Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh looked confused throughout the weeks for the quarterback role as they kept losing games. But Week 8 finally brought good news. Backup QB Tyler Huntley performed greatly against the Chicago Bears at M&T Bank Stadium, eventually winning their 2nd game of the 2025 season. However, this win also led one NFL legend to question the coach over his QB decisions.

3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and currently a CBS analyst, JJ Watt, tweeted his takeaways from the game. The first point that he raised was whether the coach could have given Tyler Huntley a chance in earlier matchups. Yet, he did mention that the coach made the perfect decision, and that was indeed a risk that paid off.

“Tyler Huntley’s performance makes you wonder if he should have been given the opportunity earlier. Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s clear the offense runs better when it can do similar things to the way Lamar runs it. (Do have to mention that the Bears were down their top 3 CBs).” Well, the situation was tricky for the Ravens, no doubt.

John Harbaugh pinned his hopes on starter Lamar Jackson and envisioned the 2025 run with him. But the week 4 game against the Kansas City Chiefs left him injured in his hamstring. That made the QB2 Cooper Rush the obvious choice.

In the week 5 game against the Houston Texans, Rush threw 3 interceptions. But his dip in the week 6 game against the LA Rams was vast. He only completed 11 of 19 passes (57.9% completion rate) for 72 passing yards and threw one pick again. The failure to throw a touchdown in back-to-back games made the coach reconsider his choice.

But let’s not forget, John Harbaugh changed his strategy in the game against the Rams as well. He benched Rush and started Huntley, who didn’t throw a score or an interception. But the NFC West team sacked him 4 times, and the Ravens lost by 3-17. But he still showed more promise by completing 10 of 15 passes (66.7% completion rate) for 68 yards.

So, Harbaugh made the ultimate move in the Week 8 game. It paid well in the end, even soliciting an emotional reaction from their starter.

John Harbaugh’s starter reacts to Week 8 victory

During the entire offseason, all analysts wanted to know when he would sign his extension. But Lamar Jackson put everything on hold. He wanted to win. So, when his team won their 2nd game of the 2025 season by 30-16, he couldn’t hold back his emotions. “Dub Sundays🥹🫶🏾🫶🏾🎉,” he tweeted on X.

The Baltimore Ravens delivered a well-balanced offensive performance, driven by Tyler Huntley’s efficiency in both the passing and rushing game. Huntley completed 17 of 22 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown. The highlight is that he did not commit a turnover. He also played a key role in the Ravens’ rushing success.

He carried the ball eight times for 53 yards. Just like Lamar Jackson, his dual-threat ability helped Baltimore sustain drives and maintain offensive rhythm throughout the game. Alongside Huntley, RB Derrick Henry powered the ground game with 21 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, the Ravens rushed for 177 yards on 35 attempts, a balance between the air and ground attack.

All these made Jackson happy, who took to X to comment on the game. And let us remind you, this is Jackson’s first football-related tweet in over a month. On the other hand, the former MVP is planning to make his long-awaited return in Week 9’s Thursday night matchup against the Dolphins, per Ian Rapoport.

But overall, Tyler Huntley’s performance in this game stood out as the difference-maker. Now, John Harbaugh must be thinking about giving more chances to the QB3 on the depth chart until the starter is back.