Tyler Huntley delivered the spark the Ravens desperately needed — and also reminded Baltimore of something it got horribly wrong this spring
Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener.
It certainly isn’t fair to suggest that it is ‘crisis averted’ for the Baltimore Ravens, but a 30-16 victory over the Chicago Bears sure beats the alternative. The Ravens, who it was determined late in the weekend that they’d be without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson for a third consecutive game, turned their offense over to a familiar face in Week 8. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley was the man behind center, taking over for Cooper Rush.
And, much to the joy of Ravens fans everywhere and head coach John Harbaugh, Huntley rose to the occasion. The ground game was working effectively for Baltimore and the Ravens were able to snap a four-game losing streak. It’s time to (briefly) enjoy a win — but the transition to Huntley should have some folks in the building reinspecting their offseason plan.
Baltimore’s switch to Tyler Huntley proves wise, but underscores curious offseason decision
“To be the starter today, I felt like it was the best thing for our team. (That) it would give us the best chance to win. Tyler (Huntley) does some things; he’s a talented player, he can make throws, and he can do things with his legs. He was a great spark for us. It just felt like the right thing to do. Nothing against Cooper (Rush). Cooper is a great guy and played good football for us, but Tyler was the answer for today’s game. We felt like it just wasn’t a hard decision. We were planning on doing that throughout the bye week and everything, if Lamar (Jackson) couldn’t go.”
— Ravens head coach John Harbaugh on the team’s backup quarterback decision in Week 8
Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and company pushed the right buttons for their return to action in Week 8, that much is certain. And the transition to Huntley full-time as the backup quarterback to Lamar Jackson is one that allowed this offense to pull more elements of what makes Lamar and the unit around him so effective. But it also underscores the Ravens’ curious decision from this offseason with QB Cooper Rush.
QB Tyler Huntley’s career with the Baltimore Ravens
- 4 wins as a starter in Baltimore, (1 in 2025, 2 in 2022, 1 in 2021)
- Named Pro Bowl alternate for the Ravens in 2022
- Set a career-best in passer rating (116.9) and career-long rush (29 yards) in Sunday’s win over the Bears
The Ravens chose Rush this offseason to be their backup quarterback in free agency, he signed a two-year, $6.2 million deal with the Ravens with $4 million guaranteed. Yet in two starts, Rush posted four interceptions, no wins, and an adjusted net yards per attempt that was barely north of two yards per drop back. Those numbers are, in a word, appalling.
And the pivot back to Huntley is frustrating because it’s a transition back to a known commodity and someone who Baltimore very easily could have had without the extra investment in Rush.
Is it small potatoes relative to the other personnel moves this team made in the offseason and some of the bigger issues at hand for the Ravens? Absolutely. But Huntley lingering around on the street until training camp and then coming into the lineup and performing exponentially better than the hand-picked backup this offseason should at least put some decision making processes under the microscope when the time comes to debrief the 2025 season for the Ravens.
Chicago Bears News
Caleb Williams and Bears offense face an ugly reality following brutal loss to the Ravens in Week 8
The Chicago Bears offense struggled to point points on the board in Week 8.
