The Ravens have an exciting preseason ahead of them.
The NFL released the 2014 preseason schedule Wednesday afternoon, and the lineup contains some intriguing matchups for the Ravens.
Here's a look at the four-game schedule:
Week 1: San Francisco 49ers, M&T Bank Stadium (Thursday, Aug. 7)
Week 2: Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium (Exact date TBD)
Week 3: Washington Redskins, M&T Bank Stadium (Exact date TBD)
Week 4: New Orleans Saints, Mercedes Benz Superdome (Thursday, Aug. 28)
The headliner is opening the preseason in Baltimore against the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of Super Bowl XLVII. This will be the third installment of the "Harbaugh Bowl," where Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh faces off against his brother Jim. The Ravens have come out victorious in the two previous meetings with Harbaugh and the 49ers.
The Ravens have never previously faced the 49ers in the preseason, and this year will also be their first preseason matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Their Week 2 trip to Dallas will be the Ravens' first visit to AT&T Stadium, also known as "Jerry's World."
The last time the Ravens' played in Dallas was in 2008, when they beat the Cowboys 33-24 in the final game at Texas Stadium.
The third week of the preseason highlights a locally charged matchup between the Ravens and Redskins in Baltimore. Playing the Redskins in the preseason has been a regular event, as the two teams have met in six of the last eight preseasons. They have not faced off in the preseason since 2011.
The preseason will conclude in New Orleans as the Ravens return to the site of their latest Super Bowl victory. The Ravens will again go back to New Orleans at some point during the regular season, but the NFL has yet to announce that schedule. The dates for the regular-season schedule are expected to come out some time later this month.
Facing a regular-season opponent in the preseason is relatively rare, but the Ravens also did that in 2010 when they faced the Carolina Panthers in both the preseason and regular season.
None of this year's preseason games will be nationally televised, and all of the contests will be aired on local broadcasts.
