BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens are the one NFL team that could make major news simply by losing a preseason game.
That’s because it hasn’t happened since 2015.
Justin Tucker kicked a 60-yard field goal to end the first half, Tyler Huntley threw a touchdown pass early in the third quarter and the Ravens extended their record streak of preseason victories to 24 with a 20-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night.
Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts both sat out this game. Josh Johnson started at quarterback for Baltimore, and the well-traveled 37-year-old is old enough to have played in the first game of the Ravens’ streak back in 2016.
“One thing I learned at a young age - you cherish victories. They’re hard to come by in this league,” Johnson said. “That’s a credit to Coach (John) Harbaugh and the rest of this organization, that this streak has been able to go on for so long, with so many different guys playing in the preseason.”
The Ravens led 20-13 when Anthony Brown’s pass was intercepted by Eli Ricks and returned 31 yards for a touchdown with 7:03 to play.
“During the first half they repeatedly threw to the sideline, so I knew if they threw an out route that it was mine to take,” Ricks said. “The quarterback was throwing to the boundary, and I knew I could snag it. And if I get it, it’s going to the house.”
The Eagles went for 2 and didn’t convert. After forcing a quick Baltimore punt, Philadelphia faced fourth-and-4 at its 44. Ian Book’s pass was too high and the ball went over to the Ravens with 2:19 remaining.
Brown ran 16 yards on third-and-11, and Baltimore was able to close the game out from there.
The streak looked as if it was in jeopardy during a sluggish first half in which the Ravens had the ball for just 8:03. Tucker, however, was in midseason form when his kick from midfield sailed through to cut Philadelphia’s lead to 13-10 after two quarters.
Huntley, Jackson’s top backup in recent years, made his first appearance at the start of the second half and immediately guided the Ravens on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 10-yard TD pass to Tylan Wallace.
Marcus Mariota started at quarterback for the Eagles and went 7 of 11 for 58 yards.
Johnson threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Devin Duvernay in the second quarter, but the Ravens went three-and-out on their other three first-half possessions before finally driving close enough for Tucker’s long field goal.
Tucker set the NFL record with a 66-yard field goal to win a game at Detroit in September 2021.
Rookie receiver Zay Flowers received some early playing time for the Ravens. The first-round draft pick out of Boston College committed a false start on his first offensive play and then caught a sideways pass from Johnson that officially ended up as a 1-yard rushing play.
Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, taken ninth overall in this year’s draft, landed an early hit on Johnson on an incomplete pass.
Trey Sermon put the Eagles up 13-7 in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run.
After falling behind in the third, Philadelphia wasted a chance to answer after recovering a fumbled punt return at the Baltimore 14. The Eagles turned the ball over on downs.
Rashaad Penny, who broke his left leg last season while with Seattle, had 34 yards on nine carries for Philadelphia.
“You get to walk off the field healthy and to get to go home knowing that you don’t have the MRIs or anything else is a blessing,” he said. “It was fun to get back out there.”
The previous time the Ravens lost a preseason game was Sept. 3, 2015, 20-19 at Atlanta. On that day, it was Baltimore that went for 2 late in the game and failed.
BY COMMITTEE
Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins remains on the physically unable to perform list. Baltimore didn’t hold any of its other top rushing threats out, giving Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon and Keaton Mitchell carries.
“All the backs did a really good job,” Harbaugh said. “Melvin, he was making people miss, and even when he didn’t have a block he did well. Gus, he had a couple good, strong runs.”
INJURIES
Eagles: Linebacker Shaun Bradley was carted off in the third quarter after he appeared to injure his lower right leg during a punt.
Ravens: Harbaugh said the Ravens didn’t have any major injuries from the game.
UP NEXT
Eagles: Host Cleveland on Thursday night.
Ravens: At Washington on Aug. 21.
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