Ravens vs. Falcons: 5 bold predictions for Sunday Night Football
· Yahoo Sports
The Baltimore Ravens travel south to Atlanta for a Sunday night showdown that could turn into another dramatic finish, but this time, the biggest question is whether Tyler Huntley can deliver when the spotlight finds him. He's starting, and Baltimore will need its backup quarterback to manage a dangerous road test against an Atlanta Falcons offense that has found its rhythm with Michael Penix Jr. back under center.
There are reasons to believe the Ravens can pull this off, even if the path to victory looks different than usual. Derrick Henry could become the engine that carries Baltimore's offense, while Tyler Loop has developed a knack for making long-distance field goals look routine. Meanwhile, Atlanta has enough firepower to produce points in bunches, especially with Bijan Robinson and Drake London creating problems for opposing defenses.
Visit saltysenoritaaz.com for more information.
This game has the ingredients for another late twist, and Baltimore may need every one of them. From a quarterback touchdown exchange to another long-range kick and a game-deciding two-point conversion, these five bold predictions envision a Ravens victory that comes down to execution when the pressure peaks.
Tyler Huntley throws one TD. Michael Penix throws two.
The Falcons have looked good since getting Michael Penix back, and he should shine again in Atlanta's third consecutive primetime appearance. He's thrown one touchdown pass in each of his last two games. He doubles that here. Huntley throws a TD pass as well, but most of the scoring by the Ravens comes on the back of the great Derrick Henry.
Bijan Robinson produces more rushing yards. Derrick Henry scores more touchdowns.
The Ravens, through four games, are allowing an even 100 yards per contest. Expect Bijan Robinson to alter that number slightly. We'll allow for 125 yards rushing from Robinson. The Falcons are better vs. the run, so we'll guess something in the 90-100 range for Derrick Henry.
The good news here is Henry will score more touchdowns. We're thinking a two-to-one edge here as the Ravens' offense relies on The King more in an attempt to aid Tyler Huntley in his first start of the season.
Baltimore allows 100 yards receiving to Drake London but silences Kyle Pitts
Remember when NBA teams used to state 'It's better to try and limit Michael Jordan than stop him'? More often than not, they couldn't limit him either. That's when teams adopted another theory. The next idea was 'Just let Jordan get his and stop everyone else.'
That may be closer to what we see from the Ravens' defense in this one. Robinson is probably going to get his, and Drake London is probably going to get his too.
Baltimore allowed 86 yards from Chris Olave, 112 yards to CeeDee Lamb, and 145 yards to Carnell Tate. That bodes well for London. He is going to eat. Bijan Robinson feasts as well. Here's where the Ravens help themselves: by letting them get theirs and stopping Kyle Pitts, Jahan Dotson, Brian Robinson, and the role players. Remember... Brian Robinson scored three touchdowns on Monday Night Football.
Tyler Loop connects from beyond 55 again
Tyler Loop connected from 56 in Brazil for the game-winner against the Dallas Cowboys. Last week, he drilled one from 64 yards out. That doubles as a record at M&T Bank Stadium. A climate-controlled environment at Mercedes-Benz Stadium should allow for a few more bombs.
The prediction is that at least two stalled drives in Falcons territory set the table for more of Loop's magic. That, two rushing TDs from Henry, and a TD pass from Huntley would place the Ravens at 27 points. That's where a needed two-point conversion comes in.
Tyler Huntley leads the Ravens to a seven-point win fueled by a two-point conversion
Huntley started the most recent meeting between these two teams in 2022 and scored on a two-point conversion. History repeats itself in this one. Let's allow for two Loop field goals, which means, at some point, the Ravens will need a two-point conversion to put them up by seven against a Falcons team that can score from anywhere. No worries there. Huntley will deliver.
We're torn between two finishes. In the first scenario, the Falcons will trim a 14-point lead to seven late and eventually run out of time. In the second, a Ravens team, leading by seven, ends this one with its defense and the victory formation, putting a cap on a game that's almost as exciting as the win over the Dallas Cowboys. Prediction: Ravens 28, Falcons 21
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs. Falcons: 5 bold predictions for Sunday Night Football