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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When Jesse Minter was introduced as the Baltimore Ravens' head coach, he promised that his team would rise to the occasion when the stakes were highest. That promise is now materializing on the field.
Sunday night's 30-23 overtime victory over the Atlanta Falcons may not have been a work of art, but quarterback Tyler Huntley engineered two clutch drives in the closing moments. One knotted the score, and the other propelled Baltimore ahead, securing the win with Lamar Jackson sidelined.
"Confidence is gained by going through things, and going through things together," Minter said on Monday.
After squandering more late leads than fans care to remember in recent years, the Ravens suffered another such loss to New Orleans in Week 2. Since then, they've strung together three consecutive wins, including a last-second triumph over Dallas in Brazil and Sunday's nail-biter against the Falcons.
With Jackson nursing an ankle injury, Huntley got the start and initially appeared shaky. However, with Baltimore trailing by eight points, he orchestrated a 71-yard drive that tied the game with 50 seconds left in regulation. In overtime, the Ravens received the ball first and chewed up 7:03 on a 68-yard touchdown march, leaving Atlanta only 2:57 to respond. Kyle Hamilton's interception sealed the victory.
"The offense's drive in overtime was a thing of beauty," Minter remarked.
With two AFC North opponents on the horizon, the Ravens would welcome Jackson back, though his return timeline remains uncertain. "He's definitely doing better," Minter said. "Wednesday I'm not sure about exactly how that practice will look. To Lamar's credit, he's doing everything he can to get back out there."
Huntley, who won both of his starts last season, demonstrated once again that he can deliver when the game is on the line. "It was a big blur," tackle Ronnie Stanley said. "I know we had a great last drive. I know we were moving the ball. I know we scored. I do not even remember how we scored the 2-point conversion. I just remember after the game just feeling elated and proud of the guys."
Key Analysis
Even without Jackson, Baltimore's offensive balance was effective. The Ravens rushed for 208 yards on 35 attempts while Huntley passed for 201 yards on 32 attempts. Six different players recorded at least two catches.
Defensively, Atlanta converted 9 of 17 third downs, exposing Baltimore's struggles in third-and-long situations. In the second half alone, the Falcons converted twice on third-and-10, plus once each on third-and-11 and third-and-15. Although Mike Green and Tavius Robinson flashed at times, the Ravens couldn't generate consistent pressure on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in obvious passing situations. Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson's injury may have contributed to that issue.
"It is really unfortunate to me, because I thought we definitely played our best game of normal down, first and second down defense, against a really challenging running game and offense," Minter said. "I thought we dominated first and second down. We ended up in so many advantageous, or what should be advantageous, third down opportunities."
While Derrick Henry was his usual productive self, Justice Hill provided another threat out of the backfield, running for 73 yards and adding a couple of receptions. "He has made a lot of plays over his time here. He has also overcome adversity. He has gone through various injuries and missed time at different times," Minter said. "The guys have a lot of respect for him and how he operates. ... He can go in and spell Derrick on normal downs. He is good on third down and pass protection."
Tight end Mark Andrews had a rough outing, dropping an early pass at the goal line and losing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. He also had a couple of other potential catches knocked free, including one on a 2-point conversion try in the third quarter.
Minter said offensive lineman Cam Jurgens, acquired from Philadelphia last week, is still in the finishing stages of concussion protocol after missing the Atlanta game. Minter added that Hendrickson (finger) will be chomping at the bit to play this week.
The Ravens boast a league-best 21-7 record in away games since 2023, with a plus-21 turnover margin on the road.
Baltimore travels to Cleveland on Sunday before hosting Cincinnati the following weekend. The other three teams in the AFC North are all one game behind the Ravens at 3-2.
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Originally reported by yahoo.