Ravens slipping further with each 2-point failure

Updated Dec. 19, 2021 9:38 p.m. ET
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — In the past three weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have gone for three big 2-point conversions.

If they'd converted any of them, they might be in a much safer spot right now in the playoff chase.

Instead, coach John Harbaugh and his team were left to lament another missed opportunity at the end of

“I felt good about it. I thought we had a good play,” Harbaugh said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Ravens have lost three straight. Two weekends ago, they went for 2 with 12 seconds left and failed, so they lost at Pittsburgh 20-19.

Last weekend, Baltimore trailed by 15 at Cleveland, meaning the Ravens needed two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion to tie. They got the touchdowns but missed a 2-pointer after the first TD. Final score: 24-22, Browns.

On Sunday, Baltimore trailed 31-17 in the final quarter. Huntley — playing in place of an injured Lamar Jackson — scored on a 3-yard run with 4:47 remaining.

There's a school of thought that says that would have been the opportune time to go for 2. If successful, the Ravens would have trailed by six and would have been on track to win in regulation with another touchdown. If unsuccessful, they'd have been down eight — still with a chance to get to overtime.

But Baltimore kicked the extra point to pull within seven. Then Huntley led another pulsating drive and ran for an 8-yard TD.

The Ravens lined up to go for 2.

“That's what I anticipated. That's what we anticipated as a coaching staff,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “Sure enough, they did it.”

After lining up, Baltimore then called timeout. Then the Ravens came back out and went for it.

“I think people that second-guess that are wrong,” tight end Mark Andrews said. “I think that was the right thing to do.”

The pass from Huntley toward Andrews — who had 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns — was incomplete.

“He had space for a moment," Huntley said. “The defense, they just did a good job of just going down, and they just made a good play right there.”

Baltimore fell into a first-place tie with Cincinnati in the AFC North.

___

Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

share