The Baltimore Ravens have worked their way back into playoff contention, thanks to a two-game winning streak. They improved to 3-5 after their Week 9 primetime win over the Miami Dolphins. Baltimore sits alone in second place in the AFC North after the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Of course, the electric offense has surged and is taking much of the attention during this two-game stretch. However, the defense is the true story behind this recent turnaround, and the way Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s unit is playing might just save their season.
While Baltimore’s defense is still giving up a ton of yards, they are enforcing an outstanding bend-don’t-break mentality. In their Week 8 win, they held the Bears to 16 points. Against the Dolphins in Week 9, they kept Miami to six points. Most notably, the defense held those teams to just one touchdown in six red zone opportunities combined. They are still allowing offenses to move the football, but are locking things down when it matters most.
One of the biggest unsung heroes of this successful stretch is punter Jordan Stout. He is enjoying a terrific season, and his booming punts are making opposing offenses uncomfortable and giving the Ravens’ defense a ton of confidence on ensuing drives.
Jordan Stout playing key role in Ravens’ turnaround
It is safe to say Stout was struggling to begin his Baltimore career. Through three seasons, Stout had flashed brilliance, but was also incredibly inconsistent. Now, in a contract year in 2025, he is breaking out.
In his press conference on Monday, Head Coach John Harbaugh highlighted the significant strides Stout has taken this year.
“[Stout’s] added to his repertoire of punts,” Harbaugh said. “That Sam Koch list, he’s got a few of those in his tool kit now…The last few games, he’s really stepped up.”
Stout is averaging a career-high 51.4 yards per punt, has had 12 punts downed inside the 20, and is pinning opponents deep with more consistency. His last two games have been especially crucial for Orr’s defense.
Against Chicago, Stout placed each of his two punts inside the 20, both of which were inside the 10-yard line. He also helped limit the Bears to just eight return yards. In Miami, he was once again on point, pinning the Dolphins inside the 20 four times on six punts. Two of those were inside the 10.
While the defense still has to execute on every down, Stout’s strong play is undoubtedly affecting the game. The defense desperately needed to find some confidence after a horrific start, and Stout is giving them just that with his dominance.