Skeptics have told Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington he’s too small. It makes his role as the improbable savior of the defense sweeter.

Before Baltimore's game at Houston on Christmas Day became a rout, the Ravens' defense was put to the test. It was fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line, and on a swing pass to Joe Mixon, safety Ar'Darius Washington swooped in unblocked,

In his first start against the Steelers, Washington had to make a couple open-field tackles on tight end Darnell Washington, who measures in at 6-foot-7, 264 pounds. Washington cut him down both times as part of his team-high 12 tackles.

Safety Ar’Darius Washington saw defensive coordinator Zach Orr flying toward him. He heard him screaming, “Let’s go!” But Washington was too “turnt” himself to realize Orr, a former Ravens linebacker, was about to flip over him in excitement.

Ravens DC Zach Orr takes a hard fall celebrating an Ar’Darius Washington 4th down stop on the Texans Joe Mixon

Kyle Hamilton and Ar’Darius Washington are both dawgs — which would make Hamilton a Great Dane and Washington a cowboy pit bull, according to linebacker Roquan Smith, allegedly the worst perpetrator of jokes about the height gap between the two safeties.

The improvement by the defense is as big of a reason as any that Baltimore will head into this weekend with a chance to win the AFC North.

Head Coach John Harbaugh on Zay Flowers' injury, Mark Andrews in the red zone, and more. Head Coach John Harbaugh on Zay Flowers' injury, Michael Pierce's interception, bouncing back from an 0-2 start, and more. Head Coach John Harbaugh on Zay Flowers' injury, Mark Andrews in the red zone, and more.

Colin Cowherd ripped the Steelers for being the same team for the last 10 years and Tomlin's open to utilizing Justin Fields more.

Colin Cowherd ripped the Steelers for being the same team for the last 10 years and Tomlin's open to utilizing Justin Fields more.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens are set to face off in a high-stakes AFC Wild Card matchup, and the opening odds reflect the intensity of this long-standing rivalry.

Here’s how the Ravens (12-5) graded out at every position after a 35-10 win over the Browns on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore that clinched a second straight AFC North title: Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed some receivers early and throughout the game,