The Saints have plenty to prove as they look for a return to relevance in the NFC. New Orleans faltered on defense in 2014 and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was retained. He needs to show the club it was the right move.
ODDS
Playing at home is worth a field goal and that’s exactly where the line opened with the Ravens at -3 and a total of 38.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Both teams are in similar situations with their starting quarterbacks and the rotation for the preseason opener will follow suit. Saints starter Drew Brees will get a couple series in, roughly 10-12 plays before turning it over to backup Luke McCown, who is likely to play well into the second half. The Saints are high on rookie Garrett Grayson and he should get some fourth quarter reps.
Joe Flacco will tee it up for Baltimore and he’ll see a series or two. The Ravens brought in veteran Matt Schaub to back him up giving them a capable No. 2 in place of Tyrod Taylor. There are few jobs in the NFL that offer less potential playing time than backup quarterback on the Ravens but there is an experienced veteran there just in case.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
Saints head coach Sean Payton enters a pivotal year in his tenure with the club. The team went 7-9 last year, his first losing season in the last six – the Saints also were 7-9 in 2012 the year Payton was suspended – and lost its homefield edge dropping the final five games in the Superdome. The biggest concern with the Saints is defense and Rob Ryan has plenty of new faces to work with and a short time to improve on the horrific numbers from last season. The Saints entered the offseason determined to improve on their 31st-ranked defense and two weeks into training camp the overhaul was in full effect. Getting his players in game situations is the next step to see if the new guys stop the run and rush the passer better than the old guys.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Brandon’s been a great addition both just the role that he plays and obviously as a starting corner and his presence that he brings. From a leadership standpoint, here’s a guy that’s been on the last two Super Bowl winners, so he knows what great teams look like. He knows how they work, how they prepare.” – Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the addition of Brandon Browner.
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The race to replace Jimmy Graham is under way. Filling that void at tight end is nearly impossible, but the Saints have no choice but to try. Veteran Ben Watson appears to be the likely candidate given his experience in the offense and steady reliability. The younger upside option is Josh Hill, an impressive athlete with size and speed. He must prove he can be as consistent and durable as Graham was in order to see starting level looks on offense.
INJURIES
Rookie receiver Breshard Perriman, the Ravens first-round pick, was expected to take on a starting role this year and was being counted on to give Baltimore the kind of deep threat it lost when Torrey Smith left this offseason. Unfortunately, he injured his knee the first day of camp and likely will not play.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Ravens enjoy winning preseason games and they’ve been very good at it under John Harbaugh, going 19-9 in his seven seasons. Baltimore loads up on the defensive side of the ball and their depth there is usually stronger allowing them to shut opponents down. The Saints aren’t overly concerned with their offense but need a strong showing from the defense to prove the moves they made can help them turn things around. New Orleans will be better, just not good enough to overcome the Ravens.
Baltimore 23, New Orleans 13
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