Did the Ravens use illegal tactics against the Vikings?

No, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated they did not use any illegal tactics and simply made standard defensive line moves during the game.

How did the Vikings' running back Aaron Jones respond to the false starts?

Jones accused the Ravens of "playing a little game" on the defensive line to mimic the Vikings quarterback's cadence, but the Vikings head coach did not hear anything like that from his players.

Home / Sports / Ravens Deny Illegal Tactics Used to Rattle Vikings in Loss

Ravens Deny Illegal Tactics Used to Rattle Vikings in Loss

Q: What caused the Vikings' high number of false starts?

According to Harbaugh, the Vikings' own pre-snap shifts and cadence variations were more likely the cause of the unusual number of false starts.

11 Nov

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Summary

Vikings had 8 false starts in loss to Ravens
Ravens coach denies using illegal tactics to cause issues
Vikings coach says players did not report any illegal moves

Ravens Deny Illegal Tactics Used to Rattle Vikings in Loss

On November 7th, 2025, the Minnesota Vikings suffered a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, with the Vikings committing 8 false start penalties during the game. Following the game, Vikings running back Aaron Jones claimed the Ravens were "playing a little game" on the defensive line, making "move calls" that could be mistaken for the Vikings quarterback's cadence, causing the issues.

However, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he did not hear anything like that from his players during the game. On November 9th, 2025, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh addressed the situation, stating he reviewed the game footage and found the Ravens did not do anything illegal. Harbaugh explained that the Ravens simply made standard defensive line moves, which are allowed, but did not use any illegal tactics like mimicking the cadence.

Harbaugh suggested the Vikings' own pre-snap shifts and cadence variations were more likely the cause of the unusual number of false starts for the home team. The issue now falls on O'Connell to address as the Vikings move forward with their season.