Studs were rare and duds were plenty in the Baltimore Ravens’ lifeless 40-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Considering that the Ravens didn’t score until the fourth quarter, one would be safe in assuming the first and second team offenses were especially full of duds. Let’s start there.
Dud: Joe Flacco
Once or twice a year, the Ravens’ franchise quarterback is replaced by someone we’ll call “Bad Joe.” “Bad Joe” usually shows up on the road, in the middle of the season and against a bad team with a decent defense. “Bad Joe” showed up early this year against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Flacco’s two interceptions were both poorly thrown balls, a deep underthrow and a horrid overthrow on a Marlon Brown comeback route. There was not a single good throw in the bunch.
Does it mean something? Probably not. “Bad Joe” makes sporadic appearances throughout the year, and Flacco always bounces back strong.
Dud: Matt Schaub
The stat line doesn’t look so bad (11-for-18, 115 yards, no TDs, no INTs), but the performance was ugly. Schaub was not accurate aside from two dimes to Crockett Gillmore and Marlon Brown late in the second quarter. Schaub’s arm does not look good, he was wildly inaccurate at times and he looks skittish in the pocket. Not a winning combination.
Stud: Terrence Magee
The best skill position player on either side of the ball for the Ravens was Terrence Magee, and it wasn’t close. Magee was decisive, powerful and fast. Best of all, he seemingly made the right read every time he touched the ball. His stat line would have been even more impressive had a long run not been called back because of a holding penalty. Magee probably won’t compete for a roster spot, but he has definitely made himself a favorite for the practice squad.
Stud: Ryan Jensen
In a game in which the Ravens’ offensive line was down to its last man, Ryan Jensen stood out. He made some great blocks from the very beginning of the game (he started) until his last reps. The offensive line was not the problem against the Eagles, and Jensen may have been the stand out. Jensen’s chances at a roster spot seem to be ascending.
Stud: Bryn Renner
After watching the top two quarterbacks struggle mightily, Bryn Renner came in and put up points. And he did it with accurate throws, great pocket presence and good decision making. Renner has a nice, live arm that puts plenty of zip on the ball, and he has nice athleticism to boot (no pun intended). Did Renner do enough to put himself into a competition with Matt Schaub for a roster spot? Probably not, but it’s a less absurd question than it was two weeks ago.
Dud: Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs is the poster child for the Ravens’ penalty woes in Philadelphia. Suggs was responsible for two of them, and both were rookie mistakes. On his first penalty, Suggs tackled Eagles QB Sam Bradford low on a read option in which Bradford handed the ball off. The hit was justified, but hitting a quarterback in the thighs is a sure way to get a penalty. Suggs should know better. Then there was the play in which Suggs clotheslined an Eagles receiver, getting a holding penalty. The Eagles ultimately accepted 17 Ravens penalties, and Suggs two were especially egregious.
Dud: Dean Pees
Calling out Dean Pees is partially my way to call out the entire defense, which was abysmal. Good performances were few and far between.
Obviously, Dean Pees will not be dialing up exotic blitzes in the preseason. I understand that. That said, is Pees aware that running backs are eligible receivers? If so, why did the Ravens continuously neglect to cover running backs in this game? The Ravens gave up 89 yards through the air to running backs. That’s disgraceful, and that’s due to coaching.
Duds: Defensive line
There is nothing good to say about the defensive line’s performance. They were pushed around, from the starters to the eighth stringers. Christo Bilukidi made some decent plays, but he was alone in that. Lawrence Guy in particular spent a lot of time five-plus yards downfield. Since the unit as a whole struggled, there wasn’t much movement in terms of position battles.
Shawn began his writing career with Bleacher Report as a Ravens featured columnist and Breaking News Team writer. He moved on to write for Yahoo! and work on the Ravens Central Radio podcast. Most recently, he was an Editor at the Baltimore Wire. Shawn is a 2013 graduate of the Catholic University of America.