4 Winners, 2 Losers From Ravens Win Over Falcons

Who stood out in the Baltimore Ravens' preseason victory over. the Atlanta Falcons?

Jon Alfano | Aug 18, 2024

Aug 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dayton Wade (18) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

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Baltimore Ravens

After a bit of a stinker in their preseason opener, the Baltimore Ravens bounced back to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 13-12 on Saturday. It wouldn't be a Ravens preseason game without some last-minute drama, and with Baltimore stuffing Atlanta's two-point conversion to maintain the lead, this game was no exception.

Some players came boosted their stock on Saturday, while others saw it fall substantially. So without further ado, here are some winners and losers from the Ravens' win over the Falcons.

Winners

WR Dayton Wade

The undrafted wideout from Ole Miss led the team in receiving yards for the second game in a row, but rather than a few smaller receptions, most of those yards came on one huge catch. Late in the third quarter, Wade got behind the defense and hauled in a 56-yard yard touchdown from fellow undrafted rookie Emory Jones. He finished the day with 67 yards and a touchdown on just two receptions, which should boost his chances at making the roster.

"Today was pretty smooth," Wade said after the game. "Offensively, we passed the ball way better. I heard we went 21-of-25, but I feel like we were clicking on all cylinders. We made a few mistakes, but those can be fixed. That's why we watch film and clean up things like that."

LB Trenton Simpson

Another week, another strong showing for Simpson in the middle of the defense. The second-year linebacker finished the day with two tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup in a half of action, though his impact extended far beyond the stat sheet. He blitzed, he patrolled the middle of the field, he defended well against tight ends, and most importantly, he continued to prove that he's ready for the starting job.

"I'm learning, I'm getting better, and I'm gaining more confidence," Simpson said. "I'm ready for Week 1, because I've just been stacking days every day in practice [and] going out here in these preseason games and getting better with every opportunity [that] I get. So, I'm blessed, and I'm excited for this joint practice with the Packers, and just go out there and have a great game Saturday and get ready for the Chiefs."

OLB Tavius Robinson

Robinson didn't see a ton of playing time on Saturday, but he made the most of what he got. On the game-deciding two-point conversion, Robinson stuffed Atlanta running back Jace McLellan to save the game for Baltimore. The Guelph, Ontario native has impressed throughout the offseason, and after making the game-winning stop, his stock has surely gone up.

"It means a ton," Robinson said. "We always want to win, whether it's preseason or regular season. To make that play is a blessing for sure, and I'm glad we came away with the 'W,' for sure."

S Beau Brade

Brade nearly made the defensive player of the game when he appeared to make a diving interception midway through the fourth quarter, though the ruling was reversed after review. Nonetheless, he had an impressive showing with a team-high eight total tackles (five solo) and didn't make any major mistakes. The undrafted rookie from Maryland still faces long odds to make the roster, mostly due to the abundance of safeties ahead of him on the depth chart, but he certainly improved his chances on Saturday.

Losers

G/C Ben Cleveland

Cleveland once again took snaps at center, and unfortunately, it was clear to see that it's not his natural position. Early in the second quarter, Cleveland snapped the ball right over Josh Johnson's head while the quarterback was directing his teammates, leading to a 21-yard loss that killed the drive. After the game, head coach John Harbaugh described the snap as "unfortunate," and that was "the kindest word" he could use.

The rest of Cleveland's outing was fine, but it's hard to recover from a gaffe of that magnitude.

G Andrew Vorhees

Vorhees played pretty well in the preseason opener, but that wasn't the case on Saturday. On the Ravens' first drive, Vorhees allowed Falcons rookie Ruke Orhorhoro to blow right past him for an easy third-down sack. He also struggled to open up lanes in the running game, though to be fair, so did the rest of the line.

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Published Aug 18, 2024

JON ALFANO