With the Ravens winning their 20th straight preseason game in a 37-3 final over Washington on Saturday night, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. I’m not sure what the sweet spot is to navigate the preseason while optimizing preparedness for the season. If Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes played this weekend, J.K. Dobbins playing behind his projected starting offensive line is hardly the most egregious example of the NFL’s continued groupthink on preseason games.
2. Lamar Jackson and Ronnie Stanley always seemed like a package deal for John Harbaugh deciding when to put his franchise quarterback on the field for some preseason snaps. Jackson delivered a pretty 23-yard completion to Mark Andrews outside the numbers while Stanley moved well over his 10 snaps.
3. The game-to-game improvement of Tyler Huntley culminated with a sensational five-touchdown performance in which he pushed the ball downfield with confidence and averaged 8.6 yards per pass attempt. Now you hope not to have to see him again in a situation in which the game is on the line.
4. Opponents scored three points and were 1-for-16 on third down against the Ravens defense over the preseason’s final six quarters. Few individuals stood out dramatically as it was more a dominating team effort from depth players against Washington’s backups, continuing the prevailing theme of a weirdly remarkable preseason streak.
5. The impressive work put in by James Proche throughout camp hadn’t carried over to the first two preseason games, but his touchdown catch was the kind of play we’ve seen in practices all summer. Though the current pass-catching picture remains a mystery beyond Andrews, Proche deserves some opportunities.
6. Questions will continue about his down-to-down consistency and development in pass coverage, but Patrick Queen looking like he’s shot out of a cannon on blitzes is fun to watch and will be a problem for opponents. He blitzed on a quarter of his 16 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
7. With everything about this offense augmented by Jackson’s dynamic threat to run, Ty’Son Williams looks the part of someone who can contribute out of the backfield in the absence of Dobbins. Baltimore clearly agreed by not giving him any touches beyond the midway point of the second quarter.
8. Jake Verity missed a 40-yard field goal and had an extra point blocked, but punts of 50 and 51 yards didn’t hurt his value. I’m skeptical that a team is handing over a fifth-round pick like Minnesota did for Kaare Vedvik, but I suppose the dream is still alive.
9. Considering he missed close to two weeks with a knee injury earlier this month, Nigel Warrior made a good statement in his transition from safety to cornerback and registered four tackles and a pass breakup against Washington. Even if not on the 53-man roster, Warrior remains an interesting developmental talent.
10. Warrior was part of the starting kickoff team that also included Chris Westry and Geno Stone. That’s not the be-all and end-all for roster decisions, but it’s been a decent tell in past summers. Even after the Shaun Wade trade, the Ravens have tough calls to make in the secondary.
11. Speaking of trades, the Ravens turned offensive lineman Greg Mancz — who wasn’t making the 53-man roster — and that seventh-round pick acquired from New England into a sixth-round choice. Miami has now had Mancz, Matt Skura, D.J. Fluker, and Jermaine Eluemunor on their roster at some point this summer. That’s weird.
12. Rod Woodson was having a little fun late in Saturday’s broadcast, but maybe the NFL should create the Harbaugh Trophy for the preseason champion every summer. The best part about the preseason winning streak is we don’t have to mention it again until next August.
