It’s been seven years since Ravens coach John Harbaugh bid a fond farewell to quarterback Joe Flacco, the hero of Harbaugh’s lone Super Bowl win.
Wouldn’t it be a kick in the head if Flacco helped his former coach keep his job? Flacco’s brilliant Thursday night performance for the Cincinnati Bengals in an electrifying two-point win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, may provide a lifeline for Harbaugh and his former team, who took the week off from a shocking 1-5 start to the season.
Ultimately, Flacco’s efforts may go for naught, as the Ravens have dug themselves a hole that they may find impossible to climb out of.
And, in the grand scheme, that might not be such a bad thing. The team, as presently constituted, has the feel of a squad that, at best, might be able to squeak out a record just above .500.
Maybe, with a furious charge, they could eke out 10 wins. With a much more favorable schedule after the week off, perhaps they could catch and surpass the Steelers to win the division, a feat made more possible by Flacco’s Thursday exploits.
The Ravens have two games remaining against Pittsburgh and a sweep of their bitterest rival could help get them into the postseason as the champions of the AFC North.
That would probably land them a first-round home playoff game and a coin-flip contest with a team that would almost certainly come to Baltimore with a better record than the Ravens.
Assuming a win, which, of course, is no guarantee, the Ravens would probably have to go to the top seeded team for a second-round game, a game where they’d be a decided underdog.
The result is likely to be a loss, a frustrating end to a season that began with predictions of a Super Bowl win, if not an appearance.
Instead, Baltimore football fans are nearly certain to be facing a 13th straight year without a Vince Lombardi Trophy, the spoils of a championship.
That’s not nearly as long a victory parade drought as, say, the Orioles, who are 42 seasons without a World Series win, but noteworthy given the hype surrounding this club and this year.
A failure to get to the playoffs, given all that was expected and all of the recent ‘close but no cigar’ finishes the Ravens have had in recent seasons might spell the end for Harbaugh’s 18-year run here.
Harbaugh, who is easily the winningest coach in franchise history, has reached the playoffs 12 times in his previous 17 seasons.
He is an accomplished leader and would likely be snapped up immediately if he weren’t in Baltimore, whether it’s by another NFL team or a high-profile university, say, Penn State, which just cut their coach, James Franklin, loose.
And yes, a torrent of injuries provides Harbaugh with something of an alibi for this year. But this year’s events could give the Ravens something of a reset with a new coach and give John Harbaugh a chance to get what he gave Joe Flacco seven years ago: namely, a fresh start in a new place.
And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on BlueSky, Threads and X at Sports at Large.
Until next week, for all of us here and for producer Lisa Morgan, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening. Enjoy the games.
