What were some critical observations from the Washington Commanders' first joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens before their preseason game?
There was an enormous sense of excitement in the air as the Washington Commanders clashed against the Baltimore Ravens for the first of two joint practices. This was seen as a decent measuring stick for Ron Rivera's men at an important stage of their preparations versus a team that is expected to challenge for playoff honors if everyone stays clear of injuries.
Whether the Commanders have similar ambitions has yet to be determined. The talent is there aside from one or two position groups, but much will also depend health front and if Washington can depend on quarterback Sam Howell to deliver the goods despite his lack of NFL experience.
Baltimore was a tremendous test as expected of any team led by John Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson. With that in mind, here are four critical observations from the Commanders' opening joint practice with the Ravens.
Commanders and Ravens got chippy
The practice was supposed to go on for 2.5 hours. But its physical nature coupled with the searing heat meant aggression spilled over on a few occasions to bring the session to an abrupt halt.
Among those in the thick of things were Emmanuel Forbes and Jamin Davis. A few other skirmishes threatened to break out, which provoked an immediate response from Ron Rivera and John Harbaugh to avoid any further unnecessary issues.
There aren't many joint practices around the league that don't have a scuffle or two. Some harsh words were no doubt said by the coaching staff in their respective locker rooms, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on tomorrow.