Ravens DC Mike Macdonald reveals team's 'secret sauce'

By Aaron Becker | Last updated Jan 12, 2024 10:19 AM ET

The Ravens (13-4) have had a season to remember, boasting the best record in the NFL and owning the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald believes a big reason for Baltimore's dominance is a player who just joined the team last year.

"It's a secret sauce, man. There's a magnetism to [Roquan Smith] that guys gravitated towards," Macdonald told reporters. "He has great energy. I think you can't help being around a guy like that, that plays the way he plays, that has the kind of passion he has and not be attracted to that. ... Just a tremendous leader all around."

The Ravens traded a second-round pick to the Chicago Bears for Smith at the trade deadline last season, and they haven't looked back.

The sixth-year linebacker has quickly established himself as the leader of the defense, which has allowed the fewest points per game (16.5) and sixth-fewest total yards per game (301.4) in the league this year.

Smith had a team-leading 158 tackles as well as 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one interception and eight passes defensed in his first full season in Baltimore.

The team rewarded the 26-year-old with a five-year, $100M deal in the offseason, which some could argue is an underpay, setting him up to be a key piece to the defense for many years to come.

However, he hasn't just earned the respect of his teammates in such a short amount of time but also his peers.

The National Football League Players Association voted him onto the second annual Players' All-Pro Team, which is voted on by the players themselves.

The Ravens went all in on Smith, and it has already paid massive dividends. Now he will try to reward them with a run to the Super Bowl.

Baltimore will host the lowest remaining seed in the AFC in the divisional round of the playoffs next weekend.

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