Ravens secondary the best in the league – I’m not sure about that but they are definitely in the conversation – and probably only heading upwards. Only time will tell. But one thing I know for sure – I love that division.

Oh and David Reed fumbling twice on kick offs had more to do with that win than your defense.

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Did you forget that was the only game all year Ladarius didn’t start?

The Ravens always pound their chests but rarely provide the muscle to back the mouth.

Horrible franchise horrible team culture.
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I’m a diehard Steelers fan, but just don’t get this comment at all. Saying the Ravens rarely provide muscle doesn’t even compute. That’s one of the toughest teams in the NFL. Muscle is what they do best!

Horrible franchise? They won a Super Bowl almost five minutes into their existence and have been regular contenders. Horrible team culture? I think the Ravens have a real family feel to their team, a lot like my Steelers. Team members–especially on that defense–seem to be extremely supportive of one another and very focused on their mission. When you think of the Ravens, you think of smashmouth football and hard-hitting defense. That’s a great culture for a football team.

I hate the Ravens as our rivals, but respect them tremendously. Just don’t understand your thinking in that comment.

Hate to interrupt this support group for Persons Prone to Mass Hysteria, Group-Think and Delusions of Grandeur.. but it seems to me that one of the League’s youngest, largest, most physical, most dominant and most talented secondaries has stunningly been left out of this discussion..

The Seattle Seahawks’ secondary:

CB Brandon Browner
FS Earl Thomas
SS Kam Chancellor
CB Richard Sherman

How did the Ravens perform against Seattle last Season? Seattle beat them. Ask Mr. Bolden who Kam Chancellor is – if he can remember. 16 yards for Ray Rice – yep, we’re tough as nails against the run, too.. It was Seattle’s secondary who sealed the victory in the Meadowlands against the NFL Champion NY Giants, too, when Browner picked Eli Manning for six during Eli’s late 4th quarter drive to try and win the game.

Don’t sleep on the Seattle Seahawks.

This may be the single most ignorant and repulsive post I’ve read on here in years..

I’ll counter your point here: Can you please name one CB who had 1 stellar season then totally fell off the following year? I surely can’t. And in regards to Jimmy Smith, not sure how many Ravens games you watched, but for a kid with no OTA’s and starting the season with an injury, I’d say he did a bang up job. I can name 2 instances in which he gambled and lost. Never saw him get owned by a WR, never saw a missed tackle, and he had a few picks to boot. Like his upside and see him as a McCallister type guy (mentality and ability).

As for our D slipping, I’ll take a stab at this one: When Ray sat 3 gms this year with injury, did we slip up? Our D actually improved and we won 3 straight. I’m well aware Ray and Ed are past their prime, but the rest of this team has the skill and mental toughness to fill that void. Nobody will ever ballhawk like Reed, but I do anticipate a rd 2 safety by the Ravens who will be his successor, but next man up is the motto, and this D won’t slip out of the top 5.

ps-Pollard didn’t have 1 questionable “dirty” play last year. His pass coverage vastly improved and he’s an above average SS.

Scary part is, they’re just getting started. Add A new lb, and pass rush, that defense is gonna be scary.

I hate the best of any position discussions. There is always debate and the always will be when anyone is said to be the best (or in Webb’s case, making a self proclamation of such greatness).

I agree with comments on Seattle. If they ever get their stuff together (primarily at QB) they will be tough. Toward the end of last season they did play very tough.

Their top rival’s secondary was the top in the league last year, despite the fact that the front 7 were plagued by injuries.

Ngata and Suggs helped Webb and Smith out a lot, but like I said; the Ravens still have a really good secondary.

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Pretty sure you wish you had any secondary over what the Pat’s had considering theirs was without question the worst in the league. Also, lets not forget that the best TE in football was hurt almost that entire game, leaving only Hernandez and Welker to cover…Gronk out makes the Pats offense rather ordinary.

As has been said multiple times, Webb has had one good year, let me see him play like he did last year for more than just last year and then ill listen to him bark about being one of the best. One season, no matter how good, doesnt make u one of the best, consistent great play year after year does.

Jimmy Smith? Tons of talent, tons to learn. He got burned on a regular basis last year and at times embarrassingly so. As Alper said, lets give him another year, plenty of players regress in their sophmore years and I didnt see stellar play out of Smith to begin with, just flashes here and there.

Im not going to even waste my time on Pollard, he is a run of the mill safety at best. He is known mostly for, if not only for, his cheap shots and how his peers claim he is dirty.

In summary, less talk, more years of production out of your young corners and lets see who u draft/sign to succeed Reed (i dont mean he has to be as good as Reed, but someone who isnt a huge drop off in talent from him) because lets not forget, its not just about the starters its about the depth and if you dont have a guy that can step in for Reed (when he inevitably gets hurt), your top 5 status starts slipping real quick.

So I wonder what excuse the Ravens will use this year when they tank again in the playoffs?

…taking a page out of the Jets playbook I see.

Losers

Pro Football Focus graded Webb as the league’s fourth-best cornerback in 2011 (including postseason) and the second-best cornerback in coverage — trailing only Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets.

“When you delve a little deeper into his season, it becomes clear just how good he was. He played in 18 games for the Ravens, seeing a total of 638 snaps in coverage, and didn’t allow a single touchdown reception in that time,” Gordon McGuiness wrote in a Pro Football Focus article about Webb last month. “Of the 102 times he was targeted by opposing [quarterbacks], Webb got his hands on 20, with eight interceptions and 12 passes broken up throughout the regular season and two playoff games.”

The real stat-padding came against Brady in the AFC championship game.

Not that I expected you to watch a Ravens game last season unless it was against the Steelers (Lord knows I won’t be caught dead watching a Pitt game outside of the rivalry!) but in Rays absence, McClain was out there making all of the defensive calls and truth be told, did a helluva job. We won every game with Ray out (3 games I believe) and I have full confidence that McClain can fill that role. No, he will never be Ray Lewis, nor will any player ever fill those shoes, but I think the LB’s will be just fine. Now safety is a different issue… All I can say is Zibby or Haruki couldn’t ballhawk like Reed. I’m looking to the draft for this position.

If Smith and Williams improve. If Ed Reed stays healthy. If teams don’t force Pollard into coverage.

Ravens fans should be a little bit concerned. Last year the Eagles and Jets spent a lot of time in the offseason making claims about how great they were. Neither team lived up to their self-hype.