Ravens’ Zach Orr: Not worried about future as points pile up

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With the Baltimore Ravens‘ bye week looming, defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Thursday he isn’t worried about getting fired with the team 1-4 and on pace to break the NFL record for most points allowed in a season.

“I’m just focused on this Sunday,” he said. “All I got to do is go out there and just continue to work day by day and put my best foot forward. And so, I’m not really worried about what happens. I’m just worried about finding a way to get a win on Sunday and stop a high-powered offense with L.A. [Rams] coming in.”

The Ravens have matched the worst start in the team’s 30-year existence primarily because they haven’t been able to keep opponents out of the end zone. Their defense has allowed the most points (177), rushing yards (732) and touchdown passes (13) in the first five games of any season in team history.

Baltimore ranks near or at the bottom of nearly every major statistical category: 31st in total yards (408.8), 29th in run defense (146.4), 31st in pass defense (262.4) and 32nd in points allowed (35.4) — the latter of which is on pace to break the NFL record for points allowed in a season (534) set by the Carolina Panthers in 2024.

“I’m really focusing on what’s important and what my job is — that’s to be here and do the best I can,” said Orr, who has stayed away from social media. “So this job already entails a lot. So adding other distractions I’ve learned makes it even more difficult. So the older I’m getting at, I’m just more mature and just learning like, I got to stay focused and stay locked in and block out that noise.”

After Sunday’s 44-10 loss to the Houston Texans, Ravens coach John Harbaugh voiced support for Orr, saying making a change with the defensive staff wasn’t the answer. But Harbaugh will feel increased pressure if Baltimore heads into its Week 7 bye with another lackluster defensive performance Sunday against the Rams and the NFL’s No. 2 offense.

In his 18 seasons as Ravens coach, Harbaugh has fired two coordinators during the season. In December 2012, he replaced offensive coordinator Cam Cameron with Jim Caldwell, which sparked Baltimore’s Super Bowl run. In October 2016, he fired offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and promoted Marty Mornhinweg.

A run of injuries to Pro Bowl defenders, countless missed tackles and the inability to force turnovers have hurt the Ravens, who have long been known for outstanding defenses. Baltimore has started to make changes to fix the defense, trading slumping outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday for safety Alohi Gilman and a fifth-round pick in 2026.

If Orr was removed at defensive coordinator, the logical successor is senior secondary coach Chuck Pagano, who was a former head coach with the Indianapolis Colts and served as defensive coordinator in Baltimore in 2011.

Many of the Ravens players have backed Orr, a former inside linebacker for Baltimore who is in his second season as defensive coordinator.

“I stand behind Zach 100 percent,” said Ravens defensive end Brent Urban, who was also Orr’s teammate for two seasons. “We’re preparing the right way and having good practices. We’re not executing out there. It’s on us, frankly, so we need to be better — plain and simple. You can’t point all your fingers at one person.”