Baltimore's 2023 defense must be in the conversation about the greatest of all time.
The Ravens finished the regular season with a triple crown NFL record as the first team in history to lead the league in points allowed (16.5 per game), sacks (60), and takeaways (31).
The Ravens tied the New York Giants in takeaways. Baltimore finished just ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs in points per game (17.3) and sacks (57).
In his second season, Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald and his staff has done an excellent job with the scheme and play-calling, and numerous players have had strong seasons.
Baltimore's 60 sacks tie the single-season franchise record (2006). Several Ravens set or tied career highs, including Justin Madubuike (13), Jadeveon Clowney (9.5), Kyle Van Noy (9), and Odafe Oweh (5).
The Ravens' ability to get after quarterbacks and force turnovers is unlike any other this season, and that combination will make top-seeded Baltimore a very tough out in the playoffs.
Baltimore's 2000 defense is still rightly considered the best ever. It was a different era, but it blew away this year's Ravens in two of the three categories.
The 2000 Ravens allowed just 10.3 points per game and led the league with 49 takeaways. It had only 35 sacks, however, led by Rob Burnett's 10.5.
