Official Game Thread - Preseason Week 3 - Ravens @ Commanders - EARLY DAY GAME

[Commander PK]

Don’t get me wrong, I think Harris, Peters, DQ, and Jayden have us positioned for long term success, I’m just pessimistic about our prospects this year.

So am I, to be honest, it is going to be hard to duplicate last year’s success. We haven’t had back-to-back playoff seasons since 91/92.

Maybe this is just an overreaction to the entire pre-season for us. Like I said, a strong dominant showing against the Giants in Week 1 and no matter what happens after that…the pre-season concerns will be null and void.

 

[Solitary Man]

Yankoff is making this roster again. And he may be more valuable than Sinnott right now.

 

[Conn]

Yankoff is making this roster again. And he may be more valuable than Sinnott right now.

So, 4 TE’s and McNichols to the PS? Can’t see us keeping both 4 TE and 4 RB

 

[Solitary Man]

So, 4 TE’s and McNichols to the PS? Can’t see us keeping both 4 TE and 4 RB

I don’t see this staff risking the loss of Yankoff. Especially since he is a beast on teams. Is Kaz your 4th RB?

 

[burgold]

I can't really see Kaz making it. They always talk about his big play potential but has he ever made a big play? I can't remember one this preseason or last.

I think it's Rodriguez, Bill, Eckler, and McNichols.

 

[Conn]

I don’t see this staff risking the loss of Yankoff. Especially since he is a beast on teams. Is Kaz your 4th RB?

Ertz, Bates, Sinnott, Yankoff

Ekeler, CRod, JCM

With McNichols on the PS (Felton possibly as well)

Kaz to me just doesn’t have the juice

 

[Canadian Hog]

When we had a minor resemblance of what the opening week starting roster will look like last week vs. the Bengals, the run game/offence was rocking and rolling, and the defence made a top five NFL passer uncomfortable for the most part. That’s my main takeaway from preseason and what gives me hope going into Week 1. Don’t let the preseason sloppiness cloud the fact that this roster is better than it was in ‘24 on paper. If we execute, we should be fine.

 

[burgold]

I wonder if there's some second guessing in choosing Noah Brown over OZ?

I'm guessing our wide receivers are:

McLaurin
Deebo
Noah Brown (I could also see him cut with an injury settlement.)
Lane
Brooks
Tay Martin

Really I'm going to guess that McCaffrey beats out either Brooks or Martin, but if the preseason games mean anything those two flashed and McCaffrey did so little. They tried their hardest to feature him in the Raven's game, but all they could do was bubble screens and the defense played them well.

 

[Primus Porcus]

I wonder if there's some second guessing in choosing Noah Brown over OZ?

I'm guessing our wide receivers are:

McLaurin
Deebo
Noah Brown (I could also see him cut with an injury settlement.)
Lane
Brooks
Tay Martin

Really I'm going to guess that McCaffrey beats out either Brooks or Martin, but if the preseason games mean anything those two flashed and McCaffrey did so little. They tried their hardest to feature him in the Raven's game, but all they could do was bubble screens and the defense played them well.

I dont think OZ was ever a 'no. 2' mold. He was a slot guy. Noah Brown is an outside WR. OZ doesn't thrive in that role imho.


I think what we've seen this preseason is less about how we're going to be in 2025, and more about what they want to see out of the back 1/3 of the roster. I dont' think it's an accident that we've now seen 2 games out of 3 that featured 30 players inactive. They are comfortable and confident in what we're going to see on Sundays. The short time we saw 'starters' the team executed a level of play that we have all dreamed about with holes that RBs could drive a mack truck through. We haven't seen the starting O-line. The starting pass rush. The starting WR group. The starting DB group. The starting LB group (beyond LUVU). The starting QB (or backup).

I think we could see a 'slow' start over the first couple weeks because of the 'ramp up' but I don't think they're looking at any of it with any level of panic. They have seen what they needed to see behind closed doors, and they kept it there.

