Ravens' First Preseason Matchup is Thursday Night

The Baltimore Ravens will  in the first pre-season game for both teams.

As is custom for most NFL teams, the assumed starters will see limited action in this first-of-four pre-season games. The Ravens website says most of the starters will not play longer than a quarter, after which both teams will take a long look at their second- and third-string squads.

What do you predict for the game? Tell us in the comments.

This interconference matchup may not have the hype of the division showdowns Ravens fans are accustomed to, but it will provide a rare head-to-head glimpse of two teams and two quarterbacks who are often compared in the media.

Since coming into the league in 2008, Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan has been the barometer of success for Baltimore's Joe Flacco by many in sports media. While they are almost identical in terms of completion percentage, yards and interceptions, Ryan has the edge over Flacco on touchdowns.

Flacco, however, has five postseason victories–something that has eluded Ryan in his three playoff appearances.

The second-string defense for the Ravens could look very familiar to the defense fans could see near the end of the season, considering linebacker Terrell Suggs will be absent due to an achilles tendon injury and the age of veterans like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. These pre-season games will be a fire drill for a defense that is already shorthanded and could easily see an older star on the sidelines.

The game is in Atlanta and starts at 7:30 p.m. It will be broadcast on ABC and NBC.