Getty Trace McSorley fires a pass against the Steelers.
The Baltimore Ravens had to turn to third string quarterback Trace McSorley late in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, but it was hardly to their detriment.
McSorley led the Ravens down the field and into the end zone quickly, making what looked like a blowout into a close game. While the Ravens didn’t prevail in the end, nobody was despairing thanks to the fact that McSorely looked so good in the short amount of time he had on the field.
McSorley himself said that it was a situation he’d prefer never to enter again given how it played out, but even such, he was thrilled to be back on the field after being on the sidelines for so long and not seeing any action.
“Situation wasn’t ideal obviously, but it was good to get back on the field in the game.” @McSorley_IX
McSorley said:
“Situation wasn’t ideal, you never want a situation to come like that where a guy’s getting injured or is sick or out for whatever reason, but it was good to get back out there again and get back in the feel of a game. It had been a few years since last preseason since I had any real game action so it was just good to get back out there with the guys, kinda get in the huddle, be around guys in a game setting and get that feeling again and get the adrenaline going. It felt really good being out there with everyone.”
It was McSorely’s first taste of football since the 2019 preseason considering he didn’t get to do anything on the field this preseason. Knowing that, it’s been a long time for McSorley to knock the rust off, but that’s just what he was able to do in this game and gain some major confidence for the future.
Trace McSorley Respected by Ravens Players
McSorley came on the field and led the Ravens, and even though the team was coming from behind and struggling, there could be a notion that the team might not know what to expect from their young player. That’s not the case at all, and the Ravens were just as confident with McSorley in the game as they would be anyone else.
Offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. explained that he was happy to see McSorley come into the game because he’s had confidence in him for a long time.
“Since @McSorley_IX has been here, he’s come in with the mentality and poise to help the team win. I have a lot of respect for how he carries himself.” @ZEUS__78
Brown said:
“Trace is someone since he’s been here, he’s come in with the mentality and poise to lead a team and lead an offense. I’ve always felt as though he was capable of coming in and playing at a high level. Given the opportunity, I know he can play at a high level. I got a lot of respect for him and the way he carries himself, how consistent he approaches the game, how consistent he is when he takes command in the huddle. He came in and make that big through and big play, right before that he had kind of let us know we had to score this drive and get something going to win this game. Obviously we fell short, but I got a lot of trust in him and his abilities.”
Though the Ravens were down to the third string quarterback, it’s clear they still have major confidence in McSorley to lead their team. That’s nice for a player to have that kind of trust from his teammates as far down the roster as he was.
Trace McSorley’s First Career Touchdown
The best play of the week is worth another look. McSorley, coming off the bench to relieve Robert Griffin III, fired an impressive pass to wideout Marquise Brown, who managed to elude some Pittsburgh defenders and take off for the score. It was McSorley’s first career touchdown pass, and it came late in the game to cut into Pittsburgh’s lead.
Here’s a look at the play:
🚨 HOLLYWOOD BROWN 70-YARD TD 🚨
Nice first career NFL TD pass for Trace Mcsorley! #RavensFlock
(via @NFL)
It was a gorgeous catch and run for Brown to make, and the 70 yard pass got the Ravens right back in the game. Sadly for Baltimore, their defense could not get off the field late and the Steelers ended up salting away the win late.
Even such, that shouldn’t ruin the moment for McSorley considering the excitement of this play. Clearly, it was great to see the team celebrate it after the fact and shower the youngster with confidence.