The Baltimore Ravens squeezed out an ugly win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 11. The offense struggled significantly to hold off Cleveland’s pesky defense, as the offensive line gave quarterback Lamar Jackson little to no time to operate. Still, they came out of the game with a 23-16 win.
While the offense struggled to find any sort of momentum outside of tight end Mark Andrews’ insane 35-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, the defense stepped up to power Baltimore to victory.
Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s unit forced a turnover for a fifth-straight contest, thanks to cornerback Nate Wiggins’ third interception of the season, and they tallied three sacks, which was the most they have had in a single game in 2025.
Miscues like rookie punt returner LaJohntay Wester’s muffed punt deep in Baltimore’s own territory, and Jake Hummel’s offsides penalty on a Cleveland punt dealt the defense a rough hand. However, they weathered the storm, keeping the offense in the game and shutting out the Browns in the second half.
Roquan Smith makes it clear Zach Orr is the one
Orr called a near-perfect game, and Baltimore’s leader, linebacker Roquan Smith, let everyone know how big a factor the 33-year-old coordinator has played in the team’s four-game winning streak.
“I always had a tremendous amount of respect for [Zach Orr],” Smith said. “I never wavered. He never wavered, nor did anybody in the locker room, because we knew who we were. It was more so about getting out and being who we are. The job is not complete, the mission is not complete. We’re still on task.”
The Ravens set out a clear mission after their 1-5 start: to treat every game like a do-or-die matchup and work their way back into the playoff picture. Orr and the defense are clearly doing their part.
The defense has yet to allow 20 or more points in a game since Week 5. They have strung together five straight games of forcing a turnover after recording just two in the first five weeks. The acquisition of outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones is also paying off, as the pass rush has found its footing in their last two wins.
The defense’s performance was a miraculous turnaround from where they were earlier in the year. They were giving up yards and points at a historically bad pace, but have become one of the more formidable units over the last month and a half. Sure, they have faced some struggling teams and inexperienced quarterbacks, but Orr clearly has his group playing confidently on every down, and they should continue to find success.