Sneaky reason why Ravens, not Patriots, are AFC's best

Call me a prisoner of the moment if you wish -– I’ve heard worse -– but rarely has one game so drastically altered my opinion about the balance of power in the NFL.

What the Ravens did to the Patriots on Sunday night in a 37-20 win opened my eyes. I’m officially a Ravens convert, and while quarterback Lamar Jackson continues to impress and must be mentioned in any MVP discussion, he’s not the only reason John Harbaugh’s bunch is the team to beat in the AFC.

Don’t look now, but Baltimore’s defense is becoming a force.

The Ravens gave up 25 points per game in Weeks 1-4. In Weeks 5-8, that number has dropped to 19 points per game. Their rush defense, which surrendered 333 yards in consecutive losses to Kansas City and Cleveland, has limited its past four opponents to 72.5 yards per game, which would be best in the league if projected over the course of a full season. The Ravens, who held New England to 342 yards, are 24^th in yards per play allowed (6.0) but ninth best over the past three games (5.0).

Baltimore still ranks low –- 26^th in the league -- against the pass, and the lack of a consistent pass rush is a major weakness. That said, Marlon Humphrey is playing like one of the league’s best corners, and a bold move to acquire Marcus Peters from the Rams gives the Ravens two corners with shutdown capability.

Peters is a risk-taker, a trait that cuts both ways, but in his first game, he became the first (and so far, only) man to intercept Russell Wilson. He took the pick to the house, one of two defensive scores for Baltimore in its impressive 30-16 win at Seattle.

Peters and Humphrey aren’t the only bright spots on the back end. Safety Earl Thomas, after a rough three-game stretch that included him jogging on a long TD run by the Browns' Nick Chubb, is steadily improving and resembling his old self.   

Corner Jimmy Smith is back after suffering an MCL injury in Week 1, and though he allowed a touchdown against New England, Harbaugh is happy with his play. "He really doesn’t miss a beat," the coach told reporters after the game.

Former NFL scout Matt Williamson also likes what he sees in the Ravens' secondary. “Like New England, the entire key to Baltimore's defense is their secondary," he told me. "While I don't think they are great on this side of the ball, being great (and healthy) in the secondary has a huge trickle-down affect for the entire defense. They ask a ton from their DBs, but in turn, it allows them to blitz a ton and stack the box since they have extreme faith in their cover men.”