Harbaugh: ‘What do you want to do?’
Coach turned to his QB when trying to decide to go for a 2-point conversion late in loss
Even Ravens coach John Harbaugh was uncertain about his much-debated decision to go for a 2-point conversion in the last minute of his team’s 31-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
In footage released by the team Monday, Harbaugh is shown asking quarterback Tyler Huntley whether he would want to attempt a go-ahead score if the Ravens scored another touchdown to cut the Packers’ lead to 31-30. Huntley said he did.
After Huntley scrambled for an 8-yard score with 42 seconds left, Harbaugh asked a handful of offensive players, including Huntley, “What do you want to do?” He added: “We can go into overtime here or we can go for it.” An unidentified Ravens player told Harbaugh, “Let’s win, Coach.” Harbaugh agreed.
Packers safety Darnell Savage (Maryland) ultimately knocked down Huntley’s pass to tight end Mark Andrews, all but wrapping up the win.
“I thought about it all night, of course you do,” Harbaugh said Monday. “There’s two choices, and they’re both viable. … It’s basically 50-50. We talked about it a lot and we decided to go for it. It didn’t work out. I know half the people are going to say we should have kicked it. I get it. They can certainly criticize me for it. I’m OK with that. I’ll criticize myself for it.”
Harbaugh’s choice drew extra scrutiny because he had gone for a 2-point conversion under similar circumstances two weeks earlier in Pittsburgh. That attempt also failed.
Harbaugh acknowledged that his scenario against the Packers was suboptimal because even if the Ravens had converted, Green Bay would have had 42 seconds to drive for a game-winning score.
“Forty-two seconds was a little bit more time than you really want,” he said. “I would rather have it be around 20 seconds. If we had had any more time than that, we certainly would have kicked it.”
Against the Steelers, he knew he would go for two throughout the Ravens’ final drive. This time, he waited until the last possible moment.
Asked whether he considered going for two earlier, when the Ravens pulled to within 31-23 with 4:47 remaining, Harbaugh said he thought the Packers might score again and “wanted to see how that played out.”
“It’s interesting how close this is and how
tight these decisions are,” he said. “I guess it’s what makes it so exciting and when it doesn’t work out, so kind of devastating. Because if we’d have hit two of these 2-point conversions, we’d be No. 1 in the AFC right now.”
Harbaugh ‘hopeful’ Lamar returns
Harbaugh said he’s “hopeful” starting quarterback Lamar Jackson will practice Wednesday but said Jackson’s status for the team’s next game against the Cincinnati Bengals remains uncertain.
“We’ll see how the ankle responds and continues to respond,” Harbaugh said at the start of his Monday news conference. “It is getting better.”
Jackson was listed as questionable going into the Ravens’ 31-30 loss to the Green Bay Packers but did not suit up after he had not practiced all week. He injured his ankle in the second quarter of the team’s Week 14 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Backup Tyler Huntley again played well in Jackson’s absence, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more scores as he dueled with reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers. There’s no question Jackson will start Sunday against the Bengals if he’s close to 100% healthy, but Harbaugh said it’s difficult to say how he might choose a quarterback if Jackson wants to go but is still hurting.
“There’s no definitive formula there,” he said. “We’re just going to have to see where we’re at with all factors.”
The game could go a long way toward determining a champion in the AFC North, with the two teams both 8-6 and the Bengals holding a tiebreaker advantage because they beat the Ravens in Baltimore.
In other injury news, Harbaugh said wide receiver Devin Duvernay is day to day with an ankle injury that limited him against the Packers, while the Ravens will have to wait until later in the week to get a handle on the statuses of defensive end Calais Campbell (hamstring), fullback Patrick Ricard (back/ knee), guard Ben Powers (toe) and tackle Tyre Phillips (knee). Cornerback Tavon Young is in concussion protocol. Tackle Patrick Mekari, who practiced last week with a cast on his injured hand but did not play against the Packers, could be an option against the Bengals.
Houston placed on COVID list
The Ravens placed one of their top pass rushers, outside linebacker Justin Houston, on the reserve/COVID list Monday, six days ahead of their AFC North showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Under the NFL’s COVID protocols, Houston could come off the list in time to face the Bengals if he is vaccinated and tests negative for the virus twice. If he tested positive and is not vaccinated, he would have to isolate from the team for at least 10 days.
Houston ranks third on the Ravens with 4 ½ sacks and leads the team with 17 quarterback hits.
The Ravens also announced they have activated another veteran edge defender, Pernell McPhee, from injured reserve to their 53-man roster, meaning he could practice and play this week. McPhee, who has played nine games this season, had minor surgery to clean out his knee. Harbaugh said he would have a chance to return before the end of the season.