NFL
With quarterback Lamar Jackson out with an injury, the Baltimore Ravens turned to backup quarterback Tyler Huntley in Week 5. On Sunday, the Ravens needed Huntley to avoid trouble and make big plays. They also needed late-game heroics from Huntley and an extra quarter in Atlanta on Sunday night. The offense played pretty much mistake-free football, except for one turnover early in the 1st quarter. In the end, the Baltimore Ravens fell to the ATL and won in overtime, 30-23.
Coming into Week 5, the Baltimore Ravens were a 3-point underdog to the Atlanta Falcons without quarterback Lamar Jackson. Tyler Huntley is 2-0 in his last 2 starts, beating the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers.
Offense Recap:
On the night, the Ravens need to keep the ball and avoid turnovers to stay in the game. On Sunday, Tyler Huntley avoided mistakes and played fundamental football. Against the Atlanta Falcons, Huntley threw for 24 completions on 32 attempts, with 2 touchdown passes and 201 passing yards. He also ran in a touchdown on a quarterback sneak, which became the game-winning score in overtime. Despite a solid night, the Atlanta pass rush sacked Tyler Huntley three times.
The Baltimore Ravens’ running game was in its usual form, totaling 208 yards on the ground. Derrick Henry had his usual carry load, rushing for 102 yards on 24 carries and 1 touchdown. In addition to his ground game, Henry also threw a passing touchdown for 18 yards. Justice Hill also had a good night on the ground, rushing for 73 yards on just 4 carries. The running game was typical, with both Derrick Henry and Justice Hill getting carries.
Baltimore’s pass-catchers had some solid stats, with Tyler Huntley at quarterback and Jackson out. Rashod Bateman led all wide receivers with 5 catches for 62 yards in Atlanta. Lamar Jackson’s go-to target, Zay Flowers, had 8 catches for 53 yards on 9 targets in the ATL. Meanwhile, Mark Andrews had a down night, fumbling and missing a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game.
Defense Recap:
The Ravens’ defense had an up-down-up-down game, to say the least. One positive for the Ravens was the pass rush against Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta. The defense blitzed Michael Penix Jr. 21.6% of the time and overall at a 28.1% rate. The Ravens sacked Michael Penix Jr. 3 times: Trenton Simpson, Tavius Robinson, and Mike Green.
Another positive for the defense was holding Falcons running back Bijan Robinson to only 86 yards on 17 carries. The defense got its only turnover in overtime: a Kyle Hamilton interception that sealed the win. Special teams also had a good night in Atlanta. Tyler Loop continues his redemption season, going perfect on field goals from 21 and twice from 51 yards. 6th-round rookie punter Ryan Eckley downed 3 of his 4 punts inside the 20.
One negative I took away from this game was the Ravens giving up long 3-and-outs to the Atlanta Offense. If they can fix that, then the Ravens defense can move in the right direction going into November and December. With Atlanta in the rearview mirror, the Ravens now move on to their Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
