The Ravens walk into their home opener Sunday with a 1-0 record and a growing sense that their offense can pile up points in a hurry. The Saints, meanwhile, arrive at M&T Bank Stadium at 0-1, but not without giving Detroit plenty to think about in Week 1. That’s the backdrop for a matchup that has The Banner’s sports staff leaning Baltimore, though not always by the same margin.
One of the biggest questions in the game centers on Trey Hendrickson and Baltimore’s pass rush. Kyle Goon pointed to Hendrickson’s ability to disrupt Tyler Shough as a major swing factor, noting that the veteran made life miserable for the Colts front last week even without recording his first sack as a Raven.
He also expects the Saints to have a hard time slowing Derrick Henry and Baltimore’s ground game after what New Orleans allowed against the Lions. Still, Goon sees the Ravens needing their defensive front to get after Shough if they want to keep the game from turning into a shootout.
His call: Ravens 38, Saints 17.
That’s the kind of scoring outlook Giana Han sees, too. She noted that New Orleans hung around against Detroit thanks in part to a big day from Chris Olave, but she also pointed out that the Saints defense struggled in Week 1.
With Baltimore’s offense coming off a strong opening performance, Han expects another productive day for the Ravens. Her pick: Ravens 38, Saints 21.
Jonas Shaffer offered a more measured take, arguing that the Saints’ defense was better than the final score against Detroit suggested. He cited New Orleans holding the Lions to 5.1 yards per play and limiting them to just two drives of at least 50 yards, with the second coming in overtime.
Shaffer also said the Saints had a top-15 defense last season and might not need to worry much about Zay Flowers. Even so, he believes Baltimore’s defense is the strongest unit in the game and that the crowd at M&T Bank Stadium will matter in key moments.
His prediction: Ravens 24, Saints 13.
Childs Walker called the matchup trickier than it looks. He highlighted the possibility that Flowers might not play, which could make Baltimore’s offense a little less straightforward.
But he also pointed to the Saints’ own volatility, including the way Tyler Shough and New Orleans rallied to force overtime against Detroit. Walker noted that the Lions sacked Shough five times and intercepted him twice, giving the Ravens a path to short fields for Lamar Jackson.
He expects the Ravens’ defense to finish strong again and Derrick Henry to have another big day. His pick: Ravens 30, Saints 23.
Brandon Weigel was more direct about Baltimore’s Week 1 showing, saying his earlier concerns about a new coaching staff looking uneven didn’t really hold up after the opening Colts drive. He said the offense was humming and the defense settled in after allowing an early 65-yard touchdown march.
Weigel acknowledged that New Orleans pushed Detroit to overtime after scoring 24 second-half points, but he still views the Saints as one of the weaker teams in what he called perhaps the NFL’s worst division. Even with a possibly shorthanded receiver group, he expects Baltimore to deliver for the home crowd.
His call: Ravens 27, Saints 14.
Guest picker Erin Summers, who covers the Saints for Bleav in Saints, sees Baltimore’s fast start as a major problem for New Orleans. She noted that the Saints have gone scoreless in the first quarter in 12 of 18 games under head coach Kellen Moore, and that could be an issue against a Ravens offense that scored 31 first-half points last week.
Summers also pointed to Baltimore’s front, which produced nine quarterback hits and a 51% pressure rate in Week 1, as another hurdle for the Saints. She said New Orleans needs better production on the ground, with Alvin Kamara returning alongside Travis Etienne Jr., and she stressed the importance of sound tackling and gap discipline against Jackson and Henry after Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit.
Even with those areas to clean up, Summers believes Baltimore’s firepower will decide it. Her pick: Ravens 31, Saints 24.
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