Last week, we talked about how mistakes made at this time of the year are all part of the process. With Saturday’s preseason win in the books, the coaching staff will get their first sample of work against an actual opponent, and with it, the first batch of adjustments that can be made. There were a few noteworthy errors on the large scale, for sure…
Proche loses a fumble on the punt.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 13, 2023
…but coaches will tell you that the thing that sets apart excellent teams from good teams is the ability to do the little things well. Let’s talk about some of the little things from Saturday’s contest that were done well, and some that need fixing.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Baltimore’s run game looked really good.
Keaton Mitchell absolutely fried two defenders with one move😵💫🤮 pic.twitter.com/1kJrxcWNUA
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) August 13, 2023
Keaton Mitchell’s big touchdown run (which was, ironically, negated because of little things not being done correctly) was a continuation of an impressive rookie campaign. His shiftiness and presence as a threat in the receiving game are giving him a fighting chance at the 53-man roster, and his patience has alleviated some of my concerns with his ability at the NFL level.
Meanwhile, Justice Hill put together a very nice performance and showed improvement in his gap recognition. On a play that broke down, he recognized that there was a hole down the right sideline, and turned what would have been a loss into a big gain.
Don’t sleep on Justice Hill 😴 pic.twitter.com/8L8hWWkpUx
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) August 12, 2023
With JK’s return to practice and Coach Harbaugh promising to ramp up the intensity this week, it’ll be good to see the running back group in full force, especially if they can execute like this.
One caveat: I’m not sure if Hill missed a chip on Jalen Carter on the following play, or if it was just that bad a rep from Ben Cleveland, but either way, let’s talk about some of the little stuff that needs improvement…
A not-so-good rep from Ben Cleveland
pic.twitter.com/0t1IYjJVrh— Kyle Phoenix Barber (@KylePBarber) August 12, 2023
Yikes.
While you’re not going to win every rep, especially not against a top-10 draft pick, that play is a bad look no matter how you slice it. It’s even worse given the context of Cleveland competing for his position on the depth chart, so he’ll have his work cut out for him trying to correct the stiffness he showed here.
Now this play worked out in Baltimore’s favor, but on the replay, I want you to keep your eyes on #95.
That’s a 23-yard sack for Daryl Worley!!
Tune in now on @wbaltv11 and @nflnetwork! pic.twitter.com/kK10w4jlDH
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 13, 2023
I don’t want to pick on Tavius Robinson too much. In his first NFL game, his bull-rush and straight-line ability were on display, but this rep… this rep was not it. The wide steps, the tippy toes, the over-pursuit, it all just hurt my heart. Fortunately, those issues can be corrected, but they bear watching as we move forward to see how he can correct before September.
Switching gears entirely, a few members of our crew have acknowledged the passing of former Ravens running back Alex Collins, but I want to take the time to do so as well.
With heavy hearts, we mourn the passing of Alex Collins. pic.twitter.com/IDywUZ8m73
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 15, 2023
Alex was a thrilling player to watch, but more than that, he was a young man who was beloved by so many around the sport. Every anecdote you hear about Alex is a testament to what a bright light he was in so many lives, and he’ll be sorely missed.
Give someone a hug today, tell someone you love them, and take some time to embrace the little things. Even the tough ones.
