The New Orleans Saints will travel to visit the Baltimore Ravens soon, so here’s five bold, way-too-optimistic predictions for what promises to be an entertaining game.
1) Drew Brees doesn’t throw a touchdown, but Taysom Hill does
This isn’t a knock on Brees, people. But it would be peak comedy for Brees to have his 500th touchdown pass sniped by his understudy’s backup. Hill has gotten more and more snaps on option plays, usually keeping them. That’s being done by design to set false tendencies for later on down the road. Look for him to not only keep the ball on an option in the Ravens’ red zone, but read the defense and toss a touchdown to some wide-open receiver. Brees will have to wait another week to pass that milestone.
2) Marshon Lattimore gets his first interception of 2018 – and scores
Saints defensive coordinator has been in Lattimore’s ear for weeks after he let Eli Manning drive him out of bounds on a recovered fumble. So how is Lattimore going to grow past that tragedy, developing as a person? He’s going to intercept an errant Joe Flacco pass and run it all the way back to the end zone, quieting a Ravens home crowd. Lattimore hasn’t picked off a throw since Christmas Eve of last year, so he’s due for a big play and resultant Baldy Breakdown.
3) Ravens defense gets zero sacks after logging 11 last week
Not gonna lie, I don’t feel great about this one. Each of the Saints starting guards – Andrus Peat and Larry Warford – missed practice on Thursday with injuries. But the Ravens have played some of the worst offensive lines in the league to start their season – the Browns, the Broncos, the Bills, the Titans on a really bad day – and got stonewalled by the best unit they faced back in Week 2: the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals dropped 34 points on the Ravens that week behind their strong line, which isn’t even as good as the Saints at full strength. New Orleans can absolutely control the line of scrimmage this week.
4) Mark Ingram runs for 100 yards
The vaunted Ravens defense has allowed opposing tailbacks to run for 100 yards at home just 16 times in team history, including the playoffs. Deuce McAllister accomplished this feat for the Saints way back in 2002, when he rumbled for 127 yards and three scores on 32 carries. The Saints offensive line is good enough to stand up even against the Ravens’ front seven, and the threat of Brees to target Alvin Kamara outside should be so great that Ingram gets enough soft boxes to rack up yards on the ground.
5) The Saints march out with a win
How bold this one is should be up to you, but the initial odds favored the Ravens by 2.5. Offenses typically run amok against today’s defenses, and even a group of underachievers in Baltimore could give New Orleans trouble – especially a crafty route runner like Willie Snead IV, who knows every Saints defensive back’s tendencies and weaknesses. But the Ravens defense ain’t played nobody – no, the Le’Veon Bell-less Steeelers don’t count – and I like the Saints’ chances on the road this week. Saints win, 21-17.