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After a rough 2009 season in which he posted a career-low 4.5 sacks, linebacker Terrell Suggs showed up to training camp in shape and looking like he was ready to return to his peak form.
Seven games into the 2010 season, Suggs has 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble, but he wants to see those numbers improve as the Ravens embark on the latter portion of their schedule.
"I don't have as many sacks as I'd like," Suggs said today. "It's not how you start. It's how you finish. I think I did a solid job in the first half of the season. We just have to have more emphasis as a team of all us getting back there and getting some more."
That said, Suggs would gladly take his numbers and the Ravens' 5-2 record over the situation one of his fellow pass-rushers is in.
"I ask myself every day, would I rather have the eight sacks like DeMarcus Ware and be 1-5 [actually 1-6]? I don't think so. I'll take what I've got right now with the winning record. We've just got to get more."
Overall, the Ravens have posted 12 sacks, the 24th-best total in the NFL.
Head coach John Harbaugh has consistently said that while he would like to see more sacks from his defense, he's happy with the pressure that they've gotten on opposing quarterbacks overall.
Suggs, however, isn't satisfied with just getting pressures.
"Sacks count. The pressure is like, 'Thata boy, way to pressure the quarterback.' But the sacks is what helps you win the game," Suggs said. "Pressures don't. I mean, they do their job, they have their benefit. They can have a quarterback throw the ball higher or before he wants to, but for me, being the number one thing that I like to do, I like to get the sack. I'll leave all the pressures to Haloti and Double-J [Jarret Johnson]."
While Suggs isn't getting the sack totals that he would like, the Ravens are getting contributions from defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who surprisingly leads the way with a team-high four sacks, and middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who has chipped in with two.
Suggs says that the Ravens need to continue to get a balanced pass rush if they're going to boost their sack totals as the season goes on.
"It's got to be a point of emphasis for everybody, not just one guy," Suggs said. "If you look at guys around the league, everybody is getting after the passer whether you're looking at Dallas or New York or even the Colts. They got numerous guys with a knack of getting after the quarterback.
"When teams take it upon themselves to get guys after the quarterback, that's where all the sacks come from."
