Washington Commanders end Baltimore Ravens' preseason win streak at 24 games
LANDOVER, Md. — The least important winning streak in American professional sports has ended.
Washington Commanders kicker Joey Slye drilled a 49-yard field goal with nine seconds left to give his team a 29-28 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, which entered Monday’s game having won 24 straight preseason games dating back to 2016.
Washington came one yard from tying the game at 28 with four minutes remaining, but Ravens cornerback Kyu Kelly stonewalled Commanders fullback Alex Armah after he caught a pass in the flat from third-string quarterback Jake Fromm to thwart the Commanders' two-point conversion.
The Ravens, with quarterback Anthony Brown Jr. leading the way, couldn't run out the clock. Washington faced a 4th-and-11 on their own side of the field with 69 seconds remaining and were bailed out by a pass interference call that kept the drive alive.
Fromm and Kazmeir Allen connected for the final eight yards to bring Slye's attempt within a manageable range.
“We were just grinding, scrapping, clawing," Fromm told USA TODAY Sports .
With his focus on figuring out where the Ravens' pressure was coming from, Fromm said he wasn't thinking much about putting a stake through their streak. But Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said that those who considered the streak a collection of meaningless victories has it all wrong.
“Because you never played," Harbaugh said. "You were never out there in a preseason game. You were never fighting for a spot. And then you have the audacity to say that the effort somebody puts in to fight and win a game like that is meaningless.”
There’s no one reason the streak lasted as long as it did, Harbaugh said. It's a reflection of how the organization practices, holds meetings, develops young players and scouts the collegiate and pro game for depth pieces.
“In the end, it's about football and the men — and women now — who play the game. It shows you why this game is so great, why it matters so much," Harbaugh said. "Because it takes those kinds of efforts. It’s a game of courageous people and it’s a game for people who are willing to throw themselves around in tough, awkward situations. Physicality. It takes that kind of grit to play this game, fight like that. Most people who love football love it for that reason right there. They respect what it takes to play the game.”
It was a battle of first-round draft picks during the game's first drive, with Ravens wideout Zay Flowers (22nd overall) and Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (16th overall), lining up across from one another. Flowers hauled in his first target for an 11-yard catch, then found plenty of open grass on a play action pass he took 26 yards to the house later in the drive for his first professional touchdown.
Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, named the starter Friday, went 19-for-25 with 188 yards and two touchdowns — both within the final two minutes of the first half. Washington coach Ron Rivera kept his offensive starters in for the game's first 30 minutes, and not without risk; wide receiver Terry McLaurin grimaced while leaving the field with a toe injury.
"It’s really not a real game," Howell said, "but at the same time, whatever team you’re on, you want to win.
“It was so much fun to watch and be a part of.”
Ravens tight end Travis Vokolek, an undrafted rookie from Nebraska, caught two touchdowns in the second half.
Baltimore assumed the record for most consecutive preseason victories since 2021, when they won their 20th consecutive game to supplant the 1959-1962 Green Bay Packers (under legendary coach Vince Lombardi) from having the most prolific stretch of preseason dominance.
Monday's game carried an air of familiarity, as the teams held a pair of joint practices at the Ravens' facility in Owings Mills, Maryland, last week. The latter practice featured a pair of fights between Washington's offensive line and the Ravens' defensive front, and that bad blood carried over.
After a Washington touchdown, right guard Sam Cosmi broke out his "Griddy" celebration. Over the weekend, Cosmi — who had been involved in the practice dust-ups — downplayed the Ravens' preseason record.
“I think it’s a stupid record. I mean, who gives a (expletive) about preseason games?” Cosmi told reporters. “If we beat it, great. We’re gonna beat it, so there we go.”
Talk about a (preseason) guarantee.