ATLANTA — The Baltimore Ravens face a stiff Week 5 test on Sunday night in Atlanta against a red-hot Falcons team that has won back-to-back primetime games with Michael Penix back under center, and Baltimore will do it without Lamar Jackson. With Tyler Huntley set to start, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and defensive coordinators Jesse Minter and Anthony Weaver must find answers for Atlanta's firepower led by Bijan Robinson, who has demolished opposing defenses this season.
The clearest path is controlling the clock on the ground and keeping the passing game simple. Baltimore is expected to lean on a heavy outside zone attack with Huntley and Derrick Henry — similar to what the duo used in a big win against Green Bay last year — to exploit Atlanta's depleted EDGE room, with Huntley getting designed carries to take attention off Henry even though he is not as polished as Jackson on option looks. Doyle, who has given Jackson quick first-read options all season, should dial up screens to Zay Flowers, Justice Hill and Henry, tight end leaks to Matt Hibner and quick reads to Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews to avoid turnovers. Atlanta has too much firepower between Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts not to score, and Baltimore will likely need more than 17 points to have a chance.
Defensively, Baltimore must adjust its recent approach against the run. Jonathan Taylor and Javonte Williams each averaged over five yards per carry in Weeks 1 and 2, and while Minter has been willing to live in nickel and even dime personnel to slow passing attacks at the cost of run yardage, that trade-off cannot hold against Robinson, the league's best back this year. The Ravens should get Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson and Teddye Buchanan on the field together to bottle up Robinson and force Penix to win over the top to Drake London against Nate Wiggins, preferring quick scores to long, clock-draining drives without Jackson to answer.
Huntley — nicknamed Snoop — has been Baltimore's most stable backup since the Robert Griffin III era and saved last season when Jackson was down while Cooper Rush could not get it done, but this is a new offense with a new coordinator and head coach. Baltimore kept undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano after he dominated the preseason enough to force a roster decision. After the offense was shut out in the second half against Tennessee with just 116 yards on 28 plays for 4.1 yards per play, the Ravens should be prepared to turn to Fagnano if Huntley delivers another slow start in Atlanta.