The Baltimore Ravens have extended the NFL record for most consecutive wins in pre-season Thursday night, with victory No. 21 in the form of a 23-10 defeat of the Tennessee Titans. There were several heroes in Baltimore’s first exhibition victory of the new season, and rookie tight end Isaiah Likely was one of them.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week that the Coastal Carolina tight end “is going to be a big part of the offense this year,” and it certainly looked like it Thursday night. He probably caught four passes for 44 yards on four targets in his first NFL action, later saying he felt “like a little kid on Christmas.”
In the first quarter, Likely received a reception in the flat for a first down – putting a defender in the rotation cycle in the process.
In the second stanza on Thursday night, Likely made an incredible sandwich between a linebacker and a cornerback. It looked like the linebacker was about to register a pass breakup — or even an interception — but Likely found a way to roll it up.
There weren’t all positives to take from Likely’s NFL debut, as he recorded two penalties for detention. He wasn’t exactly intended to be an elite blocker at the top level as much as a big receiver, and he couldn’t have landed in a better place.
The Ravens’ large receiving body is seen as a weakness, especially with the loss of Marquise Brown, but Harbaugh and Co. aren’t too concerned about that. Just last year, tight end Mark Andrews set the Ravens franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season, when he led all NFL tight ends in receptions ( 107), yards (1,361) and was tied for most touchdowns (9). Along with Likely, the Ravens also drafted tight end Charlie Kolar from Iowa State in the fourth round as well. It’s clear that tight ends are going to play an important role in Lamar Jackson’s passing game.
