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Baltimore Ravens: The case for and against firing John Harbaugh

By Chris Schisler

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens looks on in the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 31: Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens looks on in the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 23: Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens runs off the field after the Baltimore Ravens 23-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – DECEMBER 23: Head Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens runs off the field after the Baltimore Ravens 23-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium on December 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The argument against firing Harbaugh:

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Whatever you think about Harbaugh, you have to admit that it can get worse than him. Harbaugh has only had one losing season (2015). If the worst you typically get with Harbaugh is an 8-8 record, it’s not the end of the world. Hiring the wrong coach could set the Ravens backwards. There is something to be said for continuity. Keeping Harbaugh would allow the Ravens to build towards next season. Starting over can be exciting but the other side of that coin is that it can be downright horrifying.

Learn from it, and build:

The Ravens went 9-7. They are a few pieces away from being contenders, however they are not a lost cause. The Ravens aren’t a team with no hope towards the future. They have a lot of good pieces on defense set in place. With an offseason focused on fixing the offensive firepower, Baltimore could see a winner in 2018. The Ravens have to make changes. It would be hard to find anyone who wouldn’t like to see Harbaugh change his coordinators. Harbaugh needs to make the necessary adjustments to the coaching staff but him leaving town isn’t needed. When things hit the fan this year, Harbaugh kept the team together. From a leadership standpoint Harbaugh looks strong.

Next: Ravens miss postseason after embarrassing loss

The Ravens are in a tough spot and it’s hard to envy the decision that Steve Bisciotti has to make. Make no mistake about it, Harbaugh put himself in this situation. If the Ravens had gone to the playoffs, he would be off the hook no matter what the result was. With a lot of recent failure piling up, Bisciotti must at least consider firing Harbaugh. I could see the franchise going either way, there really is an argument on both sides of this conversation.

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