Expectations were high for the Baltimore Ravens coming into the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. They have one of the most unstoppable run games in the league and were looking to maximize it against a Kansas City Chiefs team that seemed out of it.
Instead, they now face criticism after fumbling the bag against a Chiefs team that found their momentum all season. Lamar Jackson is blamed for his shortcomings under center, and John Harbaugh’s tactics during the game are also being questioned.
John Harbaugh defends Baltimore Ravens’ approach during NFC Championship loss
As Daniel Bates of The Spun reported, Harbaugh explained that the Baltimore Ravens didn’t willingly veer from the run game that helped them secure the top seed in the AFC this season.
The long-time head coach explained that the nature of the game forced them to focus more on a pass-heavy offense as Andy Reid’s coaching staff made it a point in their defensive game plan to shut down their rushing attack.
Bates further detailed the team’s abysmal showing on the ground during the game:
Baltimore only rushed the ball 16 times against the Chiefs but averaged over five yards per carry. In their defense, they did trail for the majority of the game. However, it wasn’t by such an insurmountable deficit that they would’ve had to completely abandon their run game.
Even then, the Ravens still had their chances. The defense played Kansas City pretty well in the second half and the offense was able to make some big plays through the air (and hurt themselves with big penalties as well).
Considering the details of the game, it was interesting to see the team veer away from brute-forcing their way through the ground. They finished the game with only 81 rushing yards, a far cry from the team that led the league in rushing attempts and yards during the regular season.
It’s unclear what changes they have to make in the offseason, but one thing’s clear: they must stick to what they’re good at or they’ll lose when it matters most.
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