The Baltimore Ravens remain undefeated in the preseason as they were able to hold on to win against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night stopping a late 2-point conversion run.
Ravens Quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson each had a touchdown throw in the 20 – 19 win.
HEAR GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
Now the Ravens have another two preseason games to narrow down a 53-man roster, but Monday night may have provided clarity for the coaching staff into what the upcoming season’s depth chart may look like.
With a number of players fighting for spots at running back, wide receiver, quarterback, defensive back and linebacker, some players shined while others failed to seize opportunities.
First half:
Following three-and-outs from both the Ravens and Colts, Tim White fumbled on a punt return to set Indianapolis up in the red zone. Janarion Grant later returned the next kickoff and made a few players miss in the process.
Making guys miss and not fumbling, Janarion Grant has done nothing but shine this preseason. #Ravens
— Pete Gilbert (@WBALPete) August 21, 2018
Safety Anthony Levine intercepted Colts quarterback Andrew Luck as he was rolling out to keep the game scoreless following White’s fumble.
The Baltimore offense’s second drive of the night was thwarted by a former Baltimore draft pick, defensive end John Simon, a fourth-round pick in 2013. He sacked quarterback Joe Flacco at midfield.
Luck connected with tight end Jack Doyle twice early in the game after starting 0/3, once beating linebacker C.J. Mosley over the top. Mosley responded, though, forcing an incompletion the next time Luck threw Doyle’s way.
The Ravens held the Colts to a 57-yard field goal attempt, one that ageless, 45-year-old Adam Vinatieri nailed through the uprights.
While it might not have been as quick as last week, the Ravens’ first-team offense looked clean on a scoring drive and put the team ahead with the first touchdown of the game. Flacco threaded the needle to John Brown for a seven yard touchdown pass as Brown slipped behind the Colts’ secondary, making a juggling catch and tapping two feet in. Flacco finished 7/9 for 72 yards and a touchdown.
It’s the Smoke show. #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/s1i2K7CYxW
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 21, 2018
Running back Kenneth Dixon looked versatile in the first half, which is exactly what he needs to do to retain a roster spot. In his first NFL action since the end of the 2016 (he missed 2017 due to injury), Dixon looked energized in his six carries for 32 yards and three receptions for 24 yards. Buck Allen also looked fresh with his three first-half carries for 19 yards. Alex Collins seemingly has got the night off.
On his first third-and-long play of the night, quarterback Lamar Jackson was short throwing to an open Grant for a would-be first down. Jackson entered the night with a 39.3 completion percentage and seemingly still the third-string quarterback behind veteran Robert Griffin III.
Jackson struggled in his second drive of the night as well. Again against mostly first and second-string players, Jackson threw incomplete passes intended for Willie Snead and Jordan Lasley. The pass to Snead looked close but the coverage was there on the out-route. Jackson’s pass down the field to a streaking Lasley was overthrown by 10 yards.
Jackson started 0/4. After the game, Jackson said he “came out cold” and that he needs to learn to from it.
“I don’t feel like I’ve performed at a high level yet,” Jackson said.
The pass to Snead looked close, Lasley was VERY overthrown. Third down he couldn’t outrun Colts’ disciplined rush. #RavensFlock https://t.co/6pdzBzxeyK
— Jacob Troxell (@trox3) August 21, 2018
Playing against a starting quarterback for the first time this preseason, the Ravens defense forced Luck to make plays outside of the pocket and sacked him twice thanks to linebackers Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith.
Safety Chuck Clark showed versatility in the first half, covering numerous different pass catchers and lined up as a pass-rusher at least once. Secondary depth may be crucial for Baltimore if cornerback Jimmy Smith is suspended.
The Colts’ first touchdown of the night came when the Ravens began to pull some starting players out of the defensive line. Safety DeShon Elliott and defensive lineman Michael Pierce nearly forced another red zone turnover but the Colts recovered wide receiver Chester Rodgers’ fumble for a touchdown to take the lead, 10-7.
A two-minute drill late in the half featured a more poised Jackson, completing a few passes including one to tight end Hayden Hurst near the sideline. Justin Tucker’s 38-yard field goal tied the game at 10 entering halftime.
Injury update: Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley gingerly walked off the field on his own power in the first half. He did not return to the game but came back to the field with his knee wrapped. Head coach John Harbaugh said it is a knee strain.
Second half:
Jackson flawlessly rolled out on third and goal and completed a pass on the run to receiver Chris Moore for a 7-yard touchdown pass, taking advantage of a fumble on the half’s opening kickoff.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson squeezes a seven-yard TD pass in a tight window. The throw came with Jackson rolling to his right. Jackson has been at his best all summer when throwing on the run. His challenge is being more consistent in the pocket.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 21, 2018
Grant, like White, had his own case of the fumbles on a punt return. A sleek return that made numerous players miss in traffic was ruined when Grant fumbled and gave the ball back to the Colts near midfield. Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, pulled Grant aside on the sidelines for a talk following the fumble.
Elliott was in on another play in the red zone, this time he deflected quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s pass on fourth and goal while rookie cornerback Anthony Averett provided tight coverage.
Really nice sequence preceding 4th-down stop by Ravens rookie fourth-round CB Anthony Averett. Stopped a run play, broke a pass up in EZ and then had good coverage on 3rd-down incompletion. If Jimmy Smith misses time and Canady is down, Averett would be No.4 corner.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 21, 2018
In Griffin’s first drive of the night, the quarterback threw a 30-yard rope to Lasley on third down, who dropped the walk-in touchdown. Griffin continued to look like a veteran, calmly leading the Ravens to a scoring drive. Griffin looked decisive and cerebral in his decision making but he has not been helped much by drops throughout the preseason.
Rookie receiver Jordan Lasley is going to be kicking himself all week after that touchdown drop. Good job extending the play, but he know he has to haul that one in.
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) August 21, 2018
Elliott continued to show his relentless pursuit of the ball, recovering a fumble and nearly taking it back for a score before it was called an incomplete pass upon review.
The Ravens forced three punts before the Colts first points of the half came from a 43-yard field goal with 6:41 left in the fourth quarter, making it 20-13.
Cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste intercepted an under-thrown Phillip Walker pass to give the Ravens the ball, and control with less than three minutes left to play. however, three plays later the Ravens’ punt was blocked.
Walker redeemed himself by throwing a backshoulder pass to receiver Zach Pascal but the two-point conversion was no good. The draw play was stuffed by Kenny Young and the Ravens recovered an onside kick to hold on to win, 20-19.
The Ravens are still undefeated in the preseason.
?This quote from Joe Flacco about the TD pass sums up his rapport with John Brown: “With John’s speed I just trusted that he would get around the guy at the last minute – which he did – and just a great job by him getting his eyes on the ball and making the catch.”
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 21, 2018
Terrell Suggs on defensive effort tonight: “We aren’t flinching. We believe in our coordinator [Don Martindale], we believe in this package, and most importantly, we believe in the players on the field. There’s no flinch. We don’t worry about it.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 21, 2018
