When you know, you know, and Baltimore Ravens star Kyle Hamilton certainly knew.
After the Ravens scored to take a 30-23 lead over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on Sunday and Hamilton saw Tua Tagovailoa come onto the field, he was ebullient. He knew he was going to seal the game.
“Kyle (looked across the field) and was like, ‘Tua in the game!’” Ravens star cornerback Marlon Humphrey recalled on a recent episode of “The Marlon Humphrey Show.”
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“He knew he was going to get a pick. He literally was like, ‘Oh, he better throw me one.’ He was so excited, it was the most excited I’ve probably seen Kyle.”
Humphrey said he didn’t know if Hamilton knew something he didn’t, but Hamilton was confident he would get an interception. It was Hamilton’s first interception of the season and the sixth of his career.
Tagovailoa entered the game late in the fourth quarter for Michael Penix Jr., who left after taking a vicious shot to the ribs. Penix returned for one play before overtime, but after the Ravens scored in the extra period, it was the former Miami Dolphins star who led the Falcons’ offense onto the field.
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The turnover bug plagued Tagovailoa last season, as he threw 15 interceptions in 14 starts.
Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday Penix is expected to start in the team’s game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, in which case Tagovailoa will be relegated to backup duties again.
The Falcons hope Penix can indeed return, because without him in the lineup, offensive production cratered. With both Penix and Tagovailoa injured to begin the season and Cooper Rush at quarterback, the offense scored just 16 points over the first two weeks of the season.
When Penix returned to the lineup, the Falcons offense kicked into high gear. Against the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, they scored 80 points, the most in the NFL over that stretch.
The other thing Penix provides, or rather takes away? The excitement opposing defenders feel about a potential interception.
