Three straight days of padded practice was already a training camp test for the Ravens. Mother Nature piled on with a heat index in the triple digits all three days.
Wednesday was the final scorcher of the week, with the heat wave forecasted to break in the Baltimore area. While cooler temperatures will be welcomed, Head Coach John Harbaugh, and specifically Ravens Director of High Performance Sam Rosengarten, were thankful for several days of intense heat.
"Good work day. Tough day. It really is a challenge with the heat," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot to be said for that if you look at the science and acclimation and all that. Our guys really handled it pretty darn well. I do think it factors into some of the mental stuff. It forces you to really concentrate and work on the mental challenges of the game. That's what we need this time of year."
Harbaugh had an option in the practice script for live tackling with the backups and ultimately gave it a thumbs up.
The Ravens' defense had the upper hand Wednesday, led by the cornerbacks and aided by good pressure up front. Here's who stood out in Wednesday's challenging practice:
- Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was like glue on a sticky day. Awuzie made a diving pass breakup on a route by Keith Kirkwood, drove on a comeback route by Dayton Wade to force another incompletion, then nearly picked off Lamar Jackson on a cross-field throw. Awuzie isn't as flashy or loud as Alexander, the Ravens' other veteran free-agent addition at cornerback, but Awuzie has also been impressive. Harbaugh said Awuzie has stepped up the past couple of days as he's gotten healthy following a June ankle injury and credited him with being a smart player and quick learner. "He knows how to play. … Very excited about him."
- Rookie kicker Tyler Loop's perfect training camp streak was snapped Monday when he missed three kicks. He rebounded Wednesday, drilling all nine of his kicks, including six in a row from 24, 33, 38, 43, 45, and 53 yards. The 53-yarder was a bomb that would have been good from much longer, as Loop continues to show off his strong leg. It's also an important sign that he put a tough day behind him quickly.
- Safety Beau Brade had the hardest hit of the day, flying downhill to pop Keaton Mitchell and send the shifty running back backwards to the ground. Harbaugh said Brade is "flying around" and credited him with being a very determined player who is the first player in the weight room.
- Sixth-round rookie cornerback Robert Longerbeam had a nice pass breakup on a deep shot intended for Devontez Walker.
- Another day, more plays by veteran DeAndre Hopkins, who has caught just about everything that has come his way. He beat Jaire Alexander deep, made a sliding grab in front of Nate Wiggins, and scored on a slant versus Awuzie with a tough grab in the back of the end zone before celebrating basketball-style with Mark Andrews.
- Andrews got the better of rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks on one tightly contested out route on the sideline and stood up quickly for a big first down signal. Starks wrestled a touchdown pass away from Andrews yesterday, but the intense veteran tight end got some payback.
- Kyle Hamilton nearly picked off a Jackson pass on the goal line in front of Andrews but dropped it and promptly did push-ups.
- Cooper Rush made one of his best throws of training camp with a perfectly placed sideline toss in a tight window to Mitchell, who had a nifty catch with Teddye Buchanan closing in quickly. However, cornerback T.J. Tampa picked off Rush later in practice.
- Buchanan showed off his range and quickness dragging down Mitchell from behind as the speedy running back tried to get to the edge late in practice.
- Sixth-round rookie wide receiver LaJohntay Wester had his best day of training camp yet, dusting a defensive back for a deep touchdown and hauling in a laser in the back of the end zone with undrafted rookie Reuben Lowery in tight coverage.
- Harbaugh noted that while the pass blocking was very good on Tuesday, the Ravens' pass rush had the upper hand on Wednesday.
- Practice ended with a long touchdown pass from Devin Leary down the seam to undrafted tight end Sam Pitz.
