The Baltimore Ravens turned to veteran backup quarterback Tyler Huntley coming out of their bye, which paid immediate dividends. His ability to functionally run the team's offense made all the difference in a 30-16 bounce-back victory over the Chicago Bears.
Huntley's efforts make you wonder why Baltimore didn't turn to him sooner upon losing their starter and franchise centerpiece, Lamar Jackson, to injury. They moved the ball effectively and efficiently through the air and ground. It's almost as if Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken designed an attack catered to having a mobile option under center, which Cooper Rush certifiably isn't.
Seriously, what were the Ravens thinking when they chose to roll with fellow journeyman Rush over Huntley? It took one game against the Bears for that potentially season-defining decision to age poorly.
Tyler Huntley puts Ravens' Cooper Rush experiment to shame in just one game
Huntley completed 17-of-22 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown and amassed 53 rushing yards on eight carries versus the Bears. He helped the Ravens snap their four-game losing streak and Chicago's run of four straight wins while saving Baltimore's campaign.
Everything ostensibly fell into place for the Ravens with Huntley at the helm. He averaged a healthy 8.5 yards per pass attempt and contributed to their 177 yards on 35 collective carries (5.1 yards per tote). Baltimore's scoring unit looked much closer to the high-powered group we've become accustomed to seeing with Jackson than it did with Rush.
Baltimore finding its footing with Huntley hardly feels like a coincidence. He may not have the electric speed and elusiveness Jackson does, but his legs are a factor. Their overlapping skill set is an element the Ravens sorely lacked with Rush.
Not only did Huntley looked more comfortable than Rush, but perhaps more importantly, so did the Ravens' offensive line. They imposed their will up front, largely because the Bears had to account for the former making plays with his feet. This enabled Baltimore to establish the run and carve out chunk gains regularly.
Moreover, Huntley's previous stint with the Ravens cannot be overlooked when discussing his apparent comfort in his first start of the year in Week 8. He spent four seasons in Baltimore from 2020 to 2023, even earning Pro Bowl honors in 2022, albeit as an injury replacement. Scrambling aside, "Snoop" has familiarity with the organization and Monken that Rush simply doesn't.