Saints @ Ravens: Game Preview

by Dave Cariello on Dec 15, 2010 6:00 AM CST

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-3) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-4)

SERIES

	SAINTS	RAVENS
SERIES LEADER		3-1
STREAKS		3-1
COACHES VS. OPP.	Payton: 0-1	Harbaugh: 0-0
LAST WEEK	W 31-13 vs. Rams	W 34-28 at Texans (OT)
LAST GAME	10/29/06: Ravens 35 at Saints 22. Baltimore QB Steve McNair passes for 2 TDs & runs for another. Ravens get 2 12-yard INT-TDs from CB Ronnie Prude & S Dawan Landry.
LAST GAME AT SITE	12/8/02: Saints 37, Ravens 25. New Orleans RB Deuce McAllister rushes for 127 yards & 3 TDs & K John Carney connects on 3 FGs.
BROADCAST	FOX (1:00 PM ET): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Chris Myers (Field reporter). Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Tony Boselli. SIRIUS: 121 (NO), 152 (Bal.). XM: 107 (Bal.).

STATS

PASSING	Brees: 362-525-3,855 (1C)-28 (1C)-18-93.6	Flacco: 270-431-3,223-21-8-94.0
RUSHING	Ivory (R): 130-683-5.3-5	Rice: 231-898-3.9-3
RECEIVING	Colston: 76 (2C)-921-12.1-7	Boldin: 59-811-13.7-7
OFFENSE	386.0 (3L)	334.8
TAKE/GIVE	-4	0
DEFENSE	308.6 (2C)	319.8
SACKS	Ellis: 5	Suggs: 10 (T3C)
INTs	Greer, Jenkins: 2	E. Reed: 4
PUNTING	Morstead: 47.2 (2C)	Koch: 43.4
KICKING	Hartley: 82 (34/34 PAT; 16/21 FG)	Cundiff: 90 (33/33 PAT; 19/22 FG)

NOTES

SAINTS: QB DREW BREES needs 145 yards for 5th consecutive 4,000-yard season & would join PEYTON MANNING as only QBs with 5+ 4,000-yard seasons in row. Is 1st QB with 20,000+ pass yards (22,153) & 150 TDs (150) in 1st 5 years with new club. In last game vs. Bal., passed for 383 yards & 3 TDs...RB CHRISTOPHER IVORY leads NFL rookies with 683 rush yards. RB REGGIE BUSH has 9 TDs (6 rush, 3 rec.) in past 9 vs. AFC. RB PIERRE THOMAS has 618 scrimmage yards (103 per game) & 6 TDs (4 rush, 2 rec.) in past 6 vs. AFC (incl. SB)...In only meeting, WR MARQUES COLSTON had 6 catches for 163 yards (27.2 avg.) & 2 TDs. Aims for 6th in row vs. AFC with TD catch. Had 2 TDs last week. WR LANCE MOORE had TD in Week 14...S MALCOLM JENKINS had 2 INTs, incl. 96-yard TD, vs. Rams. S DARREN SHARPER aims for 3rd in row vs. Bal. with INT. LB JONATHAN VILMA has 26 tackles (13 per game) in past 2 meetings. Aims for 3rd in row with sack, as does S ROMAN HARPER. DE WILL SMITH has 6.5 sacks in past 8 vs. AFC...

RAVENS: Have won 8 of past 9 at home...At home in '10, QB JOE FLACCO has 11 TDs vs. 1 INT & 107.1 passer rating. Flacco (9,807) needs 193 passing yards to become 1st QB in Ravens history to reach 10,000 career...With 8 catches last week, RB RAY RICE (168) surpassed JAMAL LEWIS (160) for most career rec. by Ravens RB...With 6 rec. vs. Hou., WR DERRICK MASON (53) became 7th player in NFL history w/ 50+ rec. in 11 consecutive seasons. Has 5 TD catches in past 6. In 2 career games vs. NO, TE TODD HEAP has 8 catches for 134 yards (16.8 avg.) w/ 1 TD...In last meeting, defense had 4 INTs, incl. 2 INT-TDs...LB TERRELL SUGGS (10) needs 2.5 sacks to surpass career-high 12 in '03 rookie season. LB RAY LEWIS has 2 INTs in 3 career games vs. Saints. S DAWAN LANDRY had career-high 2 INTs, incl. 1st career INT-TD (12 yards), in last meeting.

