The Baltimore Ravens cause a stir with their last play in their victory in Denver. Head coach John Harbaugh explains the thoroughly risky playcalling: an NFL record from their arch nemesis is the motivation.

Munich – The ultimate goal of every NFL team is to win games. Records are a secondary matter for the time being. Being able to call a record your own is nice, but not decisive.

Unless, of course, it is the record of one’s nemesis.

The quest for the satisfaction of beating one’s worst rival is such a motivation for some that the usual behaviour in certain situations is thrown overboard. That decisions are made that would never be made under normal circumstances.

Ravens chase Steelers record

The Pittsburgh Steelers held the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards – 43 in all, between 1974 and 1977 – before Game 4 in 2021.

The Baltimore Ravens, nemesis of the Steelers in the AFC North, stood at 42 before game day, and 97 rushing yards with three seconds left in the game at the Denver Broncos (go to highlights).

Baltimore had just taken the ball from Denver with an interception, and the game had long been decided at 23:7 for the Ravens. The normal procedure in this situation: Victory formation, kneel, let the clock run out, win.

But of course the Ravens knew about their arch-rival’s record. And how close they are to breaking it. So kneeling was not an option.

Harbaugh: “100 percent my decision “

Especially not for the head coach. “It’s one of those things that really means something. As a head coach, you have to think about your players and coaches and how much it (the record, editor’s note) means to them,” John Harbaugh explained after the game.

So it was “100 percent” his decision when the Ravens did not kneel in the safe backfield, but Lamar Jackson sacrificed himself and rushed one last time against the force of nature called Von Miller and his colleagues – and ran for five more yards.

102 rushing yards. 43 straight games with more than 100. record set.

Baltimore can own the record alone next week, when the Ravens face the Indianapolis Colts in the Monday Night Game. It’s likely Harbaugh will do everything he can to put his franchise quarterback in unnecessarily risky situations, too, if he has to.

To get one over on your nemesis beats everything.