Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has more interceptions this season than three of the NFL's best cornerbacks: Seattle's Richard Sherman, New England's Darrelle Revis and Arizona's Patrick Peterson …
Combined.
A popular term for picks made by defensive tackles is "fat guy" interceptions. Ngata made his second one in five games this season Sunday in Indianapolis.
"It's cool," Ngata said. "It's the wrong stat to be leading in. I want to be leading in other categories, but I'm just happy to make those plays for the team."
Ngata has 11 tackles so far this season. He has yet to record a sack.
But he already has a career-high six passes defensed. He leads the Ravens in passes defensed and interceptions, and is tied for fifth in the NFL in interceptions.
No defensive lineman in the NFL is as good at picking off quarterbacks as Ngata, who has extraordinary athletic skills for his 6-foot-4, 340-pound size. He now has five in nine seasons. No defensive lineman has that many since Ngata entered the league in 2006.
Ngata's first interception of the season came against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Ngata deflected the pass to himself and laid out to make the diving catch. His second interception of the season wasn't quite as impressive.
Ngata's interception came in the first quarter Sunday after linebacker C.J. Mosley leveled Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as he released a pass. The ball floated into the air and Ngata made the interception over his shoulder.
Perhaps more eye-opening than the catch was the spin move Ngata put on a Colts center Jonotthan Harrison before turning up the field to get some extra return yardage. He didn't just go down without a fight.
To that point, Ngata was the only player on the Ravens roster with an interception. Mosley joined him later in the game. Nobody in the Ravens secondary has recorded a pick yet.
