Huntley leads late TD drive to force OT and then scores on 1-yard run as Ravens beat Falcons 30-23

ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Huntley led Baltimore to a game-tying touchdown and 2-point conversion in the last minute of regulation and then scored on a 1-yard sneak in overtime as the Ravens rallied to beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-23 on Sunday night.

Derrick Henry ran for 102 yards against the Falcons’ top-ranked run defense for the Ravens (4-1).

After Michael Penix Jr. suffered a rib injury late in the fourth quarter, Tua Tagovailoa took over at quarterback for the Falcons (2-3) in overtime. Tagovailoa’s pass for Drake London was intercepted by Kyle Hamilton to end the game.

Huntley completed 24 of 32 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns as the fill-in starter for Lamar Jackson, who has an ankle injury.

Penix overcame a slow start to pass for 240 yards and a touchdown but could only watch from the bench with a towel on his head as the Ravens put the game away.

Jessie Bates III returned a recovered fumble 36 yards for a score for Atlanta in the first quarter.

Bijan Robinson ran for 86 yards, but Penix’s 5-yard scoring pass to Kyle Pitts was Atlanta’s only offensive touchdown.

With Baltimore trailing 23-15, Huntley threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Devontez Walker with 40 seconds remaining in regulation and Henry took the direct snap and ran left for the tying conversion. Huntley targeted Falcons backup cornerback Mike Ford for the touchdown pass one play after Mike Hughes left the game with an injury.

After Huntley’s third-down pass to tight end Mark Andrews was broken up by a big hit from Falcons safety Xavier Watts with 6:28 remaining, the Ravens were forced to punt.

Penix finds his form to help Falcons build first-half lead

Bates’ return for a first-quarter touchdown gave Atlanta the early lead. Safety Sydney Brown forced the fumble by Andrews.

Penix was a combined 0-for-4 passing on Atlanta’s first three possessions before finally reclaiming the form he showed while leading the Falcons to back-to-back wins. A screen pass to Pitts seemed to spark Penix, who was 5-for-5 on a touchdown drive that included a 25-yard completion to London and a 36-yard pass to Jahan Dotson to the Ravens 6.

Penix found Pitts again over the middle for a 5-yard touchdown pass.

The Ravens were more effective than the Falcons in moving the ball most of the first half but had to settle for Tyler Loop’s field goals of 21, 51 and 51 yards as Atlanta led 14-9 at halftime.

Baltimore opened the second half with a drive built around a 47-yard run by Justice Hill. Huntley’s 18-yard scoring pass to Henry cut the Falcons’ lead to 17-15 when the 2-point pass to Andrews was incomplete.

Matthews almost gets a TD in 200th straight start

Falcons left tackle Jake Matthews almost added a touchdown to the celebration of his 200th consecutive start, the longest active streak in the NFL.

The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews lined up as an eligible receiver on second down from the Baltimore 5-yard line in the third quarter.

Matthews slipped into the end zone and was wide open, and Penix lofted a pass that forced Matthews to jump. He touched the ball with both hands, but the pass was too high and fell incomplete.

Injuries

Ravens: Starting RG Andrew Vorhees (foot) was inactive after being listed as questionable. Emery Jones Jr. made his first career start. Rookie TE Matt Hibner left in the first half with a hand injury but returned in the third quarter. DLs Broderick Washington (ankle) and Travis Jones left in the fourth quarter.

Falcons: CB C.J. Henderson was listed as questionable with a groin injury in the third quarter. Matthews played after having been listed as questionable with a groin injury.

Up next

Ravens: At Cleveland next Sunday.

Falcons: Host Chicago next Sunday.

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