The defense is looking to do better things when they come back after the break this Sunday in Cleveland. It seems clear that everyone realizes that certain players are gone for awhile, and it's time to move on.

There's no question that the unit which once was the team's strong point now has slipped a lot. The combination of injuries -- to players like Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb plus Terrell Suggs -- and needing younger players to step up has really caused the Ravens trouble in the first seven weeks. 

"We have the guys to step up, and we have the guys to fill [the voids]," said linebacker Paul Kruger when talknig with the media last week. "We all need to come together as a collective group and change some of the things that we are doing to come along here."

Kruger said one of the reasons they need to connect as a group is to fill in the holes left by the injury to Lewis, something that's not a surprise. 

"Ray's the leader of our team," Kruger said. "He's been a guy who's created a lot around here. It's the kind of team that we are, and I think Ray's a huge part of that. Of course, we are missing him, and of course, it's a detriment to our team."

The return of Suggs is going to help. He had a strong performance in the loss to Houston before the break, possibly the best player on defense that day. Suggs' return will help not only the pass rush but the team's pass coverage, and the question really is how much it will all come together. 

If Suggs can come close to the form he showed as NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season, it would take pressure off the defense in other ways. But only time will tell. Still, the return of Suggs can help make up for the big losses they've suffered so far.