Saints at Ravens Preview: Baltimore Has More Chess Pieces to Put on the Board

The Baltimore Ravens are coming home for Week 2, and the Jesse Minter era is officially making its debut at M&T Bank Stadium.

After Baltimore opened the season with a 41-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens now welcome the New Orleans Saints, a team that is coming off one of the wildest Week 1 games of the season.

The Saints lost 31-30 to the Detroit Lions in overtime, but the final score does not tell the entire story.

New Orleans fell behind 21-0 before fighting all the way back. Quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 410 yards and three touchdowns, Chris Olave caught 10 passes for 182 yards, and the Saints produced 469 total yards.

So this is not a team Baltimore can simply overlook.

At the same time, the Ravens enter this game with something the Saints do not have: a Week 1 victory and plenty of confidence.

The bigger question is what Baltimore's roster will look like Sunday.

Zay Flowers is the biggest concern.

Flowers exploded against Indianapolis for 150 receiving yards and a touchdown before leaving with a hamstring injury. He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, and head coach Jesse Minter has described him as day-to-day.

The Ravens also have rookie Ja'Kobi Lane on injured reserve after his wrist injury, making the receiver situation even more important.

And that is where this game becomes interesting.

Baltimore may have to add a few more chess pieces to the board against the Saints.

Will Zay Flowers play?

Will Teddye Buchanan return?

Will Nnamdi Madubuike return?

Those three questions could have a major impact on how the Ravens approach Sunday.

The Saints Can Move the Football

The first thing Baltimore's defense has to respect is New Orleans' passing game.

Tyler Shough had a huge statistical performance against Detroit.

He completed 35 of 56 passes for 410 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

That is a lot of production.

The Saints also finished with 469 total yards and 86 offensive plays.

New Orleans clearly showed that it can move the football.

The problem for the Saints was that they also turned the ball over three times.

That is something the Ravens defense needs to attack.

Baltimore's defense created two turnovers against Indianapolis and repeatedly put pressure on Daniel Jones.

The Ravens also held the Colts to 251 total yards.

That is a massive difference from the Saints' 469 yards against Detroit.

But there is an important warning here.

The Saints' offense is not the Colts' offense.

New Orleans has a legitimate passing threat in Chris Olave.

Olave caught 10 passes for 182 yards against Detroit.

That is the player Baltimore cannot allow to take over the game.

If Olave starts finding big plays early, the Saints can make this a much more difficult afternoon.

Chris Olave vs. Baltimore's Secondary

This could be one of the biggest individual matchups of the game.

Olave is coming off a monster performance, but Baltimore's secondary is considerably different from the Detroit defense he faced.

The Ravens have the talent to challenge him.

The question is whether they can prevent the explosive plays.

That starts with communication.

New Orleans will likely test Baltimore vertically and horizontally.

Shough threw 56 passes in Week 1.

That tells you something about the Saints' approach.

They are willing to throw the football.

Baltimore cannot simply assume New Orleans will become one-dimensional.

The Ravens need to make Shough uncomfortable.

Pressure will be important.

So will disguising coverages.

And this is where the potential return of Nnamdi Madubuike becomes significant.

Will Nnamdi Madubuike Return?

Madubuike was limited with a neck injury on the Week 2 injury report.

That means there is still a possibility he could play Sunday, but his availability needs to be monitored.

If Madubuike returns, Baltimore gets another important piece along the defensive front.

The Ravens already saw Trey Hendrickson create problems for Indianapolis.

NFL's Week 1 analysis credited Hendrickson with a game-high eight quarterback pressures, while Baltimore's defense produced a 58.6% pressure rate when he was on the field.

Add Madubuike into that equation and Baltimore has another interior player capable of creating pressure.

That matters against Shough.

The Saints quarterback demonstrated that he can stand in the pocket and throw the football down the field.

Baltimore does not want to give him time.

The Ravens need to make him uncomfortable from the opening drive.

Will Teddye Buchanan Return?

Buchanan is another important question.

He has remained limited with a knee injury.

If he can return, it gives Baltimore another piece at linebacker and allows the defense to rotate personnel more effectively.

This is a long season.

The Ravens do not need to rush anyone back unnecessarily.

But if Buchanan is healthy enough to play, getting him on the field would give Minter another chess piece.

And that is what Baltimore needs.

More chess pieces.

More options.

More flexibility.

The Ravens are trying to build a defense that can attack offenses in different ways.

Minter does not need every player to do everything.

He needs enough healthy players to create matchup problems.

Baltimore's Offense Looked Special in Week 1

The Ravens' offense was outstanding against Indianapolis.

Baltimore produced 506 total yards.

Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards and a touchdown.

Derrick Henry rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson also added 40 rushing yards and a touchdown.

That is a nightmare combination for a defense.

The Ravens can beat you through the air.

They can beat you on the ground.

And they can beat you with Jackson extending plays.

The first half against Indianapolis was particularly impressive.

Baltimore scored 31 points before halftime.

NFL noted that it was the Ravens' second-most first-half points to open a season.

But there was a noticeable difference after Flowers and Lane left the game.

Baltimore scored only 10 points in the second half.

That does not mean the offense suddenly became bad.

It means the loss of explosive receiving options changed the game.

That is why Flowers' status is so important.

Zay Flowers Is the Big Question

Flowers had five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown against Indianapolis.

His 54-yard touchdown was one of the biggest plays of the game.

He was creating separation.

He was stretching the field.

He was giving Lamar Jackson a dynamic target.

Then the hamstring injury happened.

Flowers did not return.

Now Baltimore could be without him against New Orleans.

