In an NFL season opened that with Nathaniel Hackett's misadventure in the final seconds, coaching during clutch situations could define the year.
John Harbaugh is in his 15th season coaching the Baltimore Ravens, and he has developed a reputation as one of the league’s best tacticians in pivotal moments. But even for him, the pressure during close games takes on a nearly physical manifestation. When the sideline tenses and the stadium erupts and the play clock ticks and the voices crackle in his headset and he considers his next move, he can feel the weight.“Everybody’s effort is on your shoulders,” Harbaugh said.
Head coaches operate with more information than ever before, as publicly available statistical analysis has drastically shifted how they operate. Coaches must synthesize all the insights gleaned from beefed-up analytics departments, and though the spread of information has allowed for smarter decisions, it’s also made those decisions more scrutinized and, at times, difficult to act upon.
“I know the analytics people would like to tell you they can measure everything, but they can’t measure exactly how the game is going, or the circumstances, or the emotions, or the feel of the stadium or just luck,” Harbaugh said. “In the end, you just to try make the decision that gives yourself the best chance to win. I always go back to this: Do I think it’s going to work?”
“There is a lot of that you try to retain and remember,” Rivera said. “When all heck is breaking loose — you got a couple players missing, momentum swinging, all that kind of stuff — you’ve got to do it.”During games, Rivera can press an intercom button on his headset to access those coaches and Drewry for input on whether to punt or go for it, to kick or go for two, to call timeout or save it.
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