There’s no secret that Sunday’s game involving the New Orleans Saints is huge for both teams. The Baltimore Ravens come in tied with Cincinnati Bengals at 4-2 atop the AFC North. The New Orleans Saints also are sitting pretty with a 4-1 record atop the NFC South. That being said, there is a side story that is interesting to take note of. Wide receiver Willie Snead faces his former team for the first time. At one time, Snead was one of the biggest fan favorites. Snead resonated with fans, as being the blue-collar player that’s known for making the tough catch. Still, the relationship didn’t exactly end well.
Willie Snead Rarin’ to Go Against His Former Team
Unexpected Circumstances
“I wanted to go somewhere I was wanted,” Snead said. “New Orleans left him with a bitter taste.”
The problem started with a car accident which led to his arrest for being over the legal limit. The DUI led to a suspension of three games. Also, a hamstring injury seemed to plague him that season. Unfortunately, the Willie Snead that Saints fans knew just wasn’t the same. Just a year before in 2016, Snead put up 895 yards with seven catches for four touchdowns. In 2017, Snead was only targeted 16 times compared to 104 in 2016. And his production fell all the way down to eight catches for 92 yards for the entire season.
Obviously, the emergence of wide receiver Michael Thomas hurt his opportunities. Ted Ginn Jr. coming in also took targets away from him. Still, something just wasn’t right with Snead.
Snead had the respect of his teammates in the locker room. It was just a combination of bad luck and decisions that derailed him coming back to the Saints. “It was frustrating. But I always want to be a great teammate, always want to be a great locker room guy.”
The season became a success for the Saints in 2017. However, Snead could only watch and wonder what could have been for him if things were different. Remember that Snead was undrafted coming out of Ball State. And the Saints only benefited after the Cleveland Browns cut him. Then, the Carolina Panthers signed Snead to the practice squad in 2014. After that, the Saints finally got him and he broke out in 2015. The rest is history.
Second Chance in Baltimore
Now the story comes full circle this Sunday when the Ravens line up against the Saints. There are no hard feelings now. Matter of fact, Snead is more than excited to have an opportunity to work with another great quarterback Joe Flacco. Surely, the Ravens system is quite different than the black and gold. The Ravens are known for the running game first, but this year could be different. Flacco has thrown for 1,788 yards with nine touchdowns through the first six games. Flacco is on pace to have a career year throwing the football.
At current, Snead and wide receiver Michael Crabtree leads the Ravens with 30 catches each. Wide Receiver John Brown is also starting off hot with 424 yards on 21 receptions. Brown is the deep threat going against the Saints secondary.
This Ravens team could actually be better than years before. Having Snead more than willing to go over the middle and make plays, is going to be a critical element in this game. Snead is not looking for revenge but look for him to be extra hyped come Sunday. Tackling is going to be important. Saints have to wrap up Sunday. And getting Snead on the ground is no easy task. Hopefully, the Saints’ pass defense is going to improve this week. If not, the Saints could be in for a long day.
