Baltimore Ravens: Top Matchups to Watch vs. Saints

Oct 12, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver

(82) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Torrey Smith vs Kenny Vaccaro and Jamarca Sanford/Marcus Ball

This is definitely a huge matchup that will decide the Ravens’s success in the passing game Monday night. The deep ball is a huge part of the Ravens’ game plan and will definitely need to be utilized to keep the secondary honest.

The Ravens’ mindset coming into this game should be to run first, then set up the play-action pass game off of that. AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, ran the ball 36 times for 186 yards.

If the Ravens can run the ball effectively, that will definitely open up the deep ball in the passing game.

Starting Free Safety Rafael Bush fractured his tibia in Sunday’s contest against the Bengals, which leaves Jamarca Sanford or Marcus Ball to pick up the start against the Ravens. Either way it is a huge downgrade at FS for the Saints.

Sanford was released by the Minnesota Vikings earlier this season, then spent three games on the Washington Redskins; and after being released by the Redskins, he signed with the New Orleans Saints a week ago. The other prominent candidate to start would be Marcus Ball, who came in last week to replace Bush when he went down.

Flacco and the Ravens must signifcantly take advantage of this matchup. Torrey Smith has been on fire as of late and I firmly believe with this mismatch they can hook up for a long touchdown on Monday.