The Ravens play the Tennessee Titans in their first preseason game. It’s almost an odd preseason matchup because the Titans certainly count as a rival. The Ravens have played the Titans in the playoffs twice in the past three years which renewed the old hatred. This is an exhibition game though, and that should lower the spiciness of this matchup.
With the big names out of the action, what can we expect? Here are three predictions for your first glimpse of the 2022 Ravens in a game situation.
Jordan Stout will make a big impression
One starter that you’re actually going to see on Thursday evening is the rookie punter Jordan Stout. Stout is replacing Sam Koch which makes this the one time fans are going to get excited about punting situations.
The offense has run much smoother with Lamar Jackson under center than Tyler Huntley in practice. With Huntley getting the start, and mostly young and unproven players, the offense might not find a groove. You may see a receiver on the roster bubble make some plays, but the passing game could struggle, which will create a showcase for Stout.
In practice, Stout has lived up to the lofty expectations of being selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s shown off his booming leg strength. If there’s one thing I’m sure about going into the season it’s that Stout can flip field position. The hang time on some of his punts has been impressive. He looks the part. In a very impressive rookie class, he may be quietly the readiest to do his job at a high level.
It’s the preseason, so Stout may even get the chance to kick a field goal. In previous years the Ravens have given Justin Tucker break and let rookie kickers try their luck with field goals. Stout has looked good in practice as a placekicker. It wouldn’t shock me if he put a football through the uprights. This is the kind of fun the Ravens get to have in the preseason.
Tyler Badie puts on a show
One of the most exciting things about training camp has been the early success of Tyler Badie. He was a sixth-round pick and he looks like a steal. Badie has shown a lot of positives in camp. He’s a bit of a jitterbug running back. He’s got quickness and he reaches top speed with ease. At Missouri, his low center of gravity made him very hard to bring to the ground. His style of play fits in with the Ravens. Badie is a player who is ahead of schedule and could show it against the Titans.
You won’t see J.K. Dobbins or Gus Edwards in a game until the regular season. The Ravens have four running backs that should all get some work in this game. You’re going to see a fairly even workload between Badie, Justice Hill, Mike Davis, and even Corey Clement. Badie though should be the one that makes the biggest impression. Watching the running backs at training camp, Badie should be ahead of Davis. Hill has been very good in camp, especially as a receiving option out of the backfield. I’d expect a good showing for him as well. The excitement will come from Badie though. The casual fan doesn’t know him yet. This is the first time they will get a look at him. Judging off what I see in camp, and the fact that I was high on him coming into the 2022 NFL Draft, I would expect him to make a strong first impression.
Travis Jones has a sack
On the subject of first impressions, let’s talk about another rookie. Travis Jones is a rookie defensive lineman from UConn. He’s been one of the most explosive players in the defensive line unit during camp. It looks like he’s very ready to start hitting. If there’s a player who’s eager to play real football and get out of practice mode, it’s him.
Jones is a lot for a young offensive lineman to handle, at 6-4 and nearly 330 pounds. He looks like your typical nose guard but he’s got a combination of size and speed that makes him a force to be reckoned with. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he ended up in the backfield to take down a quarterback. Put Jones down for a sack. The play of the third-round pick will be one of the top highlights of the evening at M&T Bank Stadium.
Football is back ladies and gentlemen. It may not be the most exciting game for the casual fan but try to remember that the process of the preseason matters.
