With Sunday’s game against the Bills tied at 20 midway through the fourth quarter, the Ravens elected to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line instead of kicking a field goal.
At the time of the snap, there was 4:15 left in the game. Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s interception in the end zone allowed the Bills to start from their own 20 instead of under the shadow of their goal post.
Head coach John Harbaugh said he made the call to go for it instead of kicking a field goal because he felt it gave Baltimore the best chance to win. Jackson said after the contest he was fine with his coach’s choice, too.
“If we had executed on third down, there wouldn’t have even been that question. Nobody would be disappointed,” Jackson said in his press conference. “Next time we’ll get it.”
After Jackson completed a pass to receiver Devin Duvernay on first down, the Ravens had second-and-goal at the 1. That’s when J.K. Dobbins was stopped for a 3-yard loss. And on third-and-goal, Jackson didn’t find a receiver and scrambled up the middle for a 2-yard gain.
So, the Ravens elected to go for it and once again Jackson couldn’t find anyone open and that led to the pick.
“Tall defensive lineman with his hands up,” Jackson said of his view on the fourth-down play. “I was trying to see around him to see where my guys were, but I saw Duvernay late. If I would have seen him right off the bat, that would have been a touchdown. The lineman had his hands up and was bull-rushing a little bit and got in my peripheral.
“So, I couldn’t really see what was going on and the play was breaking down. I tried to get back some more but it was too late.”
The Ravens are now 2-2 and have a significant divisional matchup against the Bengals in Week Five on Sunday Night Football.