Blame Flacco, not Harbaugh

Coach’s tenure shouldn’t end due to QB’s struggles

An NFL Network report Sunday morning said John Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens could be in immediate jeopardy. After losing at home later in the day, 23-16, to the Ravens’ arch-rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Harbaugh retained his job through the night Sunday, and into Monday afternoon. Harbaugh has been the Ravens’ head coach for the past 11 seasons. He won the franchise’s second Super Bowl after the 2012 season when then-fifth-year QB Joe Flacco performed at a spectacularly high level.

But Baltimore has made the playoffs only once since, after the 2014 season. And after a promising 3-1 start this year that included a 26-14 thumping of the Steelers in Pittsburgh, the Ravens have lost four of five.

Owner Steve Bisciotti is reportedly frustrated and impatient. The locals too. Empty seats now stare at Bisciotti at M&T Bank Stadium for non-Steelers home games.

It would be very un-Ravens-like to fire a head coach in mid-season, especially one who has won a Super Bowl. But the toughest portion of a difficult 2018 schedule is behind the Ravens.

Harbaugh should be allowed to finish the season. A wild-card playoff berth is not only possible but a good bet. Then, with Baltimore’s NFL-best defence, who knows after that.

Go about starting over (again) on offence next year. Because the man more responsible than anyone for Baltimore’s recent playoff drought is not Harbaugh but the underperforming Flacco.