BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-7 in their first preseason game under head coach Jesse Minter.
The majority of starters did not suit up Saturday night, making room for rookies to showcase their abilities under the bright lights.
Baltimore's defense was the story of the night, holding the Eagles to zero third-down conversions and keeping them under 100 total yards until the fourth quarter.
Second-year kicker Tyler Loop went 1-for-2 on field goal attempts, missing from 49 yards and connecting from 42 yards.
Quarterback Tyler Huntley opened the game for the Ravens but didn't see much playing time, completing 6 of 7 pass attempts for 76 yards.
It was rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano, out of UConn, who received the bulk of the playing time.
Fagnano stepped into the QB3 role after veteran Skylar Thompson was placed on injured reserve.
He tallied 224 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and one interception, with the touchdown pass going to rookie wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane on a 16-yard connection.
Lane caught three balls for an average of 12.7 yards per catch, adding to his hype coming out of training camp.
The ball found many receivers' hands Saturday night, with quarterbacks connecting with 12 different players.
Rookie wide receiver Elijah Sarratt finished the night as the leading receiver, tallying six catches for 66 yards—five more yards than rookie tight end Matthew Hibner.
Although the passing game was effective, the run game is something Baltimore will look to improve in their next game, as they averaged only 3.9 yards per carry.
Rookie running back Adam Randall did, however, reach the end zone on a four-yard rush, giving the Ravens a 17-0 advantage.
Quarterback Austin Reed put the game away for Baltimore after running in a touchdown from 14 yards out, boosting the lead to 24-0.
The Ravens now prepare for joint practices this week against the Minnesota Vikings before their preseason game on Saturday, August 22, at 1 p.m. in Minnesota.
