Huntley, Ravens beat Falcons 17-9, secure playoff spot

BALTIMORE (AP) — As coach John Harbaugh mentioned Baltimore’s victory over Atlanta, a tv at the back of the information convention room was displaying the Cincinnati-New England recreation.

When the Bengals lastly sealed their victory, Harbaugh’s Ravens had been assured of a postseason spot.

“Are we?” Harbaugh requested earlier than receiving affirmation. “Oh, OK. It feels nice. Yeah, nice. Good. Congratulations to our guys. To clinch the playoffs with two video games left is fairly outstanding. It’s not one thing that’s executed too typically.”

Tyler Huntley threw a first-half landing cross, and the Baltimore protection stored the Falcons out of the tip zone in Saturday’s 17-9 win. The Ravens (10-5) received for the second time in three video games with out quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been out with a knee damage.

Baltimore received’t have to fret a couple of repeat of final season, when Jackson was injured and the Ravens ended up dropping their last six video games to overlook the postseason. The Bengals’ victory, nevertheless, got here with one downside: It stored Cincinnati a recreation forward of Baltimore atop the AFC North.

Atlanta (5-10), which entered only a recreation behind first-place Tampa Bay within the NFC South, was eradicated from playoff competition.

Gus Edwards ran for 99 yards and J.Okay. Dobbins rushed for 59 for Baltimore. Huntley’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson within the second quarter was the primary TD catch by a Ravens large receiver since Week 3.

Huntley ran for a 2-point conversion that put the Ravens up 14-0 — and Baltimore’s protection has allowed greater than 14 factors in a recreation simply as soon as for the reason that begin of November. On Saturday, the Ravens held the Falcons and not using a landing on 4 red-zone journeys.

“It was good Ravens soccer,” tight finish Mark Andrews stated. “Shout-out to the protection who had a fantastic recreation. Particular groups and all that. However if you get a day like this, chilly climate and antagonistic situations, any time you come out victorious, it’s a superb win.”

Atlanta has misplaced 4 straight — together with rookie QB Desmond Ridder’s first two begins — and 6 of seven. Ridder went 22 of 33 for 218 yards.

“I assumed Desmond took one other step in opposition to a reasonably good protection,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith stated. “However on the finish of the day, we didn’t win situational soccer. Baltimore did. That’s why they walked away with a win proper there.”

The temperature at kickoff was 17 levels, the bottom for a house recreation in franchise historical past. Though each groups had been anticipated to depend on the run as a substitute of their shaky passing video games, Huntley did join with Sammy Watkins for 40 yards and Andrews for 36. These two drives each led to subject objectives, and the Ravens led 6-0.

Atlanta went for it on fourth down close to midfield, and Ridder discovered Drake London for a acquire of 20. However Marlon Humphrey forced a fumble on the finish of that play, and the Ravens took over at their very own 30.

“I assumed I did all the pieces I may presumably do to safe the catch. Tried to place two arms on it,” London stated. “However that’s Marlon Humphrey, one of many higher cornerbacks within the league. He simply punched it out.”

Baltimore then ran the ball on the primary 11 performs of the following drive, which ended with Huntley’s brief landing cross.

The Ravens caught a break close to the tip of the primary half. On first-and-goal from the 1, Ridder was known as for intentional grounding — it appeared he was hit as he threw — for a lack of 13. The Falcons settled for a subject purpose.

On the primary possession of the second half, a holding name on receiver Olamide Zaccheaus nullified a landing by Cordarrelle Patterson, and Atlanta kicked a subject purpose once more.

Down 17-6 within the fourth, the Falcons had first-and-goal from the 4, however 4 straight runs had been stopped in need of the tip zone. Tyler Allgeier was unable to transform on fourth down from the 1.

Atlanta pulled inside eight on a subject purpose with 2:03 remaining, however the Falcons had let a lot time run off that the kickoff introduced the clock right down to the two-minute warning. Atlanta did have two timeouts remaining, however the Ravens had been capable of get a primary down and shut out the win.

STREAK

The Ravens have outrushed their opponent in 14 straight video games, a franchise document. This time the margin was 184-115.

INJURIES

Along with Jackson, the Ravens had been with out DE Calais Campbell (knee) and CB Marcus Peters (calf). … Atlanta TE Feleipe Franks was evaluated for a head damage.

UP NEXT

Falcons: Host Arizona subsequent Sunday.

Ravens: Host Pittsburgh subsequent Sunday.

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Comply with Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

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