The following represents the opinion of the student reporter and does not represent the views of Loyola University Maryland, the Greyhound, or Loyola University’s Department of Communication.
Week 1 in the NFL has come to an end after a long offseason for many Ravens fans. Their first matchup was against the New York Jets, who were led by veteran quarterback, Joe Flacco.
Baltimore made quick work of New York as the final score read 24-9 in their favor. So apart from an anticipated win for the Ravens, what else stood out? Here are the top three takeaways from Week 1.
1.) Lamar appears to be in midseason form, despite the outside noise.
The offseason for the Ravens was a tough one, as they could not agree with Lamar Jackson on a contract extension. Reports say that they offered him $250 million, and he declined because he wanted to have more guaranteed money. His play against the Jets backed his claim that he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Jackson completed 17 passes on 30 attempts for 213 yards and three touchdowns, while only throwing one interception. He made a risky pass here and there, but his overall performance was better than most of the starting quarterbacks across the NFL in Week 1. Whether you like or dislike Jackson, he will always show that he belongs in the top rankings of quarterbacks, proving that he should be paid like one.
2.) Devin Duvernay will have a breakout year.
Baltimore lacks depth at the receiver position but the receivers they do have are on the rise. This includes 25-year-old Devin Duvernay. He was only targeted four times, but he caught all four passes for 54 yards, and two of the catches were touchdowns. In his first two seasons with the Ravens, he racked up 473 yards, and after only one game this year, he has almost a quarter of his yards from those two seasons combined. Duvernay has stepped into a larger role on the team after Marquise Brown was traded. After Week 1, he seems to be shining even brighter than some NFL fans may have expected.
3.) Marcus Williams has made an immediate impact.
The Ravens signed Marcus Williams in the offseason in hopes of strengthening their secondary. That hope has become a reality as Williams recorded 10 tackles and two assists along with one interception in his first game as a Raven. With the game scoreless 10 minutes in, his interception was the spark that Baltimore needed to get going. The true test will come in the weeks ahead when the Ravens face a more dangerous team offensively. For now, he has made his presence known and proved why he is worth every penny of his $70 million contract. Even though Baltimore faced a team in the Jets that has not been successful in recent years, it was still a decent warmup to get back into the swing of things. They enter a tough four-game stretch, having to face the Dolphins next week, followed by the Patriots, Bills, and Bengals. All of these teams will present tough defensive matchups, but the Ravens will be hoping to repeat their Week 1 success as they look to gain momentum early in the season.
Featured Image courtesy of Mitchell Leff via Getty Images
