Sunday was shaping up to be a bleak day for the Ravens.
Lamar Jackson left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter and they were losing to the downtrodden Broncos 9-3 in the fourth quarter when they took possession on their own nine-yard-line with five minutes left to play. Given how the rest of the day had gone, no one would have been blamed for expecting comeback hopes to fizzle out.
Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley didn’t let that happen, however. The Ravens went on a 16-play drive that ended with Huntley running for a two-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left on the clock. The late heroics gave the Ravens a 10-9 win and earned Huntley a rave review from tight end Mark Andrews.
“Calm, cool, confident. [He was] acting like he’s been there before, which he has,” Andrews said, via the team’s website. “So, just so much love and respect for his game and what he’s able to do. That was a good Broncos team, a good Broncos defense, and the way he was slinging the ball was crazy. When he’s able to get out of the pocket, it’s big-time plays. Obviously, he’s been able to learn a ton from Lamar, but his game is very polished.
The Ravens don’t think Jackson’s season is over, but it’s a good bet that he is going to miss more time and that will keep Huntley front and center in the offense. After the final minutes of Sunday’s game, that prospect seems less daunting for the Ravens.