Baltimore found out Sunday night that football is indeed a game of inches. The Ravens’ 24-17 AFC gut-wrenching AFC Wild Card loss to the Cincinnati Bengals proved it.
The Baltimore offense played its best game without Lamar Jackson, and the defense sparkled. But in the end one play proved to be season-ending.
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley was having his career-best performance, only to have victory snatched from the air, fumbling away a potential victory at the goal line.
Hindsight, always having 20-20 vision, Baltimore should have handed the ball to a running back on that fateful third down. Tied at 17-all, the Ravens were thisclose to scoring and taking the lead.
Instead, disaster struck, as Huntley was leaping, stretching to cross the goal line, Cincinnati knocked the ball loose, recovered and raced for a 98-yard fumble recovery touchdown. A 14-point turn of events.
A mere inches away from taking the lead in the fourth quarter, only to watch in horror as Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard, a local product, rumbled for the longest fumble return in NFL postseason history.
Baltimore won’t be interested in moral victories after such a disappointing season-ending game, but at the same time they were just a few plays away from pulling a huge upset.
Another game of incredible drama and questionable decisions by the Baltimore coaching staff sends the Ravens into the offseason full of question marks.
High drama
Baltimore appeared poised to take a 24-17 lead just a few minutes into the fourth quarter with a first and goal from the 2-yard line. The Ravens elected to pass on first down, and the attempt was incomplete.
A pass?
A second-and-goal run by Gus Edwards was stopped at the 1. On third down, Huntley took the snap and soared, extending his arms trying to break the plane with the ball.
Cincinnati was ready, jarring the ball loose just inches from the goal line, Hubbard plucked the fumble out of the air and took it to the house. The Bengals regained the lead and didn’t relinquish it.
Head-scratching final push clock management
The Ravens did have a chance to tie in the final seconds of the game. But then a late-game sequence proved fatal.
Baltimore running back J.K. Dobbins picked up a first down with 1:08 left.
Rather than using one of its remaining timeouts, Baltimore instead huddled and did not snap the ball until 33 seconds remained. Thirty-five precious seconds squandered. No apparent sense of urgency.
In the end, the Ravens were faced with one last Hail Mary on fourth-and-20, and the pass intended for Mark Andrew in the endzone fell to the turf, just inches away from the Ravens receiver James Proche.
The Ravens players, shocked, removed their helmets for the final time this season, making their way over to shake hands with Bengals players.
Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman has taken his share of heat this season, but this gaffe falls squarely on head coach John Harbaugh. This wasn’t even college-level clock mismanagement.
Bitter pill for Baltimore to swallow
The Ravens had to be feeling good in the locker room at halftime. Leading 10-9 and the ball coming back to them to start the third quarter. They kept matching the Bengals in the second half, answering a touchdown drive with one of their own and moving within a yard of taking a 24-17 lead.
Baltimore simply outplayed and outhit the Bengals throughout the game, but will take little consolation as they begin an interesting offseason.
Now what?
Instead of a postseason game at Kansas City next week, the Ravens will enter the offseason with one franchise defining question in mind: what is Lamar Jackson’s future in Baltimore?
Baltimore could place the franchise tag on him, securing him for one more year at about $45 million. They could trade him, which is gaining momentum, or less likely let him test free agency.
What about Greg Roman, and for that matter, do the Ravens move on from Harbaugh?
Tough decisions, following a tough loss.
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