With Mark Andrews hurt, rookie tight end Isaiah Likely wins over Buccaneers – Reading Eagle

Ravens rookie Isaiah Likely looked like a potential star when he lit up the league and dominated training camp in August.

In two preseason games, Likely had 12 catches for 144 yards and was seen as one of the interceptions in the 2022 NFL Draft. But after all that preseason production and hype, his success hasn’t carried over into the regular season.

In the first seven games, Luckley caught 18 balls for 104 yards and played in limited snaps in several contests. However, Thursday night resembled his preseason performance, when the fourth-round pick filled in for an injured Mark Andrews and caught six passes for a team-high 77 yards and a 10-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter. with The Ravens’ 27-22 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He showed up,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said.

The Ravens trailed by a touchdown early in the second quarter as their lackluster first half appeared to take a turn for the worse. Andrews caught a 6-yard pass from Jackson before leaving the field in obvious pain and then being escorted to the locker room by trainers.

After the reigning All-Pro was ruled out in Game 3 and Rashod Bateman aggravated his foot injury, Jackson turned to his familiar connection in training camp in Lickley. The recruit put.

Rashod and Mark looked the criminal in the eyes and [told] to them, “You got it,” Likely said. “They’re a big part of our offense, so you really want to cheer them up and show them we’re going to do it for them.”

Likely’s best game as a pro was highlighted by one key drive. Facing a third-and-five with five minutes left in the third, Jackson found Likeley crossing the middle of the field and the 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end threw three tacklers for a 17-yard reception to get into Buccaneers territory.

After the Ravens drove into the red zone, where they’ve struggled most of the season, Jackson hit Likeley again, this time in the back of the end zone, for his first career touchdown to cap an 11-game hitting streak. 80 yard game. which gave Baltimore a 17-10 lead.

“I’ve been talking about it ever since [training] the camp [and] OTAs,” Jackson said. “He got his first touchdown [in a] prime time game. I’m proud of him.”

After the win, Likely clutched the game ball as he waited to speak with the media.

For the Ravens to weather the injuries to Andrews and Bateman, they needed a collective effort on offense. Wide receiver Devin DuVernay had 163 all-purpose yards, including a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth for a 24-13 lead. DeMarque Robinson, picked up by the Ravens during the preseason, tied Likely with six catches for 64 yards, and James Proche II, who entered the game with one catch this season, had three for 24 yards.

But Likely was Jackson’s top target at a critical time.

“To see Isaiah [Likely] step up, we’ve seen it in training camp and preseason games, and the Duv [Duvernay] been doing it all year,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I thought both running backs did a great job; all three running backs did a great job. It was an all-round team effort.”

Rather, he said he was living in the moment, and Thursday was the time to show it, as he finally carried over his preseason dominance into a meaningful game when the Ravens needed him most.

“My motto is ‘be where your feet are,'” Likely said. “Not dwelling on the past or looking too far into the future … just playing every play as if it were the last.”

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