9 instant reactions to Ravens' blowout win over Commanders in preseason finale

The Baltimore Ravens wrapped up their preseason in style. They put together a dominant, wire-to-wire win in their preseason finale, trampling the Washington Commanders, 41-3.

Nearly everywhere you looked, the Ravens were commanding the game. Whether it was offense or defense, passing or rushing, they had the Commanders’ number all night.

In a matchup that meant everything for countless players involved, many answered the call. Here are our nine instant reactions from Baltimore’s blowout win.

9 instant reactions in Baltimore Ravens’ preseason finale win

1. It doesn’t matter who’s on the defense; Jesse Minter is going to get the absolute best out of them. His unit once again collapsed the pocket, crowded passing lanes, and hawked to the ball carrier instantly. The Commanders had no idea what to do.

A couple of absolutely shocking stats: Baltimore's defense held Washington to 177 total yards, and 1-for-12 on third downs and 0-for-2 on fourth downs.

2. The Ravens didn’t make Broderick Washington active in this one. If you’re reading into the tea leaves, that probably means Washington has a spot on the 53-man roster. With the numbers getting tight along the interior defensive line, that might take one spot that was potentially up for grabs off the table.

3. The last time the Ravens kept three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster was 2020. Coming into the preseason, the assumption is that it’d be two with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley again…Joe Fagnano has made it interesting, though. The undrafted rookie had another superb outing, completing 19-of-27 passes for 162 yards and 1 touchdown. He’s made this easily the toughest decision of the weekend.

4. It would’ve been nice if Tyler Loop gave the coaching staff a confidence boost ahead of the regular season. He didn’t. The second-year pro missed two kicks—one from 58 yards out and another from 51. That’s exactly where he needs to improve, and unfortunately, he remains as inconsistent as can be.

5. The kick return job might be a mystery? On the opening kickoff, Baltimore put Jonathan Ward and Dayton Wade back to receive. Neither of those guys is expected to make the active roster. Last year, the team tried pretty much everyone under the sun; Rasheen Ali, Justice Hill, LaJohntay Wester, and Keaton Mitchell all got opportunities. The preseason finale really didn’t provide any update on who’ll take that spot.

6. Chris Moore is on track to be a Baltimore Raven in 2026. The opening drive where he caught three passes for 54 yards and a touchdown was a reminder that he can be more than a special teams ace. Unless Jesse Minter wants to keep seven wide receivers on the team, Moore’s role won’t be on the active roster initially. However, a practice squad spot should be available for him if he wants it. A handshake agreement may be looming.

7. Ethan Burke just keeps making plays. The Texas product forced another fumble, made life difficult on the edge, and got his hands up when the ball left the quarterback’s hand. Add that on the back of an impressive summer, and it’s become almost impossible to keep him off the 53-man roster. Nothing’s guaranteed, but based on performance, he should be in a better position than Adisa Isaac.

8. This is just the start of the Adam Randall story. He made the most of his reps, displaying a breathtaking blend of burst and physicality, running angry and running through people. He also displayed his wide receiver skill set with a tremendous catch outside his frame early in the second quarter. Oh, and how about a little Derrick Henry-style stiff arm on his 24-yard gain on a screen pass?

9. Randall’s performance has put pressure on Rasheen Ali, too. If Baltimore overloads at a position like quarterback, wide receiver, or offensive line, they’d likely keep three running backs instead of four. Ali would be the bubble guy in that scenario. The third-year back had his moments against Washington, but wasn’t anything special. He didn’t buy himself much certainty ahead of Sunday’s cutdown day.

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