BALTIMORE — With two minutes to go, Lamar Jackson took over at his personal 30-yard line, trailing 20-17.
The drive obtained off to an awesome begin: a wonderfully positioned move deep down the left sideline to Keith Kirkwood. The Baltimore Ravens‘ two-time MVP quarterback could not have walked up and positioned it in his receivers’ arms any higher.
However then got here an incomplete move, first-round rookie DB Malaki Starks smothering vast receiver Dayton Wade, and a brief completion to Mark Andrews. Then got here a sack — an untouched Marlon Humphrey screaming off the sting on a nook blitz. Given the time left, the realm of the sector and the rating, a sack is the very last thing you need.
Or perhaps that is precisely what the Ravens wished, in a approach. That is simply coaching camp, in spite of everything, and the staff is evaluating its new kicker whereas changing a longtime franchise cornerstone. Tyler Loop had a 56-yard subject aim to tie it.
He left little doubt, splitting the uprights with loads of room to spare, impressing the 26,052 Ravens followers who flocked to M&T Financial institution Stadium for the staff’s first observe at its residence subject. It capped a terrific day for the sixth-round rookie, who went six-for-six throughout a subject aim drill earlier that included a make from 60 yards.
“Handed that take a look at with flying colours — that is an A+++,” John Harbaugh mentioned after observe. “Onto the subsequent one. So blissful for him, only for him to get by that and now go, ‘You understand you are able to do it, and you understand how to do it, similar to that.’ That is the type of man he’s. Not shocked, however definitely very blissful.”
Loop was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist final season and will effectively find yourself because the kicker with probably the most stress on his shoulders this season. The Ravens drafted Loop days earlier than releasing Justin Tucker, whom 16 massage therapists accused of sexual misconduct earlier within the offseason. Tucker denied the accusations. In his assertion, Ravens basic supervisor Eric DeCosta referred to as releasing Tucker a “football” decision.
Loop’s robust day would have been a constructive signal no matter circumstances, however that it got here at an NFL stadium — slightly than the staff’s coaching facility — and in the future after the staff launched undrafted rookie kicker John Hoyland are additionally elements that can have Ravens followers sleeping a bit simpler at evening.
“You would not assume [kicking at the stadium] could be any completely different, besides the sight traces are completely completely different,” Harbaugh, a former particular groups coordinator, mentioned. “I believe the wind and stuff like that’s completely different, too. It’s a must to come down right here to kick with that, however I nonetheless assume that the scoreboard on, followers within the stands, the targets that they make, that is the true factor, so it is actually useful.”
Sure, it was solely an early-August coaching camp, with superb climate and no actual penalties if he missed. Sure, he nonetheless has to check preseason checks. But when Loop comes by clutch this season, maybe his first observe at M&T Financial institution Stadium will show price remembering.
This is extra from the Ravens’ observe two days earlier than they host the Indianapolis Colts for a joint session.
Lamar Jackson reveals wheels, accuracy
A lot of Jackson’s stardom comes from the splash performs: the jaw-dropping strikes, the rocket-armed deep passes and the flexibility to make one thing out of nothing. However typically, his worth is finest displayed on the small performs. In a single staff drill, for instance, Jackson escaped stress from either side of him, obtained upfield, waited for his receiver to start out blocking and scooted out of bounds proper after getting a primary down. It confirmed the athleticism, sure, but in addition Jackson’s smarts as a runner.
Earlier within the day, Jackson scored a landing on a run as effectively, although with the standard don’t-touch-the quarterback guidelines observe guidelines, it was exhausting to inform if he really would have discovered the tip zone.
Later in observe, in a seven-on-seven crimson zone drills, Jackson floated a move completely to Mark Andrews for a landing. A little bit bit later, in 11-on-11, he floated an ideal move to Derrick Henry on a wheel route. Henry completed issues off with a brief landing run.
One-on-one vast receiver vs. cornerback drills are purported to favor the offensive participant given all of the house to function and no stress on the quarterback.
However on a pair of drills, Jaire Alexander flipped that script on its head. On one rep, Alexander seemingly ran Wade’s route for him, a lot so {that a} move by no means even got here out. A couple of reps later, Alexander caught with Anthony Miller deep downfield and knocked the ball away. The 2-time All-Professional obtained up and performed a little bit bit to the Baltimore crowd, doing the “seatbelt” celebration.
“You may see the plain talent set,” Harbaugh mentioned. “He can transfer, he is obtained a knack for taking part in the ball. You say a whole lot of instances, ‘You cowl together with your ft, and also you play the ball together with your arms. You do not cowl together with your arms.’ He understands that.
“He is simply obtained an actual really feel for that a part of the sport. He is tremendous proficient, tremendous assured, works tremendous exhausting. A+.”
Alexander was crushed on the aforementioned deep move to Kirkwood that arrange Loop’s subject aim, however total, he had a robust observe. In one other drill, he caught proper with DeAndre Hopkins and, although Hopkins got here down with the ball, he was effectively out of bounds.
“D-Hop, he is a GOAT, man, he is a legend on this league,” Alexander mentioned. “So I at all times wanna go up in opposition to D-Hop. It has been good on good, man, it has been nice.”
Alexander’s power has been simple. Sunday, he had a number of spectacular moments to match.
Odds and ends
- The Ravens return 10 of their 11 starters from final 12 months’s offense. The one change? Left guard. Sunday, Andrew Vorhees labored with the starters; final week, Ben Cleveland obtained time there. Whereas it may be robust to come back to conclusions — particularly Sunday, when media have been within the press field — Vorhees, Andrews and Ronnie Stanley did a pleasant job springing Justice Hill for a giant acquire on a pitch play. Vorhees additionally paved the best way on Henry’s landing stroll.
- The center of the Ravens’ defensive position continues to impress; Henry, for probably the most half, had bother discovering a lot house. It ought to be famous, in fact, that Henry does a ton of harm after contact, one thing that may’t be replicated in observe, however Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones lead a stout group.
- Kyle Hamilton had one of many performs of the day for the protection, twisting and turning and contorting his physique to interrupt up a Jackson move that appeared destined for Charlie Kolar. Hamilton’s immense athleticism was on clear show.
- With starters Hopkins, Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman in addition to prime backups Tylan Wallace and Devontez Walker already put in, it may be a tricky battle for different vast receivers to crack the Ravens’ vast receiver room. Baltimore spent a sixth-round choose on the speedy LaJohntay Wester, who has had some robust moments. However within the two practices I’ve seen, undrafted rookie free agent Xavier Guillory has flashed. Sunday, he beat Nate Wiggins deep for a landing in a one-on-one rep. He additionally made one other spectacular catch, combating by contact that drew a move interference name and completed the catch regardless, and a 3rd massive catch within the second staff’s two-minute drill. Malik Cunningham has additionally had some good reps.
- Different standouts included Keaton Mitchell, who took a brief Cooper Rush display screen move for a landing and spun out of a deal with in a later 11-on-11 scenario, in addition to Starks, who strung out a Henry run in an 11-on-11 setting.