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The Baltimore Ravens‘ decision to attempt a potential game-winning two-point conversion on December 19 against the Green Bay Packers has drawn a wide variety of reactions, from outrage on social media to respect from Aaron Rodgers.
On December 20, the Ravens posted a behind-the-scenes look at head coach John Harbaugh’s decision-making process leading up to the failed attempt, with Harbaugh repeatedly conferring with players to get their input on the game.
The video confirms quarterback Tyler Huntley’s account that Harbaugh was thinking about going for the win while the Ravens were still down 14 points in the fourth quarter.
“When we score the second touchdown, do you want me to go for two and try to win it right there, or do you want to go to overtime?,” Harbaugh asked Huntley, who responded that he wanted to go for two.
Then, right after Huntley ran in an eight-yard touchdown with 42 seconds left in the game, Harbaugh sought the advice of his coaching staff, saying, “”Do we want to kick it or go for it? What do you all think?” into his headset.
The longtime Ravens coach then called Huntley, running back Latavius Murray and tight end Mark Andrews to the sideline and asked them, “What do you want to do?”
“We can kick this and go to overtime, and we’re in good shape. Or we try to win it here and try to keep them out of field goal range,” Harbaugh said, with both Andrews and Huntley responding, “Let’s win.”
The Ravens ultimately failed the conversion, but Andrews immediately went over to his coach to reinforce his support.
“That was the right move,” Andrews told Harbaugh, “Love you, bro.”
Analysts, Fans React to Harbaugh’s Coaching
The video was just another example of Harbaugh’s player-oriented coaching mentality, as he constantly takes his players’ input into account during games.
Harbaugh also showed that attitude doesn’t just apply to star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was out with an ankle injury. Harbaugh treated backup quarterback Tyler Huntley like a seasoned pro in just his second career start, demonstrating incredible faith in a player who went undrafted out of the University of Utah in 2020.
NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala said that Harbaugh is a coach “who is constantly gauging the pulse of his players, and making sure everyone feels invested in the path taken.”
She also defended Harbaugh against criticism for his decision on December 19, calling him the NFL’s “Coach of the Year” for the 2021 season.
Analyst Mark Bullock called the sideline discussions “excellent coaching,” praising Harbaugh’s awareness of and trust in his players.
“The connection Harbaugh has with his players is powerful,” wrote the Ravens’ Garrett Downing, who added, “I still think it was the right move. And clearly so do the players.”
Though fans were divided on Harbaugh’s decision itself, their reaction to his player-inclusive process was overwhelmingly positive.
“Why I love being a Ravens fan,” said one Twitter user in response to the video.
Harbaugh Reflects on 2-Point Attempt
Harbaugh opened up about going for the win during a December 20 press conference, reflecting on both the in-game situation against the Packers and similar decisions he’s made throughout the season.
“If it had been any more time, we would have definitely put it into overtime,” he said, “I thought about putting it into overtime, anyway. That was a consideration, I just decided to go the other way with it. I felt like that was our best chance.”
The Ravens failed two-point conversions against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13 and the Cleveland Browns in Week 14, both losses, but Harbaugh didn’t let that stop him against the Packers.
Harbaugh noted the razor-thin margins in the AFC playoff picture currently, saying “If we had hit two of these two-point conversions, we would be No. 1 in the AFC right now. So, that’s the difference.”
He’s not wrong; if the Ravens won two of their last three games, they’d sit at 10-4 alongside the current top seed, the Kansas City Chiefs, and their Week 2 victory over the Chiefs would give Baltimore the tiebreaker.
But Harbaugh emphasized the importance of not letting his team’s three-game losing streak hang ominously over the locker room.
“We have moved on. You have to,” he said.
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