The dropped interceptions haunt Ravens cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister.
“I dropped six or seven picks last year, and that?s the difference between winning and losing ball games,” McAlister said.
The two former Pro Bowlers each had multiple would-be interceptions slip through their fingers. Each only came down with one apiece in 2005.
“I think we definitely underachieved last year, and we?re just striving to play to our potential ability,” Rolle said. “The biggest thing is, when looking at film of last year, we dropped a lot of interceptions, which could have been game-changing plays and field position for the offense, sowe?re trying to work on those kinds of things.”
For their part, both Rolle and McAlister attribute their underachieving 2005 to a lack of focus, discipline and, in some cases, maturity.
“It was a big issue for me for the past two years,” McAlister said of his maturity level. “Just seeing where I could have made my improvements about the decisions that I?d made on and off the field. At this point, I?m a lot better off in the choices that I?ve made, which I think will affect me and my play on the field.”
Even though the team?s passing defense was ranked eighth in the NFL, most observers thought the highly touted secondary could have performed at a higher level. Two seasons ago, McAlister signed a lucrative contract that made him one of the game?s highest-paid players at his position. Rolle also cashed in last season as a free agent coming from the Titans.
McAlister has been his harshest critic thus far. On Monday and Tuesday during Ravens training camp at McDaniel College in Westminster, he dropped down and began to do push-ups after missing potential interceptions. On top of that, linebacker Ray Lewis verbally reprimanded McAlister.
Now in his eighth season, McAlister is being tested every day in practice by up-and-coming receiver Mark Clayton, with mixed results.
Rolle said McAlister, despite recent criticism, remains a top-flight defensive back.
“Definitely, ?C-Mac? is one of the top three corners in the game,” Rolle said. “Big, fast, and he can run. Sometimes you just have to come back, refocus and hopefully have a great year.”
Now it?s time for both players to prove it.
