The Baltimore Ravens are preparing for their first home game of the 2026 season. But the New Orleans Saints have already revealed how they plan to handle Lamar Jackson.
Saints defensive end Carl Granderson believes the answer is simple: keep Jackson in the pocket and stay disciplined. For Baltimore, however, that plan comes with an obvious problem to solve now.
Could Saints Plan Puts Pressure on Lamar Jackson?
Granderson’s comments give the Ravens a clear look at what New Orleans wants Sunday. “We can’t overthink it. We just gotta go into the game, keep him in the pocket and play our game.”
The Saints know Jackson can wreck a defensive plan when he gets outside contain, so rush-lane discipline will be a major priority.
But does that really make Lamar easier to stop? Not necessarily.
Jackson just showed why. Against Indianapolis, he completed 17 of 25 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 rushing yards and another score. He also averaged 13 yards per attempt without throwing an interception.
That is the biggest issue for New Orleans. Keeping Jackson in the pocket removes one part of his game, but it does not remove his ability to throw accurately downfield or extend plays.
The Saints can force him to stay inside, but they still have to prevent him from finding easy completions and explosive plays.
Well, if we look at the last games. The Ravens also have Derrick Henry. He rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns against the Colts, giving Baltimore another major threat. New Orleans allowed Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs to rush for 156 yards in Week 1. That makes the battle up front especially important.
For Baltimore, the game could come down to how well the offense handles injuries at wide receiver. Zay Flowers is doubtful with a hamstring injury, while rookie Ja’Kobi Lane is on injured reserve. Flowers had 150 receiving yards and a touchdown before leaving the opener.
Lamar Jackson Gives Ravens the Edge
Still, Lamar has a major advantage. He does not have to win only with his legs. Baltimore can use play-action, motion and designed runs to force defenders into difficult choices. Jackson also completed six of eight passes for 114 yards from under center against Indianapolis, showing New Orleans cannot simply sell out to stop his mobility.
At last, if we take some predictions into account, the Ravens entered as 8.5-point favorites.
Ravens Get Early Warning as Saints Reveal Plan for Lamar Jackson