John Harbaugh on Ravens’ preseason winning streak: ‘Everything has meaning’

Any time a team reaches a record where the name Vince Lombardi is invoked, it warrants consideration as a milestone. Even if the record is during the NFL preseason.

The Ravens took down the Panthers 20-3 on Saturday, tying the record set by Lombardi’s 1959-62 Packers with their 19th consecutive preseason win. Baltimore will have a chance to set the record next Saturday against Washington.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said some people will debate whether this is a meaningful record, but he believes that “everything has meaning in life.”

“If you’re doing it and it’s worth doing and it matters, then it’s worth doing well,” Harbaugh said. “I feel like the players, coaches that were involved all those times, if you want to look at the big picture of it, all those young players that were out there playing — Josh Woodrum having a game-winning drive, you can go back — those guys should all take pride in that.

“All those guys that were part of that over those years should be proud tonight about that because it’s something that only one other team has ever done, you know, the Vince Lombardi Green Bay Packers. And I’d say that’s notable.”

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Baltimore has not lost a preseason game since Sept. 3, 2015, and it has performed consistently well in the preseason over the years. The team is 65-32 all time (the Ravens began play in 1996), while Harbaugh has guided it to a 38-12 record since taking over as head coach in 2008.

For reference, on Sept. 3, 2015, Lamar Jackson had yet to attempt a pass at the collegiate level with Louisville. It would not be until Sept. 5 that he played in his first college game, when he completed 9 of 20 passes for 100 yards and an interception in a 31-24 loss to Auburn. He rushed 16 times for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Harbaugh’s mentality regarding the preseason is something Lombardi likely would have shared. Lombardi went 42-8 in the preseason with the Packers.

“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time,” Lombardi said in one of his most famous quotes.

The Packers won two NFL championships (1961 and 1962) and played in the 1960 title game during the period of Lombardi’s preseason winning streak. Harbaugh has not won a Super Bowl since Baltimore won the 2013 game. Needless to say, he is hoping to continue the streak and then get the win that matters most at the end of the 2021 season.