Harbaugh Out, Niners In: The Brutal Reality of NFL Wild Card Weekend
BALTIMORE — The NFL doesn’t do “graceful exits.” Just four days after a heartbreaking loss to the Steelers extinguished their season, the Baltimore Ravens pulled the plug on the John Harbaugh era. The decision ripples through a league currently bracing for a Wild Card weekend that feels more like a changing of the guard than a standard playoff slate.
While Baltimore navigates a fractured locker room and a search for a “modern offensive mind” to pair with Lamar Jackson, the rest of the AFC and NFC powerhouses are locked in. From the Eagles’ struggles with identity to the 49ers’ goal-line dominance, the stakes haven’t been this high in years.
The Fall of the Ravens and the “Loop” Miss
The writing hit the wall when Tyler Loop’s 44-yard attempt sailed wide right on Sunday night. That single miss didn’t just hand the AFC North to Pittsburgh; it ended an 18-year coaching tenure. Baltimore dropped three of its last four, with a defense that surrendered 28 points per game during the slide. Lamar Jackson was sacked five times in the finale, signaling a total system failure that owner Steve Bisciotti could no longer ignore.
| Team / Matchup | Key Stat to Watch |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | Ranked 23rd in short-yardage conversion rate. |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6th in goal-to-go defensive efficiency. |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Hosting Houston after a 26-24 clutch win. |
Eagles vs. 49ers: A Legacy on the Line
In Philly, the “post-Super Bowl angst” is reaching a fever pitch. Nick Sirianni’s squad looks nothing like the juggernaut of 2022. The biggest concern? The vaunted “tush push” has lost its teeth. The Eagles have plummeted to the bottom third of the league in 3rd-and-short situations. They now face a San Francisco unit that thrives in the red zone, forcing field goals at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL.
If the Eagles can’t win the trenches with Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens—both of whom are reportedly playing through significant injuries Kyle Shanahan’s offense will likely force a trailing script that Philly isn’t built to handle.
What They Said
“The organization felt the message had grown stale. The locker room was gone. Even Lamar Jackson seemed to have reached a breaking point.” — Ian Rapoport, NFL Network
“You won a Super Bowl and then you come back… there’s inevitably going to be some frustration. The devolving of the Eagles in 2025 is categorically different.” — Ben Solak, NFL Analyst
The Coaching Carousel: Titans and Cardinals
The Ravens aren’t the only ones looking for a spark. With the Titans and Cardinals also in the hunt, keep an eye on Kevin Stefanski as a potential fit in Tennessee to mold Cam Ward. Meanwhile, Clint Kubiak is the name to watch in Arizona. The Cardinals are expected to move on from the Kyler Murray era in 2026, seeking a young offensive mind to pair with a fresh quarterback from a thin but talented draft class.
As the Steelers prepare to host the Texans and Drake Maye leads the Patriots into the fray, the Ravens will watch from the couch for the first time in nearly a decade. The playoffs are here, and in the NFL, you’re either innovating or you’re unemployed.
Read More: nhanfl.com
