The Ravens got exactly what they wanted in Week 1: Lamar Jackson looked comfortable, Derrick Henry bullied the run game, and Baltimore left Indianapolis with a 41-23 win that reinforced why plenty of people view this team as one of the AFC’s top contenders.
But the stars weren’t the whole story.
That’s the real wrinkle heading into Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore’s biggest names will keep driving the conversation, yet games like this are often shaped by the players who don’t usually grab headlines. The Saints come in after pushing the Detroit Lions to overtime, and if the Ravens move to 2-0, there’s a good chance a handful of quieter contributors helped get them there.
Jovaughn Gwyn is one of them. Yes, he’s a starting center on a loaded offense, which makes the “under-the-radar” label a little tricky.
Still, most of the attention naturally lands on Jackson, Henry, Zay Flowers, and Baltimore’s defensive stars, not the man snapping the ball. Gwyn drew strong marks as a run blocker in Week 1 and helped the Ravens create rushing lanes consistently.
The next step is cleaner pass protection as Baltimore keeps pushing toward a more complete offense.
Justice Hill fits a different kind of value. Nobody is asking Baltimore to pull the ball away from Henry, but keeping Henry fresh matters over the long haul.
Hill carried six times for 18 yards in Week 1 and remains a useful, versatile piece who can run, catch, and protect. The Ravens don’t need him to become the featured back.
They just need him to make his touches count.
Chris Moore also surfaced in a way that matters. Zay Flowers led the Ravens’ receiving group in Week 1, but Moore finished second on the team with 53 receiving yards.
That doesn’t scream national headline, but it does show Baltimore’s passing game can threaten defenses beyond its marquee names. New Orleans will likely focus on Flowers and Mark Andrews, and Moore could keep cashing in on the space that creates.
Special teams could swing things too, which brings Carl Jones into the picture. He logged two tackles while handling a heavy special-teams workload in Week 1, and Baltimore may need that kind of effort again against a Saints return group that showed some pop against Detroit.
Barion Brown averaged 18.3 yards per kick return, and Kendre Miller added a 19-yard return of his own. Hidden yardage matters, and Jones could end up helping Baltimore control it.
Then there’s Zion Young, whose Week 1 numbers barely register at first glance. He played 12 defensive snaps against Indianapolis and added nine more on special teams.
The Ravens didn’t need much from him in a game they controlled, but the edge-rush rotation is part of why Baltimore invested in depth there. If Sunday gets more competitive, Young could be asked to do more as a rusher, setter of the edge, or special-teams contributor.
Jaylinn Hawkins rounds out the group. Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks got plenty of deserved attention after Week 1, but Hawkins quietly handled 52 defensive snaps and finished with two tackles.
That workload says plenty about the trust Baltimore has in him. It also helped keep the secondary fresh and let Hamilton and Starks play their roles.
The Saints present a different test, especially with Chris Olave coming off a huge performance, and Hawkins should again be part of the answer.
Baltimore’s expectations are built around Jackson, Henry, Hamilton, and Roquan Smith, but the supporting cast is what often separates a good team from a great one. The Ravens showed that in Week 1. They’ll need it again against New Orleans.
In Other News...
Drew Brees Broncos Twist Could Put Saints In An Awkward Spot
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The part worth watching now is the potential mess around Brees contract rights and whether the league sees anything worth examining further. There has been speculation about a tampering investigation, but nothing official has been announced, leaving the story in a gray area for the moment. Even so, the possibility of an awkward NFL inquiry is the kind of background noise the Saints did not need attached to a player whose legacy in New Orleans is already firmly established. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Saints, the appeal is obvious: a productive LSU rusher with the frame and movement skills to develop into something more if the rest of his game keeps coming along. There are still questions to answer, as there are with most young edge prospects, but the upside is enough to make him a legitimate draft watch as the 2027 NFL Draft approaches. If he keeps stacking performances like this, the Saints may not have to look far for a first-round conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Workout Just Turned Into A Bigger NFL Problem
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For New Orleans, it is a small note on paper but the kind that matters when teams are sorting through depth and trying to squeeze value out of every look. Harris and Wright will be eligible to sign with NFL teams next season without having to go back through the draft, but for now any club that had them on the radar has to move on and wait. [Read more 🡒]