What the Ravens Want From Their Joint Practice With Packers

The Ravens are no strangers to joint practices. They’ve had eight during Head Coach John Harbaugh’s tenure – four as hosts and four as visitors.

Thursday’s joint practice will be their first in Green Bay, with the team flying out Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s preseason finale.

Here’s what went into the joint practice and what the Ravens are looking to gain from it:

A Tune Up for the Starters

Most of the Ravens’ starters won’t play at all in the preseason. The only projected starters who have suited up so far are linebacker Trenton Simpson and offensive linemen competing for the three open starting spots.

Harbaugh believes the Ravens’ practices against themselves serve as better building blocks for the regular season. Baltimore hasn’t played its starters since 2021, when J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL in the preseason finale in Washington. The Ravens have won their two Week 1 games since, beating the Jets, 24-9, and Texans, 25-9.

“We want to put our best foot forward right out of the gates as much as we can,” Harbaugh said this week. “It’s hard to do, there’s no guarantee you’re going to do that, and there’s a lot of question marks to that every year. We have done well over the years doing that, because we practice well.

“It comes down to practice. Practice is what makes it; preseason games don’t make or break you that way, it’s the practices that make you, because that’s what you stack.”

Thus, joint practices are the closest thing to “game action” that the Ravens’ starters will get.

The fact that Thursday’s joint practice is happening so late (training camp has technically ended) means Baltimore has already built up in camp and can test itself out against another opponent. This is the measuring stick for the starters before the Sept. 5 opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Asked what he’s looking to get out of the joint practice, Lamar Jackson said, “Just not going against my guys each and every day.”

“Finally get to go against someone else,” he said. “Especially [since] I’m not playing in the preseason, it’s just great to see how we are against other opponents.”

Running back Derrick Henry won’t stiff arm his teammates, but the bruising running back may finally show more of his physicality against another team.

“I’m sure we’ll scrimmage against [the Packers] and get some contact in, as far as going against their defense,” Henry said.

Facing a Different System

One downside of only practicing against yourself is that you get used to that opponent and system. Ravens players have talked during camp about how they know what to expect from the other side.

Going against a different foe gives Baltimore a chance to see how it will fare versus different kinds of schemes and styles. Facing the Packers will particularly help the Ravens’ young offensive line, which is still sorting out three starting spots.

“For instance, [Green Bay’s] defensive line is an up field, penetrating type of a front. They’re going to be hitting gaps and getting up field,” Harbaugh said. “We haven’t really seen that in the two preseason games or in practice, but we are going see that in the games – the Cowboys are going to do that, for instance – so that’s something that we need to get ready for. There’s an opportunity to see a different style that we haven’t seen before.”

One Practice Instead of Two

Last year, the Ravens hosted the Washington Commanders for back-to-back days at the Under Armour Performance Center and there were several feisty moments.

Harbaugh said the league encouraged teams to only do one day of joint practices instead of two, when tensions tend to boil over.

“I think you’re talking about some competitive human beings, and everybody wants to win all the time,” Harbaugh said this week. “So, that practice intensity gets to a level sometimes where, on the second day, it’s not as productive as it was on the first day.”

Focus on Football, Not Fighting

In that same vein, Harbaugh wants to get good work in against another good team that doesn’t come into the practice with a chip on its shoulder.

The Packers, who reached last year’s playoffs, should be that kind of team.

“The mindset of the two teams is the most important thing,” Harbaugh said.” If both teams come in with the same idea, that they’re two good football teams that are trying to take advantage of opportunity to practice against another good football team and get a good football practice in, that’s what you want.”

“If a team is coming in like they’re trying to prove something – some junior high thing – then it’s usually not good. We’re excited to go against Green Bay. We think they’re that kind of a group – a good football team, right there almost in the NFC Championship Game, a proven team. So, we’re looking forward to that opportunity to go up and practice against those guys.”