Just like early last season, the Ravens defense finds itself at the bottom of the league rankings and Defensive Zach Orr is spending late nights trying to find solutions.
In his second year as the Ravens' defensive play-caller, Orr stays off social media and tries to block out the noise. On Thursday, one of his star players came to his defense.
"Whatever criticism he is getting ... I don't know, I feel like, sometimes, Ravens fans can be a little bit spoiled, with just the amount of success that this franchise has had. We lose five games, and the world is about to end," Hamilton said.
"I think with Zach, it's unfair to put all the blame on him when there's 11 guys there on the field that are playing their hearts out, and he's put us in the right positions. It's just a matter of us doing the right stuff, and that's where I feel like the critiques of Zach or whatever [other] 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. It's not a coaching thing on the defensive side of the ball. It's just that players have to get the stuff right."
Baltimore has faced two of the top offenses in the league, the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions, in the first three weeks. The Ravens were without star defensive players Nnamdi Madubuike and Kyle Van Noy against the Lions.
Still, with as much talent as the Ravens have on their defense, they expect to be better than they have been thus far this season.
"I think it's just tackling and physicality," Hamilton said. "It's just a matter of not being in the right spots and not winning one-on-ones, and that's everybody included."
Hamilton said Orr is "mature beyond his years" and gave "props to him for getting the defense in the right spot mentally to go out and attack physically."
"[Orr] comes in the rooms; it's not like he's pointing fingers. [He says] 'I could have had you all in a better spot,' or whatever it may be," Hamilton said. "I think that kind of trickles down throughout the whole room. There's no hostility within it, and that goes for the whole defense. Having a leader like that, you gain respect. … We've been through the fire last year, and we're going through it right now."
Todd Monken: Run Game Didn't Get in a Rhythm
The Ravens run game has been feast or famine through the first three weeks, as Monday night's loss encapsulated.
Derrick Henry rolled in for a perfectly blocked 28-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, but he was held to just 32 yards on his other 11 carries. For the first time during the Lamar Jackson era, the Ravens have been held to below 100 yards rushing in back-to-back games.
According to Next Gen Stats, the Ravens have recorded a 20.3% explosive run rate this season, which is tops in the league, with no other team over 16%. Yet, Baltimore is at the bottom of the league in rushing success rate.
"We never really got a rhythm running; it's probably the best way to put it, because longer runs will come as the game goes on," Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken said. "We never really got in a rhythm of running it. [It had] something to do with them, something to do with the flow of the game, [and] something to do with just calling it and execution."
The Ravens have been operating without Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard, which has been a challenge, but Monken called that an "excuse."
Monken's Focus on Improving Goal-Line Offense
One of the most frustrating drives in the Ravens' loss to Detroit was a goal-line sequence in the second quarter in which Baltimore had first-and-goal from the 3-yard line and wasn't able to punch it in.
Derrick Henry was stuffed on three straight runs before the Ravens rolled Lamar Jackson to his right for a potential run with the option to pass. Jackson was sacked and fumbled the ball, giving the Lions possession on the 20-yard line.
"The first play, we had a chance to get it in. The second play, we had a chance to get it in. Third down was probably a poor call to go lateral. We lost yards on that play," Monken said. "People ask why the red zone numbers are a little bit down, and it is a small sample size. We're 4-for-4 when we don't go backwards and have a penalty, and we're 2-for-7 when we do, and that's going to happen when you go backwards."
The Ravens were also stopped on the goal line the week before against Cleveland. A false start set them back on that sequence, then Jackson was sacked on third down and the Ravens settled for a field goal.
"It just was unfortunate, is the best way to put it," Monken said. "We had the same kind of scenario against the Browns where we threw it on first down, got a penalty, backed up, then unfortunately Mark [Andrews] didn't secure the catch, and those are blown opportunities that we can't let get away."
Orr: Nnamdi Madubuike Is in 'Good Spirits'
Orr's days as an NFL linebacker were cut short by a congenital back/spine condition that forced him into sudden retirement in 2017.
Now one of his best players, defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, is sidelined by a neck injury that Head Coach John Harbaugh indicated could be a long-term concern.
There have been no more details made public about Madubuike's neck injury, which will at least keep him out Sunday against the Chiefs. However, Orr knows first-hand what it feels like to have neck injury issues.
"I don't necessarily know what's going on. All I can do is just pray for him. When I talked to him, he was in good spirits, so my thoughts and prayers are with him," Orr said.
"I know how bad he wants to be out here and play football. It's a lifelong dream. He was playing well. I thought he was having one of his best seasons up to date, so I was crushed when he was going through whatever he was going through last week. Seeing him in good spirits and him with a smile on his face playing around was great, so hopefully we see him back soon."
