After a scary injury to star quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens turned to backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, who led a furious second-half comeback attempt against the Cleveland Browns on December 12, earning praise from some big-name NFL players in the process.
Huntley drew the most attention for an incredible third-quarter scramble that Pro Football Focus called “his best Lamar Jackson impression.”
Tyler Huntley ain’t your everyday backup #Ravens
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Green, who calling the game on CBS, called said that the play “was one of the best 14-yard runs that you’ll see – ever,” per the Ravens’ Ryan Mink. The scramble, plus a late hit by Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips, made up for a holding penalty and helped set up a 55-yard field goal by Justin Tucker.
Former All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell, who appeared in five games for the Ravens this season, cheered on his former teammate as well. Though Bell and Huntley only shared the field for a handful of snaps this season, Bell certainly saw Huntley show off his moves in practice this season.
This isn’t the first time Huntley has earned comparisons to Jackson, either.
Reporters noted similarities between the two during training camp, according to Mink, and fans even dubbed Huntley “Lamar Jackson 2.0” after a five-touchdown preseason outburst against the Washington Football Team.
Browns Praise Huntley
Even the Browns had to tip their cap to Huntley for the play, with Cleveland’s fearsome defensive end duo of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney debating if Huntley was as fast as Lamar Jackson, who the pair are quite familiar with from their recent November 28 matchup.
“The way he looked, he might have been faster than Lamar,” said Garrett, per Mink, “The guy was playing pretty well. He looked like he was not starting his second game of the season.”
“He is a little quicker,” Clowney agreed, referencing Huntley’s highlight scramble, “He made the whole defense miss, he juked us all.”
The play even inspired Clowney to joke on the sideline, “I think we need Lamar back out here.”
Ravens Express Confidence In Huntley Moving Forward
The Browns game on December 12 was Huntley’s second relief appearance for Lamar Jackson in four weeks, the first being a start against the Chicago Bears in Week 11 with Jackson sidelined with a non-COVID illness.
In Chicago, Huntley led a game-winning two-minute drill at the end of the fourth quarter, and he once again showed remarkable poise for a backup quarterback facing a steep deficit in the second half in Cleveland.
If Jackson is unavailable for Baltimore’s next game, a December 19 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, the Ravens are ready for Huntley to once again take the reins of the offense.
“Tyler showed a lot of grit,” said head coach John Harbaugh on December 12, who emphasized his confidence in Huntley’s ability to step into the starting role if needed.
Veteran linebacker Josh Bynes told media that he wasn’t surprised about Huntley’s performance after facing off against him in practice all season.
“He does an amazing job out there,” Bynes said, “He’s preparing each and every game like he’s the starter.”
Running back Devonta Freeman said that Huntley “did an excellent job,” noting the difficulty of replacing Lamar Jackson in the Ravens’ offense.
That’s challenging, because when you’re the backup, you’re really not expecting to be playing,” Freeman continued, “So, you’ve got to always be ready, and he did a good job.”
Huntley reacted to the Ravens’ confidence in him, calling it a “great assurance.”
“That’s just building the trust,” added Huntley, who could play a huge role in the Ravens’ playoff push, depending on Jackson’s recovery from a low ankle sprain.
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NFL Stars React to ‘Lamar Jackson Impression’ From Ravens’ Backup QB