OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs served notice again: He’s back.
The 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year had three sacks in the fourth quarter of a 26-23 win over the Miami Dolphins, taking over the game and sending a message. This week he’ll lock up with right tackle Don Barclay of the Green Bay Packers, who is making his eighth career start.
“(Linebackers coach) Ted Monachino said to me on the sideline, ‘No. 55, it’s time for you to make a play,’” Suggs said. “And I went out and did so. And then my wife, she told me to, ‘Bring mama home three sacks. It was the fourth quarter and I was like, ‘All right, it’s time to get going. Mama said she wanted three, so I’m going to get three.”
Twice, Suggs ran past offensive tackle Jonathan Martin to sack quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Another time, Suggs bulled through the middle for a sack against a Miami offensive line that allowed six sacks Sunday and leads the NFL with 24 sacks surrendered this season.
“Terrell Suggs was just off the scale,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
One year after being hampered by a partially torn Achilles tendon and a torn biceps, Suggs now has seven sacks in five games with at least one sack per game. That ties a franchise record for most consecutive games with at least a half-sack as he matched previous performances by Paul Kruger in 2012 and Adalius Thomas in 2005 and 2006.
“Man, he’s a beast,” strong safety James Ihedigbo said. “I told him, ‘Damn, I’m glad you’re on my team. That’s Defensive Player of the Year Suggs right there. Three sacks in one quarter, you got to be kidding me.”
With Suggs dominating, the defense fell into place.
One of the Ravens’ biggest edges Sunday was on third down where the defense repeatedly shut down the Dolphins.
The Dolphins managed to converted only 3 of 16 third-down opportunities, only a 19-percent success rate.
In the second half, the Dolphins went 1 for 7 on third downs.
Conversely, the Ravens’ offense finished the game 6 of 16 on third down after going 2 of 8 in the first half.
“Our defense was completely dominant on third down, especially in the second half,” Harbaugh said. “You get your defense off the field, and your offense can make a few first downs and extend some drives and that leads to that conditioning factor.”