OTL: Will We See Accountability or Scapegoating?

In an ideal team environment, successes and failures are shared equally across the board. You’ll hear it from any coach or leader at any level of your team sports: “We win as a team, or we lose as a team.”

But that’s what happens in an ideal environment, which is far from what Baltimore’s had this season.

Shannon Sharpe calls for John Harbaugh’s job. Patriots linebacker exposes Ravens’ reputation. Zay Flowers’ surprising reaction. Lamar Jackson update. Derrick Henry reaction. More. https://t.co/ACbAAecfyi

— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) December 22, 2025

The NFL is a business, and a results-based one at that. When things go badly in a business environment, the natural instinct when someone tries to save themself is to look for someone else to blame. Over the next few weeks, you’re going to hear some things from inside the organization that are going to sound like accountability…

Harbaugh said his job is to work with Zay Flowers to get him beyond these fumbling issues. He said Flowers works too hard and is too talented to dismiss based on the fumbling problems.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 22, 2025

…but that are going to cast a thin veil over efforts to pass the buck and scapegoat responsibility to others.

Harbaugh said that RB coach Willie Taggart and Derrick Henry discussed starting the series with Keaton Mitchell.
Harbaugh said he should have interceded and said put Henry in the game, but that’s tough to do in real time.

— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) December 22, 2025

John Harbaugh on Rashod Bateman, who didn’t have a catch Sunday: “He deserves the ball more, there’s no doubt.”

Harbaugh said he was impressed with Bateman’s blocking and route running. The ball just didn’t find him.

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) December 22, 2025

As coaches become more senior in their tenure, their job becomes less x’s and o’s and more political. A coaching staff with seniority allows you to delegate trusted coordinators and position coaches, and the head coach enjoys the fruits of their labor while simultaneously being insulated at least one layer away from the blame. As long as the messaging is believable, maybe the buck stops at that level… until the fanbase hears the same schtick repeatedly and gets wise.

I’ll grant you that, in cases like Greg Roman’s dismissal, there was plenty of individual responsibility on Roman and his infamous unseen “vault” of play calls, but his dismissal belayed the blame of placing accountability for why his offense was allowed to continue to be ineffective. Todd Monken has taken a lot of flak this season, but the blame shouldn’t, and doesn’t, fall squarely on him.

Derrick Henry didnt see another touch after scoring a TD to put the Ravens up 24-13 in the 4th quarter… John Harbaugh’s explantion was lacking so we asked NFL Analyst @mikegolicjr his thoughts: “The HC is ultimately judge, jury and executioner… it’s tough to stomach” pic.twitter.com/jQe830kaQD

— Glenn Clark (@GlennClarkRadio) December 22, 2025

Part of the reason I hammer this point is because, as the fanbase continues to discuss the end of what has been a vastly disappointing season, many of us are operating under the assumption that everyone will be held to task for the failures, but I have this creeping fear in my gut that it’s not going to be the satisfying house-cleaning that we all may hope. Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta and John Harbaugh are all close, both professionally and personally. Many of you have likely seen the pictures of Harbaugh and EDC talking over the fence they share between their back yards. While some franchises can be hasty in terminating personnel, this one has a track record of hanging onto them way longer than their shelf lives, and I worry that the discussion of position coaches or ineffective play might cause the wrong people to be shielded.

So, what’s the solution?

This is one of the few places that I feel like the fanbase can directly impact the team and their future, because I promise you that the ownership group sees the discourse online. No amount of “winning or losing as a team” or historical camaraderie takes away an owner’s fear of a lack of butts in seats or orders as the team store. If the idea of maintaining the status quo is unconscionable to you, keep saying so in every way you possibly can.

Things that need to be worked on this off season…

-Coaching staff
-Ball security
-Running straight after catching the ball
-Both O line and D Line
-Pass Rush #RavensFlock

— ð™•ð™–ð™˜ð™® (@NewEraZach) December 22, 2025

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