The back injury Lamar Jackson suffered against the New England Patriots has many worried the two-time NFL MVP won’t be able to suit up against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17, but one All-Pro member of the Baltimore Ravens isn’t worried about backup quarterback Tyler Huntley having to play another game.
Dynamic safety Kyle Hamilton admitted “It’d be a challenge” to face the Packers on the road without Jackson because “You’re talking about losing a guy who’s a multi-time MVP and one of the best in the league,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
The prospect of being without Jackson at Lambeau Field on Saturday, December 27 is a strong one after he was forced off late in the first half against the Pats. Jackson was unable to return during what proved to be a damaging 28-21 defeat at M&T Bank Stadium, and he was visibly in pain when speaking to reporters after the game.
Huntley couldn’t get a win over New England, but Hamilton was keen to explain why he has “the utmost confidence in ‘Snoop’ [Huntley] and ‘Coop’ [Cooper Rush]. We beat a Bears team with ‘Snoop’ at the helm, and you can see what kind of team they are now.”
Confidence in Huntley is well-founded because he has a Pro Bowl pedigree, but the veteran signal-caller would need more help from Hamilton and Baltimore’s defense. The unit must deliver a better and more sustained effort than what the Ravens produced late on against the Pats.
Tyler Huntley’s History Should Give Ravens Belief
Huntley is always available when the Ravens get into a tight spot, and he’s often delivered in clutch situations. Like when he directed the 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears back in Week 8, but also when Huntley led the 2022 Ravens to a 4-2 record and a spot in the playoffs.
What the Ravens got from Huntley during the win over the Bears Hamilton referenced was efficiency. He completed 17 of 22 passes, including this 10-yard touchdown strike to tight end Charlie Kolar.
Huntley’s not as mobile as Jackson, nor can he match No. 8’s arm strength, but the backup will play more within the confines of the offense. That will mean leaning on the running game and getting tight ends like Kolar and All-Pro Mark Andrews more involved in the passing attack.
No matter how he plays, Huntley would need the support of a more consistent defense.
Kyle Hamilton, Defense Faltered Late vs. Patriots
A 24-13 lead with 12:50 left in the fourth quarter looked like a commanding position for the Ravens. It should’ve been, but Hamilton and Co. couldn’t make stops when it mattered most, despite keeping Patriots quarterback Drake Maye under pressure.
As Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar revealed by citing Next Gen Stats, “the initial pressure rate on Maye was 43.1%.” The Ravens also sacked Maye three times, including when Hamilton’s fellow safety Ar’Darius Washington got to the second-year pro and forced a fumble.
They had a good plan for harassing Maye, but the Ravens still couldn’t prevent him from burning them on vertical throws. Maye “completed 4 of 5 passes beyond 20 air yards against the Ravens for a career-high 111 yards and a touchdown,” according to Next Gen Stats.
Those long completions ultimately proved the difference and left Huntley with too much to do when the game was on the line. Jackson might still have made the difference, so the Ravens will hope he’s healthy enough to play on a short week, despite their confidence in Huntley.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ravens All-Pro Makes Tyler Huntley Claim Amid Lamar Jackson Worry appeared first on Heavy Sports.