ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It’s the Baltimore Blitz against Blitz Breaking Bridgewater.
The Broncos offense may consider getting ready for their game Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens at Empower Field at Mile Hile by playing the 70s’ classic from Sweet for their meeting room background music.
Blitz, Blitz, it’s the Baltimore Blitz. (Something like that).
Since Don "Wink" Martindale, the former Broncos’ defensive coordinator, took charge of the Ravens’ defense in 2018, few NFL defenses have been better and none have brought the blitz more often.
The Ravens were the league’s No. 1 blitz-heavy defense in each of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons. They rank No. 8 this year but that’s still impressive considering Martindale mostly called off the blitz against Patrick Mahomes in a week 2 win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
And the Ravens don’t just blitz for blitz sakes. Tampa Bay is blitzing like the girl in the corner, but the Buccaneers rank 26th in total defense through three games this year. The Ravens blitz effectively as they have ranked 1, 4 and 7 the previous three seasons in total defense.
“It’s one of those teams that have a solid group of veteran players who, they’re well-assigned, and they don’t beat themselves,’’ Bridgewater said about the aggressive Ravens’ defense. “They bank on you to give the game to them. They’re sound with their stunts, their rushes, their pressures. They mix it up. And through repetitions they’re able to disguise things differently. It’s a group that’s very talented. We’re looking forward to the challenge, though.”
2018
Blitz rank. Team …. Blitz … Blitz % … Total defense
1. Ravens .............… 252 … 39.6 …............. 1
2. Steelers ............… 246 … 38.7 ..............… 6
7. Broncos ...........… 190 … 31.3 ............… 22
2019
1. Ravens ............… 329 … 54.9 ..............… 4
2. Bucs …................. 318 … 43.4 ............… 15
23. Broncos ............ 144 … 24.1 ............… 12
2020
1. Ravens …............. 290 … 44.1 .............… 7
2, Dolphins ............… 268 … 40.8 ...........… 20
18. Broncos ............ 178 … 27.9 ...........… 21
2021
1. Bucs …..................... 61 … N/A ............. 26
8. Ravens ................… 37 … N/A ............. 24
17. Broncos ............… 28 … N/A ............... 2
(Per Pro Football Focus)
The blitz-happy Ravens will meet the blitz breaker this Sunday afternoon in Broncos’ quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. He has a remarkable 150.9 passer rating against the blitz through three games this year, second only to Arizona’s Kyler Murray.
“He’s got a good feel pre-snap of where it might be coming form,’’ said Broncos head coach Vic Fangio. “And if he doesn’t he has an innate ability to react to what might surprise him. And he’s calm. He doesn’t rush his decisions. He’s calm under duress and that pays off.’’
Bridgewater has been sacked three times when blitzed, but he’s also thrown all four of his touchdown passes against extra pass-rush attackers and has completed a remarkable 86.4 percent of his passes when blitzed.
“It’s just understanding your outlets,’’ Bridgewater said. “Giving your guys a chance. Coach Munch (offensive line coach Mike Munchak) and those guys that are the run game gurus and pass game gurus, they do a great job of coming up with solid plans for us. To get into the right protections. Coach Shurm (offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur) he’s doing a great job of calling plays that give the quarterback an outlet. And then the rest is on us to go out there and compete and we’re doing just that.”
QB Blitz Passing
Rk. QB …………………... A ..… C .… Cp% …...Y … TD … I … Sk … RTG
1. Kyler Murray …….....… 17 … 12 … 70.6 ... 249 ….. 3 … 0 ..… 2 … 152.6
2. Teddy Bridgewater … 22 … 19 … 86.4 … 236 ….. 4 … 0 ..... 3 … 150.9
3. Russell Wilson ……….. 14 … 12 … 85.7 … 158 ….. 1 ... 0 .… 3 … 137.5
4. Jimmy Garoppolo …..... 20 … 12 … 60.0 … 247 ….. 2 ... 0 …. 2 … 136.9
5. Joe Burrow ……………. 19 … 14 … 73.7 … 223 ….. 4 ... 1.…. 3 … 130.0
6. Patrick Mahomes …...... 23 … 19 … 82.6 … 229 ….. 1 … 0 .... 0 … 122.6
27. Lamar Jackson …...... 14 …. 8 … 57.1 … 110 ….. 1 … 2 …. 4 ..… 66.7
(Per Stats Inc.)
While it’s the heavy Baltimore Blitz against Cool Teddy on one side of the ball, the other side has the opposite contradiction: Fangio isn't a big blitzer while Ravens’ star quarterback Lamar Jackson has struggled against the blitz, at least not through three games this year.