Ravens need to start saying goodbye to a key member of their team
The Baltimore Ravens put on a defensive clinic in their 56-19 home win over the Miami Dolphins. While the Dolphins tallied 375 total yards on the day, they had quite a difficult time in extending drives because Baltimore's defense managed to orchestrate game-changing plays when it needed them the most. Overall, Baltimore logged three takeaways […]
The Baltimore Ravens put on a defensive clinic in their 56-19 home win over the Miami Dolphins.
While the Dolphins tallied 375 total yards on the day, they had quite a difficult time in extending drives because Baltimore's defense managed to orchestrate game-changing plays when it needed them the most. Overall, Baltimore logged three takeaways and three sacks in the contest.
The standout performance from Baltimore's defense against the Dolphins’ high-octane offense came less than a week after the group had its way with the San Francisco 49ers’ dynamic offense. Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald garnered much head coaching buzz following his unit’s outing on "Monday Night Football," and he is sure to get more such recognition in the coming days.
How Baltimore's defense has blossomed under Macdonald
Macdonald has emerged as a potential head coaching candidate because of just how Baltimore’s well-rounded defense has performed this season. The Ravens lead the NFL in a multitude of defensive stats, from points per game allowed (16.4) to takeaways (29).
Macdonald has also been able to get the best out of multiple defensive players, including Justin Madubuike, who leads all defensive tackles in sacks (13.0) on the season.
On Macdonald’s part, he is well aware of the head coaching buzz that he has received.
"It's hard to ignore," Macdonald said on Thursday. "It's an honor to hear about it. It's such a unique opportunity when it does come up. … So, try your best to focus on the things that we need to focus on, which is the next game and getting our guys in position to win."
Macdonald, who is in his second season as Ravens defensive coordinator, has been in the head coaching rumor mill as of late. However, he reportedly could face an uphill battle to land such a job this year due to both the "backlog of qualified candidates" who are defensive-based coaches and because "some owners [are] set on hiring offensive coaches instead."
Macdonald sure will look to prove over the Ravens’ upcoming playoff run that he is deserving of becoming a head coach in the NFL.
