Tyler Huntley seems like Lamar Jackson. He talks like him, and has an identical taking part in type. So when he was known as on to exchange the injured Jackson to start out the primary quarter of the Ravens’ 10-9 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, it was no huge deal.
I’ve mentioned it earlier than and I nonetheless consider it: Huntley, in his third season, is the perfect backup for Jackson on this ugly offense. With the exception of tight finish Mark Andrews, the Ravens don’t have any big-time receivers.
Their operating recreation has been held in examine for the final two weeks even with halfback Gus Edwards again within the beginning lineup, and the Broncos pushed the Ravens’ offensive line all around the area, ending with 4 sacks.
So, the Ravens needed to name on Huntley like they do Jackson. In their run-oriented offense, their finest play, no matter who’s beginning, is for the quarterback to run round and make performs.
In the film “Forrest Gump,” Jenny yelled on the primary character to “run, Forrest, run.” That has principally turn into the mantra for Jackson over the past 5 seasons in Baltimore.
And on Sunday, it was run, Tyler, run.
It follows Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman wherever he goes. First, it was in San Francisco when he was calling performs for the 49ers with quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Then it was in Buffalo with former Ravens backup Tyrod Taylor.
So, when Jackson was pummeled by exterior linebacker Jonathon Cooper with 14 seconds remaining within the first quarter, Huntley was the proper alternative.
He accomplished 27 of 32 passes for 187 yards and completed with a passer score of 78. He had one dangerous interception that most likely would have been returned for a landing if security Justin Simmons didn’t journey and fall on the Ravens’ 40-yard line halfway by way of the third quarter.
That’s simply Denver’s luck today.
Huntley additionally made a poor resolution when he threw an underhand go on the Ravens’ 26 with 3:13 left within the recreation, however he was simply doing a Jackson impersonation.
He saved his finest for the 16-play, 91-yard game-winning drive. Huntley completed the sport with a team-high 41 speeding yards on 10 carries and received the Ravens a primary down on a fourth-and-2 on the Denver 18 with 1:06 to go. Then he scored the game-winning 2-yard landing by going over the best facet out of the shotgun formation with 28 seconds left.
It’s secure to conclude that the Ravens most likely wouldn’t have received if Jackson had remained within the recreation as a result of he would have gotten crushed down by Denver’s relentless go rush. He had already been coping with accidents to his hip and quadriceps that had compelled him to overlook some follow time over the previous two weeks, and Jackson most likely wouldn’t have lasted three quarters with the best way the Broncos have been getting after the quarterback.
But Huntley had contemporary legs. When exterior linebacker Jacob Martin stored collapsing the pocket from the left facet, Huntley outran him across the nook to both full a go or decide up a number of yards together with his toes. Most importantly, he wasn’t going to take a sack.
It was very Jackson-like however with out the large, explosive, potential game-changing operating performs.
But Huntley has a stronger arm than Jackson. On his first go try, he accomplished an 11-yard strike to large receiver Devin Duvernay on a comeback route. That’s not a daily a part of Jackson’s arsenal.
Huntley stayed inside the Ravens’ playbook. He threw a number of brief passes to receivers Demarcus Robinson (seven catches for 41 yards) and Duvernay (six catches for 34 yards). He even went to his check-downs, operating backs Kenyan Drake and even Justice Hill, which Jackson didn’t do a lot of within the first quarter.
But he additionally stayed with Andrews, the workforce’s go-to receiver who had 4 catches for 53 yards and in addition drew a go interference penalty on cornerback Patrick Surtain II on a third-and-5 on the game-winning drive.
Good backup quarterbacks are onerous to seek out within the NFL, which is why all of the commerce discuss involving Huntley on the finish of final season made no sense. It’s even higher when the backup has an identical type because the starter as a result of it doesn’t take a lot away from the offense.
Right now, the Ravens are a damaged offensive workforce and I’m unsure they are often mounted. But with Jackson out and no timetable for his return, it’s comforting to know that Huntley is greater than succesful.
He has the identical taking part in type.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com