The Baltimore Ravens left too many points on the field in Sunday's 34-33 loss when they scored touchdowns on just three of seven possessions inside the 20-yard line against the San Diego Chargers.
Why did the Ravens struggle against the No. 26 red zone defense?
"We probably would have liked to run the ball a little better than we did in those situations so we could have got some chunks and turned them into touchdowns," quarterback Joe Flacco said.
One option to improve running the ball in the red zone is giving it to your biggest back who can move the pile. That would mean increased carries closer to the goal line for rookie fourth-round pick Lorenzo Taliaferro, who has scored four touchdowns on 14 red zone carries.
But Taliaferro hasn't been used as much since fumbling in Pittsburgh on Nov. 2. From Week 3 to Week 7, he averaged eight carries. Since that turnover, Taliaferro has run the ball a total of three times in the last three games, including no carries the past two weeks.
Bernard Pierce has taken over the role of the No. 2 back, which raises the question of whether Taliaferro will get any carries in the final month of the season.
"You’ll see Lorenzo without question," coach John Harbaugh said. "There's no punishment going on there. I just think it has been Justin [Forsett] has been playing so well. But Lorenzo has to be there for us, especially down the stretch here.”