Baltimore Ravens: Consistency at the Top Is Key
The Baltimore Ravens Have A Winning Formula
If twenty years of Ravens’ football has taught us anything, Ozzie Newsome knows how to run the front office. Newsome brings consistency at the top of the Baltimore Ravens since the very beginning. His continued success and longevity at the position over shadows another top position within the organization.
Related Story: Why The Steelers Should Fear The Ravens
Among all franchises, only the Pittsburgh Steelers have had fewer head coaches (2) than the Ravens (3) in the past twenty years. Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick, and current head coach John Harbaugh are the only head coaches in Ravens’ history. The AFC rivals have both won two Super Bowls in that time period.
Baltimore’s first three seasons failed to deliver results that the city craved after losing the beloved Colts thirteen years earlier. Marchibroda lead the team to a meager 16-31-1 record leading to his dismissal from the team.
Brian Billick’s hiring brought back the excitement in Baltimore football. The former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator came to the Ravens following a record setting season. The Vikings offense scored the most points in NFL history in 1998. Billick’s second season with the Ravens resulted in the Ravens’ first Super Bowl win. He continued with the Ravens for seven more years making the playoffs three more times.
Although he was only the head coach of the Ravens, Billick’s eye for coaching talent led to an impressive coaching tree including Marvin Lewis, Rex Ryan, Mike Nolan and Jack Del Rio. Billick never managed to bring the offensive success he had in Minnesota to Baltimore, but he changed his scheme to fit the talent on the roster. Instead of the passing attack he was known for, Billick ran the ball more (including Jamal Lewis’s 2066 yard season) and relied on one of the greatest defenses ever assembled.
After Billick, John Harbaugh continued the winning ways with six playoff appearances in eight years, including a Super Bowl victory. Harbaugh looks to break Billick’s team record of 80 career wins as he currently has 77.
Consistency at head coach leads to championships. Over the past twenty seasons, seventeen Super Bowl winning teams have had five head coaches or less during that time. Only the Colts (6 coaches), Saints (6 coaches), and the Rams (8 coaches) won the big game with a higher level of coaching instability.
Next: Joe Flacco Named Fourth Best Raven Ever
In an era of win now or you are fired, maybe teams like the Raiders (12 coaches) and Dolphins (Adam Gase makes 10) will learn to follow the example of the Ravens and the Steelers.