Joe Flacco Throws Five Interceptions, Including Diving Efforts by Kiko Alonso and Jim Leonhard, as Buffalo Beats Baltimore

Kiko Alonso snagged the fifth and final interception of Joe Flacco on this great effort on third down, with Baltimore down 3. If he did not grab that, Baltimore would have had another fourth down play from midfield. It wasn’t the first great interception on a diving effort. Jim Leonhard had one in the first half also.

Meanwhile, John Harbaugh will not be criticized for his decision near the goal line. With four minutes left, and the ball on the Buffalo 6 with a 4th and 5, he kicked the field goal to make it a 3 point game, rather than go for the lead.

I wrote about this last year when Marvin Lewis did it against the Dolphins with 3 minutes left, and also looked into when coaches should stop kicking field goals (with a chance to take lead with a conversion) that would still leave them trailing. I recall a game from a few years ago against the Steelers when Harbaugh made the opposite decision, went, failed, but got the ball back in great field position and scored the winning touchdown.

After that interception, Baltimore still had a chance with timeouts remaining until Terrell Suggs got called for a personal foul for ripping off E.J. Manuel’s helmet.