Ravens rookie tight finish Isaiah Likely regarded like a possible star when he was lighting up the league and dominating coaching camp in August.
In two preseason video games, Likely had 12 catches on 12 targets for 144 yards and was being seen as one of many steals of the 2022 NFL draft. But in any case that preseason manufacturing and hype, his success didn’t carry over into the common season.
Through the primary seven video games, Likely had 18 catches for 104 yards and performed restricted snaps in a number of contests. However, Thursday night time was harking back to his preseason play, because the fourth-round choose stuffed in for an injured Mark Andrews and caught six passes for a team-high 77 yards and a go-ahead 10-yard landing reception late within the third quarter of the Ravens’ 27-22 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“He showed up,” quarterback Lamar Jackson stated.
Early within the second quarter, the Ravens trailed by a landing when their lackluster first half appeared to have gotten worse. Andrews caught a 6-yard go from Jackson earlier than strolling off the sector in apparent ache after which being escorted into the locker room by trainers.
After the reigning All-Pro was dominated out within the third together with prime large receiver Rashod Bateman, who aggravated his foot harm, Jackson turned to his acquainted coaching camp connection in Likely. The rookie delivered.
“Rashod and Mark looked the offense in the eyes and [told] them, ‘You got this,’” Likely stated. “They’re a big piece of our offense, so you really want to lift their spirits and show them that we’re going to do it for them.”
Likely’s finest recreation as an expert was highlighted by one key drive. Facing a third-and-5 with 5 minutes left within the third, Jackson discovered Likely crossing the center of the sector and the 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight finish shed three tacklers for a 17-yard reception to get into Buccaneers territory.
After the Ravens marched into the crimson zone, the place they’ve struggled for a lot of the season, Jackson hit Likely once more, this time at the back of the top zone for his first profession landing to cap an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive that gave Baltimore a 17-10 lead.
“I’ve been talking about it since [training] camp [and] OTAs,” Jackson stated. “He got his first touchdown [in a] prime-time game. I’m proud of him.”
After the win, Likely clutched a recreation ball as he waited to talk to the media.
For the Ravens to climate Andrews and Bateman’s accidents, they wanted a collective effort on offense. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay had 163 all-purpose yards, together with a 15-yard landing run within the fourth to take a 24-13 lead. Demarcus Robinson, whom the Ravens picked up in the course of the preseason, tied Likely with six catches for 64 yards, and James Proche II, who entered the sport with one catch this season, had three for twenty-four yards.
But Likely was Jackson’s prime goal in crunch time.
“To see Isaiah [Likely] step up, we saw it in training camp and preseason games, and ‘Duv’ [Duvernay] has been doing it all year,” coach John Harbaugh stated. “I thought both running backs did a great job; all three running backs did a great job. It was an all-around team effort.”
Likely stated he lives for the second, and Thursday was his time to point out it as he lastly carried over his preseason dominance right into a significant recreation when the Ravens wanted him most.
“My motto is ‘being where your feet are,’” Likely stated. “Not dwelling on the past or looking too far in the future … just playing every play like it’s your last.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com