 

[Die Hard]

I have no idea how the staff will be able to evaluate any depth at WR/TE with the way Fabio aka Hartman played Qb.
And how Gay is still on this roster at this moment is baffling.

It’s not baffling. He has a guaranteed $4+M contract. The team isn’t going to eat that. It’s been reported he’s been kicking well all camp. It’s way too early to cut bait.

 

[Faithful Fan]

It’s not baffling. He has a guaranteed $4+M contract. The team isn’t going to eat that. It’s been reported he’s been kicking well all camp. It’s way too early to cut bait.

Yeah Matt Gay hasn’t looked great in preseason, but he has been an 85% kicker over his 6-year career, he should be fine. Sometimes you just have to stick with a guy.

Still it’s aggravating seeing our kicking woes contrasted with Baltimore’s situation, one of the greatest of all time succeeded by a rookie who is draining 60-yarders. Oh and have you seen the Dallas kicker? Seems everyone’s kicker is good from 60+ while we just hope to find a guy who makes the easy ones.

 

[Faithful Fan]

I wonder if there's some second guessing in choosing Noah Brown over OZ?

I'm guessing our wide receivers are:

McLaurin
Deebo
Noah Brown (I could also see him cut with an injury settlement.)
Lane
Brooks
Tay Martin

Really I'm going to guess that McCaffrey beats out either Brooks or Martin, but if the preseason games mean anything those two flashed and McCaffrey did so little. They tried their hardest to feature him in the Raven's game, but all they could do was bubble screens and the defense played them well.

I thought McCaffery looked pretty good today. He had five catches, a good run for a first down on a screen, some good blocks, and a special teams tackle. They were definitely testing him in the third preseason game, so he might not have been a lock before today, but I’d be shocked if he didn’t make the roster now.

 

[Faithful Fan]

When we had a minor resemblance of what the opening week starting roster will look like last week vs. the Bengals, the run game/offence was rocking and rolling, and the defence made a top five NFL passer uncomfortable for the most part. That’s my main takeaway from preseason and what gives me hope going into Week 1. Don’t let the preseason sloppiness cloud the fact that this roster is better than it was in ‘24 on paper. If we execute, we should be fine.

Agree about the run game, I’m stoked to see how it shapes up with Jayden and the new backs, our rebuilt line and TEs look great. That should be our strength.

I’m not sure how uncomfortable Burrow was considering they scored two touchdowns while he was in, and frankly our defense is a bit suss until proven otherwise, especially stopping the run.

As for the sloppiness, there was plenty of it, but I do expect that to improve with Jayden and Bobby at the helm.

 

[Boone]

Burrow can hurt you whether he's uncomfortable or not. But he was definitely pressured - a lot. I actually think they nailed him for a safety on that one play. He was still trying to advance the ball and make a play so I don't know why the officials considered the ball dead on that one. That was a safety.

 

[DieselPwr44]

It’s not baffling. He has a guaranteed $4+M contract. The team isn’t going to eat that. It’s been reported he’s been kicking well all camp. It’s way too early to cut bait.

So he's Taylor Jacobs.

And Peters made a mistake. It happens.

 

[Die Hard]

So he's Taylor Jacobs.

And Peters made a mistake. It happens.

Taylor Jacob’s history was one of a player who apparently practiced well but never performed in actual games.

Gay has actually been one of the better kickers in the NFL in recent history who missed 2 field goals in pre-season.

So.., not really?

But I understand irrational hatred.

It’s just way too early to formulate any kind of (strong) opinion of him yet. I’ll reserve judgement until the bullets are real.

Yes, Peter’s is imperfect. Sam Hartman being his worst offense.

 

[Conn]

This is what we all expected from McCaffrey last year.

Still doesn’t look like a fluid athlete despite the testing numbers, though. Idk if I see it happening with him unless he becomes an absolute technician, he certainly doesn’t make it look easy