John Harbaugh had big miscommunication with Ravens on key play

Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh jogs on the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens lost on a field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. The Ravens could have had the ball back, but an apparent miscommunication cost them the opportunity.

With 1:50 left in the fourth and the game tied at 20, the Bills handed off to Devin Singletary from the Baltimore 11. Had the Ravens let Singletary score, they would have fallen behind by a touchdown, but would have had nearly two minutes to try to put together a drive to tie the game.

Instead, Odafe Oweh brought Singletary down at the 3-yard line, which helped set the Bills up to run down the clock for a field goal to ensure that the Ravens never got the ball back. According to coach John Harbaugh, the defense was supposed to let Singletary score. Oweh, however, said he was under the impression that he was allowed to try for a strip if the opportunity presented itself.

Harbaugh said the call was made to let the Bills score on Singletary's 8-yard run at 1:50 mark of the the fourth quarter. Oweh tackled Singletary at the 3-yard line.
Oweh said his understanding was the call was either to let them score or go for the strip. He did latter.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) October 2, 2022

We don’t know what the actual instruction was, but something clearly got lost in communication. Harbaugh certainly sounds like he’s making the more sensible instruction, as going for a strip in that spot is incredibly risky and unlikely to work out well.

Of course, Singletary himself might have gone down if left unimpeded. That is no guarantee, as one division rival demonstrated recently, but it adds an interesting wrinkle to the end of this game.