Tag: Todd Monken

Ravens OC Todd Monken finishes 8th in voting for AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year

Ravens OC Todd Monken finishes 8th in voting for AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year

Todd Monken has gotten the best out of Lamar Jackson. After getting passed over for several high-profile head coaching jobs, the veteran offensive play-caller finalized a deal to remain with the Ravens.

Monken was a finalist for the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award and finished 8th in voting.

Monken spent three years in Athens as offensive coordinator, leading the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

In his first season with the Ravens, Jackson had one of his best seasons, leading the team to an AFC-best 13-4 record.

Every offense Monken has commanded since 2021 has finished in the top 10 in total offense, with his title-winning team in 2022 and his first-year Lamar Jackson ranking in the top five.

Lamar Jackson could win another MVP this season after accounting for 45 touchdowns and the NFL’s No. 1 ranked offense.

NFL stats leave no debate, Ravens WR Rashod Bateman can be great

Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman finished the 2024 NFL season ranked No.9 in the league in touchdown receptions.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is somewhere living life right now, away from football. Nevertheless, we must praise him for his performance at wideout this past NFL season.

Bateman caught six touchdowns over the last six games (including playoffs) and finished the season with a 16.8 yards per catch average. He also ranked No. 9 in the NFL in touchdown receptions. Often overshadowed by the superstar prowess of teammate Zay Flowers, Bateman turned his seven post-season targets into six catches.

Flowers will return from injury next season, and both Ravens’ tight ends, Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, will continue to be at the top of the league in their craft. Hopefully, Bateman will continue to improve winning on routes at the intermediate level to give quarterback Lamar Jackson a viable target.

The Ravens continue to fall short of championship glory, but faith tells us it’s only a matter of time. Bateman has definitely proven his weight in gold, though.

Ravens sign offensive coordinator Todd Monken to a contract extension

Baltimore Ravens complete contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Todd Monken has gotten the best out of Lamar Jackson. After getting passed over for several high-profile head coaching jobs, the veteran offensive play-caller finalized a deal to remain with the Ravens.

Baltimore’s offensive coordinator was scheduled to interview with Jacksonville and Chicago before the team’s AFC Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Monken spent three years in Athens as offensive coordinator, leading the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

In his first season with the Ravens, Jackson had one of his best seasons, leading the team to an AFC-best 13-4 record.

Every offense Monken has commanded since 2021 has finished in the top 10 in total offense, with his title-winning team in 2022 and his first-year Lamar Jackson ranking in the top five.

Lamar Jackson could win another MVP this season after accounting for 45 touchdowns and the NFL’s No. 1 ranked offense.

Former Georgia OC signing extension with Baltimore Ravens

Georgia’s former offensive playcaller inks an extension with the Baltimore Ravens after having several head coach interviews

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive coordinator Todd Monken is signing an extension with the Baltimore Ravens, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Monken will continue to lead one of the most impressive offenses in the NFL.

Monken was the Georgia offensive coordinator for one of the most impressive stretches of UGA football history. He was the playcaller of the back-to-back national champions, leading the ninth best scoring offense in 2021 and the fifth best scoring offense in 2022. He helped develop Georgia legends such as Brock Bowers, Stetson Bennett, and Ladd McConkey.

That success translated over to the NFL. Ever since the Ravens hired him in 2023, their offense has ranked top five in points per game and points per drive. The Ravens boast one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the NFL with Lamar Jackson playing at an MVP level and Derrick Henry almost running for 2,000 yards.

His success with the Ravens earned him head coaching interviews. The Jaguars and Bears were considering him, but neither hired Monken and Baltimore will get to keep their talented play-caller.

Report: Ravens finalizing contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Ravens finalizing contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken

Todd Monken has gotten the best out of Lamar Jackson. After getting passed over for several high-profile head coaching jobs, the veteran offensive play-caller is finalizing a deal to remain with the Ravens.

Baltimore’s offensive coordinator was scheduled to interview with the Jacksonville and Chicago before the teams AFC Divisional Round loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Monken spent three years in Athens as offensive coordinator, leading the Georgia Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

In his first season with the Ravens, Jackson had one of his best seasons, leading the team to an AFC-best 13-4 record.

