OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After the decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal backfired and before the game was lost on a time-expiring field goal, things could have gone differently for the Ravens against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. In fact, their fortunes were pretty close to being punched out in a good way.
It’s the controversial defensive play that all but secured the Ravens loss. With the game tied with just under two minutes to go the Bills ran the ball from the Baltimore eleven yard line. The smart play was to let Devin Singletary run into the end zone so the Ravens would get around 1:40 to try and score a touchdown of their own. That’s the way the Ravens defense played it, except for Odafe Oweh.
"The play call is to strip or let him score," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.
Oweh went for the strip. He went for the punch out. He almost got the ball out. He got a piece but not enough.
"I knew exactly what Odafe was trying to do," said Harbaugh.
The try ended up being a tackle. Then Buffalo ran down the clock and kicked a 21-yard field goal to win. Harbaugh defended his guy after the fact.
"We coach them to pick the guy up and carry him into the end zone if they can, to that desperation that’s what you want to do. People aren’t really going to the two-yard line and then stumbling into the end zone anymore after we’ve seen that happen a few times. We coach our backs to get down early, early. So, that’s what the back did, and Odafe was in a situation where at that point he’s not going to be able to pick him up; he’s going to the ground, he’s trying to punch the ball out. So, I thought he did the right thing."
Harbaugh added that as far as communication was concerned on that play, everyone was on the same page. He also said he isn't too worried about the communication on that play because, in the end, it was a desperate situation.
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