Even though the Orioles just returned to Camden Yards, football is already on the minds of Baltimore sports fans.
Yesterday, three days after the city’s new professional arena football team played its first game, the Ravens franchise announced its preseason schedule for this August. The Ravens’ first game will be yet another Beltway rival matchup with the Washington Redskins on Thursday, Aug. 10.
The team noted in the announcement that it holds a 6-3 preseason record against the Redskins. In the regular season, when those win-loss columns hold just a tad more value, the franchises are tied at 3-3 all-time.
Surely, fans will recall the Ravens’ frustrating 16-10 loss to Washington at home last October. Luckily, Ravens Nation will get a chance for redemption at M&T Bank Stadium this August.
The team will also play the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 18 or 19, the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 25 or 26 and the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 31. The matchup against the Bills is the only other preseason home game.
On Friday, Baltimore’s other pro football franchise played its first-ever game, coincidentally also against Washington. The Baltimore Brigade and the Washington Valor of the Arena Football League faced off at the Verizon Center in D.C.
The Valor took off with 27 unanswered points and held off a strong second-half comeback from the Brigade to win 51-38. (It’s worth noting that arena football has a much faster pace than traditional American football.)
Despite falling short in the inaugural matchup, the Brigade have 13 more games to right their path, including three more against the Valor. As the teams share the same owner, sports mogul and metro-area expansionist Ted Leonsis, this could be an open opportunity for a franchise-sibling rivalry.
