Baltimore Ravens QB Tyler Huntley tests positive for COVID-19, out Sunday

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In a critical battle for first place in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens are left with no choice but to start a quarterback signed 10 days ago.

Josh Johnson, a 35-year-old journeyman, will start Sunday’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals after Tyler Huntley tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, according to a source. The Ravens signed Johnson off the New York Jets’ practice squad on Dec. 15.

Johnson, who hasn’t started a game in three years, is the de facto starter because he’s the only healthy quarterback on Baltimore’s roster. Lamar Jackson hasn’t practiced in two weeks after injuring his ankle in a 24-22 loss in Cleveland on Dec. 12. Chris Streveler, the Ravens’ practice squad quarterback, was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday.

Jackson, who is listed as questionable, is not traveling with the team to Cincinnati, the Ravens announced. Punter Sam Koch is considered the Ravens’ emergency quarterback. Another option is re-signing Kenji Bahar, an undrafted rookie out of Monmouth who was last with the Ravens last month.

The Ravens are turning to Johnson at a time when all of their hopes for winning the AFC North are on the line. With a victory in Cincinnati, Baltimore would have a 67% chance of winning the AFC North, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Ravens’ chances of capturing the division plummet to 8.5% if they lose to the Bengals.

Since it was reported that Johnson would start, the Ravens have gone from a 3-point underdog to a 7.5-point one.

Johnson has a 1-7 career record as a starter. In his seven-year NFL career, he has completed 56.5% of his passes for 1,966 yards. Johnson has thrown 11 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 67.1 passer rating.

🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

— Josh Johnson (@Head8cke) December 25, 2021

The Ravens were set to start Huntley for a second straight week. After becoming the first Ravens player to record multiple touchdown passes and touchdown runs in the same game, Huntley…