A situation that could have spiraled out of control in Baltimore has been quelled, thanks to Ravens coach John Harbaugh's understanding.
Eyebrows naturally raised Monday night when star linebacker Terrell Suggs questioned his team's offensive play-calling -- specifically why Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice had just eight carries -- in Baltimore's embarrassing 12-7 loss at Jacksonville.
Harbaugh, though, didn't take offense and acknowledged the obvious.
"You know, Terrell Suggs' heart is always in the right place, and he's a leader on our football team," Harbaugh said, according to the team's official website. "I listen to all of our guys, and definitely I listen to Terrell Suggs, especially with the way he's playing. And then, the things he says are right.
"But that's what we're trying to do. It's not like we're not trying to do the things he's talking about doing. So, I think we're all on the same page with that."
Harbaugh noted that he and Suggs particularly see eye to eye when it comes to Rice's touches.
"Eight carries is never going to be a winning formula for Ray Rice," Harbaugh said. "There is no doubt about it."
The fallout -- or lack thereof -- from Suggs' comments is pretty remarkable. What good ever comes out of players questioning their coaches' decisions? None, except that in this case, nothing bad came out of it, either. That Harbaugh has taken the high road definitely shows he's a solid veteran coach who knows his locker room well.
Now, if only the fans would stop complaining about the loss and Ravens players wouldn't criticize the officiating ...
