The Baltimore Ravens scratched and clawed their way to a win against the Denver Broncos in Week 13, and looking back, the Ravens made the most out of a sticky situation.
Lamar Jackson got injured late in the first quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game, and the Ravens’ running game seemingly hit a wall, failing to find any success on the ground in the last few weeks.
Given the Broncos’ similarly limited offense, there was a sense that this game would come down to one game-winning play, whether on offense, defense, or special teams.
Baltimore’s defense stayed stout against a Russell Wilson-led passing attack but was unable to force any turnovers, leaving the game in the hands of backup quarterback Tyler Huntley.
While the Ravens’ offense was underwhelming through four quarters, Huntley’s game-winning touchdown drive can’t be ignored, and a certain offensive coordinator arguably deserves credit for orchestrating that successful series.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer paid Greg Roman some recognition for how he maximized Huntley’s strengths in Week 13 and ultimately helped the Ravens push ahead for the victory.
"“Greg Roman’s work Sunday with Baltimore’s backup QB Tyler Huntley in there sure won’t hurt his candidacy for the Stanford job. Huntley was efficient, if safe, in completing 27-of-32 throws for 187 yards, rushing for another 41 yards on 10 carries, and leading a 91-yard scoring drive for the game-winning touchdown in the waning moments of the fourth quarter.”"
Ravens’ Greg Roman drew the blueprint to Week 13 win
Ravens fans have their own opinions on how Roman has fared this past season, but there’s no denying he was able to draw out a solid performance from Huntley on Sunday.
Huntley threw one horrific interception, though that was more an execution issue than a play-calling one. The one play Roman deserves the most criticism for was the James Proche trick play; other than that, Roman helped facilitate the Ravens’ pass and run game with the pieces he had.
Huntley threw for 187 yards and played a safe and efficient game, using his legs to scramble out of pressure while also getting the ball out quickly when needed.
The backup quarterback will most likely take starting snaps again in Week 14 with Jackson dealing with a knee injury, and there’s a good chance Roman can squeeze the best out of Huntley in an admittedly soft matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Huntley’s record doesn’t exactly speak for itself — he finished 1-3 as a starter last season and threw three touchdowns against four interceptions.
In Week 13, however, Huntley and the Ravens won under extremely grueling circumstances. It’s difficult to fault Roman for what ended up being the best possible result.