Legendary coach reveals how he’d handle Justin Tucker’s struggles

A legendary NFL head coach revealed a plan for Ravens kicker Justin Tucker

The Baltimore Ravens have seen kicker Justin Tucker fall off considerably over the last year and a half. His 2023 season was filled with missed kicks from 50+ yards, while 2024 has been even more of a disaster for the future Hall-of-Fame kicker.

There are massive questions about what Baltimore should do with Tucker amidst his struggles, from bringing in competition to letting him ride it out. A legendary head coach, Bill Belichick, gave his opinion on the matter, saying that while Tucker still has the leg and talent, something is going on with him technique-wise, and he could be in his head.

Belichick also mentions that he would stick it out with Justin Tucker rather than find another option without the leg or resumé that Tucker has. At this point in the season, the Ravens have limited options for fixing Tucker’s struggles. It will likely be up to Tucker himself to get himself right.

John Harbaugh discussesTylan Wallace’s performance as a punt returner in Week 13

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh discusses the ‘tough balls’ that went to Tylan Wallace in Week 13

The Baltimore Ravens have seen their special teams unit put together some not-so-good performances over the last few seasons. For a team that prides itself on its special teams play, there have been far too many mistakes from that side of the ball for Baltimore, which has been a cause for concern over recent years.

When discussing punt returner Tylan Wallace’s performance in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach John Harbaugh said that Wallace’s opportunities ended up being “tough balls.” He admitted that Wallace cost the team some yards with the plays he made and didn’t make but explained why the wideout decided to make the decisions he did.

“Yes, I mean those are tough balls. Yes, you’d love for [Tylan Wallace] to run up there and fair catch them and keep them from rolling. That’s definitely what you want, but he didn’t feel like he could, and he didn’t want to risk muffing them, I’m sure. The one he did muff, and the other one he probably should have fair caught – that one with a guy bearing down on him. You can second guess those decisions all you want, but when the ball’s near, and you’re standing under them – guys have done that before and know how hard that is to do, but it did cost us some yards, there’s no doubt about that.”

Baltimore hasn’t had a consistent punt returner ever since the late Jacoby Jones had massive memorable moments for the team a decade ago. Wallace had an all-time franchise moment last year against the Los Angeles Rams as a punt returner but hasn’t done much since.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh praises defensive performance vs. Eagles in Week 13

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh shared his thoughts on the team’s defensive performance in Week 13 against the Eagles

The Baltimore Ravens were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles by the final score of 24-19. Although the loss was disappointing on multiple fronts, the team’s defensive unit stepped up to the plate when it mattered and put together a solid overall performance.

After the contest, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh praised his defense and made sure to give them flowers following the team’s loss. He mentioned how he thought the defense played well and, despite one bad drive, said that they stepped up in multiple facets, including pass defense.

“I thought the defense played well. I don’t like the one drive where we let [the Eagles] run it on us a little too much there in the fourth quarter – that was disappointing. But, other than that, I thought they stepped up and played very well. The pass defense – [there were] no big plays, [and the] run defense was stout. I thought we did a good job – they had one drive where they had some of the RPO, read option stuff going a little bit, and we adjusted there at halftime and got that cleaned up, so I thought they played well.”

After struggling immensely to start the season, the Ravens secondary has stepped up and performed admirably to keep up with the team’s stellar run defense. While the defense has played much better over the last three games, Baltimore has only managed to win one, putting their record at 8-5 as they enter their by-week at a critical time.

NFL playoff picture: Bad week for Dolphins got worse on Sunday, Monday

Calais Campbell thinks 10-7 would get the Dolphins in the playoffs, but even that might not be enough.

Shortly after the Miami Dolphins lost to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving to fall to 5-7 on the year, defensive lineman Calais Campbell told reporters, “I feel 10-7 gets us in” the playoffs. After Sunday and Monday, even that’s not looking likely.

The Dolphins have no shot at catching the Buffalo Bills, who clinched a fifth consecutive AFC East title. So the only path to the postseason for Miami is to track down at least one of four contenders: the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos.

The problem is that those teams aren’t leaving the door open.

While the Ravens lost a hard fought game against the Philadelphia Eagles, they’re still at eight wins. And both the Chargers and Broncos got their eighth win. The Steelers face several tough teams down the stretch, but improved to 9-3 with a shootout victory against the Bengals.

