ATLANTA -- The new Ravens look a lot like the old Ravens, the same Ravens we began seeing in 1999.
Very little has changed.
The defense is strong, the offense is sorry and the special teams are inconsistent. And it wouldn't be a typical Ravens game of the past two years if Matt Stover wasn't kicking field goals, right guard Bennie Anderson wasn't jumping offsides, right tackle Ethan Brooks wasn't getting beat on pass protection and Jamal Lewis wasn't forced to run left all the time.
The Ravens defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 13-10, last night in preseason game No. 2 at the Georgia Dome, and barring some major upgrades in other areas over the course of the season, defense is their only hope.
So, what else is new?
The best news to come out of the Ravens' training camp and two preseason games is that the defense is strong enough to carry this team to the playoffs.
Is it as good as the 2000 Super Bowl defense?
No.
But there is potential. Two things stick out about this defense. First, the Ravens have outstanding speed, especially in their front seven because their defensive linemen run well. Second, this is a versatile group. It can make changes almost anywhere without missing a beat.
Defensive end Adalius Thomas can play outside linebacker, which he did last night. He also may have ended the Falcons' season when he tackled quarterback Michael Vick after a short scramble. Vick left with a broken right fibula and could be out for at least six weeks. Second-year linebacker Bart Scott can play outside and inside. Corey Fuller can play safety or cornerback. Gary Baxter can play corner or safety.
And you have to like what defensive coordinator Mike Nolan did last night. He didn't make Pro Bowl linebackers Ray Lewis and Peter Boulware stationary targets. On the first play from scrimmage, he blitzed and crossed Boulware and Lewis from the right side to put pressure on Vick.
On the next Atlanta offensive series, he brought Lewis and Boulware on a blitz from the left side. Once, safety Ed Reed was near the line of scrimmage just as tight as an outside linebacker.
But there were other impressive things about the Ravens' defense. The first line, which is still suspect going into the regular season, dominated for a second straight week, particularly nose tackle Kelly Gregg. The intensity level was there from the opening whistle, and the first unit played at that same high level for the entire first half as Atlanta was held to 110 total yards, 42 of those on one reception.
