Baltimore Ravens vs New Orleans Saints: What We Learned

Nov 24, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens strong safety Will Hill (33) celebrates with teammates free safety Darian Stewart (24) and cornerback Lardarius Webb (21) after returning an interception by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (not pictured) for a touchdown during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens secondary can play, now they need to develop consistency

On the surface, the Ravens secondary just got torched Monday night, and that’s true to an extent. Obviously, giving up 420 yards and three touchdowns to Drew Brees was not the goal, but on a lot of possessions, the Ravens’ secondary held firm.

Big plays were a legitimate issue, as Lardarius Webb got torched for a 62-yard catch at one point. Despite playing great coverage, Danny Gorrer was also beat for a 33-yard catch by Kenny Stills, who plucked the ball out of Gorrer’s hands.

That Drew Brees completed 78 percent of his passes is concerning, but playing off coverage against an elite quarterback like Brees tends to have that effect. The more concerning thing is that even with the conservative coverage, the Ravens gave up big plays.

Will Hill was obviously the standout for the Ravens, playing Jimmy Graham in man coverage frequently and coming out on top. He was able to pluck an off-target Drew Brees pass for a 44-yard pick six, a highlight reel play that was the difference in the game, while holding Graham to well under 10 yards per reception.

Hill is a bright spot, and Gorrer and Levine have been pleasant surprises. Improvement from Webb and the rest of the safeties, though, is crucial for the Ravens’ secondary to overcome its current Achilles heel status.