Did Harbaugh Call Timeout Too Quickly?

[Billsatlastin2018]

3 hours ago, The Cincinnati Kid said:

The Ravens should have gone for the 4th and 3. 

They had 3 timeouts, so even if they don’t get the 1st down, and Buffalo takes over, the Bills mindset is run clock and kick the FG. So, after the Bills force the Ravens to use all 3 timeouts, there is still about the same amount of time that Josh had and zero timeouts to get into FG range. 
 

In that scenario, you absolutely trust your Hall of Fame backfield and if they get stuffed you still get another swing at it.

The game is on the line then.

 

You CANNOT give the ball back to 2 QBs named Allen or Mahomes! You must go for it and you must think more carefully about the first 2 downs- like roll outs by Jackson.

, 

[MJS]

If he didn't call a time out, the Bills could have snapped it and spiked it to stop the clock at the time they preferred.

[Rocky Landing]

Out-coached.

[BADOLBILZ]

5 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

I don't really think harbaugh had any choice and I'm sure McDermott was ready for every situation 

 

As soon as Coleman fell down.. I knew we had the game iced

 

The kicking team was probably ready if he didn't call a timeout to run out there but harbaugh has too Call them 

 

If harbaugh holds on to them Allen can stop the clock with a spike at any time

 

 

The kicking team was ready after the first timeout.   They were all gathered along the sideline ready to go on.   Didn't help Deone Walker much as he blew his blocking assignment on the kick.......but they were ready.   I would think he won't be on that team next week after giving Hamilton a free run at that kick. 

[JoshAllin]

3 hours ago, Scott7975 said:

 

Not me. It would take some fluke. I know flukes happen but I still don't worry about them.

Bills pulled it off at 0.9%, after calculating the odds, 15secs no timeout, a 3% shot for baltimore was still a real thing. With the ways things were playing out  it'd be another who gets ball last

Edited September 10 by JoshAllin

[Da webster guy]

All i know is you could tell McDermott was getting heavy instructions in his headset which made me feel better.   He's proven over and over again that he needs assistance in these types of thinking man's situations and he got the proper direction from up above.   All those years Sean providing assistance and guidance to players and we never gave the guy the help he needed to manage clock properly, challenge calls, and strategize in the heat of battle at the end of the 1st half and the 4th quarter.

 

Somewhere up in the booth with all the OC's is an egghead with Tony Romo type clock/scenario processing in his head and chat gpt on this laptop laying out optimal time management plans on the fly.  I guarantee it.

 

Granted the special teams unit allowed a free rusher (Hamilton, possibly the best athlete on the field) but the ghosts of Rich Stadium still have some magic powers left and somehow he missed the block.   Even ol McD and his special teams coach couldn't keep us from winning this one.

[Da webster guy]

6 hours ago, mathja said:

Not quite on topic, but I’ve watched the replay of the field goal a bunch of times and I think it was Kyle Hamilton that almost got through and blocked it. He was visibly upset because he literally just missed it. I can’t believe how unblocked he was.

Our special teams has been a disaster as long as McD has been here.   I wasn't surprised at all.   We struggle just to get 11 guys on the field, many times its 10 or 12 guys.   

 

It WAS Hamilton, and it should have been a block and the Bills lose.    But we got lucky, which is just as good as being well coached.

[Scott7975]

2 hours ago, JoshAllin said:

Bills pulled it off at 0.9%, after calculating the odds, 15secs no timeout, a 3% shot for baltimore was still a real thing. With the ways things were playing out  it'd be another who gets ball last

 

Im not talking about odds. The Bills pulled the comeback for a few reasons. Coleman clutch TD catch off the tip ball. Allen is the best QB in football. Oliver with the clutch knockout and causing Henry fumble. Most of that just comes down to excellent football plays.

 

For the Ravens to win the game with 10 seconds and no timeouts it would have to be a blessing from God. Barring a penalty, the Ravens would have 1 play to get in field goal range in 10 seconds and be fast enough to get to the line to spike the ball, assuming the refs even spot it in time. That is almost impossible. Even for Mahomes and the Chiefs. Even the 13 second game, they had and needed TOs.

 

I know people want to make this a thing but it really isnt. The Bills had many options to counter Harbaugh not calling a TO or waiting till the clock ticked down.

