A great football game often unfolds like a great novel. There are obvious main characters, major plot points, and dramatic moments everyone remembers. Then there are the smaller details that seem insignificant at first, only to become important chapters later. It sounds like a Baltimore Ravens game, doesn't it?
NFL Films has built an empire on that concept. Add the right music, a few slow-motion shots, and a narrator with the perfect voice, and suddenly a seemingly ordinary sequence becomes part of something much larger.
The beauty of football is that the outcome is rarely determined by the storylines and matchups that everyone spent the week discussing, though those are important. Still, a few overlooked details often end up playing a bigger
role than anyone expected.
As the Ravens prepare for their home opener against the Saints, they should expect to face a more versatile roster than New Orleans has fielded lately. Here are some of the lesser-discussed storylines worth monitoring.
Don't be fooled by the Saints' Week 1 statistics.
The Ravens are heavy favorites for a reason. They'll have opportunities to score, but let's dig a little deeper and look past the 31 points they surrendered vs. theDetroit Lions.
The Saints forced three-and-outs on four of Detroit's 13 offensive drives in regulation. The Lions were forced to punt on seven of those 13 drives. A one-play drive in the second quarter ended with a fumble. Another (two plays) ended with time running out in the first half.
In total, the Lions enjoyed just two offensive drives of at least 50 yards, and the second came in overtime. Remember, the Saints had a top-15 defense last season, too... And Baltimore will be without weapons in the passing game.
The second of two road games to open the Saints' season
After opening their regular-season campaign on the road (with a loss), New Orleans faces another road test. This one is at M&T Bank Stadium. They'll have to wait another week to feed off of the fans at Caesars Superdome.
The Ravens' tight ends may have opportunities
Durham Smythe and Matt Hibner both caught a pass in the opener. Combine that with Mark Andrews' production, and Baltimore got six catches for 66 yards in the opener. The Saints allowed six catches for 53 yards to Lions tight ends in Week 1. It may not sound like much, but if the Ravens are patient in spots, feeding the tight ends might be sufficient to move the chains and keep drives matriculating down the field.
How close to 100 percent healthy will the injured Saints be?
If it feels like the Ravens are the better team, it's because they are. The Saints will need all hands on deck to win against a better team on the road. The question is how healthy those hands will be after a hard-fought Week 1 opener that ended in a loss.
The Saints didn't just play overtime. They played the entire overtime session. A calf injury has kept Chase Young from practicing fully all week. Other notable Saints managing injuries include Oscar Delp (hamstring), Alvin Kamara (knee), Cameron Jordan (hamstring), Chris Olave (hamstring), among others. Let's say all of these guys play. It's fair to ask how healthy they are and how effective they'll be, isn't it?
The Saints are 5-13 in road games since the start of the 2024 NFL season
The Saints haven't fared well on the road since the dawn of the 2014 NFL season. Then again, they haven't fared well at home either.
Anywho, since this is being played at M&T Bank Stadium, let's focus on those traveling Saints. They're 5-13 (3-7 under Kellen Moore) in their last 18 when playing in hostile territory. It won't get much more hostile than a home opener in Baltimore.
Final thought
The obvious storylines are easy to find. Lamar Jackson's brilliance, Derrick Henry's workload, Chris Olave's matchup with Baltimore's secondary, and whether the Ravens can begin rebuilding their home-field advantage will dominate most conversations.
The NFL, however, has a funny way of elevating smaller details into starring roles. Maybe it's the accumulated effect of two consecutive road games. Maybe it's the Saints' health. Maybe it's a tight end quietly moving the chains on third down or a defense that's better than its Week 1 point total suggests.
Whatever the case, the most important storyline Sunday afternoon may be one that barely registered on anyone's radar entering the weekend. That's usually how the best football stories are written.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs. Saints: 5 under-the-radar storylines to watch
