Jamison HensleySep 25, 2025, 05:38 PM ETCloseJamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.Follow on X
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton defended Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr on Thursday, saying “the sky’s not falling” three games into the season.
“It’s unfair to put all the blame on him when there’s 11 guys out there on the field that are playing their hearts off and he’s put us in the right positions,” Hamilton said. “It’s just a matter of us doing the right stuff. And that’s where I feel like the critiques of Zach or whatever coaches are unfair because he can’t go out there and play for us as much as he wants to. He can’t. So, it’s up to us to go out and get the job done. So, it’s not a Zach thing.”
The Ravens defense currently ranks last in the NFL for the first time in four years. Baltimore is in the bottom three in total yards allowed (32nd), run defense (30th), pass defense (31st) and points allowed (31st).
This is far from the standard for the Ravens, who are known for Hall of Fame defenders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Baltimore has finished outside the top 10 defensively eight times in the Ravens’ 29-year history.
Orr, who is in his second year as the Ravens defensive coordinator, faced a similar rough start last season. In the first 10 weeks of 2024, Baltimore allowed 25.3 points per game, which ranked 25th in the NFL. In the final eight weeks of that season, the Ravens held teams to 15.4 points per game, which was the best in the league over that span.
Coming off Monday night’s 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, Hamilton said Orr has not pointed the finger at anyone.
The Ravens defense has taken the brunt of the blame for Baltimore’s 1-2 start. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense ranks first in scoring, averaging 37 points per game.
But Baltimore has faced two of the best offenses in the league this month in the Buffalo Bills and Lions, both of whom are among the top three in total yards. Over the next three weeks before their bye, the Ravens face the Kansas City Chiefs (17th), Houston Texans (29th) and Los Angeles Rams (fifth).
CloseJamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.Follow on X