Ravens' Buck Allen breaks John Harbaugh's cardinal rule

By foxsports
Published

Ravens rookie running back Buck Allen is lucky it's just the preseason. After putting the ball on the ground near the goal line Saturday against Washington, head coach John Harbaugh sounds like he's willing to give Allen a reprieve.

Allen fumbled the ball on fourth down at the 1-yard line just before the half, costing the Ravens a golden opportunity for a touchdown. He came right out and played in the third quarter, but if it was the regular season, he may have been riding the pine. 

"You have to hold on to the football," Harbaugh said via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. "It’s just not possible to put runners out there that fumble the football. He’s going to have other opportunities and chances going forward, and I really believe he’s going to be a very good player. But, he’s going to have to learn from that.”

If Allen needs some friendly advice, all he has to do is ask the man he is replacing on the depth chart. Second-year back Lorenzo Taliaferro, who is out several weeks with a sprained knee, lost a crucial fumble last season against the Steelers. Pittsburgh scored on the ensuing drive, and Taliaferro was in Harbaugh's dog house with only three carries the next three games.

To Allen's credit, he took responsibility for the fumble despite having the ball wrapped up with both arms. 

"It’s my job to hold onto the rock and get into the end zone," Allen said. "Put two hands on the ball and hold on tight. So I can’t blame [anyone] but myself."

h/t: ESPN.com