You almost have to feel bad for the Tennessee Titans … almost. Instead, you laugh a little at how the Ravens’ No. 3 defense (entering the game – they are number one by a healthy margin now) completely shut down Marcus Mariota and the Titans offense. Then you go back to almost feeling bad for Mariota because he was sacked 11 times! It’s like they were trying to break the single-game sack record (which is 12).
This week is a different story, however. It won’t be nearly as easy to break the Drew Brees-led New Orleans offense. But the best betting sites have the Saints as 2.5-point underdogs coming into Baltimore.
Brees is Breezing
Mariota hasn’t ever really had an effective offensive line, which is too bad because he’s a good young QB that could a do a lot if he had a little help up front. Brees, on the other hand, gets protected. So much so that he just broke the all-time NFL passing record. A record that some say may never be broken, especially since he’s going to keep pouring more on top of it. The 39-year-old QB is not slowing down this season. He’s already dropped over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns with NO interceptions.
In the Saints’ one loss (Week 1) Brees put up 439 yards and three TDs, but was somehow out-done by Fitzmagic. Since then, the Saints have won four straight and you can bet that they’d love to get a win in Baltimore against the No. 1 defense in the League.
Take the Wind out of the Saints’ Sails
The Saints are cruising and the Baltimore defense is going to have its hands full on all three levels. Obviously, Brees will be pouring it on over the middle and into the secondary, but New Orleans also has a one-two punch with Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara that they use as an effective weapon to soften defenses for Brees to come at them with his quick release and uncanny accuracy.
 The Ravens will have to play lights-out on Sunday. Terrell Suggs, Brent Urban, Michael Pierce, and Za’Darius Smith will have to get pressure on Brees as well as close gaps on Ingram and Kamara. C.J. Mosley, Kenny Young, and Matt Judon are going to have to assist in pressuring Brees, but more importantly, be the real gap-stoppers and not get beat over the middle by Saints Tight End, Benjamin Watson and receivers, Tre Quan Smith and Cameron Meredeth. Sean Payton also loves to call little screen passes to Ingram right outside the tackles, making the LB job all the more difficult.
The secondary – Brandan Carr, Marlon Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, Tavon Young, Tony Jefferson, and Eric Weddle – arguably have it toughest of all. The corners can’t let Michael Thomas or Ted Ginn Jr. get a single step on them or Brees will make the Ravens pay. And the safeties have the tough job of helping both the corners and linebackers while also spying on Ingram and Kamara and receivers in the slot.
Ravens Keys to Victory
The Saints are the #1 ranked road team … which would seem scary if the Ravens weren’t the #1 ranked home team. The Saints have been putting up 38 points per game on the road. However, they haven’t faced an elite defense like Baltimore’s yet. The Ravens are only allowing 8.5 points per game at home, which is the number one key to victory. The Saints will likely put up more than 10 points, skewing that great home number a bit, but this top-tier defense needs to slow the Saints down just enough so that Joe Flacco and company can do what they do best at home, which is put up points in bunches as well.
The Ravens are averaging 37 points per game in two home games, and they’ll be going against the No. 24 Saints defense that is allowing 6.1 yards per play overall and 27.5 points per game on the road. To make things worse for the Saints, Manti Te’o and A.J. Klein are both questionable, so they could be weak at linebacker going into the game. Right corner Marshon Lattimore is on concussion protocol, so if he isn’t cleared, Flacco could have a day attacking backup Justin Hardee.
Week 7 Prediction
The Saints have a barn-burning offense, but their defense is beat-up and not that great to start with. They won’t be able to slow down the Ravens’ offense. The Baltimore defense, on the other hand, will slow down the Saints enough to out-score Brees and get the home win.
Baltimore wins and covers the 2.5-point spread.