Every offense Monken has commanded since 2021 has finished in the top 10 in total offense, with his title-winning team in 2022 and his first-year Lamar Jackson ranking in the top five.

Lamar Jackson could win another MVP this season after accounting for 45 touchdowns and the NFL’s No. 1 ranked offense.

Todd Monken is seemingly staying put in Baltimore

It’s safe to say that the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator will be returning for a third season.

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of the coaching carousel as it slowly winds down to its last few spins. The New Orleans Saints are the only team left that still has a head coaching vacancy, and if you look at their current list of candidates, one name you won’t see is Todd Monken.

It’s safe to say that the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator will return for a third season. Three teams—the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders—requested to interview Monken, but all three positions have since been filled.

The Bears made this cycle’s splash hire, hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, while the Jaguars hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen. However, the hires were made after a healthy dose of drama.

Meanwhile, the Raiders made Pete Carroll, who parted ways with the Seattle Seahawks (who replaced him with the Ravens defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald) last offseason.

So Monken will almost certainly be back, and that is excellent news for the Ravens and their fans.

Head coach John Harbaugh will no doubt be excited about this development.

“It will be significant if and when we get Todd back,” Harbaugh said to the media on Wednesday. “I’m very hopeful that we will…Todd Monken will be a great head coach; I’ll say that.

“He’s a really good football coach. He’s an old-school football coach with kind of a new-school and creative mind. [He’s] always creating. He works well with his staff.

“We have a great staff around him, so because of that, it would be very meaningful if and when we get him back, and we continue [moving] forward.”

Under Monken, the Ravens offense led the NFL in both rushing yards (3,189) and yards per rush (5.8) this past season.

4 head coach candidates for Raiders and 4 teams competing for them

The top candidates still out there in whom the Raiders have shown interest and the NFL teams which still have head coach vacancies.

We’re approaching the third week that the Raiders have been without a head coach. They have had several interviews, but as of now have yet to find their guy.

They’ve watched as three different coaches in whom they have expressed interest have taken head coach positions elsewhere. So, on down the list they go.

There are currently four teams still looking for a head coach — Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Dallas Cowboys (though reports say they are leaning toward current OC Brian Schottenheimer to take the job).

These teams will be fighting over the top candidates this cycle.

Here are the top four the Raiders are looking at.

Former Seahawks HC Pete Carroll

The 73-year-old former longtime head coach is looking to get back to it. He had a successful 14-year run with the Seahawks that included a Super Bowl win and two NFC Championships. He also had head coaching stops with the Patriots, Jets, and USC Trojans. He had an interview with the Raiders last week.

Ravens OC Todd Monken

One of the most respected coordinators in the NFL. He has spent six years as an OC in the NFL, including three with the Buccaneers (2016-18) and the past two with the Ravens. In between, he was the OC at Georgia when they won two National Championships and where he coached Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders have requested an interview with him, but none has yet been reported.

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo

Spagnuolo was a head coach for three seasons with the Rams (2009-11). He went 10-38 in those seasons and hasn’t gotten a second shot since. But his six seasons as DC in KC has him once again being talked about as head coach material. The Raiders had a virtual interview with him and should they not jump the gun and hire a head coach before the Chiefs exit the playoffs, you’d figure an in-person interview with Spagnuolo would follow.

Former Jets HC Robert Saleh

Saleh went 20-36 over four seasons with the Jets and was fired five games into last season despite a decent 2-3 record. The fact that the previously highly respected DC is getting many interviews now is a testament to the respect he still has in league circles.

Other available candidates whose names who have frequently come up for head coaching jobs this cycle include: Bills OC Joe Brady, Eagles OC Kellen Moore, and Broncos DC Vance Joseph.

Derrick Henry had his way too, but meddling Ravens OC Todd Monken

Baltimore Ravens HB Derrick Henry had just 16 carries in the most important game of the year but meddling OC Todd Monken sees no problem.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry had just manhandled the Pittsburgh Steelers with 26 carries for 186 rushing yards in the 28-14 Wild Card victory. So common sense would tell Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to give Henry more than 16 carries in the AFC Divisional round versus the Buffalo Bills, right?