Edited September 10 by Scott7975

[djp14150]

7 hours ago, Last Guy on the Bench said:

Heard an interesting point from a Dolphins fan (I was watching a reaction video and enjoying their crushing disbelief). At the end of the game, when the Bills were just downing it, forcing the Ravens to use up their timeouts so the Bills could kick with no time left, Harbaugh could have forced them into more of a scramble drill. After the 2nd Down knee, Harbaugh uses his last timeout right away at 32 seconds. The Bills can now down it one more time and than have a relatively leisurely half minute to get the kicking team out there, which is what happened. Instead, Harbaugh could have let the clock run down a bit to maybe 15 seconds or so. Then the Bills have much less time after the knee to get the field goal team in place. They could still do it, but it would be rushed.

 

In fact, he could have caused quite a panic even before that - the Bills are expecting the timeout there, but was the FG team ready to run on if Harbaugh didn't call time out at all? If he just let the clock run. Even if they do react well and run out there in good order while the clock is ticking, Harbaugh can still call his time out with enough on the clock that they don't want to kick on third down, so they have to go through the condensed knee/switch units deal. Maybe they decide to just kick on third down with 15 seconds left, rather than risk it, but then the Ravens at least get a kickoff and Hail Mary.

 

Anyway, thought that was interesting, from a very depressed Dolphins fan. Sorry if this was already discussed. I tried to read everything, but may have missed it.

Remember on 1st down they had only 2 time outs left. Buffalo runs 3 plays then kick it.  They could have just run it to 3 seconds snd spike the ball stopping the clock.

[mannc]

On 9/9/2025 at 7:48 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

The kicking team was ready after the first timeout.   They were all gathered along the sideline ready to go on.   Didn't help Deone Walker much as he blew his blocking assignment on the kick.......but they were ready.   I would think he won't be on that team next week after giving Hamilton a free run at that kick. 

Jerry Ostroski said that giving Hamilton a free run was not Walker’s fault, but the guy inside him (can’t remember who it was).  I’m skeptical…

[SF Bills Fan]

This is an interesting point. I’m glad it went the way it did otherwise I think we’d have had to spike it which would stop the clock. Then, after the kick there would have been time, though short, for the Ravens. With the kickoff rules it would have been scary. It seems like getting to 50 is more attainable. 1 pass and they are kicking a 60 yarder. 

[Turbo44]

36 minutes ago, mannc said:

Jerry Ostroski said that giving Hamilton a free run was not Walker’s fault, but the guy inside him (can’t remember who it was).  I’m skeptical…

Correct - John Fina explained it well. Walkers responsibility is to put his leg out in Hamilton’s want and hit the outside guy with his arm. The TE next to Walker screwed up (probably the rookie). Hamilton is forced to jump over walkers leg (which he did) and Dawes simply had to hit him with his arm, a she’s off balance and this stops the outside rusher. Dawes didn’t do this and got a free run at the kick, fortunately prater hit the kick well getting up super fast and super high 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

48 minutes ago, mannc said:

Jerry Ostroski said that giving Hamilton a free run was not Walker’s fault, but the guy inside him (can’t remember who it was).  I’m skeptical…

 

I mean... You can't not touch the guy on the edge either so It wouldn't shock me if it wasn't walkers fault.  

[Billsatlastin2018]

On 9/9/2025 at 5:25 PM, Last Guy on the Bench said:

Heard an interesting point from a Dolphins fan (I was watching a reaction video and enjoying their crushing disbelief). At the end of the game, when the Bills were just downing it, forcing the Ravens to use up their timeouts so the Bills could kick with no time left, Harbaugh could have forced them into more of a scramble drill. After the 2nd Down knee, Harbaugh uses his last timeout right away at 32 seconds. The Bills can now down it one more time and than have a relatively leisurely half minute to get the kicking team out there, which is what happened. Instead, Harbaugh could have let the clock run down a bit to maybe 15 seconds or so. Then the Bills have much less time after the knee to get the field goal team in place. They could still do it, but it would be rushed.

 

In fact, he could have caused quite a panic even before that - the Bills are expecting the timeout there, but was the FG team ready to run on if Harbaugh didn't call time out at all? If he just let the clock run. Even if they do react well and run out there in good order while the clock is ticking, Harbaugh can still call his time out with enough on the clock that they don't want to kick on third down, so they have to go through the condensed knee/switch units deal. Maybe they decide to just kick on third down with 15 seconds left, rather than risk it, but then the Ravens at least get a kickoff and Hail Mary.

