Backup QB Josh Johnson goes 11 for 11 as the Ravens hold off the Falcons 13-12
BALTIMORE (AP) — Tavius Robinson took advantage of an opportunity to make a gamechanging play.
Robinson stopped Jase McClellan well short of the goal line on a 2-point conversion in the final minute to preserve Baltimore's 13-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Robinson, a linebacker who made one start for the Ravens last season as a rookie, was in Saturday's game at the end after Asida Isaac started cramping.
“I think a play like that keeps building my confidence,” Robinson said. “I remember at this time last year being so nervous before games, playing slow and not knowing what to expect. Now, being through a whole season, I know it's a long season, I know how the weeks go, so feel a lot more comfortable on the field.”
Josh Johnson completed all 11 of his pass attempts and Emory Jones added a long touchdown throw in the second half for the Ravens. The Falcons scored with 36 seconds remaining on a 3-yard run by McClellan, but their 2-point try went nowhere and Atlanta did not bother trying an onside kick after that.
Lamar Jackson and Kirk Cousins, each team's No. 1 quarterback, did not play. Neither did Atlanta rookie Michael Penix Jr.
“We feel really good (with) where we are at with Michael. We feel really good with where we’re at with the other guys that we sat," Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. "He showed us last week enough that we don’t have to play him in the preseason.”
Johnson and Jones each passed for a TD, and Jones rebounded from a fumble last week that led to the decisive field goal in Baltimore's loss to Philadelphia.
Younghoe Koo kicked two field goals for the Falcons, including a 54-yarder in the first quarter. But he missed from 40, 45 and 49 yards — all wide left.
With Cousins and Penix staying out of harm's way, Taylor Heinicke was the starter for Atlanta and went 8 of 16 for 114 yards.
“I’m really proud of the guys, it was a much cleaner operation,” said Heinicke, who went 4 for 11 for 11 yards in the preseason opener against Miami. “We moved the chains, we got into scoring position, we didn’t put it in the end zone as much as we wanted, but we gave Koo some chances.”
John Paddock came on toward the end for the Falcons and led an 80-yard drive that nearly won it.
The Ravens took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter on Johnson's 6-yard scoring pass to Owen Wright. It was 7-6 at halftime.
Johnson threw for 120 yards.
Jones appeared in only one play in Baltimore's first preseason game, and he fumbled to set up the winning kick by the Eagles. It was a much better showing this time for the rookie out of Cincinnati. He found Dayton Wade for a 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter after Wade had run past defensive back Anthony Johnson.
“One of the main things about Emory is he's an even-keeled, level-headed guy,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Very smart, very mindful of keeping his cool.”
A failed 2-point conversion left the Baltimore lead at seven.
Linebacker Trenton Simpson, who has a bigger role this season for the Ravens after Patrick Queen's departure, put a big hit on Heinicke early and also had two tackles and a pass defensed.
The game's lone turnover came in the second quarter when Ravens center Ben Cleveland snapped the ball before Johnson was ready and Atlanta recovered the fumble.
Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker was penalized as part of the NFL's new kickoff format when his kick failed to reach the landing zone, giving Atlanta the ball at the 40 at the beginning of the second half.
It was a largely injuryfree game, although Isaac, a rookie linebacker, left in the fourth quarter.
Browns still plan to play QB Deshaun Watson in preseason finale despite injury issues with tackles:
Deshaun Watson’s preseason debut remains on schedule. It’s still not known who will be blocking for the Browns quarterback.
Three more offensive tackles got hurt during Cleveland’s exhibition loss to Minnesota on Saturday, further depleting the vital position as the Browns wait for starters Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin to return from season-ending injuries.
Watson is set to play this week in Seattle in Cleveland’s exhibition finale, his first game action since breaking his right shoulder in November.
As of now, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said that objective has not been altered by the rash of injuries at tackle.
“The plan is for him to play,” Stefanski said Sunday on a Zoom call. “I always take in information, so I’m going to make sure I talk to and work through that this week. Not going to get into who plays and how much just yet, but going to certainly work through that in the next couple of days.”
Watson was kept out of Cleveland’s first two preseason games as the team closely monitors his progress after the 28-yearold underwent surgery to repair the broken glenoid bone in his throwing shoulder.
Watson, who has played just 12 games in two seasons with the Browns, has thrown all but one day during training camp. He was a full participant in two joint practices last week against the Vikings.
Stefanski wouldn’t specify how much Watson or Cleveland’s starters might play against the Seahawks. The Browns open the regular season on Sept. 8 against Dallas.
“Everything’s on the table,” he said. “What we have to do is just always ... we have a plan, look at it, see what’s available, do we want to alter anything? So we’ll work through that in the next couple of days.”
Stefanski said Wills will not be back at practice this week. He’s been doing side work with Cleveland’s training staff and appears to be further ahead of Conklin, who suffered his injury in last season’s opener.
In Saturday’s 27-12 loss to the Vikings, James Hudson III, who has been the primary replacement for Wills, went out with an ankle injury and backups Germain Ifedi (hand) and Hakeem Adeniji (knee) both got hurt.
The Browns signed Ifedi and Adeniji in the offseason to add depth after Wills, Conklin and rookie Dawand Jones all suffered season-ending knee injuries in 2023. Jones is healthy but was rested against Minnesota.
Stefanski said Hudson won’t play this week, but “will be back soon.” He added Ifedi “should be good to go” but that Adeniji, who got hurt while hustling to help on a tackle to stop an interception return, will be “out for a little bit.”
While there doesn’t appear to be immediate urgency to find a tackle, Browns general manager Andrew Berry is undoubtedly scanning the waiver wire for potential depth.
“Nobody loves the injury piece of this,” Stefanski said. “But when it happens, we have to do our due diligence and look around and that type of thing. But I feel confident certainly in the group that we have.”