John Harbaugh dominated the headlines before and after the Ravens' overtime loss to the visiting Titans on Sunday. Before the game, Harbaugh engaged in a verbal altercation with Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler. After the game, there were questions regarding whether or not Harbaugh shook hands with Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel, whose team is now 2-0 against the Ravens in the calendar year after they upset Baltimore in the divisional round of last year's playoffs, dismissed any notion of a possible rift between himself and Harbaugh, whose team fell to 6-4 and in third place in the AFC North.
"I went to celebrate with Derrick [Henry] and the team and congratulate them, and ran back to shake his hand," Vrabel said of his actions immediately following the Titans' 30-24 win. "Asked [Harbaugh] what the issue was before the game, and he said there wasn't an issue. So I went to celebrate with my football team."
Vrabel was also asked if Harbaugh declined to shake his hand.
"No, absolutely not," Vrabel said. "No. A lot of respect for John. We shook hands."
Harbaugh echoed what Vrabel said during his postgame presser.
"After the game, there wasn't an issue," Harbaugh said, via ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "Coach Vrabel, was down there celebrating in the end zone, and then he came back around and shook hands. [What transpired] before the game is irrelevant."
Mike Vrabel came over to shake hands with John Harbaugh and Harbaugh appears to wave him off.pic.twitter.com/37dvMU38QD
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 22, 2020
While both coaches downplayed what transpired before and after the game, there's no denying that the Ravens are a frustrated team after dropping their second straight game and third game in four weeks. During Sunday's loss to the Titans, the Ravens were out-rushed 173-129 as Henry gashed Baltimore to the tune of 133 yards on 29 carries that included the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Lamar Jackson, the reigning league MVP, failed to throw for 200 yards for the sixth time in 10 games this season. Jackson, who on Sunday failed to complete 60% of his passes, didn't complete a single pass to Marquise Brown, the team's first-round pick in last year's draft. And while tight end Mark Andrews caught five passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, Jackson completed just 10 passes for 76 yards to his receivers.
"I feel like people want us to lose," a dejected Jackson said after the game.
The Titans, meanwhile, had little issue moving the ball through the air against the Ravens' defense. Ryan Tannehill completed 22 passes including two touchdowns as Tennessee's offense piled up 26 first downs and 423 total yards.
The Ravens will have to regroup in a hurry, as they are just four days away from their Thanksgiving Day showdown in Pittsburgh against the undefeated Steelers.
