We all remember – and always will – the last time the Ravens played a game (that counted) in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Their second franchise Super Bowl win was now nearly 22 months ago, and Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh return to the city of New Orleans with a lot on the line once again. While the stakes aren’t quite as high, wins by both Cincinnati and Cleveland on Sunday have put the Ravens in as near a “must-win” as there can be in Week 11 against an NFC opponent.
Let’s take a look at the stats, quotes, and more to get you ready for Ravens/Saints on Monday Night Football, c/o Conrad’s Seafood.
KNOW THY ENEMY
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley on the Ravens’ 2014 rookie class:
“The Baltimore Ravens’ season is only a little over halfway complete, and this year’s rookie class has already distinguished itself as the most immediately productive in coach John Harbaugh’s seven seasons. No other group of rookies have been on the field more than this year’s one. Seven first-year players have logged at least 95 snaps this season. How special is that? The previous six rookie classes have never had more than four players contribute that much for an entire season, much less the first 10 games of a season like these current rookies.”
Head coach John Harbaugh on what he thinks of the competitive race in the AFC North at this point:
“I probably feel the same way I felt about it when the season opened. It’s the best division in football. That’s only going to serve to make us all better in the end. It’s going to be a dog fight right to the end. We just need to do our part. We understand how good the other three teams are in our division and how well they’re going to play down the stretch. That should just serve further notice to us in terms of how we’ll need to play.”
OLB Terrell Suggs on him and OLB Elvis Dumervil collecting the bulk of the Ravens’ sacks this season:
“We always give each other a hard time. He’s leading right now; I’m trying to catch him. But I think what we’re both doing is pretty phenomenal for the team. I think it’s fun, it’s exciting. I never had a guy on the other side of the [defense] as a pass-rush specialist like that, so it’s definitely a good thing for the team.”
OLB Elvis Dumervil on OLB Terrell Suggs closing in on 100 career sacks (Suggs is at 99.5):
“You get to three digits, 100 sacks, I think those are yellow jacket [Hall of Fame] types of accolades. He has been a great player for a long time. Whenever you get to almost 100 sacks, that’s a hell of an accomplishment.”
RB Justin Forsett looking ahead to the final six games of the season after his 721-yard rushing start:
“I want to be able to do more than this in the next half [of the season]. There’s always going to be doubters. There’s always going to be people that want to limit me and put me in boxes. It’s my job to go out there and try to break them.”
DON’T EXPECT MANY 3-AND-OUTS
GETTING TO KNOW YOU ~ Q&A with Justin Tucker
Some people fear that kicking is being faded out of the game. What can the NFL do to put more of the “foot” in football?
“I don’t think the game needs to be changed. Taking parts of the game away for safety reasons, but then modifying other parts of the game in order to make it more interesting, there is a lack of consistency there. To that tune, I will be consistent and say that the game should not be changed. Fantasy football is all good and well, but that’s fantasy. Reality football is great and doesn’t need to be changed. I’m too much of a purist to say, ‘Let’s change it just because it sounds fun.’ The scoring system has worked well for so long. There’s no need to mix it up unless there’s an issue of safety concern, which there isn’t.”
Fox Sports named you “The Most Interesting Man in the NFL” last year. Who is the most interesting man in the Ravens’ locker room?
“That’s tough, because we have a lot of interesting characters. For defense, it goes without saying that Terrell Suggs is an interesting guy. He’s a renaissance man in his own right. He’s into the fine arts – especially cinema. On offense, Kyle Juszczyk. He’s a pretty interesting guy – so interesting, I think it would make total sense for him to be the next contestant on The Bachelor.”
What comes to mind when you hear “Superdome?”
“There are so many emotions – all positive, like pride, legacy and love. That [2012] group that came through there for Super Bowl XLVII, as the saying goes, ‘We will walk together forever.’ That said, I’m still pretty early on in this ‘kicking footballs thing.’ The more of those experiences that I can be a part of, especially with such a great group like we have around here, the better.”
Who is your favorite all-time kicker?
“It’s a tie between three guys, in no particular order: Matt Stover, Adam Vinatieri and Phil Dawson. They are all great kickers, but even better guys. What I respect about them is they’ve done it for a long time, they’ve done it in tough conditions, and they’ve done it consistently well. I just hope I can do the same in my career.”
Ping Pong is a big activity in the Ravens’ locker room. What does that do for the team?
“They are all ‘C’ words: cardio, camaraderie and competiveness. I get a pretty good sweat going when I play several games in a row. It gets the legs warmed up. With Ping Pong, not only are you working out your body, but it’s also your mind. Especially with Joe[Flacco], he and I get into some intense matches.”
What comes to mind when you hear the following: John Harbaugh:
“Leader, friend and mentor.”
Jerry Rosburg:
“All three of those apply, too, but for Jerry, I’ll also say ‘stoic.’”
Sam Koch:
“Salty competitor.”
HEY, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR! ~ Key Connections
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and offensive line coach Juan Castillo and Saints head coach Sean Payton and assistant head coach/LBs coach Joe Vitt served on the Philadelphia Eagles’ staff during the 1998 season. Harbaugh was the Eagles’ special teams coordinator, while Payton was the quarterbacks coach.
Ravens secondary/assistant head coach Steve Spagnuolo served as the Saints’ defensive coordinator during the 2012 season. Spagnuolo led a defensive unit that finished with 15 INTs (including 4 returned for TDs) and 11 FFs.
Ravens assistant defensive backs coach Chris Hewitt signed with New Orleans as a rookie free agent in 1997 and played in 39 games (four starts). Hewitt played as a defensive back, serving primarily as a special teams performer for the Saints.
From 2000-04, Ravens east-regional scout Andy Weidl was the Saints’ northeast area scout and covered Big East and ACC schools.
Saints assistant head coach/LBs coach Joe Vitt was the strength/quality control coach for the Baltimore Colts from 1979-81. He was also a three-year letterman (1974–75, 1977) as a linebacker at Towson (MD) State University.
Ravens CB Danny Gorrer was initially signed as an undrafted free agent by the Saints in 2009.
Saints G Ben Grubbs was originally selected by Baltimore as the 29th-overall pick in the 2007 draft and played five season for the team. He started a total of 70 games, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2011.
Saints K Shayne Graham was signed by the Ravens in June of 2010, but was released before the start of the regular season. Graham was again signed by the Ravens on December 21, 2011, making 2 FGs and 2 PATs in one game, before being released.
Ravens WR/RS Jacoby Jones is from New Orleans and went to St. Augustine HS, before transferring to Marion Abramson HS his junior year. Jones and Saints WR Robert Meachem annually host a football camp together each spring in New Orleans.
Saints T Tavon Rooks (practice squad) was born in Baltimore and attended Woodlawn (Randallstown) HS, just 10 minutes away from the Ravens’ training facility in Owings Mills.
Saints WR Brandon Coleman (practice squad) prepped at Bishop McNamara (Forestville, MD) HS.
Ravens K Justin Tucker and Saints QB Drew Brees are both graduates of Westlake (TX) HS, and each competed in the Texas 5A State Championship game. Brees claimed the lone title between the two following a perfect 16-0 season as a senior (1996).
LAUGH OF THE WEEK AT EXPENSE OF RAVENS’ OPPONENT
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