Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints: Full Report Card Grades for New Orleans
The New Orleans Saints suffered their third consecutive home loss Monday night, as they fell to the Baltimore Ravens 34-27.
The defeat marked the first time since 1997—and only the third time in franchise history—that New Orleans has dropped three straight at home.
Baltimore took advantage of superior play up front on both sides of the ball, and Saints quarterback Drew Brees tossed yet another crucial interception that was returned for a score.
Ravens running back Justin Forsett knifed through the Saints' hapless run defense on his very first carry, and he didn’t stop gashing defensive coordinator Rob Ryan’s unit until the final whistle blew.
The visitors also received an outstanding performance from their defensive line, which was nothing less than utterly dominant all night long.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 4-7 on the season, but they’re still very much alive in the race for the NFC South title, thanks to weak competition within the division.
New Orleans is tied atop the division with the Atlanta Falcons, who also came up short this weekend in a road loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Continue reading for complete game grades, broken down by position groups, from the Saints’ Monday night loss in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Quarterback
1 of 10
For the majority of the game, Drew Brees was just about the only good thing the Saints had going for them.
He spread the ball around to 10 different receivers, and he utilized seemingly every inch of the field.
But for one play, he suddenly transformed into the enigmatic turnover machine Saints fans have become all too familiar with in 2014. Brees now has 13 turnovers in 11 games this season.
With the score tied on the Saints' first possession of the second half, he looked to Jimmy Graham on a crossing route, but Ravens cornerback Will Hill stepped in front of the pass and housed it for a touchdown. In one flick-of-the-wrist, Brees gift-wrapped a seven-point lead and handed it over to the Ravens.
The Saints never recovered.
The play seemed to suck the life out of the raucous Superdome crowd, and Baltimore didn’t trail again in the contest.
Statistically, Brees was remarkably good. He finished with 420 yards on 35-of-45 passing with three touchdowns, and with the New Orleans defensive and offensive lines getting bullied throughout the contest, one could argue that he was all that kept the Saints from getting blown out.
He also ran the two-minute to perfection just before the half to give New Orleans its only lead of the game.
His pick-six was an extremely damaging blow to New Orleans' chances at victory, however, and for that, he receives a low grade.
Grade: D
Running Back
2 of 10
After three straight 100-yard games, Mark Ingram hit a wall last week in the form of the Cincinnati Bengals run defense. On Monday night, however, he was consumed by a black hole.
With 11 carries for just 27 yards, Ingram was bottled up for the entire game, as he ran behind an outmatched offensive line. He was also a bit carefree with the football, although New Orleans managed to keep possession when he put it on the ground.
The featured running back finished with just 42 yards of offense, and poor blocking or not, that simply won’t cut it against a quality opponent like Baltimore.
Meanwhile, Pierre Thomas returned from a four-game absence to make a modest contribution of 56 total yards, while Travaris Cadet made very little contribution at all.
Grade: D
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
This position group combined for 422 yards of offense on Monday night, with Kenny Stills leading the way in the passing game with nine catches for nearly 100 yards. He came down with an impressive catch on an up-for-grabs pass down the sideline, and he did his part to help atone for the loss of injured rookie Brandin Cooks.
Jimmy Graham didn’t have huge numbers with a six-catch, 57-yard outing, but he did haul in two touchdowns. The All-Pro tight end wasn’t particularly sure-handed, however, and he failed to come down with some catchable balls.
Marques Colston was as reliable as ever with four catches for 82 yards and a score, while Joe Morgan ripped off a 67-yard run on a reverse on the game’s second play from scrimmage. He also snagged a 62-yard catch on a deep ball in the first quarter, but he mysteriously wasn’t heard from again.
Seldom-used Nick Toon even got in on the action with three catches for 42 yards, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.
Grade: B-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Without question, the Saints offensive line turned in its worst performance of the year.
If Brees needed a perfect game in order to win, it was because his offensive line completely failed him against the massive Baltimore defensive front. The Saints quarterback, who’s known for his ability to avoid sacks, was dropped four times in the game. He was hit eight times and faced relentless pressure throughout the contest.
The New Orleans ground game was a non-factor, as the Saints totaled just 59 yards when excluding Morgan’s big gain in the first quarter.
Jonathan Goodwin, Zach Strief, Terron Armstead and the entire New Orleans front line appeared completely overmatched from start to finish against the likes of Elvis Dumervil and C.J. Mosley. Goodwin was especially bad, and it will be a surprise if he earns the start next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Grade: F
Defensive Line
5 of 10
While the New Orleans offensive line was severely lacking Monday night, the team’s defensive front wasn’t much better.
