Tony Lombardi
The Ravens are still desperately seeking a return specialist as Asa Jackson fumbled away that opportunity and probably a spot on the 53-man roster. The “Turf Monster” got Asa tonight. The Turk is likely to get him by Saturday…Arthur Brown is an enigma. One play he looks overmatched, another he fails to wrap up the ball carrier on a punt return that set up a Falcons field goal and then he makes a splash play that makes you think, “So that’s why he was a second-round pick.”
The reserve offensive line failed to get any traction and hopeful RB Terrence Magee paid the price. Jah Reid and Robert Meyer were awful manning the left side of the O-line. One will make the team and it’s likely to be the rookie…Once again the Ravens failed to play with discipline and were flagged twice for late hits when the play was over…Cassius Vaughn, he gone!
On the plus side, Zach Orr is developing into a nice reserve linebacker and has improved markedly in play recognition and in coverage…Carl Davis is a beast and may very well prove to be the best Raven selected in the 2015 Draft. His extended playing time was a bit risky…Kapron Lewis-Moore earned a spot on the final 53 with a nice effort but was a bit overzealous on the final Falcons drive, jumping offsides leading to a clock killing first down…Brendan Beyer after he failed to set the edge during the Falcons opening drive, recovered well, adding two sacks while earning a spot on the team’s practice squad if he goes unclaimed during the waiver process.
By the way, what was the point of Matt Ryan taking a single snap to start the game?
Thankfully the preseason is over!
Brian Bower
With the 2015 preseason in the books and final cuts on the horizon, few players stated their case to make the final 53-man roster. Kapron Lewis-Moore turned in perhaps the best performance of all the bubble players to prove he belongs on the defensive front. Arthur Brown, Asa Jackson briefly showed flashes before reality set back in. Kick/punt returns remains an issue and it’s safe to say those duties will belong to someone who isn’t currently on the roster. Linebacker Brennen Beyer got off to a rough start but rebounded well. If the Ravens can get him through waivers, he is certainly practice squad bound. With Taliaferro sidelined, both Magee and Toussaint failed to prove they belong. Lots of decisions to be made by the front office before the Ravens take the field week one in Denver.
Ryan Jones
A real mixed bag for the Ravens tonight. Asa Jackson continues to offset anything positive he does by following it up with something boneheaded. Arthur Brown flashes the speed and athleticism he possesses and then follows it up with a couple missed tackles, and the Ravens finish the preseason with a lot of unanswered questions. John Harbaugh and the Ravens coaching staff have some tough decisions to make in the next 48 hours.
Ken McKusick
The finish was an exciting end to a bad preseason, but the Ravens have escaped, albeit with some serious injuries.
I actually thought the twitter question was one of the games funniest moments…”Will Ozzie make any Free Agent acquisitions or will the team come from this roster?”
This was a game where it was made clear at several spots that the player needed is not on the roster. I expect the Ravens to continue looking for a RB, CB, and KR/PR who can contribute at some other position.
Mike Fast
Baltimore didn’t start the game well, but battled back in the second half. The defensive line anchored down, putting pressure on Atlanta’s offense, and somehow, the Ravens were in a position to win at the end.
Still, it wasn’t a very solid performance overall.
I’m thankful no one seemed to get hurt tonight, and that Baltimore has 10 days to prepare for the Broncos.
Adam Bonaccorsi
I could go on about players like Kapri Lewis-Moore, Carl Davis, Terrence Brooks & Marlon Brown all having solid performances today, or I could discuss players like Robert Myers (major boneheaded PI) & Cassius Vaughn (stopping on an eventual TD route by wrongfully anticipating a pick) hurting their stock, but let’s just cut to the elephant in the room shall we?
In what has become a weekly occurrence, the ever polarizing Asa Jackson once again made a great play in the return game, only to fumble the opportunity away (literally) once again. Ultimately, I see Asa on the outside looking in when final cuts are made, with the Ravens looking to the open market for a potential KR/PR come Week 1. Despite the flack I get, I still think a potential reunion with former Raven WR Tandon Doss may be worth a look for the return role, but that should tell you right there how dire and desperate the situation truly is.
One more tidbit for skittish fans who worry about a 1-3 preseason: last season the Cowboys went 0-4 in the preseason, then followed that up with a 12-4 regular season record. Essentially what I am driving at is that the preseason record means nothing in the grand scheme of things. As long as your team can stay healthy, and possibly find a nice diamond in the rough, you call it a success.
