The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys have suited up some of the NFL's best defensive players. From Ray Lewis to Randy White and from Ed Reed to Mel Renfro, the Ravens and Cowboys imposed their wills on offenses and captured championships.

Now, the defenses for these franchises are standing out for all the wrong reasons. Baltimore and Dallas are on pace for the fewest turnovers forced in NFL history.

The Ravens and Cowboys have each taken the ball away only four times through eight games. If they match that total in the second half of the season, those eight turnovers would easily break the record of 11, which is shared by the 1982 Baltimore Colts and the 2013 Houston Texans.

"I'm disappointed but I'm not surprised because we haven't played aggressive enough at times to get the ball turned over," Baltimore defensive coordinator Dean Pees said recently. "You get turnovers when you play really aggressive and not sometimes on your heels. We haven't created them. It's our fault."

FORCING THE ISSUE Here are the teams with the fewest takeaways in NFL history: Team Year TO Baltimore Colts 1982 11 Houston Texans 2013 11 Washington Redskins 2006 12 San Francisco 49ers 1982 13 Denver Broncos 2008 13 Kansas City Chiefs 2012 13 Philadelphia Eagles 2012 13

To put the four forced turnovers into perspective, consider this:

Five players (New York Jets' Darrelle Revis, Oakland's Charles Woodson, Indianapolis' Mike Adams, Arizona's Rashad Johnson and Carolina's Josh Norman) have more turnovers than the Ravens and Cowboys. Revis actually has two more with three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Four teams (the Jets, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals) have forced more turnovers in one game this season than Baltimore and Dallas has totaled all season. In fact, the Jets have taken away the ball five times twice this year.

The Ravens and Cowboys have combined to force one turnover since Oct. 1. Dallas hasn't had an interception or fumble recovery in five of its past six games, and Baltimore is currently on a five-game drought.

Taking the ball away has been a nagging problem for the Ravens, who have watched their forced turnovers decrease every year since they led the NFL in 2008. It's been a more dramatic reversal of fortune for Dallas, which ranked second in the league last season with 31 takeaways.

"It seems like we can’t buy a turnover," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after Sunday's 33-27 overtime loss to the Eagles. "We can’t seemingly get in position to win games.”