One of the most common predictions surrounding any defensive philosophy shift is that more sacks and takeaways will follow. Well, that's the hope at least, so why should the Baltimore Ravens be any different? There's a new sheriff in town, head coach Jesse Minter, and one of his deputies can't wait to put the shoulder pads on.
There's a new scheme. There's a new defensive coordinator in Anthony Weaver. There's a new philosophy. The assumption has been easy to make. For an explanation of why Baltimore believes that could happen, one need only speak to all-world safety Kyle Hamilton.
Speaking with reporters this week, Hamilton offered one of the most revealing football explanations to emerge from the Ravens' locker room since training camp began.
Rather than making a broad prediction about forcing turnovers, the star safety pointed to a specific schematic change that could increase opportunities for defenders to attack the football.
When asked about takeaways in the new defense, Hamilton resisted the idea that turnovers can be manufactured. Instead, he went into greater detail with a simple yet complex strategy. Baltimore creates more splash plays by keeping more eyes on the quarterback.
"I think takeaways are very flow of the game. You can't really manufacture takeaways. You kind of have to be [in the right] mindset, and I think we've been emphasizing that a lot. I think in the past we played a lot of man... But you don't really have your eyes on the quarterback as much if that makes sense."
The explanation is certainly revealing. Hamilton noted that Baltimore played a significant amount of man coverage in recent seasons. While effective in many situations, man coverage often requires defenders to focus almost exclusively on their assigned receiver.
That leaves fewer opportunities to read the quarterback's eyes or break aggressively on throws. Under the Ravens' new system, Hamilton suggested defenders could have more chances to see the entire play develop.
"Mixing in some man with some zones and just allowing defensive backs and linebackers and everybody to be more aggressive to that sense, getting your hands on the ball. And, obviously up front, winning rushes and getting [the] ball off the quarterback and everything like that."
That subtle distinction could have a significant impact. The goal is not reckless gambling. Instead, it is creating more opportunities for defenders to anticipate throws, get their hands on passes, and capitalize when quarterbacks make mistakes.
Hamilton pointing to complementary football is also a massive part of the equation. A better pass rush can force hurried decisions, while defenders throughout the secondary can react more quickly when they can see the quarterback.
The Ravens are not promising a dramatic increase in interceptions. Hamilton made it clear that turnovers remain situational and often unpredictable. Still, his explanation offered perhaps the clearest glimpse yet into why Baltimore believes its defensive changes could produce one of the NFL's most valuable commodities.
For months, much of the conversation surrounding Baltimore's defensive overhaul has focused on new terminology, new coaches, and new responsibilities. Hamilton pulled back the curtain on something more tangible. The Ravens believe more eyes on the quarterback can create more opportunities to impact the game.
Whether that translates into more interceptions and takeaways remains to be seen, but the thought process is clear. If Baltimore's defensive reset succeeds, Hamilton may have already explained one of the biggest reasons why.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Why Kyle Hamilton thinks turnovers could spike in Ravens' new defense
