Brightest spot tonight? LBs...

Woods, Crable, Mayo, Redd - all appear to have had very good, active games. Frankly, aside from injuries, this was the most important thing to come out of tonight. And (relatively speaking) that's a big deal.

Rookies in general played well. I really don't take much stock in preseason games other than some of the players progression and Mayo, Crable, and Wheatley in particular seem to have adapted to the defense very well in such a short period of time. O'Connell looked pretty good for his first outing too granted vs. guys who will be out of the NFL in two weeks.

Agreed. All the new young guys looked good. I sort of missed the very beginning of the game (kids running around, etc.). Did Hobson play?

Don't forget Guyton. Somehow he ran Figurs down from behind and forced him out at the 2. That's mindboggling.

Absolutely. What a great crop. I know it's early based on one game played against scrubs, but Mayo obviously, Crable looked great, always around the ball, nice moves, even good setting the edge. Redd had that terrific pass batted down, quick reactions to get his arms up.

I'm not good at picking out the ILB plays, so I can't comment on Hobson or Guyton. Guyton had great hustle on the STs play and I thought I saw him make a few defensive plays, but I don't remember well enough.

All around, forthe 1st preseason game, very encouraging. We haven't seen this much good news from the LB corps in a while and they were dominant at the end of the game. Our scrubs crushing their scrubs. Good stuff.

Pierre Woods looked alot better than I expected, and Crable surprised me alot in pass coverage with that pick. This group looks pretty good

Rob0729 said:

Rookies in general played well. I really don't take much stock in preseason games other than some of the players progression and Mayo, Crable, and Wheatley in particular seem to have adapted to the defense very well in such a short period of time. O'Connell looked pretty good for his first outing too granted vs. guys who will be out of the NFL in two weeks.

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That's really the thing. These guys seemed to be playing within the scheme, not getting washed out of the play, not taking themselves out, but staying within it. Mayo in particular seemed to react well. Contrasting to, yes, well, Monty Beisel, who alwasy seemed to run full speed in the wrong direction.

Pierre Woods and Shawn Crable really impressed me.

The kid Mayo is a natural ILB, pro-bowler all the way!

Woods had an outstanding game. What's hard to know, of course, is how these guys, Crable and Woods in particular, would do against starting tackles and guards.

PonyExpress said:

Don't forget Guyton. Somehow he ran Figurs down from behind and forced him out at the 2. That's mindboggling.

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PonyExpress, help me out with our boy Chad Jack, what in the world is going on out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To quote the legend..........

BradyToMoss said:

PonyExpress, help me out with our boy Chad Jack, what in the world is going on out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To quote the legend..........

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Read DookFish's assessment of him in training camp. Spot on.

BradyToMoss said:

PonyExpress, help me out with our boy Chad Jack, what in the world is going on out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To quote the legend..........

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Looks very tentative, thinking too much. He's tripping over his own feet, or running the wrong routes, or not running decisive patterns. He needs to get his @$$ in gear or the opportunity of a lifetime will pass him by. I believe in his ability. Before drawing definitive conclusions, I'll wait another two weeks.

Coaching staff thought well of Woods' performance, put him on the post game show.

PonyExpress said:

Looks very tentative, thinking too much. He's tripping over his own feet, or running the wrong routes, or not running decisive patterns. He needs to get his @$$ in gear or the opportunity of a lifetime will pass him by. I believe in his ability. Before drawing definitive conclusions, I'll wait another two weeks.

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They need to make it simpler for him, I think. A few screens, some streaks and post patterns. Let him build up his confidence. However that isn't going to happen with Cassel behind center.

BadMoFo said:

They need to make it simpler for him, I think. A few screens, some streaks and post patterns. Let him build up his confidence. However that isn't going to happen with Cassel behind center.

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I agree, let's judge Chad with looks from TB, if he F's those up, he's toast.

This is good to hear.

What seemed like the dullest point (besides Cassell). OL or secondary or??

Patjew said:

This is good to hear.

What seemed like the dullest point (besides Cassell). OL or secondary or??

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The OL was brutal, I was shocked at the cushion Fernando was giving those wideouts, you could have landed the Hood blimp inside those cushions, I was shocked after the great camp he's had. I thought Wheatley was pretty solid. And Brandon looked good late.

Woods was playing with the first team defense and was getting a good rush then and kept with it for the rest of the game. The Ravens offensive line is/was playing a lot of backups but I thought Woods had a great game.

Crable's INT was a nice play on a terrible decision (and throw) by Boller. He was also quick off the line, had some decent pass rush moves and looks to have good length. Watching once, he didn't suck in the running game, either.

They both look fast when rushing the passer.

PatsFan37 said:

That's really the thing. These guys seemed to be playing within the scheme, not getting washed out of the play, not taking themselves out, but staying within it. Mayo in particular seemed to react well. Contrasting to, yes, well, Monty Beisel, who alwasy seemed to run full speed in the wrong direction.

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Beisel was a cartoon