Why is Ravens’ John Harbaugh our knucklehead of the week?

December 17, 2012

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Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, shown here reacting during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium, is Knucklehead of the Week.(Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

After Baltimore coach fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, Ravens still looked just as bad on offense
The NFL has decided not to fine players, like Giants WR Victor Cruz, who used their uniforms for Newtown tributes
With games remaining against the Steelers and Ravens, the Bengals can leapfrog to the top of the AFC North

Who is John Harbaugh going to fire this week?

In the wake of an overtime loss last week to the Washington Redskins — a game in which the Baltimore Ravens defense allowed a rookie backup quarterback to throw for a touchdown and run for the game-tying two-point conversion — the Ravens head coach fired his offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron.

Right, the offensive coordinator, not the guy running the defense — a unit that also had been beaten by than older-than-Field Turf Charlie Batch, another backup quarterback, in Week 13.

Firing Cameron was a difficult decision, Harbaugh said last week, as he handed over play-calling duties to Jim Caldwell, a former NFL head coach, who, despite being Peyton Manning’s position coach for most of a decade, never actually called plays.

So what did this move, which smelled of desperation, yield?

Not much.

And that’s why Harbaugh is our knucklehead of the week.

BUY OR SELL: Are we cheering on Dallas?^[1]

Sunday, in a 34-17 loss to the Denver Broncos, the coordinator switch didn’t mean more carries for Ray Rice, who rushed only 12 times — eight fewer times than last week against the Redskins. Rice had only 38 yards against the Broncos, and the Ravens rushed for just 56 yards overall.

The switch also didn’t mean smarter play from quarterback Joe Flacco, who lost a fumble on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter and threw an interception at the 2-yard line with only 30 seconds left in the first half that was returned for a 98-yard touchdown.

“We’re a 9-5 football team, and we feel like we’re 0-14 right now,” Flacco said.

Flacco chased Denver cornerback Chris Harris all the way to the opposite end zone. It was a valiant effort to chase down a defensive back, but the lasting image of Sunday’s game will be of Flacco, face down on the grass, a boo-boo on his chin.

And Harbaugh bristled when questioned about the fruitless coordinator change: “It’s not about that.”

Well, actually it is. Harbaugh has made it about that. But the past three weeks — and particularly Sunday, when Baltimore players admitted they were embarrassed — have revealed issues for the Ravens that a midweek coaching change can’t fix.

But if you’re defensive coordinator Dean Pees, can you be sleeping well this week?

The Ravens still lead the AFC North and clinched a playoff spot Sunday with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss in Dallas to the Cowboys. It’s hardly a desperate situation. So, hopefully, Harbaugh will save the desperate moves for later. Like, say, the offseason.

Game balls

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: Maybe we wrote off the Falcons, and their quarterback, too soon. A week after losing to the Carolina Panthers, Ryan and the Falcons gave a reminder of why they should still be considered a favorite to win the NFC. Ryan threw three touchdowns while breaking franchise records for passing yards and completions in a 34-0 rout of the New York Giants.

Victor Cruz, Giants: The wide receiver wrote a personal message to Jack Pinto, a 6-year-old victim of Friday’s shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. In black marker, Cruz wrote Pinto’s name and the words “my hero” on the toes of his cleats to honor a little boy whom Cruz learned had been a Giants fan. Many athletes paid tribute to Newtown and the shooting victims this weekend, but none did it in a more personal way than Cruz.

TEARFUL TRIBUTE: Cruz fights back tears for his ‘hero’^[2]

NFL fine czars: The league, which usually fines players for uniform tampering, rightly said it will look the other way for Cruz and others honoring the victims. It’s the correct call.

Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: The rookie quarterback was responsible for four touchdowns Sunday against the Buffalo Bills — in the first half. No player in NFL history had ever rushed for three touchdowns and thrown another in the first half of a game. In leading Seattle to yet another 50-point game, Wilson doesn’t just deserve to be in the rookie of the year conversation, he deserves to be dominating it.

