4 winners (and 2 losers) from Ravens preseason win over Eagles

It's only preseason, but the Baltimore Ravens' new era kicked off on Saturday night. And the new-look Ravens looked sharp on all cylinders, taking care of business against the Philadelphia Eagles with a dominant 24-7 win. 

While the positives far outweigh the negatives with this game, not everyone looked great. With that in mind, let's explore some of the biggest winners and losers of the Ravens' first preseason game. 

Winners and losers from Baltimore Ravens preseason opening victory

Winner: Keyon Martin 

It was a strong showing for the Ravens' defense overall, which gave up just one touchdown at the end of the game and 168 total yards. Keyon Martin was the clear standout player. The cornerback recorded one sack and two tackles for loss. Martin also provided some steady coverage. Simply put, Martin loudly made his presence felt.  

In his rookie season, Martin showed some solid flashes, and his energy stood out. Furthermore, Martin has had a rock-solid training camp. By all accounts, Martin seems to be an ideal fit in Jesse Minter's system. 

Backing these flashes up with a strong preseason game should make Martin's spot on the roster set in stone. From this standpoint, there might not be a bigger winner from the Ravens' first preseason game.

Winner: Ja'Kobi Lane

Ja'Kobi Lane has received a ton of hype in preseason, and in limited snaps, he fully validated this buzz. Lane caught all three of his targets, recording 38 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens' third-round pick showcased his ability to make big plays and produce in the red-zone. Both are things the Ravens sorely need. 

All signs point to Lane being the big-bodied receiver that Lamar Jackson has long lacked. Opposing teams need to watch out because the Lane Train isn't stopping any time soon. 

Ultimately, with all the training camp hype around Lane, it was awesome to see him show out. 

Winner: Matthew Hibner

The Ravens' tight end room has underperformed throughout training camp. As such, there are some valid questions around the rookie duo of Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas. 

Thankfully, though, Hibner helped silence some of these concerns with a stellar preseason game. He recorded 61 yards, grabbing all five of his targets, including a big-time play in the first quarter. Hibner also showcased some solid blocking chops. 

With Mark Andrews showing signs of decline in recent years and not performing well in training camp, Hibner parlaying his preseason success into the regular season might be vital for the Ravens.

Loser: Tyler Loop

Tyler Loop's missed field goal to end the Ravens' season in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers tainted everyone's perception of his rookie season. Without a doubt, Loop needs to prove himself this year. And while Loop hit a field goal along with all three of his extra points, he missed his first attempt, a 49-yarder. 

Loop struggled from distance as a rookie, making just one of his four FGs from 50-plus yards. Kickers need to have deep range, and at some point you have to wonder if the Ravens will bring in some competition for Loop. 

Now, Loop has been stellar at camp, but missing a kick in preseason is a red flag, especially after last season. 

Winner: Joe Fagnano

Undrafted free agent Joe Fagnano is competing for the Ravens QB3 spot. While this would most likely result in a practice squad opportunity, this would still be an accomplishment for the UConn product. And Fagnano made a compelling case to earn this role. He completed 22 of his 28 passes and threw for one touchdown. 

Fagnano displayed great composure and typically made the right reads. He did throw an end-zone interception, but it wasn't an egregious throw by any means. All in all, Fagnano looked the part of a quality backup, and this could be enough for him to stick around. 

Loser: Emery Jones Jr. 

Emery Jones Jr. is expected to be a quality backup guard this season. After fans begged John Harbaugh to give Jones more meaningful snaps last season, he was a player worth watching. 

Unfortunately, he didn't show much promise against the Eagles. On one play, he was caught out of position and gave up a sack. There was another play where he got physically overpowered, which led to a run getting stuff quickly. 

While Jones isn't a starter, if he's thrust into playing meaningful snaps, it could be tough sledding for Baltimore. Frankly, if he's struggling against backups, that's a rough sign for his NFL outlook. 

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