Baltimore Ravens third down defense will need to improve

How the Ravens managed to blank the Browns through three quarter while being awful on third down - and in third and long at that - is beyond me. The four-man rush in passing situation, notably on the final drive, did not generate enough pressure throughout the game to allow extra bodies in coverage.

In Week 1 against the Bills, the Ravens third down defense was spectacular. They had even better opportunities to make their mark against the Browns, with the average distance to go on third down being 7 yards, per Ken McKusick. On the nine third-downs converted, the Browns gained more yards then the Bills had in the entirety of the Week 1 matchup.

The Ravens will have to return to the drawing board to find a way to stay consistent. With Elvis Dumervil returning to the line-up, a "Nascar" package with Matt Judon and Timmy Jernigan inside could be an option. Kamalei Correa could perhaps make third down appearances as an A gap blitzer in place of Albert McClellan, if his coverage ability is up to par.

It is still early in the season. It is clear the defense is still trying to find their best combinations of personnel. Early results have been mostly positive. The Ravens now need to find consistency.