For as well as the preseason opener went against the Saints last week, Saturday’s 40-17 loss to the Saints was a much different story.
The Eagles outplayed the Ravens on both sides of the ball and on special teams, and the rough night gave the coaching staff plenty of material to correct before the regular-season opener in Denver on Sept. 13.
Here’s a breakdown of how the game impacted several players:
WR Darren Waller
: The sixth-round picked capped off his strong week of practice with the first touchdown of his NFL career. Waller caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Bryn Renner in the fourth quarter, giving the Ravens their first score of the game. He caught the pass basically at the line of scrimmage and then used his 240-pound frame to power through two defenders for the score. He had three catches for 21 yards and the touchdown. Waller is fighting for his spot on the 53-man roster, and he’s made noticeable strides over the last week.
CB Rashaan Melvin: In a night where little went right for the starters, Melvin was one of the players who had a quality showing. He got the start as cornerback Lardarius Webb continues to rest with a hamstring injury, and he made a case to see more snaps in the future. He played tight coverage and also delivered a big hit on a screen pass thrown his direction. Melvin got starting experience last year, and he will push Webb for playing time when the veteran does return to the lineup.
RB Terrence Magee: The undrafted rookie running back was the bright spot for the offense on an otherwise frustrating night. He entered the game in the third quarter and helped the Ravens march down the field for their first score of the night. Magee finished the night with 11 carries for 44 yards. He has an uphill battle to make the roster, but undrafted running back Fitzgerald Toussaint spent time on the roster last year, so the Ravens could go the undrafted route again.
WR DeAndre Carter: The undrafted rookie is trying to make the team as a long-shot candidate, and he would likely need to win a starting return job to ensure that happens. The Ravens gave him a shot at kickoff returner, but he dropped the football on his only opportunity. The muffed kickoff was the second in as many weeks for Carter, and he didn’t have any more chances after that miscue. He did get involved on offense late in the game, catching three passes for 34 yards, but he just missed a touchdown grab when a pass grazed his fingertips to fall incomplete.
LB Arthur Brown: The former second-round pick is competing to make the team, and he helped his case with a sack on quarterback Matt Barkley in the third quarter. Brown also took snaps with the first-team offense when veteran linebacker Daryl Smith came out of the game, giving him a chance to face off with some of Eagles starters.
WR Daniel Brown: The undrafted rookie may have put himself in the conversation of receivers fighting for the final spots on the roster. He hauled in a 28-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, which was probably the highlight of the night for the offense.
QB Bryn Renner: The third-string quarterback followed up his game-winning drive in his NFL debut last week with a strong second-half outing in Philadelphia. He jump-started an offense that had been stagnant, throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. The offense scored all 17 of its points with Renner at quarterback, and he finished the game 15-of-21 passing with the two touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 124.7. Veteran Matt Schaub appears entrenched as the Ravens’ No. 2 quarterback, but Renner has made a strong case for himself to be at least a practice squad candidate.
Starting defense: After opening the preseason with a pair of three-and-outs on their only two series against the Saints, the first-team defense had a tougher go of things against the Eagles potent offense. The starters drew four penalties on the opening drive, including three by outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, and the Eagles marched down the field for an 11-play touchdown drive. The Eagles then followed that up with a five-play scoring drive on their next possession. The Ravens are known as a stout defense against the run, but the Eagles were able to move the ball on the ground and scored rushing touchdowns on their first two possessions. The Ravens set the bar high with how good the defense looked in the opener, but Thursday’s game showed they still have work ahead of them before the start of the regular season.
