One of the most impressive things about Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco on Saturday night was his quick delivery and decision making. A lot of fans were concerned about his mobility because they had not seen Flacco play since Week 11 of the 2015 season, when he injured his knee.
But we could see that there were no problems with the knee and his movement in training camp. On Saturday night against the Detroit Lions, Flacco made some quick decisions and didn't double-clutch at all. He was confident in his receivers and knew where they would be as he completed 11 of 16 passes for 94 yards.
The Ravens could start two rookies on the offensive line in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills, so it was good to see an efficient, short-yardage passing attack and both the quarterback and his receivers on the same page.
Antsy Suggs: Watching Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs out on the field was like seeing an antsy rookie playing in his first game. Suggs, who missed 15 games last season with a torn Achilles tendon, couldn't keep still. He stopped the run twice and was relentless in pursuit downfield.
It seems like Suggs and Flacco were reborn after missing so much time last season. They have a newfound appreciation of the game.
Bad break: Starting tight end Ben Watson left the game on the first play from scrimmage after tearing his Achilles tendon. After speaking to several people around the league, they all agreed that Watson routinely turned his game up a notch once the regular season started.
So I was eager to watch him play, especially since he had been the Ravens' healthiest tight end through training camp. The Ravens will miss not only him in the intermediate passing game but also his presence in the locker room. Very few players are leaders in their first year with a new team, but Watson already had that respect from his teammates.
Bad break, part two: It's a shame that rookie running back Kenneth Dixon suffered an ankle injury Saturday night. Until that point, Dixon and Terrance West (Towson University, Northwestern High) had been the Ravens' two top running backs. Dixon fits into the team's downhill-running approach, and West gets a lot of tough yards after first contact.
Out of sight: If starting cornerback Jimmy Smith ever turned around and found the ball, he might become a Pro Bowl player. He was in great position twice against Detroit and simply didn't make a play because he lost sight of the ball. A lot of Ravens defensive backs had that problem as well. It might be time to whip out the tennis balls and racquet again — the training camp drill was supposed to help them locate and track the ball while backpedaling.
Big blocks: One of the most impressive things about the Ravens' win against Detroit was how the receivers blocked Lions cornerbacks and safeties. I'm not just talking about the first unit; the second unit kept smacking the Lions around. It was good to see them so physical.
Route work: While on the subject of being physical, receiver Mike Wallace has to do more when running curl or comeback routes. He needs to take some tips from fellow receiver Steve Smith Sr., who protects the ball by putting his body between the defensive back and the pass. Of course, no one ran a comeback route better than former Raven Derrick Mason, who earned the nickname "King of the Comeback" during his time in Baltimore.
First-year fierceness: Rookie left tackle Ronnie Stanley has earned a lot of praise from the coaching staff, but rookie guard Alex Lewis also has been impressive. He is big and has a nasty demeanor, and runs well for a big guy. He can make blocks into the second level.
Lame Lions: The Ravens played with intensity against Detroit, something they lacked against the Indianpolis Colts the week before. Meanwhile, the Lions were absolutely pathetic. I wonder whether the Lions could fire their head coach, Jim Caldwell, before the regular season starts. Just joking — kind of.
Return tips: Note to punt returner Michael Campanaro (River Hill): It's great to have good hands, but you also have to make the first guy miss to be successful in returning punts.