for the Redskins after the 2001 season. Media outlets and others thought that the Ravens would fall off. The 2002 season did show decline, but that was due the departure of Siragusa, Woodson, Rob Burnett and the injury of Ray Lewis early in the season. The new scheme of Mike Nolan was also a factor (they swtich from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defense), but the team went from 22nd in total defense in 2002 to 3rd in 2003.

Nolan accepted a head coaching job with the 49ers in 2005, and the naysayers came right back with the same accusations. That we would struggle and decline. But once Ryan stepped in, the Ravens D accelerated, having the #1 overall defense in 2006. Since 2000, there was only one season in which the Ravens defense ranked lower than 6th (2002 salary purged season), which says a lot for Lewis, Nolan and Ryan as defensive coordinators.


4) Mattison Factor


If any coach is up for the job, it's Greg Mattison. The former defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators has been coaching football for over 35 years. Mattison has already said that there won't be many major changes from Ryan's defense.

Mattison is known best as a pressure lover, and likes to blitz the QB at any chance given. He is also used to working with a lot of speed players, which work well in his system. With the off season acquisitions of Dominique Foxworth and Chris Carr, and the promotion of Tavares Gooden to replace Bart Scott, the Ravens are looking to be faster on defense, which is right up Mattison's alley.

Folks like to remind us that Mattison only has one year of NFL experience under his belt. But during his inaugural season, he was able to learn from one of the best. Mattison got to see first hand how Ryan ran his defenses and can now emulate a similar game plan and turn it into his own. The players have so far said they really like his defensive schemes and have always had a good relationship with Mattison.


I'm not going to go out on a limb and say they will be #2 like 2008 or better. But in my mind they are still a Top 5 defense all the way around. With Kelly Gregg coming back from being on IR last year and the new addition of Gooden at LB, this team can be just as good as last year, if not better. Only time will tell. But when September 13th arrives, we'll find out soon enough