Ravens Overcome Bears Without Lamar Jackson
Tyler Huntley had almost impossible shoes to fill playing for Lamar Jackson.
Jackson was a late scratch Week 11 against the Chicago Bears because of an illness and that was seemingly a loss Baltimore could not overcome.
Huntley got the start and led the Ravens to a game-winning drive with under two minutes remaining, capped by Devonta Freeman's 3-yard score to give Baltimore a spirited 16-13 victory.
"Every week I feel like you've got to be one play away — Lamar, he's a tough soldier, so you know what I'm saying, I'm thinking he's going to play regardless," Huntley said. "He could be breaking out in a sweat and I feel like he's going to play. But today it just was different circumstances that I happened to play."
The Ravens improved to 7-3 on the season and remain atop the AFC North. It was also Baltimore's first-ever win at Soldier Field.
“This team has a lot of guts, just continuous fight, never giving up and having each other’s back," center Bradlez Bozeman said. "When something bad happens on one end, the other end picks it up. So, it’s just a continuous fight, a continuous effort, and like I said, there’s no quit in this team.”
Huntley completed 26 of 36 pass attempts for 219 yards with an interception. He also ran for 40 yards on seven carries and was sacked six times.
The Ravens' old nemesis Andy Dalton entered the game for Chicago when rookie starter Justin Fields had to leave in the third quarter with a rib injury. Fields was 4 of 11 for just 79 yards.
Dalton has a good grasp of the Ravens' defense after spending most of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. Dalton had gone 8-9 with 4,306 yards, 23 touchdowns and 19 interceptions against Baltimore.
Dalton gave the Bears a 7-6 lead on just two plays, capped by a 60-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney. At least three Ravens defenders missed a tackle on the play.
Tucker gave the Ravens a 9-7 lead with a 46-yard field goal with 3:41 left in the game.
The Bears were faced with a 4th and 11 with 1:48 remaining in the game. Bears wide receiver Marquise Goodwin beat Ravens cornerback Chris Westry on a double move and caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton.
However, the Ravens strung together some positive players to move the ball upfield on the ensuing possession. Huntley threw a 30-yard pass to Sammy Watkins that gave the Ravens the ball inside the Chicago 5, setting up Freeman's winning touchdown run.
Overall, the Ravens ran for 123 yards.
Baltimore was outgained 353 to 299 for the game. The Ravens were 7 of 16 on third down.
"Belief, no matter the circumstances," Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews said. "There was a lot thrown at us this game. It was a very up-and-down game. But there were a lot of great plays made, and some plays that we need to work on. But that belief of keep on fighting until the very end, and then not giving up hope, I think that we kind of embody that.”
The Ravens led 6-0 at the half on a pair of field goals by Tucker. The first one was set up when linebacker Tyus Bowser strip-sacked Fields and the ball was recovered by Calais Campbell. Huntley had an impressive 11-play, 55-yard drive that led to the second field goal.
