Jackson Scores, RG3 Watches As Ravens Beat Redskins 30-20
BALTIMORE (AP) — Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for a touchdown, backup Robert Griffin III spent the entire game on the sideline and Baltimore beat the Washington Redskins 30-20 Thursday night to complete its third consecutive unbeaten preseason.
Jackson played the first half and led Baltimore (5-0) on three scoring drives. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and first-round draft pick is sure to make the team, but coach John Harbaugh has not yet revealed whether he will keep Griffin, who's currently No. 2 on the depth chart behind starter Joe Flacco.
Griffin, a five-year veteran, went 27 for 41 during the preseason and showed no rust after sitting out last year.
Neither team used its starters on offense or defense, accepted standard procedure in a preseason finale.
Kevin Hogan played the entire game at quarterback for the Redskins (1-3), going 22 for 38 for 272 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his bid to unseat Colt McCoy as the backup to Alex Smith.
His first interception was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Kai Nacua to make it 27-7.
Jackson went 9 for 15 for 109 yards and ran for his team-leading third score of the preseason. The former Louisville star looked far more poised than in his previous outings, but he failed to convert a third down and was sacked once.
Fourth-stringer Josh Woodrum played the second half for the Ravens.
Starting for the first time with Baltimore, Jackson opened the game with an impressive 82-yard drive, utilizing both his arm and legs. Jackson completed all four of his pass attempts, including an 8-yarder on a fourth-and-1, and fooled the Redskins defense with a 1-yard bootleg that he ended with a nifty side-roll into the end zone.
Hogan got the Redskins even with an 87-yard march that lasted more than seven minutes and concluded with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Brian Quick.
Baltimore added two field goals before halftime — the first following a 45-yard pass from Jackson to rookie tight end Mark Andrews, the second after a fumble by Washington's Samaje Perine.
Perine led the Redskins with 603 yards rushing last year, but now he's fighting for a spot on the roster.
INJURIES
Redskins: C Casey Dunn underwent concussion protocol.
Ravens: CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste hurt his right forearm on the final play of the first quarter and did not return. The fifth-year player was expected to get increased playing time early in the season while starter Jimmy Smith serves a four-game suspension. ... Ravens guard Randin Crecelius left with a back injury.
NOT OUR RIVALS
Though the Redskins and Redskins play their home games in stadiums located just 33 miles apart, this game was not for bragging rights.
Baltimore plays in the AFC North, Washington is in the NFC East, and the teams play in the regular season once every four years. Thus, proximity isn't enough to make this a rivalry.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
All the Redskins players stood at attention on the sideline for the national anthem, as they did in Washington's previous three preseason games.
Every Ravens player stood on the sideline as well.
UP NEXT
The Redskins open the regular season on Sept. 9 at Arizona of the NFC West. Washington beat the Cardinals 20-15 last December.
Baltimore hosts Buffalo in the season opener on Sept. 9. Two years ago, the Ravens beat the Bills 13-7 in Baltimore.
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