The defending Super Bowl champions will head to Baltimore to face the 9-4 Ravens. The Saints are 5-1 on the road and the Ravens are 5-1 at home.

"We have a lot of respect for Baltimore," says New Orleans head coach SEAN PAYTON. "The Ravens are one of those teams that has been an elite AFC team. They're extremely physical on defense. Offensively, they have the ability to run and throw. It's a real good challenge for us."

The Saints defeated St. Louis 31-13 last week behind quarterback DREW BREES' three touchdown passes. Since joining New Orleans in 2006, Brees has passed for 22,153 yards and 150 touchdowns and is the first QB in NFL history to pass for at least 20,000 yards and 150 touchdowns in the first five seasons with a new team.

"They're the defending champs," says Baltimore linebacker RAY LEWIS about the Saints. "But we'll be waiting for them."

On Monday night, the Ravens won an overtime thriller in Houston when cornerback JOSH WILSON returned an interception 12 yards for the game-winning touchdown. It marked the 18th regular-season game-winning interception-return touchdown in overtime and the first since 2005 when the Bears' CHARLES TILLMAN accomplished the feat.

"Our guys found a way to win," says Ravens head coach JOHN HARBAUGH. "At this time in the season, you are what you are and you've got to find a way to win these games."

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Comments

Ivory : 130-683-5.3-5

Just looking at the numbers and…knowing this is a long shot…but. could the Saints have a 1000 yard back this year. 317 yards to go with 3 games left. Hopefully the hamstring isn’t too bad and can go the distance on the season. Ivory definitely deserves a nod for rookie of the year.

by B_Robichaux31 on Dec 15, 2010 7:55 AM CST reply actions

If anyone but Sam Bradford gets a first place nod for Offensive Rookie of the year…people haven’t been paying attention. Same applies for Suh on the D.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 15, 2010 10:21 AM CST up reply actions

Hold on there, Speedy

Bradford is having an okay year. No one would even be talking about him, except that the bar is much lower for rookies.

Suh is having a great year, leading defensive tackles in sacks. He probably also leads them in fines, and he’s getting the reputation (undeserved, IMHO) of a dirty player.

Then there’s Ivory. IF he manages to get to 1,000 yards for the year, as a substitute player, as an undrafted free agent, he certainly deserves to be at least considered. Especially if his play aids his team more than Suh’s. I’m not saying he’s necessarily the guy who should win, but it wouldn’t be outlandish to at least mention him among the top contenders. But even if he gets 1,000 yards, I doubt it will make much difference, because people haven’t been paying attention.

It was worth the wait.

by MtnExile on Dec 15, 2010 10:45 AM CST up reply actions

AaHa.......................on Not paying attention

Ivory has not even played the whole season but should come close to a grand. He gets my vote !!!!

My Magnificent Black and Gold Warriors

by saint-sly on Dec 15, 2010 10:59 AM CST up reply actions

People pay plenty of attention, as usual people are just spouting their Saints bias.

It doesn’t matter that Ivory was undrafted. What matters is what you do on the field. Ivory is having a very good year. Bradford, however, is having one of the best years by a rookie QB in the last 20 years. Combine that with the fact that he’s almost the sole reason the Rams have won as many games this year as they have the past 3 years combined all while have ZERO people to throw to and the vote is pretty simple.

Should Ivory be mentioned…of course, he’s very deserving to be on the ballot and to one of the potential top 5 offensive rookies. But what he’s done does not compare to what Bradford has done this year including setting a rookie record for passes without an interception and potentially leading a constant cellar dweller to the playoffs.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 15, 2010 11:27 AM CST up reply actions

Look at their division......... .500 will get them in the dance.

