The Ravens opened their preseason with a 24-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here's how it happened:
Turning Point
The Colts had a chance to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter before Jay Higgins IV intercepted quarterback Riley Leonard, with defensive tackle C.J. Ravenell pressuring Leonard up the middle. The takeaway set up a 52-yard field goal by Tyler Loop, and Higgins later had a fourth-down pass deflection to seal the victory.
Top Play
Rookie wide receiver LaJohntay Wester is in the running for the starting punt returner job, and he certainly made his case for the role on Thursday. The sixth-round pick had an 87-yard return for a touchdown in the first quarter that set the tone the rest of the way.
Scoring Summary
| Scoring Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | Colts: (11:56) Spencer Shrader 53-yard field goal | 3-0, Colts |
| Ravens: (8:18) Keaton Mitchell 22-yard run | 7-3, Ravens | |
| Ravens: (2:36) LaJohntay Wester 87-yard punt return | 14-3 Ravens | |
| Colts: (0:12) Spencer Shrader 33-yard field goal | 14-6 Ravens | |
| 2nd Quarter | Colts: (2:18) Spencer Shrader 39-yard field goal | 14-9 Ravens |
| Ravens (1:32) Rasheen Ali 2-yard run | 21-9 Ravens | |
| 3rd Quarter | Colts (7:17) Khalil Herbert 1-yard run | 21-16 Ravens |
| 4th Quarter | Ravens (4:45) Tyler Loop 52-yard field goal | 24-16 Ravens |
Statistical Breakdown
Offensive Stats
| Ravens | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Leader | Devin Leary (43 yards) | Daniel Jones (144 yards) |
| Receiving Leader | LaJohntay Wester (41 yards) | Ashton Dulin (54 yards) |
| Rushing Leader | Keaton Mitchell (68 yards) | Ulysses Bentley (35 yards) |
Defensive Stats
| Ravens | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 2 | 2 |
| Turnovers Forced | 1 | 2 |
Team Stats
| Ravens | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Possession | 27:21 | 32:39 |
| Total Yards | 226 | 366 |
| Penalties | 7 for 43 yards | 9 for 107 yards |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 4-of-13 | 5-of-17 |
| 1st Downs | 14 | 18 |
Stock Watch
RB Keaton Mitchell
It didn't take long for Mitchell to carry over his great performance in training camp into the preseason. The third-year running back had 52 yards on four carries on the Ravens' second drive of the game, including a 23-yard rush and a 22-yard touchdown run. Fully healthy after his devastating 2023 knee injury, Mitchell finished with a game-high 68 rushing yards on nine carries.
CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
Armour-Davis made his case for more playing time in a crowded cornerback room with a strong first half. The 2022 fourth-round pick had two third-down passes defensed.
Return Game
After a season filled with ups and downs on special teams last season, Thursday's game was a great sign of things to come for the Ravens' return game. The Ravens received great returns from Wester and Rasheen Ali, who had a 69-yard kick return that set up 2-yard rushing touchdown by him a few plays later.
OLB Mike Green
Green didn't need many snaps to make an impact in his first game. The second-round Marshall product had a pressure on quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. that nearly led to an interception on the Colts' first drive. The coaching staff has raved about Green's potential throughout training camp. Fans got to see why on Thursday.
Up Next
The Ravens travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys for their second preseason game on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m.
