Ravens Ready For Joint Practice With Packers

The Baltimore Ravens hope to get a good tune-up ahead of their preseason finale.

Dec 19, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (2) score a touchdown in front of Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Krys Barnes (51) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens have had no shortage of joint practices in the John Harbaugh era, and that trend continues when they visit the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.

With most of the Ravens' starters not playing in the preseason, this joint practice will be a good chance for them to get some reps against another team before the season begins. For a coach like John Harbaugh, who almost never plays his starters in exhibition games, these reps against another team are crucial.

"We want to put our best foot forward right out of the gates as much as we can," Harbaugh said. "It's hard to do, there's no guarantee you're going to do that, and there's a lot of question marks to that every year. We have done well over the years doing that, because we practice well."

Building off that point, playing against a different system is a welcome change of pace after an entire offseason of going against the same scheme.

"You have a chance to go up against a different style," Harbaugh said. "For instance, [Green Bay's] defensive line is an up field, penetrating type of a front. They're going to be hitting gaps and getting up field. We haven't really seen that in the two preseason games or in practice, but we are going see that in the games – the Cowboys are going to do that, for instance – so that's something that we need to get ready for.

"There's an opportunity to see a different style that we haven't seen before, plus just the level of intensity. Getting guys locked in and focused at the end of a long camp, there's a benefit in that."

Joint practices clearly have a lot of benefits, but also a significant downside. There have been numerous incidents over the years of players fighting during practice, even some earlier this offseason.

Luckily, the Packers seem to be the perfect team to conduct joint practices with: one that's on the riste and solely wants to improve.

"The mindset of the two teams is the most important thing," Harbaugh said. "If both teams come in with the same idea, that they're two good football teams that are trying to take advantage of opportunity to practice against another good football team and get a good football practice in, that's what you want. If a team is coming in like they're trying to prove something – some junior high [school] thing, then it's usually not good. We're excited to go against Green Bay. We think they're that kind of a group."

After Thursday's practice, the Ravens and Packers will face off at 1 p.m. ET in Green Bay to close out the preseason.

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