Ravens Dominate Eagles 24-7 in Jesse Minter’s Preseason Debut

The Baltimore Ravens opened the 2026 preseason with a convincing 24-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium, giving new head coach Jesse Minter a win in his first game on the Ravens sideline. Baltimore controlled the game almost from start to finish and came within 2:14 of recording its first preseason shutout since 2019.

Most of Baltimore’s projected starters did not play, but that only created more opportunities for young players trying to earn roster spots. Rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano, wide receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, tight end Matt Hibner and running back Adam Randall were among the biggest standouts.

Baltimore finished with a massive 440-159 advantage in total offense, recorded 31 first downs to Philadelphia’s six and held the ball for 41:17. The Eagles went 0-for-9 on third down and committed 10 penalties for 96 yards.

Huntley Gets the Start

With Lamar Jackson among the regular starters held out of the preseason opener, Tyler Huntley started at quarterback for Baltimore.

Huntley looked sharp during his limited action, completing 6-of-7 passes for 76 yards. He finished with a 111.9 passer rating while helping the Ravens move the ball efficiently during the early portion of the game.

One of Huntley’s biggest completions came to rookie tight end Matt Hibner, who gained 29 yards on a wheel route during Baltimore’s opening possession. Hibner continued producing throughout the night and finished with five receptions for 61 yards.

The opening drive ended without points when Tyler Loop missed a 49-yard field-goal attempt wide right. Loop later rebounded by converting a 42-yard field goal and all three extra-point attempts.

Fagnano and Lane Produce Baltimore’s First Touchdown

The Ravens finally broke through in the second quarter after Fagnano took over the offense.

With just under 10 minutes remaining before halftime, Fagnano found Ja’Kobi Lane for a 16-yard touchdown. Lane caught the pass over the middle, fought through two defenders and extended across the goal line for the first touchdown of his NFL preseason career.

Lane finished with three receptions for 38 yards and the touchdown. His performance continued what had already been an impressive training camp for the rookie receiver.

Baltimore carried a 7-0 lead into halftime.

Fagnano Makes His Case

Fagnano received most of Baltimore’s quarterback snaps and took full advantage of them.

The undrafted rookie from UConn completed 22-of-28 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception, finishing with a 97.0 passer rating.

He consistently moved Baltimore down the field, spreading the ball to multiple receivers and showing poise inside the offense. His lone major mistake came when he tried to fit a pass into the end zone while moving outside the pocket. Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo intercepted the throw.

Still, Fagnano strengthened his case for the No. 3 quarterback job. The Ravens had already released Diego Pavia, while Skylar Thompson was placed on injured reserve, leaving Fagnano in a favorable position in the competition. Baltimore added Austin Reed during the week as another option.

Loop Extends the Lead

Baltimore added three more points during the third quarter.

After missing from 49 yards earlier in the game, Loop connected from 42 yards, extending the Ravens’ advantage to 10-0.

The kicking situation will remain something to watch throughout the preseason. Loop missed only two field-goal attempts from inside 50 yards across the preseason and regular season entering Saturday, but the Ravens have been looking to see how he responds to pressure after the way the previous season ended.

Minter said afterward that the hold may have contributed to the first-quarter miss and indicated the attempt did not significantly change his evaluation of Loop.

Ravens Defense Smothers Philadelphia

While Baltimore’s young offensive players generated most of the highlights, the defense may have been even more impressive.

Philadelphia produced only 159 total yards, including 83 passing yards. Baltimore, meanwhile, amassed 298 net passing yards.

The Eagles also failed to convert any of their nine third-down attempts.

Baltimore’s defense kept Philadelphia scoreless through the first three quarters and almost the entire fourth.

Second-year cornerback Keyon Martin was one of Baltimore’s defensive standouts. Martin blitzed for a sack and also helped produce a tackle for loss during the third quarter.

The performance was particularly encouraging because Baltimore played without most of its established defensive starters.

Randall Puts the Game Away

The Ravens turned a comfortable lead into a rout early in the fourth quarter.