My Magnificent Black and Gold Warriors

by saint-sly on Dec 15, 2010 12:04 PM CST up reply actions

So? a .500 record for a team that won what….5 games in 3 years…pretty damn impressive.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 15, 2010 12:11 PM CST up reply actions

Not really

Bradford’s had, as I said, an okay year so far. A passer rating of 79.1 puts him in the same territory as Alex Smith and Shaun Hill. That may be good, for a rookie; but I thought the award was given to players who proved to be outstanding in their first season. Bradford’s not outstanding, yet.

Ben Roethlisberger had a higher completion percentage (66.4 vs. 60.3), a better yardage average (8.9 vs. 6.1), and a much higher passer rating (98.1 vs. 79.1). Roethlisberger was a legit ROY. So far, Bradford is actually closer to Tim Couch statistically (of course, anyone who has seen them both play can tell the difference).

It was worth the wait.

by MtnExile on Dec 15, 2010 12:51 PM CST up reply actions

You're joking right?

Roethlisberger threw about 10 passes a game his rookie year. When everyone in the world thought you were going to run, it’s not hard to throw the occasional pass. Bradford’s on pace to throw for more than 1000’s yards than Roethlisberger. He’s also on pace to throw for a better percentage, more yards, and more TD’s than the much ballyhooe’d rookie campaigns of Ryan and Flacco and a more prolific year than just about any QB since Peyton Manning. And even then, he’d be throwing for about 150 less yards, 4 less TDs and more than 10 LESS interceptions.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 15, 2010 2:33 PM CST up reply actions

No joke

In case you were unaware, Roethlisberger actually won Rookie of the Year. It really happened. Not speculation—it happened.

And by the way: he threw nearly twice as many passes as you claimed. Yeah, he played on a better team. He was also better than Bradford.

It was worth the wait.

by MtnExile on Dec 15, 2010 8:07 PM CST up reply actions

I'm well aware that he won.

No…he was not better than Bradford. He was the definition of “don’t throw the ball if you don’t have to, just hand it off and protect our defense and running game” QB. Bradford many times actually puts the team on his shoulders and has led them to wins, rather than just following ala Roethlisberger.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 16, 2010 10:05 AM CST up reply actions

“undeserved”

lmao! You gotta be kidding me.

He’s the next Jarred Allen.

Like JA, his an AMAZING athlete – absolutely no question.

But, like JA, he often hits late, hits the head of the QB, drives them into the ground (the kind that should draw a flag), etc. etc.

He’s a great player, he doesn’t need to do that S***! But, alas, he does.

"You can't be king of the world, if you're a slave to the grind."

by Dan Kelly on Dec 15, 2010 12:11 PM CST up reply actions

Disagree. I’ve watched probably 6 Lions games this year. With the exception of the hit on Delhomme in preseason, I haven’t seen a single dirty play what so ever. He’s had several flags thrown against him for late hits. I’ve seen at least 3. Every single one of those made both the announcers laugh as well as several ex-QB commentators like Aikman, Young and Dilfer. All said they were bogus calls. He’s no where near a dirty player.

"Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked 'em up."

by jeff.l.b on Dec 15, 2010 12:14 PM CST up reply actions

Agreed.

Saw him in college, and I’ve seen him play on the field. He is as far away from Jared Allen as you can get.

Week 15 matchup: Ravens
Week 15 motto: My right nut for no Drew Brees interceptions

by Jon Banks on Dec 15, 2010 1:00 PM CST up reply actions

i’m not all that interested in the debate, but I’ve seen several, several plays of a dubious nature by him.

he’s going to be great, he’s an amazing talent, but he does have a dirty streak in his game…. and, maybe it’s not intentional. Maybe he’s just overzealous, but he’s not al that “clean”.

"You can't be king of the world, if you're a slave to the grind."

by Dan Kelly on Dec 15, 2010 9:43 PM CST up reply actions

Running

Well if you look at the difference, last time we played them in their home, it was early december, and the Saints pulled it out on the legs of Deuce. I think we got a good shot with Pierre on the screens and Ivory rushing up the middle. Drew uses the Short passing game, we might have it locked down.

That and the front four control their running game.

by PSMBear on Dec 15, 2010 9:13 AM CST reply actions