Baltimore Beatdown
The Baltimore Ravens kicked the preseason off with a 24-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Even though the majority of starters did not suit up and play for the Ravens, there was still plenty to take away from the game.
Mitchell has been the talk of training camp and showed exactly why in the preseason opener as he rushed for 68 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, including runs of 23 and 22 yards. The third-year running back’s lightning speed was on full display on his two long runs.
It was unknown if Mitchell would ever return to being the electrifying player that burst onto the scene as an undrafted rookie after a gruesome knee injury ended his first season prematurely. Although he returned to the field last season, it was clear that he was not yet fully back to form, either physically or mentally.
Adding a healthy and rejuvenated Mitchell to an already dominant rushing attack with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will surely have opposing defensive coordinators pulling their hair out each week.
Baltimore entered this offseason with a clear need to upgrade at punt returner after cycling through multiple players unsuccessfully during last season. After one preseason game, the competition for the role may already be over.
It only took two returns for rookie sixth-round wide receiver LaJohntay Wester to take command of the job as he took a punt back 87 yards for a touchdown on his second attempt of the night.
Wester will have two more preseason games to strengthen his case for the role once the regular season arrives. The rookie out of Colorado also led the team with 41 receiving yards on two catches.
Another player who impressed in the return game was second-year running back Rasheen Ali, returning a kickoff for 67 yards.
Ali capped off the ensuing drive with a two-yard touchdown run after breaking off a 19-yard run the play before. There is no question who the top three running backs are for the Ravens at the moment with Henry, Justice Hill, and Mitchell, but Ali made a strong case against Indianapolis for Baltimore to consider carrying four backs on the 53-man roster.
One negative note for the Ravens was the play of their backup quarterbacks against the Colts. Cooper Rush, whom the Ravens signed to a two-year, $6.2 million deal this offseason, was intercepted on his first pass attempt of the night.
Rush finished his outing with two completions on four attempts for 16 yards and an interception. Second-year quarterback Devin Leary did not fare any better as he completed just three passes on 12 attempts for 43 yards and an interception. The Ravens will need more from their backup quarterbacks going forward, specifically Rush, after they decided to spend more money on him this offseason than they usually do for a...
