Often times in the NFL, coaches can overthink themselves and not learn from the peers around them, perhaps thinking they can outsmart what is right in front of them. It was a painful reminder for Baltimore Ravens fans everywhere that sometimes you should stick with the obvious, if the obvious works. In a heart breaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and this Ravens offense decided to stray away from their biggest strength and the Chiefs’ biggest weakness.
Just last weekend we saw the Buffalo Bills pound the rock directly down the gullet of Kansas City to the tune of 192 yards on 39 carries. While the Bills of course did not ultimately win the game, it was a brilliant yet simplistic strategy that may have been one missed kick away from working. There is little doubt the Baltimore offensive coaching staff watched that game and saw what the Chiefs did and did not do well against Buffalo, so it leaves a bit of a head scratcher as to why one of the best running games in the NFL was suddenly turned away from on the biggest stage.
Gus Edwards absolutely BODIED this guy on the Ravens sideline pic.twitter.com/BW5FAIc4FH
— BetMGM đŚ (@BetMGM) January 28, 2024
The Ravens were third in offensive rush efficiency on the year and yet only ended up running the ball eighteen times in a game that was never really out of hand at any point. The Chiefs on the year were giving up 4.5 yards a run and were clearly susceptible to a running attack, even if they were paying extra attention to the running game it’s still an area you needed to attack.
It truly becomes head-scratching as to why the Ravens didn’t hand the ball off more to Gus Edwards who averaged 6.7 yards on his three carries or dialed up more designed quarterback runs. It’s a sobering reminder that sometimes the answers are right in front of you, and to go into a game with a different set of ideas than the obvious can lead to a game getting away from you.