All of which suggests what, precisely? Perhaps nothing in any respect, provided that the outcomes of those exhibitions are completely meaningless. But the Ravens, who final misplaced a preseason recreation in 2015, take some measure of satisfaction within the streak and what it signifies about their group.
“It’s one of those things where you know there are a lot more important things that you want,” veteran defensive finish Calais Campbell mentioned Thursday on the staff’s coaching facility. “But I think it’s a testament of the way people prepare, the training camp process [and] the kind of guys we bring in here that are trying to fight to make the team.”
There is one thing to be taken, the Ravens consider, within the effort and efficiency ranges of even these gamers who won’t see the sector a lot through the common season — or won’t even be on the roster by then.
“There’s a certain quality of guys that respect the process and go hard,” Campbell mentioned. “And I think that shows in the preseason games. You’ve got your third- and fourth-teamers out there balling, playing good football and executing at a high level. I think that’s a testament to coaches and a testament to the front office for bringing the right kind of guys in.”
The Ravens have a preseason report of 42-12 throughout John Harbaugh’s head teaching tenure. That hasn’t come as a result of he’s put his front-line gamers at undue threat to attempt to win preseason video games. Harbaugh introduced Thursday that quarterback Lamar Jackson won’t play in opposition to the Commanders. Backup Tyler Huntley presumably will make the beginning.
Harbaugh mentioned he’ll make determinations about different starters on a case-by-case foundation.
“There are some starters that need the work,” Harbaugh mentioned. “Some starters don’t. Probably most starters don’t. And some of those guys are going to play, too. We’re just managing some of those guys. … It’s not one size fits all.”
The Ravens’ summer season exploits will be simply dismissed. There aren’t any trophies handed out for August NFL triumphs, in any case. There is an argument to be made, particularly with a 17-game common season, that essentially the most smart strategy to the preseason is to maintain all key gamers idle, keep away from season-wrecking accidents and deal with the primary couple video games of the common season because the new-age preseason.
But possibly that’s too dismissive. Perhaps there’s one thing to be mentioned for being intent upon successful each time the rating is stored. Lombardi’s Packers won NFL championships, within the pre-Super Bowl days, within the last two seasons of their preseason successful streak. The Ravens, though they’re coming off an 8-9 season, have been among the many league’s most constant winners; they have two Super Bowl titles this century whereas rating fifth amongst all NFL groups in complete victories within the 2000s.
So although Saturday’s end result won’t imply a lot when the Ravens open the season in opposition to the New York Jets on Sept. 11 at MetLife Stadium, with Jackson within the lineup as a substitute of standing by Harbaugh on the sideline, possibly it can be reflective of an strategy that does matter a minimum of a bit.
“I think that’s something you can hang your hat on and say, ‘Okay, we prepare a certain kind of way that allows guys to be successful,’” Campbell mentioned. “It’s something to be proud of. But obviously there’s way more things that are bigger that we want. We’d like a streak of that.”