Tied 7-7 to begin the second quarter, the Ravens had gained chunks on four consecutive rushing plays for 46 yards on the Bills defense. That’s when, on 1st & 10 from the Bills’ 45-yard line, Monken decided to get cute and sequence in a few passing plays to try and cap the drive off in style. 


Jackson’s second-quarter fumble on 2nd & 10 from the Bills 28-yard line was the fourth consecutive pass play called by Monken on the drive. Perhaps center Tyler Linderbaum was preoccupied with having to pass block so many successive times and rushed the snap. Yet, it doesn’t end there.

Monken used the exact same recipe on the ensuing drive, a drive that stalled out with a field goal by kicker Justin Tucker. With the Ravens on the Bills 2-yard line, Monken called a reasonable run-play out of 21 personnel, and rightfully so. The Ravens successfully used the I-formation in the red zone all year but were stuffed for losing one on first down.

No big deal, Monken still had 2nd & Goal from the 3-yard line with 4:38 to go in the second quarter. Monken could’ve forced the unstoppable Henry or even sequenced in the QB inside zone play. Fans had seen the Ravens succeed with Jackson all season. Instead, Monken tried to use play-action with the same 21 personnel and tackle Ronnie Stanley, reporting as an eligible receiver! Take a look below, Jackson’s eligible targets on the play-action play that led to a five-yard loss (sack) were Stanley, fullback Patrick Ricard, tight-end Mark Andrews, Henry and wide receiver Tylan Wallace. 

While Ravens head coach John Harbaugh defends Monken, it’s obvious that Monken’s play calling always favors passing the ball over running it in the most important games. For perspective, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had three more passing attempts than Bills quarterback Josh Allen in the AFC Divisional Round.

Monken’s genius sometimes suggests that he tends to be overwise. Yet, his wisdom doesn’t seem to prompt him to do the most obvious thing: give Henry the ball. 

Ravens TE Mark Andrews has now learned why nice guys finish last

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews will have to regroup after dropping a two point conversion in the Ravens loss to the Bills

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews ended the 2024 season as a community hero, but his epic two-point conversion pass drop in the 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional won’t soon be forgotten, especially by teammate quarterback Lamar Jackson, who will be mocked endlessly by the slanted aims of sports media professionals nationwide.



Andrews might have saved a woman’s life last year, but he surely didn’t save the Ravens’ season. To add insult to injury, Andrews tallied two drops and was bullied out of the ball by Bills defensive back Terrel Bernard on a forced fumble that swayed momentum in the Bills’ favor in the fourth quarter. 



Critics should be friendly and let Andrews live this pivotal moment down. Bills fans will boast and mock, but internally, they could feel their hearts drop into their stomachs when Jackson led the Ravens on that final touchdown drive.

Thanks to Andrews’ blooper on the game-tying play, Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich can posture as self-destruction wasn’t the primary reason the Bills escaped the Ravens.

Ravens HC John Harbaugh doesn’t have it better than anybody

Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh must have bad luck because his star players left him hanging vs. the Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional round

It’s unfair. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh gave his heart and soul to his team this season. After watching men leave, Harbaugh built an impeccable coaching staff, acquired running back Derrick Henry, and began fostering unity within the team locker room. However, thanks to pure bad luck, his star players let him down in the pivotal moments of the AFC Divisional Round.



Fumbles, dropped passes, an interception, and failed red-zone attempts all featured as ingredients to the team’s debacle yesterday. Harbaugh’s annoyance could be easily detected in his sideline interview with CBS before the third quarter. The Ravens didn’t just fail on one two-point conversion, but they also failed sequentially.

 




Tight-end Mark Andrews straight-up dropped the game-tying two-point conversion try, and it’s beyond confusing as to how. How does Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott shake Harbaugh’s hand knowing that the Ravens basically handed him the game?

Ultimately, Harbaugh’s heavenly faith will help him persevere through the misfortune and remain optimistic. Still, these catastrophic unfavorable happenings continue to prevent the auspicious fate that would yield the Ravens another chance at a Super Bowl title.