That changes things.

The Ravens still have Rashod Bateman.

They still have Mark Andrews.

They still have Derrick Henry.

They still have Lamar Jackson.

And Devontez Walker returned to full participation after missing the opener.

But Flowers brings a different element.

He is the explosive playmaker who can turn a short pass into a huge gain.

Without him, the Ravens have to find different ways to create explosive plays.

That could mean more opportunities for Bateman.

It could mean more involvement for Andrews.

It could mean more two-tight-end packages.

It could mean more designed runs for Jackson.

And, of course, more Derrick Henry.

Derrick Henry Is Still the Problem

Henry looked like Henry in Week 1.

Twenty-four carries.

144 yards.

Three touchdowns.

A 32-yard touchdown run.

That is exactly what Baltimore wants.

If Flowers cannot play, Henry becomes even more important.

The Saints cannot simply sell out against the run because Lamar Jackson can punish them.

But Baltimore also cannot forget that Henry is the hammer.

The Ravens have one of the most difficult offensive combinations in football to defend.

You have to account for Jackson.

You have to account for Henry.

You have to account for Andrews.

You have to account for Bateman.

And if Flowers is active, you have to account for his speed.

That is a lot of chess pieces.

The Offensive Line Is Another Concern

There is another issue Baltimore has to monitor.

Ronnie Stanley and John Simpson both missed Thursday's practice.

Stanley is dealing with a toe issue, while Simpson has a groin issue.

That is the left side of the offensive line.

Baltimore does not want to spend the entire week wondering who will be available.

But that is the reality of the NFL.

Injuries are part of the game.

The Ravens need to protect Jackson.

They also need to keep Henry's running lanes available.

If Stanley and Simpson can play, that would obviously help.

If they cannot, Baltimore will need to adjust.

And this is another reason why having multiple chess pieces matters.

The Saints Defense Will Have to Deal With Lamar

The Saints defense is coming into Baltimore after allowing Detroit to score 31 points.

But the Saints also forced Detroit into a difficult game after falling behind 21-0.

Baltimore cannot assume New Orleans will fold.

The Ravens have to play four quarters.

That was one of the lessons from the Colts game.

Baltimore was dominant early.

Then injuries changed the offensive approach.

The Colts scored more in the second half, and Baltimore had to rely heavily on Henry and the running game to close things out.

Minter and his staff handled it.

Now they get another test.

The Minter Era Comes Home

This is a different kind of game for Minter.

His first game as Baltimore's head coach was on the road.

Now he gets his first regular-season home game as head coach.

The Ravens destroyed Indianapolis 41-23, and the defense eventually settled down after allowing an opening-drive touchdown.

Minter's defense forced turnovers and created pressure.

Roquan Smith had 11 tackles and an interception.

Marlon Humphrey forced and recovered a Jonathan Taylor fumble.

And Hendrickson immediately made his presence felt.

Now the defense has to handle a quarterback who threw for 410 yards in his NFL debut.

That is a different challenge.

The Ravens Need to Finish

The biggest word for Baltimore entering this game is consistency.

The Ravens cannot afford to play only two quarters of football.

The Saints already showed against Detroit that they can come back.

They were down 21-0.

They fought back.

They eventually took the game to overtime.

New Orleans lost 31-30, but the Saints demonstrated that they are capable of making a game uncomfortable.

Baltimore needs to avoid giving them that opportunity.

If the Ravens get a lead, they need to continue attacking.

If the Saints make a run, Baltimore needs to answer.

And if Flowers cannot play, the Ravens need someone else to become that explosive chess piece.

More Chess Pieces Could Be Coming

That is really what this game comes down to.

Baltimore has already shown what its best lineup can look like.

Now the question is what the next version looks like.

Maybe Flowers plays.

Maybe he does not.

Maybe Buchanan returns.

Maybe Madubuike returns.

Maybe Stanley and Simpson return.

Maybe the Ravens have to shuffle some pieces around.

That is football.

The best teams are not necessarily the teams that avoid every injury.

They are teams that can adjust when injuries happen.

Baltimore has the talent to adjust.

Now it has to execute.

Final Thoughts

The Saints are coming to Baltimore after throwing for 410 yards and putting up 469 total yards against Detroit.

The Ravens are coming home after putting up 506 total yards against Indianapolis.

Both teams showed offensive firepower in Week 1.

The difference is that Baltimore also showed the ability to control the game with its defense and running game.

The biggest question is the injury report.

Is Zay Flowers available?

Will Teddye Buchanan return?

Will Nnamdi Madubuike return?

And what happens with Ronnie Stanley and John Simpson?

The answers will shape this game.

If Flowers cannot play, Baltimore will have to find another way to create explosive plays.

If Madubuike returns, the defensive front gets another important piece.

If Buchanan returns, the linebacker room gets another option.

And if the offensive line gets healthy, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry can operate behind the group that helped produce 506 yards in Week 1.

The Ravens have plenty of chess pieces.

Now Jesse Minter and his coaching staff have to put them in the right places.

The Saints are not coming into Baltimore to simply take part in the home opener.

They just showed against Detroit that they can fight back from a huge deficit.

Baltimore needs to make sure New Orleans never gets the chance to build that kind of momentum.

The Jesse Minter era started with a statement in Indianapolis.

Now it comes home.

The Ravens have the talent.

They have the quarterback.

They have Derrick Henry.

They have a defense capable of making plays.

Now they need to stay healthy, execute and finish.

And if a few more chess pieces return to the board Sunday, Baltimore could have an even deeper roster than it had in Week 1.

— Charles Harris, Ravori Sports