Nearly a year earlier, the same circumstances were present: a Thursday evening game in Baltimore in November with Purple Rising threads. The Ravens and Steelers were competing for top spot in the AFC North while the Bengals were fighting to make it into the postseason. Baltimore’s defense allowed 35 points and almost 500 yards in a shootout worthy of primetime. This was another embarrassing moment for an unit that has struggled throughout the season.
The Ravens will host the Bengals once again on Thursday night. Baltimore is aware that winning their division will be the most likely way to reach the playoffs. Cincinnati can only win the division (and hope that a few games go their way). Joe Burrow’s dramatic and rushed return will give the offense enough energy to beat their worst-ranked defense. No. Ja’Marr chase, who has slashed the Ravens throughout his career, is now in focus as 2 wideout Tee Hinggins is no longer available. The Bengals’ reliance on the Burrow/Chase combination will be key to their victory in Baltimore.
Can Zach Orr identify Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase?
The Ravens’ defense was a major problem last season. In the first twelve weeks of the year, they ranked among the lowest five teams in defensive statistics. This defense was utterly destroyed by the Bengals. The Bengals scored 72 points in the two divisional games, with Burrow throwing 820 yards and scoring nine touchdowns. Chase received 457 yards and five touchdowns from Burrow.
The Ravens’ defense had another bad start this year. The Ravens’ 1-5 start was largely due to their inability to defend 35 points or higher in four out of five games. Zach Orr, to his credit has been able to find his solutions much quicker than last year. The defense has allowed fewer than 20 point in the last six games after a few trades and the redeployment Kyle Hamilton. Though that has come against a series of weaker quarterbacks/offenses, the Ravens still seem far more prepared to deal with the Bengals. They’ll need to be. Since Lamar Jackson returned, the offense hasn’t really been good or sharp. The offense has scored enough points to win five straight games, but the success of their team is largely due to the special teams and defense.
The Ravens will need to have a strong defense on Thanksgiving to give them a shot at victory. Zach Orr is responsible for this. For the second year running, he has silenced doubters and headhunters. These are the moments when doubts can creep back. The defensive ‘turnaround,’ which took place last year, only covered four regular season games, against teams with poor offenses, such as the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Buffalo Bills scored 27 points in the playoffs to confirm that the defensive improvement may have been a paper-tiger.
The turnaround this year raises the same questions. The Ravens’ defense has definitely improved after playing the Browns and New York Jets. They also played the Chicago Bears a top-10 offense, but they were coming off of a bye with extra time. Los Angeles Rams only scoring 17 points before the bye week looks worse when you consider the Rams’ offensive mistakes and the injury to Puka Ncua. This offense was nothing like the buzzsaw which has been tearing through the NFC in recent times.
Zach Orr will face his biggest challenge yet on Thursday. The 2025 Ravens cannot afford another defensive collapse in their matchup against Burrow and Chase. The offense of last year could have survived a bad defensive performance while Lamar Jackson was playing MVP football. Now, the Ravens have no room to maneuver in the standings. And they don’t have a super-powered offense to help them. The air in the room will be taken out if the Ravens lose this game because their defense has once again fallen apart. This newly formed defense is not going to be able to fuel any hopes for a long playoff run.
Orr’s own career could be in danger. For now, he’s silenced those who are calling for his resignation. What if Ja’Marr Chase ran around for 300 feet? This time, nothing will stop the vultures. Media talking points are easy to come by: “Orr is unable prepare defenses for major games”, “Orr’s miraculous turnaround ends against an actual offense”, and “Ravens’ defense continues poor performance against winning teams for the second year in a. row.”
Orr doesn’t only coach for the Ravens to make it into the playoffs. He is calling the game to show he can handle himself. His ability to adapt and make changes was not fueled by a weaker schedule. He is the defensive coordinator for the future. He and the Ravens’ defense are here to stay and will be for 2025 and beyond.
In the Bank At home. Thanksgiving night Burrow returns from injury. A short week matchup. A pivotal moment for the Baltimore Ravens. What is in store for Zach Orr? What about his future?