- Team
- Ravens
We sit at week 12 in this season and we have a historic battle going on right now for the league lead in interceptions. So far we have a record, 4 players with 10 plus interceptions. There are 3 other players following behind with 8. This article is going to focus on the top 4 dogs in the race. The rareness is increased in the fact that the top 4 consists of 3 LB's and one safety. These positions generally aren't known for their pass coverage, but these players have excelled at a historic pace. Now on to the leaders.
Shaquem Griffin ROLB Ravens (14 ints in 11 games)
Shaquem Griffin joined the Ravens this past offseason after the Ravens traded their 1st round pick and a 5th rounder for him. Raven's coach Jeremy Shockey loved his athleticism and believed that he had the tools in place to unlock it. The Ravens inquired about his availability prior to last year's draft. Griffin has been terrorizing offenses ever since. This includes a record tying 5 int game versus the Bears in week 7. He would have won defensive player of the week but Khalil Mack had the game of his life by tallying 8 sacks. Currently Shaquem Griffin is the favorite to be a 1st Team All Pro at ROLB. He is also in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. He still however has some heavy lifting to do if he wants to break the all time record for interceptions in a season. Shaquem will need to catch 9 in the remaining five games of the season to match the mark that Fred Warner set last year.
Fred Warner LOLB Vikings (13 ints in 11 games)
There's not much that we can say about Fred Warner that hasn't been said already. He shattered the record for interceptions in a season by a staggering 7 interceptions. You would think that people would avoid him after that performance, but the problem is that they can't. He has the speed to blanket the middle of the field almost entirely. Part of the reason that his interceptions are down may be due to the fact that he's rushing the passer more this season. Fred Warner has also added a nightmarish 10 sacks on top of his 13 interceptions. No player in the league's history has rushed the passer as effectively as they defended the pass. Fred was a 1st Team All Pro and a pro bowler last year, but he has his eyes on the MVP trophy this year. Right now he's the odds on favor to win in. Raven's Coach Jeremy Shockey went on record to say that he hasn't seen a more disruptive force on the defensive side of the ball since Lawrence Taylor retired. This was after Fred had two interceptions in a win over the Ravens. All we can do now is sit back and enjoy the ride people, we are watching history.
Josh Jones SS Dolphins (13 ints in 11 games)
Josh Jones is the midst of his career year in his second season under Kodak Black. Coach Black immediately saw the potential in Jones when he took over the job as head coach halfway through last season. Jones has flourished in Black's zone schemes. Coming into the league Jones was known for his devastating big hits and freakish athleticism. He fell in the draft because teams feared his ability to adapt to today's NFL with the renewed focus on player safety. Jones has silenced all of his doubters this season and shown that he has the ability to defend the pass and to excel at it to historic levels. Coach Black has given Jones free range over the middle of the field and Jones has made this the best decision of his young coaching career. Josh Jones looks to be one of the elite safeties in our league going forward, this will be solidified when he is named to the 1st Team All Pro roster.
Tyree Durant ROLB (12 ints in 11 games)
It didn't take long for Tyree Durant to prove himself to be a steal of the draft. The Packers couldn't run the card up to the podium fast enough to take him. They couldn't believe that every other team passed on Durant and that he was available at the 32nd pick in last years draft. Durant went on to record 11 interceptions during his rookie season. This performance earned him the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor. Durant somehow found a way to exceed his numbers last year through 3 quarters of the season. Durant has made himself a force of nature in the NFC North and every team has been put on notice. The biggest knock that you can say about Durant is that he doesn't get the same recognition that other players in his division receive. Durant is fine with that as long as his teams continue to win. None of Tyree's early success should come as much of a surprise, seeing as how super human genetics run in his family. Tyree Durant is a 1st cousins with All NBA Forward Kevin Durant. Tyree hopes to join the list of champions within his own family.
Shaquem Griffin ROLB Ravens (14 ints in 11 games)
Shaquem Griffin joined the Ravens this past offseason after the Ravens traded their 1st round pick and a 5th rounder for him. Raven's coach Jeremy Shockey loved his athleticism and believed that he had the tools in place to unlock it. The Ravens inquired about his availability prior to last year's draft. Griffin has been terrorizing offenses ever since. This includes a record tying 5 int game versus the Bears in week 7. He would have won defensive player of the week but Khalil Mack had the game of his life by tallying 8 sacks. Currently Shaquem Griffin is the favorite to be a 1st Team All Pro at ROLB. He is also in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. He still however has some heavy lifting to do if he wants to break the all time record for interceptions in a season. Shaquem will need to catch 9 in the remaining five games of the season to match the mark that Fred Warner set last year.
Fred Warner LOLB Vikings (13 ints in 11 games)
There's not much that we can say about Fred Warner that hasn't been said already. He shattered the record for interceptions in a season by a staggering 7 interceptions. You would think that people would avoid him after that performance, but the problem is that they can't. He has the speed to blanket the middle of the field almost entirely. Part of the reason that his interceptions are down may be due to the fact that he's rushing the passer more this season. Fred Warner has also added a nightmarish 10 sacks on top of his 13 interceptions. No player in the league's history has rushed the passer as effectively as they defended the pass. Fred was a 1st Team All Pro and a pro bowler last year, but he has his eyes on the MVP trophy this year. Right now he's the odds on favor to win in. Raven's Coach Jeremy Shockey went on record to say that he hasn't seen a more disruptive force on the defensive side of the ball since Lawrence Taylor retired. This was after Fred had two interceptions in a win over the Ravens. All we can do now is sit back and enjoy the ride people, we are watching history.
Josh Jones SS Dolphins (13 ints in 11 games)
Josh Jones is the midst of his career year in his second season under Kodak Black. Coach Black immediately saw the potential in Jones when he took over the job as head coach halfway through last season. Jones has flourished in Black's zone schemes. Coming into the league Jones was known for his devastating big hits and freakish athleticism. He fell in the draft because teams feared his ability to adapt to today's NFL with the renewed focus on player safety. Jones has silenced all of his doubters this season and shown that he has the ability to defend the pass and to excel at it to historic levels. Coach Black has given Jones free range over the middle of the field and Jones has made this the best decision of his young coaching career. Josh Jones looks to be one of the elite safeties in our league going forward, this will be solidified when he is named to the 1st Team All Pro roster.
Tyree Durant ROLB (12 ints in 11 games)
It didn't take long for Tyree Durant to prove himself to be a steal of the draft. The Packers couldn't run the card up to the podium fast enough to take him. They couldn't believe that every other team passed on Durant and that he was available at the 32nd pick in last years draft. Durant went on to record 11 interceptions during his rookie season. This performance earned him the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor. Durant somehow found a way to exceed his numbers last year through 3 quarters of the season. Durant has made himself a force of nature in the NFC North and every team has been put on notice. The biggest knock that you can say about Durant is that he doesn't get the same recognition that other players in his division receive. Durant is fine with that as long as his teams continue to win. None of Tyree's early success should come as much of a surprise, seeing as how super human genetics run in his family. Tyree Durant is a 1st cousins with All NBA Forward Kevin Durant. Tyree hopes to join the list of champions within his own family.