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The Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints will kick off their 2021 NFL preseason schedules on Aug. 14. This represents a preseason matchup against two teams who fancy themselves as title contenders. Below, we preview this initial preseason game for each team.
We would normally look at quarterbacks for both times. But right now, that doesn’t make sense with Lamar Jackson unlikely to go in this one. Instead, the attention turns to New Orleans quarterback competition. These two will be tasked with replacing future Hall of Famer Drew Brees and hold the key to the Saints’ success in 2021.
NFL power rankings: Where the Saints and Ravens stand
Baltimore sought to upgrade a lackluster wide receiver group this past offseason by signing Sammy Watkins and selecting this former Minnesota standout in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. This is going to be a huge key as the Ravens battle it out with both the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
Are the New Orleans Saints legit Super Bowl contenders?
As for the Saints, they pretty much whiffed on signing a starter-caliber corner opposite Marshon Lattimore. No, Prince Amukamara is not the answer. That’s where the team’s young cornerbacks are going to have to step up.
With star pass-catcher Michael Thomas out of action over the long-term, other players are going to have to step up for New Orleans. Simply put, the Saints can’t expect Alvin Kamara to catch 150 passes this season.
This preseason opener should be a good test against a Ravens cornerback group that goes about six deep. That’s not hyperbole.
Click here to see where the Baltimore Ravens’ defense ranks in the NFL
Bottom line: There’s a lot of backstories when it comes to this Ravens vs Saints preseason opener. Obviously, what we see from Winston and Hill will be more important than the final score. From Baltimore’s perspective, it’s all about finding out what type of depth the team has.