Over the years, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale has been known for his incredible defensive mind. His ability to use his personnel on the defensive line, which has not been particularly incredible in recent years, and still be a dominant defense, is a very interesting topic. Taking a look at some of the things Martindale does to elevate his pass rush, we can see that he understands that personnel isn’t everything when it comes to building a dominant pass rush.
How Don Martindale Will Elevate Baltimore Ravens Pass Rush in 2021
Blitz, Blitz, Blitz
For starters, Don Martindale likes to blitz significantly more than anyone else in the league. According to Pro Football Reference, the Baltimore Ravens had the highest blitz percentage in the league last season, sending extra pressure on 44.1% of plays. However, every NFL quarterback knows that there are ways to handle blitzes. Throwing hot, and throwing into the area where the blitz came from are typical responses from offenses to blitzes.
However, Martindale’s blitzes are rather unique, and put a more difficult situation before the opposing quarterback. Martindale designs an immense number of blitzes from different looks defensively. Typically, if a linebacker or a slot cornerback were to blitz, and that blitz was not picked up, the quarterback would throw “hot” into the area from which the defender blitzed from. However, Martindale’s blitzes are designed in a matter that prevents the quarterback from doing this. Whether he has a safety drop down into the zone to defend that particular area, or a linebacker drops back, Martindale is always a step ahead of the offense in terms of his play design for blitzes.
For this reason, the Ravens defense ranked fourth in the league in quarterback pressure percentage in 2020. Mind you, the Ravens starting 3-4 pass rush consisted of Matthew Judon, Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, Derek Wolfe, and Pernell McPhee. The three teams that ranked ahead of the Ravens in this statistic were the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Each of these teams had objectively better personnel on the defensive line, and yet Martindale’s defense was able to be named among them.
Athleticism
In Martindale’s blitz-heavy system, athleticism and speed are key to being a successful 5-technique pass rusher. Even if that pass rusher is not the most technically sound, Martindale’s system can elevate him through the ways explained previously. This was likely the thought process when the Ravens selected Penn State pass rusher Odafe Oweh at #31 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Oweh was one of the most athletic and physically gifted pass rushers in the draft, and knowing that this was one of the most necessary traits for Martindale’s system, the Ravens selected him to fill the hole that Matthew Judon left. Oweh will most likely be successful in Wink’s scheme early in his career, especially with the great coaching that the Ravens defensive coaching staff brings to the table.
Secondary Personnel
Another aspect of the defense that must be mentioned is the secondary. Having a good secondary is an invaluable part to having a successful pass rush. The Ravens have a cornerback duo that is arguably the best in the league, and if not, at least one of the top three. All-Pros Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters are the starters for that duo, with an incredible amount of depth at the cornerback position including Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young, and many more. At the safety position, the Ravens have a duo that has performed fairly well over the past season, in DeShon Elliott and Chuck Clark. The personnel in the secondary will without question open up many opportunities for the pass rush to get to the quarterback.
Veteran Presence
Finally, the Ravens defense has plenty of veterans to help coach up the younger athletes. Pernell McPhee, Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, and many more are present there to give the young defenders an idea of how they can be successful in Martindale’s defense. This veteran presence can allow for a speedier development, potentially leading to younger talented players breaking out early in their career, such as Oweh, Tyus Bowser, and Justin Madubuike. It is only a matter of time before these guys become the future of the Ravens pass rush, in which case, if Martindale is still in Baltimore, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
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