Through the first five weeks of the season, the Ravens’ defense allowed 35.4 points per game — the most in any five-game stretch in franchise history — leading to a 1-4 record despite the offense scoring
28.1 points per game.
Injuries struck the defense line early, with Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike being ruled out for the season with a neck injury and depth piece Broderick Washington suffering an ankle injury that required surgery. Ascending outside linebacker Tavius Robinson broke his foot in a loss to the Rams. Fellow Pro Bowlers Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton also shared stints on the sideline, causing an already struggling defense to plummet, capped by an embarrassing 34-point home loss to the Texans.
That defeat seemed to wake up the dormant Ravens’ defense. In the three games since, defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s unit has allowed just 13.0 points per game, and the team has won back-to-back games for the first time this season.
What has changed?
In an effort to solve the problem, the Ravens traded fifth-year pass rusher Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman and a pick swap. The move, made two days after the defeat to Houston, signaled a shift in identity for Orr’s defense. Gilman joined forces with rookie Malaki Starks on the back end in an effort to unleash Hamilton.
In the last three games, Hamilton has played just five snaps at his natural safety position with 46 snaps in the slot, 35 in the box, 29 off the edge, six on the interior of the defensive line, and two as an outside corner. The All-Pro’s versatility has helped the Ravens’ defense turn the corner.
Red zone defense plagued the Ravens through the first five games of the season. Opposing offenses scored touchdowns on 19 of 25 trips to the red zone, a staggering 76% rate. In the last three games, opposing offenses reached the end zone on just 3 of 11 trips, a 27.2% rate. For context, the Broncos and Rams currently lead the NFL in red zone defense, allowing a touchdown on 40% of drives, according to Fox Sports,
The last three weeks have showcased the potential of a Zach Orr-led defense, headlined by Thursday’s 28-6 victory in which the team forced three Dolphins turnovers.
How can the defense still improve?
For now, all eyes will be on Tuesday’s trade deadline. The Ravens currently have just over $14m in cap space, according to Russell Street Report’s Brian McFarland, giving them the financial freedom to add talent to an emerging defense.
The injuries to Madubuike and Washington have left the interior of the defensive line a weak spot, while the pass rush continues to underwhelm. Despite retaining most of the players that led the team to 54 sacks last season, the Ravens have only recorded 11 sacks through eight games. Veterans John Jenkins, Brent Urban, Taven Bryan, and rookie CJ Okoye have split time at defensive tackle alongside mainstay Travis Jones, but none have been able to come close to Madubuike’s production.
Kyle Van Noy remains the team’s most experienced pass rusher, and the departure of Oweh and injury to Robinson have seen increased roles for rookie Mike Green and veteran David Ojabo. Van Noy, Green, and Ojabo have just three of the team’s 11 sacks, signaling a need for greater production from the unit.
With a favorable stretch of opponents in the weeks to come, Orr and the Ravens’ defense will hope to keep building on the momentum they’ve built as the team fights to make the playoffs.
