Room for Ravens defense to get better

Although only a Super Bowl win will satisfy Greg Mattison, the Ravens defensive coordinator could point to significant improvement in his defense as the 2009 season went on. The biggest adjustment the Ravens made was going from a team that would sell out on the blitz in 2008 to a team that blitzed more judiciously in 2009. Here's a starting point when you look at that transformation: the Ravens of 2008 under Rex Ryan had 34 sacks; the Ravens of 2009 under Mattison had 32. "Our pass rush will get better," Mattison said. Because the Ravens are always seen as a pressure defense team, opposing quarterbacks take a quick drop and get rid of the ball quickly. That offensive approach eliminates a lot of sacks. But what constitutes pressure? It is making the offense adjust to what you do on defense. In 2009, the Ravens changed the type of blitzes they used, going with less overloads and sending only players who the coaches felt could get to the quarterback and be effective....