Running back Adam Randall powered through defenders for a 4-yard touchdown run, giving Baltimore a 17-0 advantage.

Randall served as Baltimore’s primary ball carrier with Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Rasheen Ali sitting out. He finished with 12 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown.

The former wide receiver showed the physical running style that has made his transition to running back one of Baltimore’s more interesting developmental stories. His touchdown effectively put the game out of reach.

Reed Adds Another Touchdown

Baltimore was not finished.

Quarterback Austin Reed entered late and added another score with a 14-yard rushing touchdown, pushing the Ravens’ lead to 24-0.

Reed completed both of his pass attempts for 14 yards and rushed three times for 12 net yards, with the 14-yard touchdown accounting for Baltimore’s final points.

Baltimore finished with 142 rushing yards on 36 carries, with Randall, Elijah Tau-Tolliver and Dontae McMillan all receiving significant work. Tau-Tolliver rushed 10 times for 42 yards, while McMillan had nine carries for 40 yards.

Eagles Avoid the Shutout Late

Philadelphia finally broke through with 2:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Rookie quarterback Cole Payton connected with Erik Ezukanma for a 6-yard touchdown, preventing Baltimore from recording the shutout.

Payton finished 4-of-9 passing for 37 yards and the touchdown. He also led Philadelphia in rushing with 45 yards on three attempts.

Philadelphia’s other quarterbacks struggled to generate much offense. Tanner McKee completed 6-of-10 passes for 35 yards, while veteran Andy Dalton finished 3-of-6 for 20 yards.

The Eagles combined for only 83 passing yards on the night.

Sarratt and Hibner Give Baltimore More Young Weapons

The Ravens’ young receiving corps was one of the biggest stories of the night.

Elijah Sarratt led Baltimore with six receptions for 66 yards, showing his ability to create yardage after the catch. His night included one costly mistake when he lost a fumble during the third quarter after Eagles cornerback Shaun Wade knocked the ball loose from behind.

Hibner was nearly as productive, catching all five of his targets for 61 yards. His 29-yard reception was Baltimore’s longest catch of the game.

Lane added three catches for 38 yards and the touchdown, while Devontez Walker finished with three receptions for 31 yards.

Baltimore’s three quarterbacks combined to complete passes to 12 different players, showing impressive distribution throughout the offense.

Ravens Win Minter’s First Game

The result will not count in the standings, but the performance gave Baltimore plenty to like in Minter’s first preseason game as head coach.

The Ravens dominated possession, yardage, first downs and third-down defense despite resting nearly every projected starter.

Baltimore recorded 440 total yards, including 298 through the air and 142 on the ground. Philadelphia finished with just 159.

The Ravens also committed only three penalties for 25 yards compared with Philadelphia’s 10 for 96 yards.

Those numbers are much more meaningful in the preseason than the final score itself because they show Baltimore’s reserve units consistently winning downs and sustaining drives.

MSB Take

You never want to overreact to a preseason game, especially one in which Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and most of Baltimore’s established stars never stepped onto the field.

Still, this was about as encouraging of an opener as the Ravens could have hoped for.

Minter’s first game as head coach featured exactly what Baltimore needed to see: young players making plays and fringe roster candidates giving the coaching staff difficult decisions.

Fagnano may have been the biggest winner. Completing 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards while controlling the offense for most of the game is an excellent way to strengthen a case for the third quarterback position.

Lane continues to look like one of Baltimore’s most intriguing young receivers. Hibner showed that he could contribute at tight end, Sarratt consistently created separation and Randall looked comfortable handling a significant workload at running back.

The defense was just as impressive. Holding an NFL opponent to six first downs, 159 yards and zero third-down conversions is dominant regardless of whether starters are playing.

The biggest concern remains special teams. Loop’s missed 49-yard field goal will receive attention, while rookie punter Ryan Eckley also opened his NFL preseason career with an ugly first punt before rebounding later.

But overall, Baltimore could not have asked for much more.

The Ravens are 1-0 in the preseason and will travel to Minnesota for joint practices before facing the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET.