OTL: Minter’s Defense Impresses Through Two Preseason Contests

Yes, new Ravens head coach Jesse Minter’s favorite music artist is Eminem.

Yeah the vibes are crazy!!! Coach Minter rapping Eminem pic.twitter.com/8Uwu9lBQAL

— Jordan (@OnlyTheRavens) August 21, 2026

But through two weeks of preseason football, his palms have not been sweaty, his knees have not been weak and his arms have not been heavy.

Actually, Minter could not look more calm and ready after orchestrating a dominant start to the preseason as Baltimore enters a new defensive era.

One thing appears clear after two games of preseason football: after two seasons of struggling to live up to the franchise’s dominant standard, Minter intends to set the tone for this Ravens defense.

The team has surrendered just 10 points in preseason victories over the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. Their 5.0 points per game allowed is the lowest by any NFL team after two full weeks of preseason football.

Baltimore toppled Philadelphia 24-7 on Aug. 15 before defeating Minnesota 13-3 on the road on Saturday.

Minter’s defense logged a five-sack afternoon against the Vikings, forcing two turnovers while holding them to just three points. Baltimore’s best defensive performances of Saturday’s game belonged to cornerback Chandler Rivers (4 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 pass broken up, 47.9 passer rating allowed) and outside linebacker Ethan Burke (1 tackle, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass broken up).

Safety Keondre Jackson also had a strong afternoon with six tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss.

Remarkable coverage from Baltimore’s defensive unit, combined with some inaccuracy from Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, helped the Ravens keep Minnesota off the scoreboard in their only red zone trip of the game. Minnesota’s first-quarter trip inside Baltimore’s five-yard line marked just the second time this preseason that the Ravens have allowed an opponent to reach the red zone.

Philadelphia was granted just one red zone appearance in the team’s previous game, though the Eagles capitalized with a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Cole Payton.

Through their first two preseason outings, Baltimore has allowed a combined 4.5 yards per play. They are also surrendering an average of 229.0 total yards per game, which ranks fifth in the NFL after the conclusion of Week 2.

Two contests under the leadership of Minter this preseason have also placed the Ravens 10th in passing yards per game allowed (158.5), which is an especially encouraging sign after the team ranked bottom three in that category in both of the past two seasons.

Perhaps the most encouraging part of Baltimore’s preseason excellence is the consistency. Minter and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver have not simply relied on their starters to produce positive results.

In fact, both of the Ravens’ forced turnovers on Saturday came from undrafted rookie free agents in the fourth quarter—a forced fumble by Burke and an interception by safety Silas Walters.

Of course, preseason success should always be taken with a grain of salt.

Opposing offenses also do not deploy starters for the entirety of the game while they attempt to give reps to rookies and developmental players. Obviously, Minter’s defense will be put to a much tougher test come the beginning of the regular season.

Still, it is difficult to ignore what Baltimore has shown through two preseason games.

The team held the Eagles and Vikings to a combined 5-for-23 on third-down, which translates to a 21.7% conversion rate. For context, the Ravens conceded a 37.8% third-down conversion rate in 2025 and a 40.3% third-down conversion rate the year before that. In McCarthy, fellow Vikings backup Carson Wentz, and Philly’s Andy Dalton, they’ve also faced some quarterbacks with legitimate NFL time under their belts.

Baltimore’s run defense has also been exceptional this preseason, ranking fourth in the NFL with 70.5 rushing yards allowed per game.

The Los Angeles Chargers placed eighth in rushing yards allowed per game (105.4) and fifth in total yards allowed per game (285.2) under Minter a season ago.

If Baltimore’s rookie head coach can carry this dominant identity into the regular season, the Ravens are poised for a significant defensive turnaround. In fact, the defense could quickly become the biggest source of optimism for the team as they aim to rebound from a disappointing 8-9 finish to the 2025 season.

Minter’s palms may not be sweaty, but the Ravens have certainly made opposing offensive coordinators sweat this preseason.

The post OTL: Minter’s Defense Impresses Through Two Preseason Contests appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/08/24/out-to-lunch/otl-minters-defense-impresses-through-two-preseason-contests/