The Baltimore Ravens' Sunday night tussle seemed harder than it needed to be at times, but that's what makes the NFL the NFL. In the end, Tyler Huntley and company found a way to leave Mercedes-Benz Stadium with a win, delivering when the pressure peaked. Kyle Hamilton made the decisive overtime play. That last statement sounds better every time it is said, doesn't it?
Baltimore overcame injuries, hostile territory, and several costly mistakes to win 30-23 over the Atlanta Falcons. It wasn't pretty throughout, but the Ravens showed the resilience they'll need if Lamar Jackson misses more time. Here are three gut reactions from Baltimore's latest victory.
1. The Ravens can continue winning without Lamar Jackson if necessary
Tyler Huntley didn't look particularly comfortable early, and Baltimore's offense struggled
to establish a consistent rhythm. However, the backup quarterback settled down as the game wore on, delivering a clutch performance that gave the Ravens another win without Jackson.
Huntley converted critical third downs on the game-winning drive, demonstrating the composure Baltimore needed in the biggest moments. The Cleveland Browns present another challenge, and the Ravens would obviously prefer to have Jackson available. Still, Sunday's finish should give Huntley and Baltimore more confidence that it can remain competitive if its starting quarterback needs another week to recover.
Huntley has a game under his belt and some momentum now. He needs to protect the football and capitalize on the opportunities around him, and Baltimore should be able to beat Cleveland without Jackson if needed. They're the better team, and with the rust off, the Ravens' QB1 of the moment is fully capable of winning a duel with Deshaun Watson, with a total-team effort and support from the other two phases: defense and special teams.
2. Mark Andrews needs to be better (and he probably will be)
Mark Andrews had a night he'd probably like to forget, even though he helped the Ravens finish strong. His dropped potential touchdown forced Baltimore to settle for a field goal. His fumble led directly to a Falcons defensive touchdown via Jessie Bates' scoop-and-score. He failed to secure a two-point conversion.
Those three plays represented 13 points of potential impact: four points lost when Baltimore settled for a field goal instead of a touchdown, seven points given away on the fumble return, and two points missed on the conversion. That accounting illustrates how costly his mistakes were, even if it doesn't mean Andrews literally put points on Atlanta's scoreboard or kept points off of Baltimore's.
The encouraging part for Baltimore is that Andrews didn't disappear after those mistakes. He made key catches late, including a crucial reception on the overtime drive. The Ravens needed their veteran tight end to respond, and he did. Odds and history suggest he should bounce back. Past evidence suggests he should be just fine.
3. Jesse Minter's defense may be a roller-coaster ride all season
The Ravens' defense has had its share of difficult moments in previous weeks and most recently. They've done some nice things. There have also been times when they preached details and seemed a little distracted from them.
It's hard to explain, other than saying Jesse Minter's group doesn't always pass the eyeball test. It happened again early in Sunday Night Football, especially when Michael Penix Jr. found opportunities through the air. Then, Baltimore settled down and made the plays when they needed them most.
With the game on the line, Minter's defense showed it can still deliver in a pressure-packed situation. Then came the icing on the cake. After Huntley's touchdown put the Ravens ahead in overtime, Kyle Hamilton intercepted Tua Tagovailoa to end Atlanta's final possession.
That takeaway prevented the Falcons from answering Baltimore's score. It secured a victory that had remained in doubt deep into the night. Hamilton's timely play was the kind of finish Baltimore needed after allowing Atlanta to hang around, but what if those splash plays don't come. Is Baltimore consistent enough? We'll need to monitor that moving forward.
Baltimore still has work to do, particularly in limiting explosive plays and sustaining its defensive intensity for four quarters. However, the Ravens also have playmakers who can change a game with one snap, and Hamilton proved that again Sunday night.
That's what makes this win more than just a line in the standings. Baltimore didn't need a flawless performance to prevail, and it didn't fold when its own mistakes threatened to derail the night. Huntley delivered in the biggest moments, Andrews recovered from a rough outing to contribute late, and the defense stepped up when one final stop was needed. If the Ravens can clean up the mistakes without losing that resilience, they'll be a difficult team to handle whether Jackson returns this week or Huntley gets another start.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs. Falcons: Three reactions to Baltimore’s overtime comeback
