Lamar Jackson returned to practice. While it was up-and-down, he was at his best in a clutch fourth quarter simulation.
Optimism grew for quarterback Lamar Jackson to practice on Saturday after he posted on Instagram a video of him in the locker room with wide receiver Malik Cunningham and tight end Isaiah Likely. Not an hour later, four quarterbacks ran onto the field with No. 8 among them.
Absences/Injury
- WR Zay Flowers (excused)
- RB Keaton Mitchell (PUP)
- OLB Adisa Isaac (NFI) (Hamstring)
- OLB Kyle Van Noy (Neck)
- OLB Yvandy Rigby (leg; soft tissue)
- CB T.J. Tampa Jr. (PUP) (Sports hernia)
Both QB Lamar Jackson and CB Christian Matthew returned to practice.
Midway through practice, cornerback Trayvon Mullen suffered an upper-body injury and left with trainers.
“He fell on it, his shoulder,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “So, we’ll have to see where we’re at when we get back in there.”
Lamar Jackson’s Clutch Touchdown Drive
Beginning practice, Jackson shook off a bit of rust. In a new-looking three pass-catchers vs. defensive backs drill, Jackson’s pass to wide receiver Tylan Wallace was intercepted by cornerback Marlon Humphrey. His first series in red zone 11-on-11, he completed a pass to tight end Mark Andrews but it was ruled out of bounds. The next play, Jackson couldn’t find an open man and was “sacked” by defensive end Justin Madubuike on 3rd & 2. But the practice ended with Jackson looking sharp, and no drill proved it more than a simulated fourth quarter drill.
The Ravens first-team offense and defense lined up as the scoreboard changed to the fourth quarter and 1:20 remaining in the game. The offense down by five and only one timeout.
On first down, Jackson hit Andrews for a six yard gain. Next play was a completion to wide receiver Rashod Bateman for a first down. Then, Jackson floated one over the middle to an open Andrews who gained separation against cornerback Arthur Maulet for field-flipping completion where Andrews was downed at the 14-yard line.
The lone completion of the drive was Jackson testing a one-on-one with Bateman to the end zone but the pass was too far; I felt Jackson threw it intentionally a bit far to not put the ball in harm’s way and give Bateman a tough but possible chance, but it was a bit further than he could reel in. After a short completion to tight end Isaiah Likely, the Ravens faced 3rd & 2. This time, Madubuike didn’t get to Jackson as he rifled the ball into traffic and into the hands of wide receiver Nelson Agholor.
In 50 seconds, Jackson and the offense overcame their simulated five-point deficit against a defense that’s terrorized the past five practices. Afterward, Harbaugh talked about Jackson’s touchdown drive.
“To come out like that, [in a] two-minute drill [at the] end of the game, one-minute 20 [seconds left], one timeout [and] needing a touchdown, down by five and [Jackson] looked fantastic,” Harbaugh said. “That’s always been a strength of Lamar’s. I thought the whole offense executed well. Defense executed well too, the offense just made plays.”
Big Play Highlights
- Madubuike notched a red zone sack on Jackson on 3rd & 2. Madubuike also swatted down a ball at the line from Jackson in 11-on-11.
- Both Eddie Jackson and Ar’Darius Washington broke up passes in the hands of wide receiver Sean Ryan.
- Outside linebacker David Ojabo put the pressure on Jackson on a 3rd & 10 drill as Jackson couldn’t find anybody downfield. Later on, Ojabo shut down a different red zone drill as he and defensive lineman Broderick Washington put pressure on Johnson.
- The second-team defense outperformed the second-team offense in the fourth quarter drill as Ar’Darius Washington and Tavius Robinson had back-to-back sacks on 3rd and 4th down, ceasing the drill in four plays.
- Robinson also had a sack in a different red zone drill. He had some excellent pass rush reps in today’s practice.
- Cornerback Ka’dar Hollman denied two passes in the fourth quarter drill.
- Cornerback Christian Matthew intercepted rookie quarterback Devin Leary in the fourth quarter drill to stop the third-team offense after seven plays.
- Running back Justice Hill had a nice few runs. One he bounced to the outside and made room to run with a sharp cut. The other was up the middle where he slashed through for a 5-yard gain, opened up from good blocking.
- Tight end Isaiah Likely reeled in a touchdown from Jackson in red zone drills.
False Start Laps
The Ravens instituted a rule this offseason that any player who jumps before the snap runs a lap around the field. Today, three players were flagged for the infraction.
- TE Riley Sharp
- OL Ben Cleveland
- TE Mark Andrews
- WR Nelson Agholor