With only five weeks left, here’s the current state of affairs in the AFC:

  1. (x) Kansas City Chiefs: 11-1
  2. (y) Buffalo Bills: 10-2
  3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-3
  4. Houston Texans: 8-5
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 8-4
  6. Baltimore Ravens: 8-5
  7. Denver Broncos: 8-5
  • Indianapolis Colts: 6-7
  • Miami Dolphins: 5-7
  • Cincinnati Bengals: 4-8

(x – clinched playoff berth; y – clinched division title)

In the hypothetical that the Dolphins won five straight to finish the year 10-7, they’d have an 8-5 record in AFC play. That would likely be enough to win a tiebreaker if any of the teams ahead of them slip up. But Miami will need to be perfect and get some help to get into the postseason.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

NFL playoff picture: What are Chargers’ chances of making postseason after win over Falcons?

The Chargers are in excellent position to play beyond the regular season.

The Chargers beat the Falcons on Sunday, improving their record to 8-4 and their chances of making the playoffs.

According to NFL.com, Los Angeles has a 94% chance of making the playoffs. With the Bolts’ win and the Ravens’ loss to the Eagles on Sunday, L.A. moved back up to the fifth seed.

Here’s a look at the division standings entering Week 14:

1. Chiefs (11-1)

2. Chargers (8-4)

3. Broncos (7-5)

4. Raiders (2-10)

And a look at the playoff picture:

*There are (7) available Playoff spots

1. Chiefs (11-1)

2. Bills (10-2)

3. Steelers (9-3)

4. Texans (8-5)

5. Chargers (8-4)

6. Ravens (8-5)

7. Broncos (7-5)


8. Colts (6-7)

9. Dolphins (5-7)

10. Bengals (4-8)

AFC playoff matchups if the season ended today:

  • No. 2 Bills vs. No. 7 Broncos
  • No. 3 Steelers vs. No. 6 Ravens
  • No. 4 Texans vs. No. 5 Chargers

Eagles vs Ravens: How to watch, stream and listen to the Week 13 matchup

The Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) are fiery right now as they get ready to face one of their harder opponents this season, the Baltimore Ravens (8-4). It’ll be a running back battle between Ravens’ Derrick Henry and Eagles’ Saquon Barkley.

The Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) are fiery right now as they get ready to face one of their harder opponents this season, the Baltimore Ravens (8-4). It’ll be a running back battle between Ravens’ Derrick Henry and Eagles’ Saquon Barkley.

Here’s how to watch, stream, and listen to the game.

Game Information

Philadelphia Eagles at Baltimore Ravens

4:25 PM ET on Sunday, December 1

M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, Maryland

How to watch

Monday’s game will be broadcast on CBS. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be in the broadcast booth. Tracy Wolfson will be on the sidelines.

Fans can also catch the game on NFL Network.

Streaming

NFL Game Pass, the NFL mobile app, and NFL+.

Also available live on FuboTV

Radio

Philadelphia: For Eagles fans or those in the market, you can listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick calling the game on SportsRadio 94WIP. The desktop version of PhiladelphiaEagles.com/LiveRadio will provide a live feed of the SportsRadio 94WIP broadcast feed that is available nationwide. Fans can also listen on the Eagles app in the Philadelphia market.

Baltimore: For Ravens fans or those in the market, you can listen to the game on WBAL (101.5 FM/1090 AM) or 98Rock (97.9 FM). Fans can also listen to the Ravens app in the Baltimore market.

Social Media

Follow along on Twitter
FacebookThacover2NFL.

Read all the best Eagles coverage at Delaware Online and Eagles Wire.

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 12 loss to Ravens

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the loss to the Ravens.

In Week 12, the Chargers lost on the road to the Ravens, 30-23.

Along the way, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

Here are the best and worst performers from Monday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

OT Rashawn Slater — 85.6

QB Justin Herbert — 76.6

OT Joe Alt — 71.9

TE Will Dissly — 68.3

RB J.K. Dobbins — 68.1

Top 5 Defense

DT Poona Ford — 83.6

DT Teair Tart — 75.0

LB Nick Niemann — 71.1

S Derwin James — 70.9

EDGE Khalil Mack — 70.4

Bottom 5 Offense

WR Jalen Reagor — 56.0

RB Hassan Haskins — 54.6

FB Scott Matlock — 54.3

TE Tucker Fisk — 40.3

WR Quentin Johnston — 32.2

Bottom 5 Defense

CB Elijah Molden — 53.3

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 51.9

DL Morgan Fox — 45.0

S Alohi Gilman — 43.6

DT Scott Matlock — 31.8

Chargers get run over by Derrick Henry and the Ravens: Instant analysis of Week 12 loss

Jim Harbaugh remains winless against his brother, John, as the Chargers lost to the Ravens on Monday night.

Jim Harbaugh remains winless against his brother, John, as the Chargers fell to the Ravens on Monday night.

Here’s our recap of Los Angeles’ 30-23 loss.

It was over when…

Justice Hill ran for a 51-yard touchdown, which extended the Ravens’ lead to 14 points.

