Tyler Shough demonstrated why New Orleans believes it has found its long-term quarterback during a furious Week 1 comeback at Detroit. Shough completed 35 of 56 passes for a career-high 410 yards and three touchdowns. He helped the Saints erase a 21-point deficit before they suffered a 31-30 overtime loss.
The final numbers also revealed opportunities for Baltimore. Shough threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, and took five sacks. Here are five ways the Ravens can contain him.
1. Disrupt him with a four-man rush
Shough attempted 56 passes against Detroit, giving the Lions plenty of chances to pressure him. Baltimore would prefer to create pressure without sacrificing coverage.
Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson, Travis Jones and Baltimore’s interior rotation must win individual
matchups against an offensive line anchored by Kelvin Banks Jr., Erik McCoy and Taliese Fuaga.
2. Change the picture after the snap
Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks give Jesse Minter the flexibility to present one coverage before the snap and rotate into another.
Shough showed he could overcome mistakes against Detroit, but Baltimore cannot let him get comfortable identifying coverage and delivering the ball on schedule.
3. Prevent Chris Olave from controlling the game
Olave accounted for 182 of Shough’s 410 passing yards in Week 1. Baltimore must make New Orleans find another consistent source of explosive plays.
Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey and Hamilton can give the Ravens multiple coverage answers. Wiggins’ speed makes him the logical option when Olave aligns outside.
4. Tackle the underneath receivers
New Orleans can create favorable matchups with Juwan Johnson, Noah Fant, Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne Jr. Those options could become even more important if Baltimore devotes extra resources to Olave.
The Ravens must rally to the football and prevent short completions from becoming drive-extending gains.
5. Convert mistakes into points
Shough committed three turnovers against Detroit. Baltimore forced two turnovers against Indianapolis, and both led to touchdowns.
The Ravens should continue attacking the football rather than settling for stops. Creating short fields for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry could prevent New Orleans from surviving another slow start.
Final analysis
Shough proved he can bring the Saints back from a substantial deficit. Baltimore must apply pressure for four quarters rather than assuming an early advantage will be enough.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens' defensive blueprint for slowing down Saints' QB Tyler Shough
