[News] John Harbaugh On How To Improve Late-Game Speed

[coreyadams]

Harbs your winning percentage has dropped from nearly 70% to 60%. So I think you have regressed 2. This Ravens team has definitely changed. I remember teams that feared us. Now they love us. Backup and bottom-tier Quarterbacks throw for 300 yards at will. Where is the leadership?

[callahan09]

I watch big ben and brady take control of their Offense even taking control from the coach and OC and this is what Joe Flacco lacks BIG TIME! He isn't AGGRESSIVE enough to run this Offense to its full potential just shoulder shrugs and we'll get'em next time crap! Tomlin doesn't always have all the answers big ben saves him constantly and Joe is leaving Harbs hangin out to dry! Gotta go to No huddle at times Duuuuuuuh but Joe gotta step up and be the leader or its a WRAP! SMH

 

We had the ball at our own 20 yard line with 1:06 to play, no timeouts, and needed a TD.

 

Tom Brady is 0 for 4 in situations where he gets the ball within his own 20 yard line, within 2 minutes, and needing a TD.  In fact, he had more than 1:06 on all but one of those, and often had timeouts as well.  Here is the rundown of his:

 

@ MIA (2013), 1:15 remaining, 3 timeouts. FAILED.

@ CAR (2013), 0:59 remaining, 3 timeouts. FAILED.

@ SDG (2002), 1:51 remaining, 1 timeout. FAILED.

@ NYJ (2009), 1:48 remaining. FAILED.

 

Big Ben is also 0 for 4 in these situations in his career.

 

So the two guys you named as being in control and I guess should be capable of this 2 minute offense to win a game... are a combined 0-8 in those situations for their careers.

 

Flacco actually has one of the very few SUCCESSES in NFL history in these situations, the MIN game from 2013.  He's 1-7 for his career, so he's actually doing better than Big Ben + Brady combined.

 

The bottom line is that you can nitpick and criticize the sequence of events all you want and try to make statements about what it means for our coach or our QB, but the BOTTOM LINE is that teams VERY RARELY, no matter who they have at QB, succeed at winning the game in the situation that we were in on Sunday evening.

[Ravens_Fan_1996]

Time for a coaching change.

[4everraven]

It is beyond belief that a professional football team has to practice being fast in the two minute drill. That is learned in pee wee football, go fast, spike the ball. This shouldn't be an issue for an NFL team although the Ravens under Harbaugh have displayed a lack of urgency.

[Purple Dawg 96]

@callahan09 we lost by FIVE points how my points came via TURNOVERS?! "SIX" Thank God the Defense held them to "FGs" or it would have been worse! Nitpick that!

[callahan09]

@callahan09 we lost by FIVE points how my points came via TURNOVERS?! "SIX" Thank God the Defense held them to "FGs" or it would have been worse! Nitpick that!

I thought this article and discussion were about the late-game speed and the failed final drive?  What you're talking about has nothing to do with that.  My comment above was in response to all the talk from Ravens fans across the internet who are calling out Flacco for not being a leader or being in control or being prepared or WHATEVER because of what they saw on that final drive.  The fact is that all those complains are nitpicks, because teams almost never succeed on those kind of drives anyway!  You're trying to move the goal posts by talking about the rest of the game and not that 2 minute offense.  It doesn't matter that there were two turnovers earlier in the game, that has nothing to do with the 2 minute drill (well, it was really a 1 minute drill in this case) at the end of the game.

[PurpleRainBlackVeins]

The crap that Harbaugh continues to try to shove down our throats as to why we suck so bad at everything is becoming a bit much

[RavenManiac#7]

I'm Very glad that Harbaugh put some of the blame on himself in that pathetic effort to save time on the clock. There was plenty of blame to go around, but Harbaugh was probably the Most at blame. But, that's really nothing new. I've said, all along, that one of Harbaugh's biggest weaknesses, perhaps his biggest, is clock management and in-game decisions. All coaches have their strengths and weaknesses, that's for sure. There isn't a perfect coach out there. But, I think that Harbugh's issues he just Has to improve on is that clock management, in-game decisions, and his ego. Please don't think I'm ragging on him. He has his attributes as well. I'm just trying to give my honest assessment of his strengths and, in this case, his weaknesses. These are the ares I think he needs to improve on if he wants to be considered a good NFL coach. You know, it's easy to Look good when you're riding the coat-tails of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. But, where you really get exposed is when you have to step up and be the leader, yourself, that a team needs. So far, I don't see a lot of that happening. I'm surely hoping for better. Oh yeah, add one more "problem" with Harbs. He has a sense of loyalty to his coaches that is often too strong and is, actually, a detriment to the team. If we don't see a fairly significant improvement with our team going forward with this season, I think Steve Bisciotti just might give some serious thought and evaluation into just how much confidence he still has with Harbaugh at season'e end. I have a feeling Everything is going to be Carefully and Fully studied by him. Bisciotti has an Extremely great desire to be a winner. I still remember that he had given Billick a vote of confidence, saying that he would be back, but numerous players spoke to him, letting him know that Billick had lost the locker-room, and Bisciooti changed his mind and fired him. I'm not suggesting this will happen this time, but I think he will have Everything on the table.

[RavenManiac#7]

Harbs your winning percentage has dropped from nearly 70% to 60%. So I think you have regressed 2. This Ravens team has definitely changed. I remember teams that feared us. Now they love us. Backup and bottom-tier Quarterbacks throw for 300 yards at will. Where is the leadership?

There is none. Oh, Harbs and the players throw some names out there but, in honest reality, there really is none. And to be honest, if not actual Leadership, we should at least be able to count on direction, motivation, and enthusiasm by the HC, but does anybody Really see any evidence of that? I don't.

[RavenManiac#7]

Thank you for taking the blame for throwing away Two timeouts in the second half that we sorely needed at the end of the game, Harbs. But, the fact of the matter is that you have consistently shown a weakness in clock management over the years and it's something you have to own and improve on. Bottom line.

[January J]

I have to wonder if it is Tressman being late with the play calls. That would explain why Joe seemed so frustrated and his lack of urgency on that final drive. It would also explain why Harbaugh called a time out at the beginning of the half. He hung his head after having to call it as if he couldnt believe the play that was being called and had to stop it. Please let me know if I am off base here.

I think your on to something here. Can't remember where I heard it but I think I remember somebody complaining about this in preseason as well. I've seen joe look over to the sideline on several occasions and give that look like " what's the deal man lets go". I think everybody is just playing scared and cautious instead of having fun and wingin it.

[BigUgly]

Joe should have every play and the authority to call them in the 2 minute drill. In fact, they ought to practice with the damn headset turned off in practice. Let Joe understand the situation, read the defense, and run the no-huddle.