Ravens LB Embarrassed By Performance vs. Bengals

The Baltimore Ravens defense struggled mightily in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.

Cincinnati Bengals halfback Chase Brown (30) is forced out of bounds by Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith (0) in the second quarter of the NFL game at M&T Banks Stadium in Baltimore on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In 2023, the Baltimore Ravens had one of the league's most fearsome defenses.

They allowed the fewest points per game, led the league in sacks and were tied for first in turnovers with Mike Macdonald as the defensive playcaller. Baltimore's defense also ranked sixth in total yards and passing yards allowed.

Baltimore's defense has made a complete about-face this season with Zach Orr in hist first season as the defensive coordinator after Macdonald departed to become the Seattle Seahawks' head coach.

Through 10 games, the Ravens rank 25th in points allowed per game, 27th in yards allowed per game and have allowed the most passing yards per game. They have allowed over 400 total yards five times this year compared to it happening twice last season.

Those struggles continued for Baltimore in its 35-34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 7. While the Ravens earned the season sweep over their division rival, the defense wasn't in a celebratory mood.

"You can't allow a team to do some of the things that was done this past week," Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith said. "It was definitely embarrassing in a sense. But we've moved on from that. We're focused on Pittsburgh now. We've just got to get better."

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns and receiver Ja'Marr Chase torched the Ravens' secondary with 11 catches for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

Last week wasn't the first time Baltimore's defense has struggled, and Orr knows that if his unit is going to turn things around, it has to do so quickly with the AFC North title hanging in the balance and just seven games left in the regular season. The first-year defensive coordinator also noted he's seen an uptick from the defense in practice this week with a pivotal divisional clash against the Pittsburgh Steelers lying ahead.

"It's definitely been a work in progress – not just this past week – but I feel like this week has really amped up, because time is clicking with the truth be told," Orr said. "It's only seven weeks left in the season, and things are not where they need to be at for us, especially in the pass defense. So, we've been working hard – coaches and players – to try to get this thing figured out."

The Ravens (7-3) and Steelers (7-2) will clash with first place in the AFC North on the line on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Acrisure Stadium.

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