No matter which side you were on and which half you were watching, you left the Baltimore Ravens versus Cincinnati Bengals game feeling like you had exhausted every emotion. There was reason to believe Tyler Huntley and company could sustain without Lamar Jackson. Through two quarters, he threw well. He helped Baltimore build a 13-0 halftime lead.

For a team searching for stability at quarterback, the opening half offered plenty of encouragement. The second half told a different story. Cincinnati adjusted, Baltimore's offense lost its rhythm, and Huntley struggled to find answers as the Bengals scored 35 unanswered points to complete a 35-13 comeback win.

His final numbers — 23 completions on 34 attempts for 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception — look respectable at first glance, but they don't fully capture how dramatically his performance changed. Huntley wasn't solely responsible for Baltimore's collapse, but he had chances to keep the offense competitive and failed to capitalize on several. His Week 7 grades reflect a productive start that gave way to costly mistakes and an inability to regain control when the game turned.

Tyler Huntley's best throws: Finding Flowers and extending drives

Tyler Huntley's 48-yard touchdown to Zay Flowers was the standout play of his afternoon. The screen gave Flowers room to work, and Huntley delivered the ball in space to Baltimore's most dangerous playmaker. The result was an explosive score that helped the Ravens build an early advantage.

Another valuable completion came on third-and-13 from Baltimore's 16-yard line late in the first quarter. Huntley found Flowers over the middle for 20 yards, converting a difficult third down and helping sustain an 18-play drive that lasted 11 minutes.

The possession ended with a field goal rather than a touchdown, but the conversion showed Huntley's ability to execute on a long third down. It was one of his clearest examples of moving the chains under pressure.

Tyler Huntley's worst throws: Missing a red-zone opportunity

Huntley's most frustrating miss came on third-and-three from the Cincinnati six-yard line just before halftime. Ja'Kobi Lane ran an out route toward the pylon, but Huntley's throw arrived late and sailed too far right, carrying the ball out of bounds. Baltimore settled for a field goal.

The pass needed better timing and placement. Huntley had a chance to deliver a ball Lane could secure near the boundary, but the throw left the receiver with no realistic chance to catch it.

A fourth-quarter deep attempt intended for Lane also fell incomplete as Baltimore tried to generate offense. Without a closer look at the route and coverage, it's difficult to determine whether Huntley missed an attainable window or faced a difficult throw. The red-zone miss remains the clearer example of an opportunity he should have handled better.

Tyler Huntley's Week 7 final report card

Accuracy and ball location: C

Huntley's placement was sharp early, particularly on throws that allowed Flowers to catch the ball in stride and generate yards after the catch. His first-half performance showed the value of clean mechanics and decisive passing within the offense.

Huntley showed he could deliver accurate passes, but his placement wasn't dependable enough in the moments when Baltimore needed to finish possessions.

Vision and dissection: C-

Huntley showed a good understanding of where to attack early, but he seemed to exhaust his best options. As Cincinnati adjusted, rhythm disappeared, and Baltimore struggled to find alternative answers.

Huntley explained afterward that he was working through his reads rather than forcing the ball to Flowers. That's a reasonable approach in principle, but the offense still needed to identify other ways to attack the defense once its initial success faded.

The second-half struggles raised questions about Huntley's ability to diagnose changing coverage and respond when the first read wasn't available. Cincinnati found ways to make the passing game less comfortable, and Huntley couldn't consistently counter those adjustments.

Toughness, intangibles and off-script plays: C

Huntley absorbed pressure behind an offensive line that allowed four sacks, but he kept operating from the pocket and helped Baltimore build an early lead. His willingness to stand in and deliver throws under pressure was a positive, particularly during the opening half.

The challenge was creating something when the designed concepts stopped working. Huntley didn't offer much as a runner, finishing with 12 yards on three carries, and the offense lacked an effective alternative when Cincinnati disrupted the passing game.

His toughness was evident, but his ability to extend plays or create opportunities outside the structure didn't give Baltimore the spark it needed after halftime.

Decision-making: C

Huntley's fourth-quarter interception was his most costly mistake. A pass intended for Flowers over the middle was tipped and intercepted by Bengals linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr., giving Cincinnati another opportunity to maintain control. The turnover ended Huntley's streak of 194 pass attempts without an interception.

Baltimore's decision to attempt a fourth-and-2 conversion also deserves scrutiny. Going for it wasn't inherently wrong, nor was it Huntley's decision alone. Baltimore needed to convert, and the play failed to produce the necessary yardage.

The missed red-zone throw to Lane added another example of an opportunity that wasn't executed properly. The interception stands out, but the bigger concern is that Huntley didn't make enough high-leverage plays that could have kept Baltimore in the game.

Leadership: B-

Huntley took responsibility after the loss, acknowledging that the offense failed to make the plays it needed in the second half. He didn't deflect blame toward the defense or the circumstances surrounding Jackson's absence. He instead focused on execution and the unit's failure to sustain its early success.

That accountability matters for a quarterback stepping into a difficult situation. Leadership also means being willing to own the performance, which was positive, even if the on-field response never came. Huntley did that. Kudos to him. His on-field leadership didn't produce the desired result, but his teammates backed him in the aftermath.

Baltimore remains a united team. Huntley remains a solid backup option, and his teammates will run through a wall for him.

Overall grade: C-

Huntley's C- grade reflects a performance that was simultaneously better than the final score might suggest, but not consistent enough to withstand Cincinnati's adjustments. He showed he could give Baltimore a functional passing game and build an early lead, yet the second half exposed the difference between managing an offense when things are working and finding solutions when they aren't.

That doesn't erase the value Huntley brings as a backup, nor does it make him responsible for everything that went wrong against Cincinnati. It does establish where his performance fell short. Huntley gave the Ravens a chance to take control, but he couldn't help them hold on when the game changed. For Baltimore, the lesson is that a promising half isn't enough. The offense needs dependable quarterback play from the opening drive through the final whistle.