The Ravens did not accomplish everything they would have liked during Friday?s 30-7 loss at Minnesota. But that performance will not necessarily dictate how much the first unit will play in their final preseason game Thursday against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.
Ravens head coach Brian Billick said he would look at the needs of individual players to gauge how many snaps they will see before getting ready for the regular-season opener Sept. 10 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I?ve talked with most of the players individually and collectively,” Billick said. “The hard part is it?s not a collective. You?ve got people in different [situations]. Some guys have been there since day one. Others have been in and out with injury. Others have come to us a little bit later. So each needs a little something different. We?ve got to factor that in.”
The biggest question mark with the Ravens continues to center on the first-team offense, which has scored only one touchdown in three games, and that came on the first drive of the first game against the New York Giants.
At the same time, Baltimore is facing a Redskins team with offensive woes of its own. Washington has been outscored, 87-17, and is winless in three preseason games. This includes a 41-0 shutout loss at New England last week.
Ravens offensive coordinator Jim Fassel said playing the first unit more at Washington isn?t as important as coming away from the game with positive momentum.
“Every game, the priorities are the same,” Fassel said. “You want to play sharp. It?s hard to evaluate wins and losses [in the preseason] because you have so many guys playing. You just want to be crisp and remain injury-free. Guys who have been here for a long time know it?s just the preseason, but if you can play sharp, it gives everyone a good feeling.”
Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said even in the final preseason game, the goal is the same as any other game, and that is to be perfect with whatever time you have on the field.
“You always strive to be perfect,” Scott said. “You want to move together fluently as a unit and try to dominate your opponent.”
Players like Scott and the other veterans will try not to get hurt in the final preseason game, but rookies like wide receiver Demetrius Williams will look to use the game as a final opportunity to get a handle on the offensive schemes in a live-game atmosphere.
“I want to go out there, play hard and make sure I don?t miss any assignments,” Williams said. “You want to get that game feeling and get out there and make as many plays as possible.”
