The Saints head into Sunday’s trip to Baltimore trying to keep the season from slipping into an 0-2 hole, and the setup is a tough one. New Orleans is back on the road for a second straight week, this time at rain-soaked M&T Bank Stadium against a Ravens team listed as an 8½-point favorite.
Last Sunday in Detroit, the Saints dropped a 31-30 overtime decision after a two-point conversion that would have won the game came up short. They also had to dig out of a 21-0 deficit before storming back, the kind of slow start Kellen Moore wants erased immediately.
“We’ve just got to play better in the first quarter, simple as that,” Moore said. ”We know where we’re at. We know where we’re going and there’ll be adjustments as we go.”
New Orleans should get a boost with Alvin Kamara expected to make his season debut after recovering from a training camp knee injury. How Moore plans to mix Kamara with newly signed running back Travis Etienne is still an open question.
Baltimore is dealing with notable absences of its own. Zay Flowers, the team’s top wide receiver, is out with a hamstring injury, and the Ravens also will be without starting tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe) and guard John Simpson (groin). That leaves Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry working behind a weakened offensive line.
The Saints have their own injury watch to monitor. Chris Olave (hamstring) and Chase Young (calf) were listed as questionable, though NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted that both are expected to play in the noon kickoff, weather permitting.
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Saints Front Could Expose A Real Ravens Problem
The Ravens just rolled up 41 points and 506 total yards even while their offensive line drew multiple penalties, but the bigger concern for Baltimore is what comes next. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and left guard John Simpson are dealing with injuries that leave their status uncertain for the matchup with New Orleans, and that is exactly the kind of setup the Saints front likes to exploit.
New Orleans opened the season with five sacks and has the sort of pass-rush depth that can make even a productive offense uncomfortable. If Baltimore is forced to patch together the left side of its line, the Saints will have a real chance to turn those protection questions into pressure, and possibly into the kind of disruption that changes the flow of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Saints May Have Found The Answer At Receiver For Now
Devaughn Vele wasted little time making his case in the Saints' season opener, hauling in seven of nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown while working 91% of the offensive snaps. For a player who arrived in the league as a seventh-round pick after starting as a walk-on at Utah, the early usage was a clear sign that New Orleans already trusts him as a major part of the passing game.
With Jordyn Tyson sidelined by injury, Vele has stepped into the No. 2 receiver role and given the offense a reliable target when it needed one. His path has already included a midseason contribution for the Saints last year before an injury cut that run short, so the question now is less about whether he belongs and more about how long he can keep this role once the rest of the receiver room gets healthy. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Get A Timely Boost Before Their Toughest Test Yet
Cam Jordan and Alvin Kamara are back on the practice-to-game track for New Orleans after both were removed from the injury report, a welcome development as the Saints prepare for their toughest early-season assignment against the Baltimore Ravens. Their absence in Week 1 showed up in the places the Saints could least afford it, with the run game sputtering and the pass rush not creating enough disruption.
Jordans return gives New Orleans a much-needed edge on defense, especially with Derrick Henry looming as the centerpiece of Baltimores ground attack. For a team trying to steady itself quickly, getting two proven playmakers back in time for a matchup like this changes the tone of the week, even if the challenge ahead remains as difficult as advertised. [Read more 🡒]