Baltimore Ravens’ John Harbaugh defends going for TD over subject aim on 4th down in loss to Buffalo Payments

BALTIMORE — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh defended his resolution to go for a landing as a substitute of the go-ahead subject aim late in Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Payments and downplayed the emotional sideline outburst with cornerback Marcus Peters that ensued afterward.

“I felt prefer it gave us the most effective probability to win the sport as a result of seven [points], the worst that occurs is that if they go down the sphere and rating — and I feel we’ll get them stopped — but when they go down the sphere and rating a landing, the worst factor that may occur is you are in time beyond regulation,” Harbaugh mentioned.

Whereas each participant who spoke afterward supported Harbaugh’s resolution, Peters confirmed his displeasure by shouting at Harbaugh on the sideline because the Payments lined up for the profitable subject aim. After the 2 exchanged phrases, Peters needed to be pulled away by an assistant coach, and he threw his helmet in frustration. Peters had left the locker room by the point reporters entered.

“Feelings run excessive,” Harbaugh mentioned. “We’re on the identical web page, he and I. We’ve a fantastic relationship; we’ve got an sincere relationship. I really like him, I hope he nonetheless loves me; we’ll see. I am a Marcus Peters man.”

After failing to carry a 20-3 lead, the Ravens confronted a fourth down from the Payments’ 2-yard line with the sport tied at 20 and 4:15 left. Relatively than try a 19-yard subject aim, Baltimore put the ball within the fingers of quarterback Lamar Jackson, who missed an open receiver and threw an interception.

Buffalo then marched 77 yards on 12 performs to arrange the profitable, 21-yard subject aim as time expired.

“[If] you kick a subject aim there, now it isn’t a three-down sport anymore, it is a four-down sport,” Harbaugh mentioned. “You are placing them on the market, you are placing your protection at a drawback as a result of they have 4 downs to transform all the best way down the sphere and an opportunity to once more rating seven, and then you definitely lose the sport on a landing.”

Harbaugh then added, “It did not end up that method, sadly, and we misplaced the sport. So, hindsight, you may take the factors, however in case you have a look at it analytically, perceive why we did it.”

In line with ESPN’s win likelihood mannequin, the Ravens had a 73.5% win likelihood by going for the landing and a 69.7% win likelihood by kicking a subject aim.

“I used to be effective with it as a result of, if we had executed that, we might have scored a landing and there can be no query,” Jackson mentioned. “No person can be disenchanted. Subsequent time, we’ll get it.”

On that fourth down, Jackson did not see huge receiver Devin Duvernay, who was so wide-open in the proper nook of the tip zone that he was waving his arms.

Requested what he noticed on that play, Jackson mentioned, “Tall defensive lineman along with his fingers up. I used to be attempting to see round him to see the place my guys have been, however I noticed Duvernay late. If I might have seen him proper off the bat, that might have been a landing.”

This marked Jackson’s first profession interception on fourth down (out of 25 move makes an attempt).

The Ravens’ protection made an ill-timed mistake, too. Baltimore outdoors linebacker Odafe Oweh tackled working again Devin Singletary on the 3-yard line after gamers have been informed to let him rating with 1:43 remaining within the sport. Buffalo ran down the clock earlier than kicking the profitable subject aim with three seconds left.

“I imply, we have been within the huddle and the decision was both strip the ball or let him rating,” Oweh mentioned. “I am attempting to strip the ball out. When you watch movie, you will see it. He fell down. If the decision was to let him rating, I might have let him rating.”

The Ravens turned the second workforce in NFL historical past to undergo a number of losses after main by 17 or extra factors of their first 4 video games of a season, in keeping with Elias Sports activities Bureau analysis. The opposite workforce was the 2011 Vikings.

In Week 2, the Ravens misplaced to the Miami Dolphins, 42-38, after main by 21 factors within the fourth quarter. Two weeks later, Baltimore fell to the Payments after holding a 17-point lead late within the second quarter.

The Ravens (2-2) are assured they are going to rebound from two of the most important second-half meltdowns in franchise historical past.

“I am a canine. We’ve a bunch of canine,” Ravens tight finish Mark Andrews mentioned. “We’re able to go. We’re going to get higher. We have been right here earlier than.”