Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens

As the Baltimore Ravens’ 2024 season hit a critical midpoint, offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s playcalling has become a flashpoint for fan frustration—sparking heated debates on social media, local sports talk radio, and fan forums. What began as scattered criticism over a few questionable decisions has escalated into widespread outrage, with fans pointing to Monken’s tactics as a key factor in the Ravens’ recent losses to divisional rivals like the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations and a star-studded offense led by Lamar Jackson, the perceived missteps in playcalling have left fans questioning whether Monken’s strategy is holding the team back. Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens explores the specific controversial plays that fueled the anger, fan reactions across platforms, criticisms of tactical rigidity, impacts on offensive performance, and the Ravens’ coaching staff’s response to the backlash.

Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens opens with the defining moment that amplified fan frustration: the Ravens’ Week 14 loss to the Bengals, where a late-game playcall drew immediate backlash. With the Ravens trailing 27-24 and 1:30 left in the fourth quarter, facing fourth-and-3 at the Bengals’ 35-yard line, Monken called a deep pass to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.—a risky choice given the team’s success with short-yardage runs earlier in the game. The pass fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs and sealing the loss. Fans were quick to condemn the call, with many arguing Monken should have leaned on running back Keaton Mitchell (who had averaged 5.2 yards per carry that game) or used Jackson’s mobility to convert the short down. “We had the Bengals’ run defense on its heels all day, and Monken decides to throw a Hail Mary-type pass on fourth-and-3?” one fan tweeted. “That’s not just a bad call—it’s a failure to play to our strengths.” This moment followed other questionable decisions earlier in the season, including a Week 10 game against the Rams where Monken called 12 consecutive passing plays in the second half, despite the run game averaging 6 yards per carry.

Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens delves into the wave of fan reactions that flooded social media and local platforms in the aftermath of these controversial calls. On Twitter/X, the hashtag #FireMonken trended locally for two days after the Bengals loss, with over 20,000 tweets calling for the offensive coordinator’s job. Fan forums like r/Ravens and Ravens Flock saw threads with thousands of comments, with fans sharing video clips of Monken’s “worst calls” and debating alternative strategies. Local sports talk radio station 105.7 The Fan received hundreds of calls during its post-game show, with one caller saying, “Monken is wasting Lamar’s talent. We have the best running back duo in the league, but he’s obsessed with throwing the ball.” Even former Ravens players weighed in indirectly: ex-offensive lineman Marshal Yanda, now a TV analyst, noted on-air that “the playcalling needs to be more balanced—you can’t ignore what’s working.” The outrage wasn’t just about losing; it was about the perception that Monken’s decisions were avoidable and contradicted the team’s obvious strengths.

Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens covers the core criticism from fans and analysts alike: Monken’s perceived tactical rigidity and failure to adjust to in-game conditions. A common complaint is his overreliance on passing plays, even when the run game is dominant. Through the first 14 weeks, the Ravens rank 5th in the NFL in rushing yards per carry (4.8) but 18th in rushing attempt percentage (42%), with fans arguing Monken should lean more heavily on Mitchell and Gus Edwards. Another point of contention is his slow adjustment to opponent defenses: in the Week 12 loss to the Steelers, the Steelers shifted to a zone defense that neutralized the Ravens’ passing game—but Monken continued calling deep passes for three quarters before finally adjusting to short slants and screen plays. “Good playcallers adapt; Monken doubles down,” said local sports analyst John Eisenberg. For the Baltimore Ravens, this rigidity has tangible consequences: in games where Monken calls more than 60% passing plays, the Ravens are 2-4, compared to 7-1 when the run-pass split is more balanced (50-50 or better).

Another layer of Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens is the impact of his decisions on the team’s offensive efficiency and player morale. The Ravens’ red-zone touchdown rate has dropped from 68% in 2023 (when Greg Roman was offensive coordinator) to 52% in 2024—a decline fans attribute to Monken’s questionable red-zone calls, like passing on first-and-goal from the 2-yard line instead of running. Jackson, while publicly supportive of Monken, has shown visible frustration on the field: in the Bengals game, he was seen shaking his head after the fourth-and-3 pass call. Teammates have also hinted at frustration in post-game interviews, with Beckham Jr. saying, “We have to execute, but we also have to put ourselves in positions to succeed.” For the Baltimore Ravens, the efficiency drop is alarming—especially as the team heads into the playoff push. A less effective offense not only costs wins but also puts more pressure on the defense, which has already been dealing with injuries to key players like Justin Madubuike.

Todd Monken's Playcalling Sparks Outrage Among the Baltimore Ravens closes with the Ravens’ coaching staff’s response to the backlash and the uncertainty surrounding Monken’s future. Head coach John Harbaugh has publicly defended Monken, saying, “Todd is a talented coordinator, and we win and lose as a team. Playcalling is a collective decision.” However, Harbaugh also acknowledged that “we need to be better at adjusting and playing to our strengths” in his weekly press conference—hinting at potential changes. The front office, led by GM Eric DeCosta, has remained silent on the issue, but insiders report that team officials are monitoring the situation closely, especially if the Ravens’ offensive struggles continue. For fans, the hope is that Harbaugh will push for more balance in the playcalling—or, in the worst case, that the team will make a change before the playoffs. For the Baltimore Ravens, the stakes couldn’t be higher: a Super Bowl-caliber team risks falling short if its offensive coordinator’s decisions continue to spark outrage instead of scoring drives. As one fan put it on a Ravens forum: “We have the talent to win it all—we just need playcalling that doesn’t get in the way.”