John Jenkins, Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks each managed to ring up a tackle for loss, but the trio finished with a grand total of zero hits on the quarterback.
Baltimore consistently opened up gaping holes for Forsett to run through, and he darted over and around the New Orleans defensive front to the tune of 8.3 yards per carry. Things simply looked too easy for the Ravens running game, which was almost shocking given the location of the game.
Such a performance won’t get it done against a quality football team, which the Ravens most certainly are.
Grade: F
Linebacker
6 of 10
Linemen weren’t the only Saints defenders who were made to look silly by Baltimore on Monday, as Forsett darted past the New Orleans linebackers and into the secondary on a consistent basis.
Yes, Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne rang up seven and six tackles, respectively, from their positions on the inside, but neither could come close to slowing down the Ravens running back.
There was also Hawthorne’s dropped interception in the first quarter, which was thrown right into his arms with nothing but Superdome carpet and an end zone in front of him.
Outside ‘backer Junior Galette was the unit’s only semblance of a bright spot, as he gave the Saints their only sack of the game while ringing up two tackles for loss.
A journeyman tailback galloping for 182 yards says a lot, however, and for the Saints linebackers, it means they get a failing grade.
Grade: F
Secondary
7 of 10
Baltimore wideouts Torrey Smith and Steve Smith finished with 98 and 89 yards receiving, respectively, as quarterback Joe Flacco repeatedly toasted the Saints’ makeshift defensive backfield.
Cornerbacks Corey White, Patrick Robinson and Brian Dixon were all victimized by the Ravens passing game, while top cover man Keenan Lewis didn’t fare much better on a bum knee.
Smith appeared to take things personally with Kenny Vaccaro, as the second-year strong safety turned in another substandard performance.
With injuries to Jairus Byrd and Rafael Bush, the free safety position has been a revolving door this season. Recently signed rookie free agent Pierre Warren manned the spot this time around, and he responded with a seven-tackle performance and a fumble recovery.
Both Vaccaro and Warren whiffed on numerous tackles in pathetic fashion, however, and this has been a recurring theme for the New Orleans defense all season.
As a group, the Saints defensive backs couldn’t stop Flacco and his receivers when they needed to, and their overall performance deserves an “F.”
Grade: F
Special Teams
8 of 10
While Baltimore benefited from stellar performances from both its kicker and punter, the Saints special teams were average in this one.
Shayne Graham booted both of his field-goal attempts through the uprights, but neither was a particularly impressive kick.
With Brandin Cooks out for the year, newly signed wideout Jalen Saunders handled punt-return duties for New Orleans, and he netted seven yards on his only return.
Travaris Cadet ran back one kickoff for 20 yards, while the Saints kick coverage team allowed a 29-yard return from Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones.
Punter Thomas Morstead had a solid night with a 48.7-yard average, but in comparison, Baltimore’s Sam Koch dwarfed his numbers with two booming punts that averaged 63 yards between them.
Grade: C
Coaching
9 of 10
The losses are piling up for Sean Payton this season, and the Saints head man deserves a good chunk of the blame.
Payton’s squad did play with more enthusiasm than it did a week ago, and the coach deserves some credit for that, but there were plenty of questionable decisions to pick apart.
For one, after Joe Morgan rolled up 129 yards of offense on two touches in the first quarter, he didn't receive a single touch after that. This defies logic, and Payton should face some criticism for it.
On the defensive side, Rob Ryan continued to dial up heavy blitzes, thus leaving his inept corners on an island with two explosive receivers. Flacco took full advantage of this situation, and he hit the open man more often than not.
In short, the Ravens looked like the more well-prepared football team, and the Saints were on their heels for the better part of the game.
Grade: D
Final Grade
10 of 10
It seems like ages ago now that this Saints team was tabbed as a preseason Super Bowl contender. Three consecutive losses are certainly surprising, but three straight in the Superdome are almost unheard of.
The harsh reality for New Orleans, however, is that the Ravens are a better football team. It's not that they were just better on Monday night and that the Saints happened to catch a few bad breaks. The Ravens field a tougher, more physical squad on both sides of the ball, and they imposed their will on New Orleans all game long, despite the appearance of a close game on the scoreboard.
Unlike a week ago, the Saints competed hard in the game Monday night, but they went up against a superior team, and despite the fact that they held a significant home-field advantage, they couldn't get it done.
Baltimore made the New Orleans defense look abhorrently inept and overwhelmed the Saints offensive front. This put pressure on Brees to play a flawless game, and in turn, he made a critical error that set his team back in a big way.
New Orleans made some nice plays on offense and accumulated lots of yards, but the overall performance, especially on defense, was unsatisfactory.
Final Grade: D
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