Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has expressed his belief that he tried to do too much in the second half of last season.

Suggs made a fine start to the campaign with nine sacks in his first eight games, but the six-time Pro Bowler managed just one more in the remaining eight matches and also recorded only 20 tackles.

The 31-year-old, who was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, has admitted that he abandoned his usual game in an effort to turn his form around, and that in turn had an even worse impact on his contribution.

"I think I was probably trying to do too much. As one game went by and two games went by, it was like, 'I need to get a sack, I need to get a sack.' I stopped letting the game come to me," Suggs told reporters.

Suggs, who is the Raven's all-time franchise leader in sacks and forced fumbles, recently signed a new contract with the team that he hopes will see him through to the end of his career.