Ravens: Kruger, Suggs lead defense

BALTIMORE - When the Baltimore Ravens score a franchise record 55 points, it's easy to forget about the defense.

In Ravens coach John Harbaugh's opening statement, he pointed out the six tipped passes the Ravens had.

Two of them were by Terrell Suggs, who was playing for the first time at home this season. One was by Paul Kruger, who tipped a second quarter pass from Carson Palmer and had his second career interception.

"I just put my hands up and the ball just happened to bounce the right way. Luckily the ball fell down, right into my hands. It just one of those plays that come your way," Kruger said.

It was his first interception since Nov. 29, 2009 when he intercepted Pittsburgh's Dennis Dixon and ran it back 26 yards. Coincidentally, Dixon was cut from the Ravens' practice squad this week.

Kruger also had six tackles and two sacks for the first time in his career, though he did little work on one of them. Terrence Cody pushed Oakland center Stefen Wisniewski back into Palmer, who tripped. Kruger got the statistical credit.

He sacked Palmer for a seven-yard loss early in the fourth quarter.

"It was a good day, a lot of different guys were making things happen and that led to plays coming my way," Kruger said.

With the departure of Jarret Johnson and injuries to Suggs and Ray Lewis, Kruger is playing with increased scrutiny. There was even more when Harbaugh decided to hold Haloti Ngata out.

"Not having Haloti out there is a huge hindrance to us. We had to really pick up the slack and make the plays that we needed to make. He's really the anchor of our defense, so we need to get him back as quickly as we can," Kruger said.

It was Suggs' third game back since returning from a torn Achilles tendon. Harbaugh detected no difference on Sunday from his previous two games at Houston and Cleveland.

"I think he's looked like the real Terrell Suggs ever since he's been back," Harbaugh said. "To get the tipped balls and to see the production was big."

Suggs declined to speak to the media after the game.

Kruger was often inactive in his first two seasons. Last year, he played in every game, and he's done that this year, too.

"I think it was just a huge day for the defense," Kruger said.

Kruger said that defensive coordinator Dean Pees made his unit pay attention to tipping passes during practice.

"It's been an emphasis this week," Kruger said. "It's been put in our head a lot."

Palmer attempted 45 passes against Baltimore this week.

"It allows the defense to get after it," Kruger said.

"I think a lot of guys are really starting to come around, and the defense is starting to get together. Things are kind of rolling our way. It's just a matter of us putting the right things together, and trying to make plays," Kruger said.

"We did that today, and I think it's going to keep getting better."

Palmer, who's played in Baltimore many times with Cincinnati, knows the challenges of the Ravens.

"That was a rough, rough game," Palmer said. "We got beat by a very tough team in a tough environment."

Kruger has been through enough games against Pittsburgh to know what next Sunday night's game means.

"I think this was a huge boost for us. It lets us see what we can do when we put a full game together," Kruger said.