OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In the lead-up to Baltimore’s dominant performance against Houston on Christmas Day, the Ravens’ defense faced a significant challenge.
In a fourth-and-goal scenario from the 4-yard line, safety Ar’Darius Washington made a pivotal play on a swing pass intended for Joe Mixon. Washington, coming in unblocked, was able to halt the running back along the sideline before teammate Tre’Davious White pushed him out of bounds just shy of the goal line at the 1.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr was visibly thrilled by the play, celebrating on the sideline, which led to an unexpected fall.
“I’m not going to lie — I fell pretty hard — so I was a little worried at first,” Orr recounted. “A couple of days later, I was thinking, ‘I hope I didn’t hurt anything too serious,’ but I’m good.”
Baltimore’s defense had ample reason to celebrate after blanking the Texans in a 31-2 victory last week. This season has been particularly memorable for Washington, who joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2021. During this season, he has made nine starts, playing a crucial role in ensuring a more stable secondary after previous struggles.
“Not being drafted really took a toll on me. When I first got here, my main goal was to prove myself and play football,” Washington expressed. “I was feeling down for about two months, but once I joined the team, I was determined to play well and eventually earn a starting spot, which I have now. Injuries set me back at times, but now I’m here.”
Since Week 11, when Washington began taking most of the defensive snaps, the Ravens’ defense has been impressively formidable, allowing the fewest points (16.3) and net yards (267) per game in the league, along with the lowest NFL passer rating at 75.5.
This shift in performance is striking, especially considering the early-season struggles against formidable offenses in Dallas, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland.
Just days before facing the Texans, Washington contributed significantly in a crucial win against Pittsburgh, forcing a fumble by Russell Wilson near the goal line, proving to be a game-changing moment.
“He’s consistently performed well,” coach John Harbaugh noted. “Though he faced injuries in previous years, he always shows up in games when given the opportunity. He practices hard, and while it may not be surprising, it’s rewarding to see him excel. He’s playing outstanding football.”
Washington admitted that he didn’t recall Orr’s joyous leap after his key stop against Houston.
“We both kind of blacked out,” he explained. “A reporter asked me post-game if I saw Zach, and I was like, ‘No, I didn’t even see him.’ Then I checked my phone later and realized what she meant.”
Fortunately for the Ravens, Washington’s perception on the field hasn’t wavered. He attributes the duo’s effectiveness to strong communication with fellow safety Kyle Hamilton. With a high point from last week’s performance, Baltimore is now poised to secure the AFC North championship with a victory over Cleveland in the upcoming regular-season finale.
As Washington’s role has expanded, so too has his confidence, which has proven advantageous to the team.
“It feels great,” Washington stated. “Knowing that I’m contributing to the big turnaround our team has seen this season is definitely rewarding.”
In other news, the Ravens have activated tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) from the injured reserve list to the 53-man roster. Meanwhile, cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) has been placed on IR, and defensive end Chris Wormley along with wide receiver Anthony Miller have been elevated from the practice squad for Saturday’s game.
In a fourth-and-goal scenario from the 4-yard line, safety Ar’Darius Washington made a pivotal play on a swing pass intended for Joe Mixon. Washington, coming in unblocked, was able to halt the running back along the sideline before teammate Tre’Davious White pushed him out of bounds just shy of the goal line at the 1.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr was visibly thrilled by the play, celebrating on the sideline, which led to an unexpected fall.
“I’m not going to lie — I fell pretty hard — so I was a little worried at first,” Orr recounted. “A couple of days later, I was thinking, ‘I hope I didn’t hurt anything too serious,’ but I’m good.”
Baltimore’s defense had ample reason to celebrate after blanking the Texans in a 31-2 victory last week. This season has been particularly memorable for Washington, who joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2021. During this season, he has made nine starts, playing a crucial role in ensuring a more stable secondary after previous struggles.
“Not being drafted really took a toll on me. When I first got here, my main goal was to prove myself and play football,” Washington expressed. “I was feeling down for about two months, but once I joined the team, I was determined to play well and eventually earn a starting spot, which I have now. Injuries set me back at times, but now I’m here.”
Since Week 11, when Washington began taking most of the defensive snaps, the Ravens’ defense has been impressively formidable, allowing the fewest points (16.3) and net yards (267) per game in the league, along with the lowest NFL passer rating at 75.5.
This shift in performance is striking, especially considering the early-season struggles against formidable offenses in Dallas, Cincinnati, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland.
Just days before facing the Texans, Washington contributed significantly in a crucial win against Pittsburgh, forcing a fumble by Russell Wilson near the goal line, proving to be a game-changing moment.
“He’s consistently performed well,” coach John Harbaugh noted. “Though he faced injuries in previous years, he always shows up in games when given the opportunity. He practices hard, and while it may not be surprising, it’s rewarding to see him excel. He’s playing outstanding football.”
Washington admitted that he didn’t recall Orr’s joyous leap after his key stop against Houston.
“We both kind of blacked out,” he explained. “A reporter asked me post-game if I saw Zach, and I was like, ‘No, I didn’t even see him.’ Then I checked my phone later and realized what she meant.”
Fortunately for the Ravens, Washington’s perception on the field hasn’t wavered. He attributes the duo’s effectiveness to strong communication with fellow safety Kyle Hamilton. With a high point from last week’s performance, Baltimore is now poised to secure the AFC North championship with a victory over Cleveland in the upcoming regular-season finale.
As Washington’s role has expanded, so too has his confidence, which has proven advantageous to the team.
“It feels great,” Washington stated. “Knowing that I’m contributing to the big turnaround our team has seen this season is definitely rewarding.”
In other news, the Ravens have activated tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) from the injured reserve list to the 53-man roster. Meanwhile, cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) has been placed on IR, and defensive end Chris Wormley along with wide receiver Anthony Miller have been elevated from the practice squad for Saturday’s game.
