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NFL New Orleans Saints

Has New Orleans Saints’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome Lost Its Intimidation Factor?

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Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans Saints

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Over the years, the New Orleans Saints and ‘Who Dat? Nation’ have created one of the best home-field advantages the NFL has to offer. The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is always loud, the fans are raucous and Drew Brees was built to play in a dome. However, an underwhelming 2014 season and back-to-back home losses make defeating Brees in the Superdome seem more possible than ever.

Has the Superdome lost its luster?

Since joining the Saints, Brees boasts a 47-23 record in the friendly confines of the Superdome and has won 14 straight prime-time games in New Orleans. As if the rowdy atmosphere wasn’t enough, the Baltimore Ravens will have to deal with a home crowd with elevated levels of excitement on Monday night. As I write this, I’m beginning to sense that I may be intimidated by the Superdome, but I doubt the Ravens are.

Baltimore just enjoyed their bye week and the coaching staff has been hard at work to prepare for a Saints team that has looked extremely beatable throughout the season. The Saints’ 4-6 record leaves plenty to be desired, though they are right in the thick of the playoff race in the embarrassingly weak NFC South.

Since joining the Ravens, head coach John Harbaugh has a 5-1 record following the bye, but a road loss to the Cleveland Browns after their break last season creates some doubt while hitting the road once again. Steve Smith’s presence should provide a confidence boost for Baltimore; his 10 career touchdowns against the Saints are the most he’s recorded against any team in the league.

The Superdome will certainly be a tough test for Baltimore, but it also provides the perfect environment for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to show off one of the strongest arms in the NFL. Flacco even has fond memories of the Superdome; he did win a Super Bowl there, after all.

These teams are in similar situations in their divisions, but the fact that the Saints are in the position that they are provides more hope than ever for visitors. Consecutive home losses in the past two weeks prove this isn’t the same team that finished the 2013 season unbeaten at home.

At the end of the day, it’s not the atmosphere that causes a trip to the Superdome to be less daunting, but rather the vulnerable shell of the Saints we’re used to seeing that currently play in it.

Brenden McLaughlin is a Baltimore Ravens writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @b_maction or add him to your network on Google.

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