Life is good again for Cory Redding, the 9th year, 6-4, 292-pound DE out of Texas who languished for so long in obscurity in the NFL. Always a good run-stopper even in his days with Detroit and then Seattle, now Redding is becoming nationally known as a penetrating pass rusher.
“Cory Redding is one of the best leaders that we have,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said Monday.
Redding showed his value in the 16-6 victory over San Francisco last week, putting up a career-high 2.5 sacks and recording five tackles. Redding’s big night came as part of a nine-sack performance by Baltimore’s defense, tying a franchise record. Redding now has 3.5 sacks on the season, which is the most he’s had since 2006 with the Detroit Lions.
“Very talented big man, playing ferocious football right now,” Harbaugh said.
Redding, who is in his second season with the Ravens, came to Baltimore after six years in Detroit and one in Seattle. On Thursday, he played arguably his best game as a Raven. “Just everything fell in place,” Redding said. “I just made the plays when I had the chance.”
Redding’s 2.5-sack performance was largely overshadowed by the three-sack night from outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, a four-time Pro Bowler and candidate for the AFC Defensive Player of the Year.
Suggs may have stolen most of the attention, but Redding’s effort was not lost on those inside the Ravens’ locker room, where the nine-year pro has earned the respect of his teammates. “I am a leader on this team, in my own way,” Redding said. “I believe everybody is a leader in their own way. We all know that Ray Lewis is the man, but he can’t do it by himself.”
Maybe Cory Redding is just a timely cog in the D-Machine, albeit a valuable one. The fact that he is getting sacks certainly means other players on the D are drawing double-team blocks leaving Cory one-on-one with a chance to beat his man… Whatever the reasoning, Redding is lined up where he needs to be and attacks the situation and is having the best season of his life so far…
I’m happy for the guy.
The key to the Ravens vaunted pass rush is the great young depth they have there on the DL and in the LB rotation. It’s about constantly keeping guys fresh and being able to hunt at full speed all game long… Cory Redding has found a role as the mature veteran in this “sack pack” which now serves him and his team well. This depth of pass-rushing talent at DL and LB will be the deciding factor in the Ravens’ attempt at a SB run.. It’s their year, in the same sense of how it reminds me of the Giants beating the Pats in the SB not that long ago with a fierce front rush… I see the Ravens going for the same type of model… I know there’s 5 games left in the regular 2011 season, but sometimes you just get a feeling about a team’s Defense hitting its post-season stride, and after the way the first 11 games have played out, I can see the Ravens pass-rushers are starting to get a rhythm of total confidence and discipline within their assignments. Cory Redding is the embodiment of this principle— after 9 years in the league, he truly understands how to both rush and contain… It’s a concept that produces big games and big wins.
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