A difficult matchup, but with some weaknesses.
As the New Orleans Saints entered their first matchup of the season against the Detroit Lions, they had clear weak points to exploit. The Lions had a very weak pass defense, and we saw that in the second half once the Saints could deal with blitzes. Now, going into Week 2, this will be a tough matchup for the Saints.
Led by HC Jesse Minter, QB Lamar Jackson, and RB Derrick Henry (just a few of their standouts), the Ravens will fight for a spot in the Super Bowl this season. The Saints going 0-2 was always a likely outcome this year, but what matters most is the team having a chance in this game. Keeping the game close lets the Saints potentially pull off an upset, and if they don't, they still took a Super Bowl contender down to the wire.
So, how can the Saints do that? One main way is to exploit matchups, and the Saints can do that against the Ravens.
Here are some players that could have huge games if the Saints do target the Ravens weaknesses'
Vernon Broughton
Maybe I'm blinded by hype from the last game, but this could be another nice game from DT Vernon Broughton. The Ravens' interior offensive line is arguably their top weakness, and even in a game they dominated for the most part, the Indianapolis Colts still did well against that part of the offense. So, combined with Broughton’s performance last week, it is the perfect recipe for the young DT to repeat his success or have an even better game.
Kaden Elliss
Going with another defensive player, Kaden Elliss will be all over the field on Sunday. Brandon Staley has already shown he likes to use the veteran LB in different ways, and with that interior offensive line struggling, Elliss can get to the QB on blitzes and in his own pass-rush snaps. Also, Elliss will likely have the Jackson assignment on plays, and it'll be interesting to see how the Saints do against a mobile QB.
Devaughn Vele
This last point is less about the Ravens' weakness and more about their goals. Baltimore has made it clear all week that it will prioritize stopping Chris Olave, and that’s understandable, but they also have to worry about Devaughn Vele. The WR2 has been one of Tyler Shough’s favorite targets, and since the young QB took over, Vele has become a big play machine.
Also, as an honorable mention, Bryce Lance could have another good week.
