The Baltimore Ravens have made their name this season with a bruising ground game and a defense that bends but rarely breaks. But if there’s one area that continues to raise eyebrows-just like it did last year-it’s the pass defense.
Right now, Baltimore sits 26th in the league in both total passing yards allowed (3,511) and passing yards per game (233.4). That’s not where you want to be, especially heading into a matchup against one of the most efficient young quarterbacks in the league: New England’s Drake Maye.
Maye hasn’t just been good-he’s been surgical. He leads the NFL in completion percentage at a blistering 70.9%.
That’s not just first-he’s the only quarterback in the league even in the 70s. He’s also top five in total passing yards and ranks sixth in passing yards per game.
Add in 23 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, and you’ve got a rookie who’s playing like a ten-year vet.
So how do the Ravens slow down a quarterback like this? It starts with pressure-and lots of it.
Maye is at his best when he’s comfortable in the pocket, reading defenses and delivering pinpoint throws. Disrupt that rhythm, and you’ve got a chance to throw a wrench into New England’s timing-based attack.
The challenge? Baltimore doesn’t have a single dominant pass rusher who can take over a game.
Instead, they’ve built their sack production by committee. Dre’Mont Jones leads the team with 6.5 sacks, ranking 37th in the league.
It’s worth noting that some of those came while he was still with the Titans before being traded to Baltimore in early November. Behind him is rookie Mike Green, who’s quietly carved out a role as a passing-down specialist.
Despite being a second-string will linebacker, Green has 3.5 sacks and has flashed real potential as a disruptor.
This Sunday night will be his biggest stage yet.
Green’s emergence gives Baltimore a bit of an X-factor. He’s not a household name-yet-but his ability to get after the quarterback could be a difference-maker. And with Jones continuing to settle into his role after the midseason trade, the Ravens are hoping their collective approach to the pass rush will be enough to shake Maye out of his comfort zone.
That’s the wildcard here. Without a single pass rusher to key in on, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels can’t just focus on neutralizing one threat.
He’s got to prepare for pressure from multiple angles-interior stunts, edge blitzes, disguised packages. That unpredictability could give Baltimore a schematic edge, even if the raw sack numbers don’t jump off the page.
Make no mistake: slowing down Maye is no small task. He’s been one of the most precise quarterbacks in football this season. But if the Ravens can get to him early, force him off his spots, and make him feel the heat, they just might tilt the game in their favor.
In a prime-time showdown with playoff implications looming, Baltimore’s pass rush doesn’t need to be flashy-it just needs to be effective.