John Harbaugh faces his toughest coaching challenge yet

John Harbaugh has gone to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons as head coach, but now is his time for greatness.

The Ravens have lost three straight including a humiliating 34-17 loss to Denver on Sunday, and they are on the verge of one of the greatest collapses in NFL history.

It's Harbaugh time.

If he wants to take that next step and move into the top echelon of coaching with a Bill Belichick, Tom Coughlin or a Mike Tomlin, he has to find a way to rally the Ravens.

They are fading fast.

Ray Lewis can't help them and neither can outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Firing offensive coordinator Cam Cameron didn't do any good. Free safety Ed Reed tries, but his head is floating somewhere in outer space.

Harbaugh has to be the one to breathe some life back into this team. The Ravens have no swagger. Their body posture shows a lack of confidence and Flacco appears lost as if he is staring into an abyss.

Somebody has got to lead.

"It tests all of us," said Flacco of the three-game losing streak. "It tests our leadership. It tests our toughness. We believe we have a tight locker room. We believe we're pretty stand up guys, tough guys, guys with character."

The Ravens have gone through three-game slides before but never in December under Harbaugh. Until three weeks ago, the Ravens had a double-digit winning streak at home.

Now they've lost back-to-back games at M&T Bank Stadium.

Harbaugh said all the right things after the game. He didn't point fingers at his owner or new offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell when he was asked all those idiotic questions about the play calling.

He gave one those Jesse Jackson speeches about keeping hope alive and of winning the AFC North and possibly going to the Super Bowl. He didn't use injuries as an excuse even though he would have been justified and the Ravens weren't in a panic mode even though the Broncos exposed them as pretenders instead of serious contenders.

But Harbaugh has to do more.

For one, he has to swallow that ego and let veteran tackle Bryant McKinnie out of the dog house. McKinnie needs to be inserted at left tackle and Michael Oher moved to right tackle replacing rookie Kelechi Osemele, who should start at left guard.

Enough is enough. Neither Oher or Osemele can handle speed rushers and at least running around McKinnie is like running around the world.

Next, shorten the routs and Flacco's dropback to give him time to throw. Run more hitches, bubble screens and slants because the offensive line can't pass block.

In other words, see the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's not too late to improve.

"The most important thing to understand is that, and our guys understand this, every goal that we have, starting with our first goal which is to win the AFC North, is in front of us," Harbaugh said. "It's still there and every dream that we have, which is the ultimate dream, is still available."

It will only be a dream if Jah Reid continues to start at left guard. It will only be a dream as long as Oher continues to let pass rushers run around him.