 

Anyway, thought that was interesting, from a very depressed Dolphins fan. Sorry if this was already discussed. I tried to read everything, but may have missed it.

THIS is an interesting take. Bills fans criticize McD from learning from the mistakes of the past. As do Ravens fans about Harbaugh. Oddly enough, Harbaugh has been through almost the identical scenario before v.s. the Bills.

 

THIS ONE.

“In their 2022 regular season matchup, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Baltimore Ravens 23–20 on a last-second field goal

. The game was played on October 2, 2022, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. 

Details of the game-winning play:

The kick: With the game tied at 20, Bills kicker Tyler Bass made a 21-yard field goal as time expired to secure the victory.

Final possession: The game-winning drive was set up by a key defensive stop, when the Bills stopped the Ravens on a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line with just 4:15 remaining in the game.

The drive: From there, Bills quarterback Josh Allen led a 12-play, 77-yard drive that ultimately set up Bass's game-winning kick. “

So knowing that, Harbaugh failed to calculate in the moment- a bit. However, if he drained the clock down to a few ticks, then McD would have had the better option. Kick the winning FG from a STOPPED TO clock!

 

[Mat68]

On 9/9/2025 at 5:25 PM, Last Guy on the Bench said:

Heard an interesting point from a Dolphins fan (I was watching a reaction video and enjoying their crushing disbelief). At the end of the game, when the Bills were just downing it, forcing the Ravens to use up their timeouts so the Bills could kick with no time left, Harbaugh could have forced them into more of a scramble drill. After the 2nd Down knee, Harbaugh uses his last timeout right away at 32 seconds. The Bills can now down it one more time and than have a relatively leisurely half minute to get the kicking team out there, which is what happened. Instead, Harbaugh could have let the clock run down a bit to maybe 15 seconds or so. Then the Bills have much less time after the knee to get the field goal team in place. They could still do it, but it would be rushed.

 

In fact, he could have caused quite a panic even before that - the Bills are expecting the timeout there, but was the FG team ready to run on if Harbaugh didn't call time out at all? If he just let the clock run. Even if they do react well and run out there in good order while the clock is ticking, Harbaugh can still call his time out with enough on the clock that they don't want to kick on third down, so they have to go through the condensed knee/switch units deal. Maybe they decide to just kick on third down with 15 seconds left, rather than risk it, but then the Ravens at least get a kickoff and Hail Mary.

 

Anyway, thought that was interesting, from a very depressed Dolphins fan. Sorry if this was already discussed. I tried to read everything, but may have missed it.

100%.  I thought holding the time out and seeing what they do is the play.  Adds more variants.  Also, worst case call it at 20 to 15 secs and it’s tight for a play and fire drill fg.  At 15 sec Mcdermott kicks a fg on 3rd down. 

[mannc]

25 minutes ago, Turbo44 said:

Correct - John Fina explained it well. Walkers responsibility is to put his leg out in Hamilton’s want and hit the outside guy with his arm. The TE next to Walker screwed up (probably the rookie). Hamilton is forced to jump over walkers leg (which he did) and Dawes simply had to hit him with his arm, a she’s off balance and this stops the outside rusher. Dawes didn’t do this and got a free run at the kick, fortunately prater hit the kick well getting up super fast and super high 

You’re right, it was Fina, not Ostroski.

[Mat68]

Now if I'm Buffalo and third down with 15 seconds I run 4 verticals and have Allen throw it to the 200 section to kill 7 secs.  

[Augie]

Isn’t this a thread for the Raven’s message board? Or do they not complain about their coach because he won a Super Bowl once a long time ago? 

[billsfan89]

On 9/9/2025 at 5:30 PM, Buffalo716 said:

I don't really think harbaugh had any choice and I'm sure McDermott was ready for every situation 

 

As soon as Coleman fell down.. I knew we had the game iced

 

The kicking team was probably ready if he didn't call a timeout to run out there but harbaugh has too Call them 

 

If harbaugh holds on to them Allen can stop the clock with a spike at any time

 

It was a crisp well coached ending to the game, the only issue was Walker missed a block and the kick was almost blocked. But the NFL does not operate on almost...

[May Day 10]

This is an interesting point that never occurred to me.

 

I wonder if the response is with 15 seconds left, let Allen drop way back, roll out, and sail one out of bounds, taking 6 seconds or so.

 

Then full play clock for the fg.