The Ravens were without Lamar Jackson, trailing late on the road and staring at a loss that could have easily gone the other way.
Then Tyler Huntley took over.
Baltimore’s backup quarterback led a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback and finished it himself in overtime, carrying the Ravens to a 30-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night. Huntley was starting in place of Jackson, who was ruled out with a left ankle injury suffered the previous week against Tennessee.
Huntley completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, then added the game-winning score on the ground in overtime. It was not a flashy 400-yard performance, but it was exactly what Baltimore needed from its backup quarterback in a game that looked close to slipping away.
The biggest sequence came late in regulation.
Baltimore was down eight when Huntley led a six-play, 71-yard drive and hit Devontez Walker for a touchdown with just 40 seconds remaining. The Ravens then handed the ball to Derrick Henry for the two-point conversion, and Henry converted to tie the game at 23.
That was enough to get Baltimore to overtime.
The Ravens won the toss, took the ball and immediately finished the job. Huntley drove Baltimore down the field and capped the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, giving the Ravens their first lead since early in the game and putting Atlanta in a position where it had to answer.
The Falcons never did.
Atlanta had already lost starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. to a rib injury late in regulation. He briefly returned before ultimately being ruled out for overtime, leaving backup Tua Tagovailoa to try to extend the game. Penix finished 19 of 32 for 240 yards and one touchdown before leaving.
Tagovailoa’s chance ended when Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton intercepted him on Atlanta’s final possession, sealing the comeback.
Baltimore also got a major contribution from Henry, who surpassed 100 rushing yards and added a touchdown reception in addition to the crucial two-point conversion. His presence helped keep the Ravens balanced while Huntley settled into the game and eventually found his rhythm late.
The win moved Baltimore to 4-1, which matters even more considering the Ravens had to get through the week without their two-time MVP quarterback. Jackson had not practiced all week after suffering the ankle injury, and Baltimore entered Sunday knowing Huntley would have to carry more of the offense than he did the week before.
That is what made this performance important.
Huntley did not try to be Lamar Jackson. He simply kept the offense moving, protected the football and delivered when the Ravens absolutely had to have plays in the fourth quarter and overtime. For a backup quarterback, that is pretty much the job description.
Atlanta will probably look back at this one as a missed opportunity. The Falcons controlled much of the night and got a defensive touchdown from Jessie Bates III, along with three field goals from Nick Folk. But they could not close the door late, and once Baltimore tied the game, momentum completely flipped.
The Ravens, meanwhile, got exactly what good teams hope to get when their starting quarterback is unavailable.
They survived.
More importantly, their backup went out and won the game.