Why Lamar Jackson might have some trouble in Ravens vs. Saints matchup

After a blowout Week 1 win, the Baltimore Ravens enter Week 2 with a 1-0 record and a matchup against the New Orleans Saints.

While the Ravens are favored to win this game, and should be, there are some issues for Baltimore in this matchup. Zay Flowers is banged up and might not play, and even if he does, he's not likely to be 100%. Ja'Kobi Lane is out and already on IR.

However, the WR room isn't the only thing for Jackson and the Ravens to worry about. As ESPN research highlighted, the Saints' defensive scheme matches up well against Jackson and could give him some trouble in this upcoming matchup.

Lamar Jackson could face issues from Saints defense

"The Saints played zone defense on 38 of 40 dropbacks (95%) in Week 1, per NFL Next Gen Stats," ESPN shared. "Since the start of last season, quarterback Lamar Jackson is third in QBR versus man coverage (83.6) and 23rd in QBR versus zone coverage (44.2) among 28 qualified QBs."

This statistic from ESPN is a noteworthy one, as the Saints defense, which played mostly zone against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, is likely to play mostly zone in Week 2 against the Ravens.

Jackson is not as good against zone coverage as he is against man, and with the Saints rarely utilizing man coverage, this could be a bit of a tricky matchup for Jackson.

MORE: Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin trolls Browns after ugly loss to Jaguars

He and the Ravens still have the tools to win this matchup; it just might not be as smooth sailing and dominant as their Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Ravens fans should not panic about Jackson, as he'll still likely play great. But it shouldn't be a surprise if Jackson does struggle a little bit more than usual, especially with a banged-up WR corps.

With his production nearly halved when facing zone versus man coverage, his play on Sunday will be something worth keeping a close eye on. If he thrives, then this might be the year for the Ravens.

More NFL news:

• Why Cardinals could trade Jacoby Brissett during 2026 season
• How Travis Hunter could win Comeback Player of the Year for Jaguars in 2026
• Broncos CB Riley Moss predicted to land $17M per-year deal this offseason
• Packers $92M contract extension with Tucker Kraft can make NFL history
• Carson Wentz changes Vikings quarterback conversation in stunning Week 1 win