Boomer Esiason: Rookie Coaching Cost the Ravens
By: Jim Williams
The Examiner
Baltimore
Monday night I listened to the Westwood One/CBS radio national radio broadcast of Ravens – Steelers game with Dave Simms and Boomer Esiason. Late in the first quarter Joe Flacco found Derrick Mason in the end zone for an apparent Ravens touchdown that would have put Baltimore on top 7-3…. Or not… The officials ruled that Mason was out of bounds and instead of the challenging the call Ravens head coach John Harbaugh let it go. The team tied the game at three on a Matt Stover 33 yard filed goal.
Esiason was quick to jump on the Ravens rookie head coach “How do you not challenge that call? I mean the replay shows that he [Mason] is in bounds or certainly close enough to make a challenge. This is where rookie coaches win and lose ball games.”
As the game neared halftime Esiason continued to wonder why Harbaugh did throw the red flag and make the challenge. “I am telling you that was a TD and the Ravens let it go, if Harbaugh did not see it someone on the staff had to see it and should have told him to throw the flag.”
At the half Esiason sought out the replay officials and as the third quarter began he told his broadcast partner [Dave] Simms: “I just talked to the replay officials about the Mason play and they told me that it clearly was a TD. The Ravens just left four points on the field and in a game like this one that kind of a mistake could cost them.”
As the Steelers won the game in overtime 23-20 on a Jeff Reed 46 yard field goal Esiason could not help but wonder if things might have been different if only Harbaugh would have thrown that red flag back in the second quarter. “You know this is a tough way to lose for the Ravens and I am not a person that thinks a game rest on a single play but you have wonder what this game would have been like if the Ravens challenge that call on the Mason catch.”
One last point and that was Esiason was very complimentary to Flacco who he called the Ravens true franchise QB who has the skills to be an elite signal caller if given the right teaching. He compared him to the Steelers Ben Rothenberger.
He also was pleased with the overall coaching of Harbaugh saying that he was impressed with the way the Ravens have responded to him and that he is a bright young coach. He just needs some help on when to throw that challenge flag.
