New Orleans Saints At Baltimore Ravens: Week 1 Preseason Preview
By Erik Lambert
Nov 24, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) talks to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) after the game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Ravens defeated the Saints 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Football is finally back. The first week of preseason is about to begin and there are still plenty of questions for all 32 NFL teams that need answering. The New Orleans Saints hope to start that process when they visit the Baltimore Ravens for their week 1 matchup.
Here are the key points for fans to track during the game.
Roster Battles To Watch
Saints: Ben Watson vs. Josh Hill
The race to replace Jimmy Graham is under way. Filling that kind of void at tight end is almost impossible, but the Saints have no choice but to try. Veteran Ben Watson appears like the most stable candidate given his experience in the offense and steady reliability. The younger upside option that has fans intrigued is Josh Hill. An impressive athlete with size and speed, he must prove he can be as consistent and durable as Graham was in order to see starting-level looks on offense.
Ravens: Lorenzo Taliaferro vs. Javorius Allen
Though they lack any kind of star power, the Baltimore Ravens nonetheless appear quite deep at running back. Justin Forsett looks like a lock at starter, so the real battle will be who gets to back him up. Lorenzo Taliaferro is a young talent who has improved his conditioning and got looks last year. His biggest challenge will come from rookie Javorius Allen, a back with a good mix of size and cutting ability that made him a standout producer at USC.
Next: Question Marks