Offensive player of the week

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings: Look out, Eric Dickerson. Peterson’s amazing comeback from ACL surgery for an injury suffered 51 weeks ago continued with a performance Sunday so impressive that he deserves serious MVP consideration. Peterson rushed for 212 yards against the St. Louis Rams, including an early 82-yard touchdown. He now needs only 188 yards in two weeks to reach 2,000 yards, and 294 to break Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105.

Defensive player of the week

J.J. Watt, Houston Texans: A week after being stifled by the New England Patriots, the second-year defensive end sacked Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck three times in leading the Texans to the AFC South title. Watt now has eight sacks in the last four games to bring his season total to 19.5. He also forced a fumble against the Colts.

MY FAULT: Roethlisberger accepts blame ^[3]

Special teams player of the week

Dan Bailey, Cowboys: Head coach Jason Garrett decided not to let his kicker try a 60-yard field goal with about 30 seconds remaining Sunday in a tie game against Pittsburgh. Bailey wound up with a chance to hit the game-winner in overtime anyway. For the second straight week, Bailey nailed his opportunity for a walk-off winner, this time from only 21 yards. Earlier Sunday, he hit a 50-yarder. It’s just the type of clutch performance the Cowboys need as they try to secure one of the NFC’s remaining playoff spots.

Unsung hero

Chris Harris, Broncos: Sure, Peyton Manning deserves much of the credit for the Broncos’ nine-game winning streak. But over the course of the past two months, the Broncos defense has routinely made game-changing plays, none more so than second-year cornerback Chris Harris, who made his first start this season nine weeks ago — yes, the same week Denver’s streak started. With the final minute ticking off the clock in the first half, it would have made sense for Baltimore to spike the ball with a first-and-goal at the 4. Joe Flacco tried to rush the Broncos instead, and Harris, undrafted out of Kansas in 2011, jumped in front of a pass intended for Anquan Boldin and ran 98 yards in front of the Broncos’ sideline for a touchdown that gave Denver a 17-0 lead in their biggest statement win of the season.

WHAT WE LEARNED: Kirk Cousins might start in 2013 ^[4]

Major disappointment

Statement Sunday: Where were all the great games we were promised in Week 15? Despite so many matchups that looked fantastic on paper, fans were left with lopsided game after lopsided game. Three teams were shut out — the Giants (34-0 by the Falcons), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (41-0 by New Orleans) and the Kansas City Chiefs (15-0 by the Oakland Raiders) — and only two of Sunday’s afternoon games were decided by fewer than 10 points.

Major funk

Chicago Bears: Remember when they were 7-1? Since that hot start, the Bears have lost five of their past six games. Not only did they have to watch the Green Bay Packers win the NFC North at Soldier Field on Sunday, the Bears are no longer even alone in second place in the division. Chicago’s defense is thinned by injuries, and the offense has managed to score only one touchdown in each of the last two games. If the Bears fail to make the playoffs — and right now, they’re on the outside looking in — head coach Lovie Smith could find himself without a job.

They must step up this week …

Eli Manning, Giants: If the reigning champions are going to find a way to break free of three-way logjam atop the NFC East, they will need much more from Manning, who threw for only 161 yards Sunday, his second-lowest total of the season. Manning also threw two interceptions.

Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis: Suggs returned from a biceps injury Sunday against the Broncos, but made only one tackle. Lewis, despite targeting the Broncos game for making his return from a torn triceps, has yet to be elevated to the 53-man roster from the short-term injured reserve list. With the Ravens offense still struggling, Baltimore desperately needs two of its defensive stars not only play but to play well to secure a playoff spot.

Cincinnati Bengals: What a chance this is for the Bengals. Cincinnati (8-6) has won three of its past four games, good enough to overtake the Steelers for second place in the AFC North. The Bengals trail Baltimore by only a game. It just so happens that the Bengals’ final two games are against the Steelers and Ravens. If the Bengals can survive, they will most certainly deserve whatever playoff spot they would earn.

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