OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Seven weeks ago, John Harbaugh faced the most calamitous time of his 11-year run with the Baltimore Ravens.

His team was coming off the bye with a 4-5 record and on a three-game losing streak. His job security was repeatedly called into question, with one national report not ruling out his firing with another loss. His Super Bowl-winning quarterback was injured, which meant giving the ball to a rookie first-round pick with the franchise at a crossroads.

So, the night before the Ravens' game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Harbaugh showed his players a video from Jocko Willink, a Navy SEAL turned bestselling author. Willink's repeated response to adversity was one word: "Good."

After the Ravens beat the Bengals -- the first game in Baltimore's season-ending 6-1 run -- Harbaugh brought up all the mistakes to his players in the locker room and shouted "Good!" after each one.

We lined up the wrong way on fourth down-and-1 ... Good!

Lamar [Jackson] scrambled around and threw a pick ... Good!

The word "Good" has been put on T-shirts, which can be spotted in the locker room nearly every day since. It's become the catchphrase for what Harbaugh even acknowledges as his most satisfying season in coaching.

The Ravens are the AFC North champions in a season that could've easily unraveled. One of the most unlikely turnarounds occurred because Harbaugh continually inspired his players at the most critical moments.

"He's one of a kind. That's why we love him," safety Eric Weddle said. "He's grown from the first season I've been here. He's been vulnerable. He's really all-in with us."

Harbaugh probably won't get much recognition for this improbable rebound. Chicago's Matt Nagy, New Orleans' Sean Payton and the L.A. Chargers' Anthony Lynn are the favorites for NFL Coach of the Year. This would continue an unreal streak for Harbaugh, who has never received a vote for Coach of the Year despite some impressive seasons in challenging circumstances.

In 2008, Harbaugh took over a 5-11 team and guided the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. In 2012, he led Baltimore to a Super Bowl title after the team lost four of its final five regular-season games. In 2014, Harbaugh directed the Ravens to the playoffs despite the distractions of the Ray Rice scandal.

This season, Harbaugh steered the Ravens into the postseason through all the speculation about him being on the hot seat and a monumental change at quarterback from Flacco to Jackson.

"This is what a real team looks like. It’s the best team -- T-E-A-M," Harbaugh said. "It’s the best bunch of guys who understand what it means to have each others’ backs, to fight through adversity and never be divided by anything. They block out all the outside, turn to each other for strength and are there for one another. That, to me, is what makes a team. This is the best team I’ve been around."

Trust, workouts and a lion spike

Here are three ways the players were moved by Harbaugh's actions and words:

• At the start of training camp, Harbaugh told the players at the team meeting that he was going to trust them and the other coaches to get the job done. "That resonated with me being in a position when all eyes are on me when I'm on the field and I get the feeling that guys are trusting me to do my job," kicker Justin Tucker said. "Hearing that said out loud by our head coach, I just thought it was cool. No coach has to say anything they don't want to or they can say too much. That kind of set the tone what this season was going to be all about."

• After the biggest win of the season -- a 22-10 win at the Chargers on Dec. 22 -- Harbaugh celebrated in a unique way. The team landed after a cross-country flight at 6:30 a.m. and Harbaugh and 10 other players and coaches were in the weight room for a workout an hour later. "He sets the standard that you're going to work hard," Weddle said. "It trickles down the whole team."

• In clinching the Ravens' first division title in six years, Harbaugh broke out a lion spike in the locker room. It comes from a talk from Harbaugh earlier in the year that focused on the phrase "Chase the Lion." Harbaugh used the Biblical message from American pastor and author Mark Batterson, whose approach is you can only fully seize opportunity by the mane when you stop fearing failure. "That was something I think the guys rallied around a little bit," Harbaugh said. "It was a lot of fun, very meaningful."

Future of Harbaugh

The Ravens made the surprise announcement on Dec. 21, the day before their huge game against the Chargers, that Harbaugh would remain Baltimore's coach in 2019 and the sides would work on an extension.

Harbaugh was reluctant to talk about the news afterward, calling it a "non-story." This prompted speculation that Harbaugh might not sign an extension and other teams could pursue a trade for him.

Asked Sunday about the journey from addressing job security questions at midseason to winning the AFC North, Harbaugh said, "I love these players, I love these coaches, I love this organization. I love our owner. I love our scouting staff. Top to bottom, I love them all. It’s a great team to be a part of."

Under Harbaugh, the Ravens have now reached the playoffs in seven of his 11 seasons and they have won at least 10 games six times. Baltimore has recorded the NFL’s fourth-most total victories (114) since Harbaugh's arrival in 2008.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock Sunday, cornerback Jimmy Smith and long-snapper Morgan Cox doused Harbaugh with Gatorade. Dripping wet, Harbaugh turned toward his players and the crowd with his arms raised, a fitting end to one of the best coaching performances of the year.

"We have all just followed his plan and advanced his plan and his vision, and we know where it’s taking us," defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale said. "And, the thing that impresses me the most is, and what he’s taught us all is, if you don’t care who gets the credit, there will be plenty credit around if you do it as a team. He talks to the players about that. He talks to the staff about that. And, you see a lot of good things start happening. He’s been a rock."