Ravens vs. Redskins: 3 things to watch for

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Aug 23, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens free safety Terrence Brooks (33) carries the ball as Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) defends in the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens won 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

You can certainly argue that much of the preseason is not terribly important for fans, but week 3 represents by far the most important game for players.  This is the week when we get to see the team’s starters play a good portion of the game, and get our first glance at the current depth chart in action.

For the Ravens, it’s a homecoming that they need to turn into a respectable performance after last week’s blowout 40-17 loss to the Eagles.  Regardless of whether the Ravens actually tried to win that game or even prepared properly, it wasn’t a good look.

The Ravens need to piece together a performance against the Redskins that demonstrates at least competency on offense and defense, and especially a return to discipline after they committed 17 penalties last week.

With a laundry list of injuries, can they make that happen?  The Ravens continue to be plagued by medical woes, especially along the offensive line.  But they’re getting back some healthy players this week, and clearly now is the time to do so ahead of the regular season.

With those factors in mind, we’ve highlight 3 things that are worth watching for in this week’s matchup. We’ll begin with a potential changing of the guard and a huge opportunity.

Next: A shift in the depth chart

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