OWINGS MILLS – Offensive coordinator Todd Monken took accountability for the Ravens’ performance in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
While not getting into specifics, Monken acknowledged on Thursday that the offense fell short in several areas in the 17-10 loss at home.
Baltimore had the league’s No. 1 rushing attack in the regular season, but Monken abandoned the run in a game in which the Chiefs didn’t score in the second half.. The Ravens ran the ball only 16 times — eight by quarterback Lamar Jackson — for 81 yards against a Chiefs team that allowed 182 yards rushing the previous week to the Buffalo Bills.
The running backs received six carries — three each for Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
The failure to commit to the run has been a talking point throughout the offseason.
Speaking to the Ravens’ local media for the first time since that game, Monken understood the criticism.
“I’m just saying in general, we needed to run the ball better, and we didn’t,” Monken said after Thursday’s Organized Team Activities. “That’s a fact. We didn’t. You can’t control the game if you can’t run the football and then not execute at a high level when it presents itself. There were moments in the game we did, but not enough. [In the] second half, we needed to run the ball better, but we did give ourselves an opportunity in the second half.
“Looking at it, that I don’t regret, because we did give ourselves a chance in the second half. We got down in the red zone. We did move [the ball], but we have to run the ball better, we have to attack them the way we had planned to attack them, and I have to do a better job. That’s the way it is. That’s what I’m paid to do, and that is do it against the best when it counts. That’s it.”
The Ravens signed four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry to a multi-year deal in March. Presumably, the Ravens will be more aggressive with their ground game against Kansas City, the defending Super Bowl champions, in the regular-season opener on September 5th.
Henry should get plenty of carries this season, but Monken said he will rotate the running backs to ensure they stay fresh and healthy.
“Well, I know this: If [Derrick Henry] carries it 300 times, we’re having a hell of a year. I can tell you that,” Monken said. “It means we’re running it a lot. It means we’re up in games. We want him to finish, [and] we want him to be the closer. First and foremost, like every player, we want him to make it through the season. It’s a long season – 17 games. … but I still anticipate the same – of using all of our backs [and] trying to put them in the best position to be successful.”