The editor of the crusty book "Take the Points" probably is busy updating it with a chapter on the Baltimore Ravens'Â 19-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
With 5:22 left in the second quarter, down 3-0, John Harbaugh's Ravens faced a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. They already had failed to punch it in on three straight Ray Rice runs after getting a first-and-goal at the 4. Eschewing the chip-shot field-goal attempt, Harbaugh went for it. Bernard Pierce was stuffed.
It's here where we underscore that the Ravens lost by two points.
After the game, Harbaugh defended his decision.
"I like our chances there," he said, per CSN Baltimore. "If you don't make it, you've got them backed up on their (1-yard line) and feel really good about making them punt out of their own end zone. ... I think it was a good decision there."
Had the Ravens been able to punch it in, the entire complexion of the game would have been different.
The other decision Harbaugh found himself defending was a second-and-10 pass play from his own 34-yard line with 12 seconds left in the half. He could have ran the clock out. On the play in question, Packers linebacker Nick Perry -- who started in place of the injured Clay Matthews -- absolutely burned left tackle Eugene Monroe, stripped Joe Flacco and set up a Green Bay field goal to go up 6-0 at half.
On NFL Network
NFL Replay
will re-air the
Green Bay Packers' 19-17 win over the
Baltimore Ravens from Week 6 on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
"I felt like we had a good chance with our kicker," he said. "We had a better chance to complete a pass or get a (defensive) pass interference than we did to have that (sack) happen. You've got to have confidence in your guys. You give your guys a chance to make plays in situations like that. They made a nice play, and it cost us three points."
In a 2-point loss, those three points -- in either situation -- could have made the difference, a conservative coach would tell you.
While hindsight is bias, what is clear is that Harbaugh was playing the percentages and has faith in his players to make plays. They didn't, hence the loss.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" recapped every Week 6 game.
