Raven Country

5 Players Who Impressed in Ravens Win Over Falcons

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Atlanta Falcons 13-12 in their second preseason game.

Nathaniel Marrero

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dayton Wade (18) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Dayton Wade (18) scores a touchdown during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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The Baltimore Ravens got back into the win column in preseason play with a 13-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.

Atlanta went for the win in the game's waning moments by going for a two-point conversion after Jase McClellan scored a touchdown on a three-yard run. McClellan got the ball once more but was stopped in the backfield by Ravens outside linebacker Tavius Robinson to seal the victory for Baltimore.

"It's big," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "Obviously, when you're successful with something, it gives you confidence. The next step is to be successful throughout the game and look at it play-by-play and see where you're successful and where you need to work, but it's very meaningful for the guys."

Here are five players who impressed in the Ravens' one-point win over Atlanta.

OLB Tavius Robinson

Robinson has earned the praises of many coaches and players throughout training camp, and he showed exactly why with his game-saving play.

The second-year outside linebacker stormed off the edge to keep McClellan from scoring and stealing a victory away from Baltimore. Robinson finished the game with two tackles.

For Harbaugh, that play and how Robinson has performed throughout training camp showcased that he's developing into the kind of player who epitomizes what it means to be a Raven.

"He [has] the kind of mindset [and] the kind of style of play that we like," Harbaugh said. "So if you want to talk about playing like a Raven, that's a term that you want to use. Just tag it right next to his name. He's that kind of guy."

With the uncertainty surrounding who's going to step up at outside linebacker after Jadeveon Clowney, there's ample opportunity for someone to step up at the position. With plays like the one Robinson made, he may have a shot to see the field more frequently in the regular season.

QB Josh Johnson

It's difficult to be perfect in any game you play, but Josh Johnson was just that against the Falcons.

Johnson completed each of his 11 passes and threw for 121 yards and a touchdown in the win. The veteran quarterback's performance and efficiency were leaps and bounds compared to his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles when he completed 4 of 12 passes for 62 yards in their previous preseason game.

"I feel good about executing," Johnson said. "That's all we were really focusing on this week is execution. Everything, all the little details, quarterback's feet, to be efficient in the passing game, timing, route detail. I feel like we took the work from practice onto the field."

QB Emory Jones

Things couldn't have gone any worse for rookie quarterback Emory Jones in his preseason debut when he was sacked and fumbled on the lone snap of the game, which led to a game-winning field goal for the Eagles.

This time, things were much smoother for Jones, as he completed 7 of 9 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, which was a 56-yard bomb to fellow rookie Dayton Wade in the third quarter.

"We had a little double move; I had one of my guys [Dayton Wade] out there, [and] I knew he was going [to] win," Jones said. "The offensive line, they protected pretty good, and [Wade] ran a great route, and all I had to do was deliver, and we know what happened after that. So, that was a fun, fun moment, though – first NFL touchdown – so I'm going to remember that forever."

If the Ravens choose to keep three quarterbacks, Jones' performance likely gave him an edge over Devin Leary, who completed 3 of 5 passes for 24 yards against Atlanta. Given Jones' skillset. If Jones can continue to develop, his working his way into becoming the backup quarterback may not be out of the question.

WR Dayton Wade

Outside of Zay Flowers, the Ravens could use more explosiveness at the receiver position.

If Wade's 56-yard touchdown against Atlanta is any indication, he could be part of the solution. Wade used a double move to sprint past Falcons cornerback Anthony Johnson and he was hit in stride by Jones.

"I was like, 'OK, I'm going to make sure I really sell it,' just so I can get the defender to drive, and when I'm coming out of my break, I just know he's going to try to put hands on me because I know I'm going to [burn] him right there," Wade said. "So, I got his hands off of me, [I] saw the ball in the air [to] drive and track the ball."

Wade finished the game with two catches and led the Ravens with 67 receiving yards.

LB Trenton Simpson

Through two games, Simpson has done more than enough to prove that he's ready to step up next to Roquan Smith.

The second-year linebacker did a little bit of everything for Baltimore with two tackles, including one for a loss, one pass defended and a quarterback hit. He also led the team with 10 tackles in its preseason opener against Philadelphia.

"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."

Baltimore rounds out its preseason schedule on Saturday when it faces the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field at 1 p.m. ET.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Nathaniel Marrero

NATHANIEL MARRERO

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