Ravens Game Day: What to Watch vs. Detroit Lions

The Baltimore Ravens will host the Detroit Lions in the third preseason game in which the starters will play the first half.

Preseason games still means nothing, but the third game is the most important one of the summer. It will be our first look at the Baltimore Ravens starters playing for an extended period.

The biggest news of the game is that quarterback Joe Flacco will return to the field. It will be his first game action since tearing his ACL late last season. It is not necessary for him to play tonight, but he is going to give it a go anyways.

There is a lot on the line for some players. There are some battling for a role with the starters. Others are trying to cement their spot on the team. A few know they will not make the Ravens roster, but can earn a spot with another team with their performance.

Here are some of the things to keep an eye on in this game:

Ravens running backs have been the talk of the summer as Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon have drawn rave reviews. Each has been explosive during training camp and have taken that to the field in limited action. Justin Forsett remains the starter, but it will not be long before one of these guys takes the job away.

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We are not expected to see Steve Smith or Breshad Perriman, but Mike Wallace and Kamar Aiken are good enough to be starters around the league. The one play we all want to see back in the offense is the pass deep down the sidelines to open everything up. It is almost a guarantee that Flacco will take a shot to Wallace at some point.

Last year’s bugaboo was the defense, particularly the secondary, getting scorched and that has been a problem this preseason as well. They have not given up many touchdowns, but teams are moving down the field in a hurry. It would be great to see a turnover as the Ravens finished near the bottom of the league in that category.

The backup quarterback battle is one we did not expect heading into camp. It was presumed that Ryan Mallett would be the guy, but Josh Johnson is out playing him. It will be interesting to see who relieves Flacco in this one.

Kick return duties are still up for grabs and it is anyone’s job to take. Michael Campanaro has the early edge on punt returns, while West and Dixon have returned some kickoffs. Keenan Reynolds is struggling to make plays on the field and this might be his last chance to impress.

As always, the top goal is to escape the game injury free. The Ravens have dealt with a few nagging injuries, but other than Matt Elam and Bronson Kaufusi, there has not been that season-crushing injury.

Next: Devin Hester to Return Kicks? No Thanks

This is the last look we will get of these Baltimore Ravens before they host the Buffalo Bills in Week One. Can you believe that the regular season is right around the corner?

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