NFL
The Saints Travel To Maryland To Face The Ravens In A Potential Super Bowl Matchup
Week 7 of the NFL season brings forth one of the most anticipated games of the 2018 NFL schedule. The New Orleans Saints (4-1) head to M&T Bank Stadium to take on the Baltimore Ravens (4-2). New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is 0-4 against the Baltimore Ravens in his career.
.@drewbrees has defeated 31 of the 32 current NFL franchises.
The only team missing from his checklist?
His Sunday opponent, the @Ravens (Brees is 0-4).
With a win, Brees joins Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as the only QBs to defeat every current team.#Saints #Ravens
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) October 17, 2018
A Tale Of Two Victories
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints did not have a game in Week 6, as they had a bye week. However, the Saints did indeed secure a huge win in Week 6. Sean Payton was gifted two weeks to prepare for the toughest matchup yet for this explosive Saints team. In fact, the Saints have the toughest remaining schedule of all 32 teams in the NFL.
A well-timed bye week allowed New Orleans to refocus as it gears up for a playoff run. What could ignite postseason momentum more than knocking off the Ravens at home? Drew Brees needs only one passing touchdown in Sunday’s matchup to join the “500 club” with fellow quarterbacks Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and Peyton Manning.
Baltimore Ravens
Adding a victory to the record books is one thing—however, the Ravens seemed to opt for sheer domination. Week 6 was very generous to this Ravens team as the defense pitched a shutout against a viable Tennessee Titans team. The Ravens defense didn’t stop there. The Ravens pass rush generated 11 sacks on Sunday, a franchise record.
The Baltimore offense has much room for improvement. However, they did have some bright spots in Week 6. Backup quarterback Lamar Jackson netted his first explosive play of the year, scampering for a 22-yard gain on his sole carry.
Wide receiver Michael Crabtree had a huge bounce-back game, snatching six of nine targets for 93 yards and a score. Running back Alex Collins bulldozed his way into the end zone twice for the Ravens on Sunday. Hopefully, Collins carries some of that momentum into Week 7.
Keys To The Game
New Orleans Saints
The Saints enter Week 7 ranking first in scoring offense with a whopping 36 points per game. While that is impressive in its own right, The Ravens defense has been equally dominant. The Ravens defense ranks first in scoring defense, allowing only 12.8 points per game. The Saints have their work cut out for themselves, but they have the tools to defeat this Baltimore team.
New Orleans will need to have both running backs involved for this offense to hit on all cylinders. Mark Ingram outcarried fellow back Alvin Kamara by a ratio of two-to-one in a Week 5 victory. While Ingram looked great, Kamara can’t be a non-factor in a matchup with huge implications. Getting swiss army knife Taysom Hill involved in the running game could also be beneficial in what should be a chess match for these head coaches.
Defensively, the Saints are looking to make a statement. Against the Washington Redskins, both former All-Pro Cameron Jordan and 14th overall draft pick Marcus Davenport netted a sack. That will be seen as a huge building block for a pass rushing duo that could scare any offensive line.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens return home after three consecutive road games for what will be a “prove it” game for this team. Baltimore has played uncannily well through the first six weeks of the NFL season. The Ravens lead the league in sacks with 26. Equally impressive is that Baltimore is second in the league in an average scoring margin at +12.7, trailing only the L.A. Rams.
However, this New Orleans team is a different beast. Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale won’t be able to win this one on his own. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will need to have his best game yet. Flacco has all the targets he needs, and now he will have to show that he can be a field general.
Former Saints wide receiver Willie Snead returns to face his former team for the first time, a game he’s very anxious for. Snead may very well have the breakout game he’s hoping for Sunday, an occurrence that could only help Baltimore’s odds.
Fantasy Implications
Saints quarterback Drew Brees has thrown 11 touchdowns compared to a jaw-dropping 0 interceptions. Brees is a must-start no matter what defense suits up against him. The Ravens defense matches up much better against tailback Mark Ingram compared to Alvin Kamara. Therefore, Kamara gets the nod as the Saints back that you should start this week.
Saints wide receiver, Michael Thomas, warrants a start weekly in all fantasy leagues. Quarterback Joe Flacco could realistically air the ball out 40-50 times in this matchup, giving him an “Andrew Luck-like” ceiling.
While it’s hard to predict what Ravens wideout will generate a huge performance, TSJ’s bet is that wideout Willie Snead will have a huge week. Both Saints kicker Will Lutz and Ravens kicker Justin Tucker warrant a start in all leagues.
Date: Sunday, October 21st, 2018
Time: 4:05 pm EST
Location: M&T Bank Stadium – Baltimore, MD
Photo Credit
Featured Image courtesy of Austin Kirk
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