BALTIMORE – Tavius Robinson took advantage of an opportunity to make a game-changing 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.
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“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 injury-free game, although Isaac, a rookie linebacker, left in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Falcons: Host Jacksonville on Friday night.
Ravens: At Green Bay next Saturday.
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