With the Ravens blowing out Jacksonville in a 29-0 win to begin the preseason, Iโve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Lamar Jackson was solid operating in the kind of conservative offense youโd expect in the first exhibition game. His best pass was a back-hip 18-yard completion to Chris Moore after the timing of Nick Boyleโs out route was out of whack. Jacksonโs showing reinforced what weโve watched in camp.
2. The 30-yard bootleg completion to a wide-open Moore is the kind of big play offensive coordinator Greg Roman hopes to generate with motion, play fakes, and Jacksonโs mobility. The young quarterback simply needs to deliver a catchable ball in those instances, which he did perfectly there.
3. The ground game struggled to get going beyond an isolated run or two, but Jackson acknowledged the game plan was โnot close at allโ to what weโll see in September. He then smiled and said, โItโs going to be fun to watch though.โ Revolutionary or not, itโll be very interesting.
4. I couldnโt help but ponder how many members of the second-team Ravens secondary would play meaningful roles for other NFL teams. Anthony Averett had some hiccups Thursday, but the depth in the defensive backfield on this roster is remarkable.
5. Miles Boykin had two drops and is still developing, but itโs clear how much both Jackson and Trace McSorley like throwing to him. His final three catches to end the half โ the last being a pretty McSorley touchdown pass negated by a hold โ flashed the go-to potential he could have.
6. It was good seeing Tim Williams and Tyus Bowser apply some pressure and collect a half-sack apiece, but both standing their ground on the edge for Chris Wormleyโs third-and-1 stuff early in the second quarter was another good sign. Theyโre clearly ahead of Shane Ray at this point.
7. There wasnโt much running room for Justice Hill, but his 14-yard catch-and-run illustrated the need for the Ravens to find ways to get the rookie the ball in open space. Heโll definitely make defenders miss.
8. On just 14 defensive snaps, Patrick Ricard had two sacks, batted down a pass, and recorded another stuff at the line of scrimmage. Thatโs what you call making the most of opportunities when battling for a roster spot. He also played seven offensive snaps.
9. We didnโt see rookie third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson until the second half, but he was very active late in the third quarter, registering a tackle for a loss and a quarterback hit. No, the competition wasnโt exactly stiff, but that should serve as a confidence boost as he continues learning.
10. The numbers say it all for Kaare Vedvik, who connected on all four field goals โ one from 55 yards โ and recorded two punts for 58 and 53 yards. After what he experienced last year, you have to feel good for him. Heโll be kicking somewhere in the NFL this season.
11. Special teams coach Chris Horton couldnโt have liked his kickoff team giving up a 102-yard return for a touchdown that was nullified by a holding penalty, but Justin Tucker abstaining from trying to make a tackle definitely brought a sigh of relief. Heโs been overzealous at times in past preseasons.
12. As John Harbaugh said, you โlike to winโ preseason games, but the Jaguars sat 32 players compared to Baltimoreโs 14 and played only three listed starters from their depth chart (see below). The domination surely reflects the Ravensโ depth, but weโll now turn the page to overreacting to next week.
Twelve Ravens thoughts following 29-0 preseason win over Jacksonville

Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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