Notable number

Chargers allowed 212 rushing yards. It was the first time a Jim Harbaugh-coached NFL team allowed over 200 rushing yards.

Stars of the game

  1. RB JK Dobbins: Before leaving the game with a knee injury, Dobbins had six carries for 40 yards (6.7 YPC).
  2. WR Ladd McConkey: McConkey continued to impress, catching all six of his targets for 83 yards.

Quick hits

  • The Chargers’ offense got off to a great start. They scored on their first possession. However, that would be the only time they found the end zone until their garbage-time touchdown in the final minute of the game.
  • J.K. Dobbins provided the offensive spark. Dobbins rushed for 40 yards on six carries. It looked like he was bound for a revenge game against his former team. That was until he left with a knee injury and did not return.
  • The Ravens’ defense, which ranked dead last against the pass entering today, made it difficult for Justin Herbert. Herbert finished 21 of 36 passing for 218 yards and zero touchdowns. He was sacked four times.
  • Herbert did not benefit from Quentin Johnston’s four dropped passes, including one on a crosser that would have resulted in a big gain on 3rd-and-6 when they were only trailing by seven points. Instead, the Chargers punted the ball away, and the Ravens scored, essentially putting the game away.
  • The Chargers’ second-half offense continues to be a problem. Without the garbage-time touchdown, they would have only managed three points in the second half.
  • Jesse Minter’s defense was humbled by the Ravens’ rushing attack. They had no answer for Derrick Henry, who rushed for 140 yards. Hill ran free for a 51-yard touchdown. Denzel Perryman’s absence was felt in this game.
  • The Chargers had a good game plan against Lamar Jackson on the ground, as he was limited to 15 yards on eight carries.
  • Not having Cam Hart on the field was a big blow to the defense in coverage. Hart was injured in Saturday’s practice, which is why he was ruled out of the game.
  • The Chargers failed to stop any of the Ravens’ three fourth-down attempts, including one from Baltimore’s own 16-yard line.
  • After not giving up more than 20 points in their first nine games, the Chargers have given up 27 points and now 30.

What’s next?

The Chargers travel to face the Falcons this upcoming Sunday, Dec. 1, at 10:00 am PT.

Jim, John’s parents will not be in attendance for ‘HarBowl’ on Monday night

When Jim and John Harbaugh go toe-to-toe on Monday, their parents, Jack and Jackie, will not be watching from the stands.

When Jim and John Harbaugh go toe-to-toe on Monday, their parents, Jack and Jackie, will not be watching their sons from the stands at SoFi Stadium.

Instead, they’ll be in Florida to spend time with their daughter, Joani, their son-in-law, former Georgia men’s basketball coach Tom Crean, and their two grandchildren.

That’s also where they plan to celebrate Thanksgiving the following Thursday.

“We are choosing to go down there and celebrate Thanksgiving with them and be able to watch the game with them,” Jack said, per the Ravens official website. “And we’ll have a lot of fun and enjoyment doing that.”

Monday also holds significance because it marks Jack and Jackie’s 63rd wedding anniversary.

“Just go right back to Jackie. She was the head coach of them and still is,” Jack said. “They’ve had me around, but she’s been around them 14, 15, 16 hours a day when they were growing up.

“Back in 1957 in that biology class, I looked down into row number one in that class and four years later we were married. That was the decision that changed my life. … We’re just so blessed that Jackie’s with us and she’s still the head coach of the Harbaugh family.”

The brothers have faced off twice before the primetime matchup, including in Super Bowl XLVII when John’s Ravens defeated Jim’s 49ers in a close battle, with the final score being 34-31.

Staff predictions for Chargers vs. Ravens in Week 12

Find out who the Chargers Wire staff is picking between Los Angeles and Baltimore in Week 12.

The Los Angeles Chargers kick off Week 12 against the Baltimore Ravens in the second “HarBowl.”

Who is going to come out victorious?

Here is a look at the predictions from each of our writers at Chargers Wire:

Gavino:

Jim meets his brother, John, for the third time, looking to beat him for once and get revenge for Super Bowl 47. Justin Herbert has a favorable matchup against the league’s worst passing defense. But it will come down to whether the Chargers can limit Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry from lighting up the scoreboard like they’re used to. Baltimore scores a few touchdowns, but Herbert’s dominance continues en route to Los Angeles’ fifth consecutive victory. Chargers 27, Ravens 24

Alex K:

Baltimore has struggled on the road this season, but they’re still the league’s top offense. With Denzel Perryman (groin) out and Cam Hart (concussion) questionable, the Ravens may be able to move the ball against a strong Chargers defense. But Justin Herbert has been on a tear outside a rocky second half last week, and Baltimore is one of the league’s worst pass defenses. Chargers 31, Ravens 30