Week 2 is almost here. The New Orleans Saints (0-1) are hitting the road again for a game with the Baltimore Ravens (1-0) at M&T Bank Stadium; kickoff is set for Noon CT/1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 20. And this might be the toughest game the Saints play all year. The Ravens are a bona fide Super Bowl contender led by an MVP-caliber quarterback in Lamar Jackson, with an offense powered by a future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, Derrick Henry. And their defense is nothing to sneeze at. Baltimore's coverages are going to be just as tricky to figure out as the Detroit Lions secondary that gave Tyler Shough fits in Week 1.
But the Saints proved they're no pushover after rallying back from a 21-0 deficit, forcing the Lions to overtime and coming
up short on a two-point conversion that would have won the game. Shough and his offense have enough firepower to match anyone, anywhere, but only if they can avoid digging such a big hole for themselves in the first place.
Few teams have given the Saints as much trouble over the years as Baltimore; the Ravens are 6-2 in the series dating back to 1996. Here's what you need to know going into Sunday's matchup.
Hotshot Ravens OC Declan Doyle got his start with Saints
Doyle has been the talk of the NFL through Week 1 after calling plays for a Ravens offense that put up 41 points, gained 506 yards, and converted 23 first downs against a good Indianapolis Colts defense. He also began his NFL coaching career as an offensive assistant with the Saints back in 2019, following Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos in 2023 as their tight ends coach. From there he moved up to offensive coordinator under Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson in 2025, and now he's running the show in Baltimore.
Trey Hendrickson is now a Raven
You might have missed this one during the offseason, but Hendrickson moved on after an impressive career with the Cincinnati Bengals -- only to stay in the AFC North and sign with the Ravens. "The one who got away" from the Saints in the 2017 NFL Draft bagged 61 sacks in 72 regular season games with the Bengals (tacking on 3.5 sacks in seven playoff matchups) before joining his third NFL team. He missed practice time this week with an injury but could return in time to see his old team. Hendrickson was credited with three combined tackles, a tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits when he played thee Saints back in 2022, a game Cincinnati won 30-26.
Saints have only won twice in Baltimore
Granted, the black and gold have only made the trip to Maryland five times, but that still means they've returned with fewer wins than losses. Before that last-second upset in 2018, you had to go all the way back to 2002 to find a Saints victory in Baltimore (and at the time, the venue was simply called "Ravens Stadium"). New Orleans won that game 37-25 despite being outgained 410 to 359. Deuce McAllister put the team on his back with 127 rushing yards and three touchdowns while former Saints quarterback Jeff Blake threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns for Baltimore. Jake Delhomme replaced Aaron Brooks midgame. Can Shough become the next Saints quarterback to notch a win on the road against the Ravens?
The Ravens were the last win Drew Brees needed
Baltimore was the last team Brees needed to cross off his list to beat all 32 teams; he had previously gone 0-4 against them between one game with the San Diego Chargers and three chances with New Orleans in 2006, 2010, and 2014. And that matchup in 2018 had the appearance of a title fight. The Saints opened with a 19-play, 10-minute drive to push down to the Baltimore 1-yard line, converting on fourth down three consecutive times before their luck ran out on the fourth try. The lead changed four times before a last-second Ravens touchdown brought them within a single point. Longtime kicker Justin Tucker shanked his first extra-point attempt since his high school days, keeping the game from going to overtime and guaranteeing Brees his very first win over the Ravens.
Saints fans in and around Louisville will have the game
The local CBS affiliate station in Louisville, Kentucky (WLKY) will carry the broadcast this week, which is an easy decision. Both teams are quarterbacked by former Cardinals standouts. Tyler Shough led them to a 9-4 record and a Sun Bowl victory over a Washington Huskies team one year removed from national title contention. Lamar Jackson is one of just two players who had their number retired at Louisville (the other being all-time-great quarterback Johnny Unitas). Jackson was a unanimous All-American selection for the Cardinals and won the 2016 Heisman Trophy. Of course fans in the area will be tuning in.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: 5 things to know about Saints' Week 2 game at Ravens
