Ravens Report Card Vs. Raiders
The Ravens could not hold an early double-digit lead against the Las Vegas Raiders, falling in overtime 33-27.
Here's their report card
Offense
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson was able to make plays despite being under constant pressure. He started strongly but missed five consecutive throws in the middle of the game as the Raiders defenders ran through the tackles. Jackson had two critical fumbles in the fourth quarter and overtime that helped the Raiders win the game. Jackson completed 19 of 30 pass attempts for 235 yards with a touchdown. He also ran 12 times for 86 yards, including a 28-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter that allowed the Ravens to take a late lead. Jackson is going to have to be mobile if the offensive line doesn't improve. Grade: C
Running Backs: Ty'Son Williams flashed in his first pro game. He scored a 35-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-1. That is the 4th-longest touchdown run by an undrafted player in franchise history, trailing only Priest Holmes (64 and 36 yards) and Gus Edwards (63 yards), according to NFL stats. Williams finished with 65 yards on nine carries. He also caught three passes for 29 yards. The Ravens ran for more than 100 yards for their 40th consecutive game. Latavius Murray also had a solid game with an 8-yard touchdown. Grade: B
Wide Receivers: Sammy Watkins was effective and had a 49-yard reception that set up a go-ahead score. He had four catches for 96 yards. Marquise Brown was solid with his route running and caught all six targets for 69 yards. Devin Duvernay was underwhelming. Mark Andrews had a crucial drop in overtime. Grade: C
Offensive Line: The Ravens offensive line played poorly against the Raiders' front seven. The growing pains were expected since they didn't have much time with another in training camp because of injuries. Defensive end Maxx Crosby was in the backfield several times and was disruptive most of the night. Jackson, who was sacked three times, was able to buy a lot of time or the situation could have been a lot worse. Right tackle Alejandro Villanueva struggled most of the night and the Ravens had to give him more support in the fourth quarter, Guard/tackle Tyre Phillips had to carted from the field with a knee injury. Grade D
Defense
Defensive Line: Calais Campbell had a solid game and nose tackle Brandon Williams was stout at stopping the run. Defensive tackle Justin Ellis also flashed but this group wore down in the second half and could not get much pressure on quarterback Derek Carr. The Raiders finished with 82 yards rushing on 21 carries. Garde: B-
Linebackers: Malik Harrison had a couple of hard hits and Patrick Queen was dominant at times. Queen tied for the team lead with six tackles, including a sack. Odafe Oweh got his first career sack and stout against the run. Pernell McPhee also had a sack. Justin Houston was able to get into the backfield. Grade B-
Secondary: Safety Chuck Clark did an effective job on Raiders tight end Darren Waller. However, Waller took control in the second half and finished 10 receptions for 105 yards with a touchdown. Anthony Averett, who started for the injured Marcus Peters played well in his absence. Marlon Humphrey had another Pro-Bowl caliber performance and even lined up in the slot when the Ravens needed a play. However, the secondary faltered late and struggled to make tackles late in the fourth quarter and overtime. Carr completed 34 of 56 passes for 435 yards with two touchdowns. The Ravens could not get a stop with 37 seconds left that allowed the Raiders to drive down the field with no timeouts and kick the game-tying field goal. Slot cornerback Tavon Young had a rough night. He was targeted six times in coverage and given up five completions for 54 yards in the first half. He also had two costly pass interference penalties. Grade: C-
Special Teams: Justin Tucker converted a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 47-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in regulation. Sam Koch was solid. Devin Duvernay muffed a punt in the second quarter but was able to recover the ball with the Ravens leading 7-0. Duvernay had a nice 30-yard punt return in the third quarter that gave the Ravens solid field position and led to a field goal. He appears to be growing into the job, but Baltimore also might want to see what James Proche can do. Grade: B
Coaching: The Ravens dropped their first regular-season opener since 2015. The Ravens didn't make enough adjustments to win the game. The schedule gets tougher this week with a game against the Chiefs. Grade: C-
