CANTON, Ohio — With the Ravens kicking off the 2018 preseason with a 17-16 win over the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame Game, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Kamalei Correa was a star at both outside and inside linebacker and collected three sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, two pass breakups, and six tackles. He needs to build on that after a quiet start to the summer, but seeing that performance from the former second-round pick was encouraging.
2. Hayden Hurst looked the part of a first-round pick with the ability to contribute as a rookie as he caught three passes, one for a touchdown in the third quarter. He had recently had some struggles in training camp, but the South Carolina product moved very well over the middle.
3. The Ravens defense coming away with an interception on the opening drive seemed fitting after leading the NFL in takeaways a year ago. I continue to like what I see from Chuck Clark as part of a deep and versatile secondary.
4. Lamar Jackson’s play reflected what we’ve seen throughout the spring and summer as he has a long way to go to be an NFL starting quarterback, but that’s fine. My biggest concern was seeing him take so many hits in the open field rather than running out of bounds or sliding.
5. The idea of waiting to play Jackson until the second half to alleviate some of the pressure had merit, but the offensive line surrendering five sacks even before intermission had to have John Harbaugh reconsidering that plan. The rookie quarterback didn’t exactly have much time in the pocket.
6. Thursday didn’t reflect well on the offensive line depth, but Orlando Brown Jr. was a bright spot as he allowed just one pressure on 48 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Even if James Hurst begins the season as the right tackle, the extensive reps for Brown are valuable.
7. It took under five minutes of play before the new helmet rule came into effect as Patrick Onwuasor was penalized and we saw a few more flags. Ravens players were recently advised by league officials to tackle as though they’re not wearing helmets. Yes, it’s likely to be a mess.
8. Breshad Perriman needs a big summer to make the team, so a Robert Griffin III slant pass going right through his hands for an interception was as bad a preseason start as he could have. The 2015 first-round pick not taking a single special-team rep wasn’t a great sign either.
9. Tim Williams didn’t fill up the stat sheet like Correa did, but PFF credited the 2017 third-round pick with six hurries to go along with a quarterback hit in 41 pass-rushing opportunities. He needs to show more of that against better competition as the preseason progresses.
10. With the top three running backs sitting, rookie Gus Edwards started and finished with 58 yards on 11 touches while displaying decent field vision. Fellow rookie Mark Thompson didn’t help his cause with a fumble. Kenneth Dixon’s inability to stay healthy could create the opportunity for a roster spot here.
11. Media predictably weren’t pleased to see Jackson’s debut delayed until the third quarter, but NBC had to be thrilled for the extra hook to keep the viewing audience engaged. The play in the second half was pretty ugly all the way around.
12. The best news from Thursday’s win was the Ravens escaping Canton without any notable injuries, according to Harbaugh. Cross your fingers and toes while knocking on wood, but the football gods have been kind to Baltimore in the health department so far.
