ExtremeRavens Posted 11 hours ago Posted 11 hours ago The Ravens hired Los Angles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter on Thursday to become the fourth head coach in the team’s history, and his approach to playing tough, physical football is a welcomed addition in Baltimore. The general consensus around town was that the Ravens needed to hire a coach who would accommodate star quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner. But the Ravens needed to get back to their basics of being one of the most dominant defensive teams in the league. They had lost that the past two years under the direction of previous coordinator Zach Orr, but at least now they have someone who can oversee the defensive operation here. The Ravens can’t bring back Hall of Fame players such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed and a future one in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, but at least they have someone who truly knows about “Playing Like A Raven,” especially on the defensive side of the ball. Minter is 42, and he’ll make his share of mistakes as a young coach, but he has a history here. He was a defensive assistant in Baltimore from 2017 through 2020. He later became the defensive coordinator at Vanderbilt in 2021, and eventually served as Michigan’s defensive coordinator under Harbaugh’s younger brother, Jim, in 2022 and 2023. He moved to Los Angeles with Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers for the past two seasons. There is an obvious connection here with the Harbaugh family, but more importantly, it’s about improving a major area of weakness. I understand the rules of the game have changed to favor the offense, especially since Roger Goodell became NFL commissioner in 2006. You can’t sniff a quarterback these days without a penalty. But the Ravens already have Jackson and one of the best running backs in modern day history in Derrick Henry. Even with a suspect and questionable offensive line, scoring still won’t be a problem with this team, not with playmakers such as slot receiver Zay Flowers and tight end Mark Andrews. But the Ravens’ defense in 2025 was simply horrendous. They allowed 248 passing yards per game, which was ranked 30th in the league. Overall, they were ranked near the bottom in total defense, and they struggled with getting consistent pressure on quarterbacks. On the back end, the Ravens couldn’t make up their minds about coverages, not knowing if they were in man-to-man or playing zone. There were times when they would shrug their shoulders in embarrassment. Fans like to point fingers at former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, but Orr’s unit was also a contributing factor in why he blew 17 double-digit leads in the second half of games. Here is more damaging proof about the Ravens’ suspect defense: Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh had 23 sacks in nearly six seasons and 67 regular-season games with the Ravens, but he had 7 1/2 in 12 regular-season games with the Chargers after an October trade. He added another three in one postseason game, a 16-3 loss to the Patriots. The major difference was that Minter put him in a position to just go after quarterbacks. He was a “go fetch” guy. It’s all about scheme and game plans. Here’s the bottom line: If an opponent can’t score, they can’t win. Ask the 2000 Ravens. In two seasons with Los Angles, Minter turned around one of the league’s worst defenses into to one of the NFL’s best. The Chargers allowed only 17.7 points per game in 2024, which led the NFL. This season, Los Angeles yielded just 20 per game. In both years, Los Angeles was among the NFL’s 12 best in yards allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Ravens were inconsistent under Orr during the same stretch. The gripes about finding a head coach and offensive coordinator to favor Jackson and Henry are understandable, but not valid. I’ve said it before and will say it again, it’s all about balance in the NFL. Opposing teams exploit weaknesses in this league, and the major weakness for this team was on defense. Mike Macdonald did it in Seattle, and hopefully Minter can do it in Baltimore. The idea of the Ravens being too patient in the hiring of Minter was also exaggerated. The candidates for the Ravens head coaching position provided a diverse field, but that means nothing: Just hire the best candidate for the job. If it meant waiting until the Super Bowl was played, then so be it. It will be interesting to see Minter assemble a coaching staff. John Harbaugh struggled in that area for a couple of years before Ozzie Newsome, the team’s vice president, aided him. Former Ravens assistant Greg Roman was the Chargers’ most recent offensive coordinator, but he was fired shortly after the Chargers lost to New England, 16-3, in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Would Roman be a good match for Jackson? Ahh, probably not again. But overall, the Ravens made a positive and good hire. Minter might have problems controlling some of the veterans on the team at first, but he’ll adjust. All young head coaches have a learning curve. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article Quote
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