After the game, when Ravens QB Joe Flacco called the offensive effort “embarrassing” and Coach Harbaugh referenced the offense’s lack of “continuity,” the writing already seemed to be on the wall. On Monday, the Ravens fired Marc Trestman and will replace him with quarterbacks coach Marty Mornhinweg. Was Trestman scapegoated for the tough loss? Possibly. But while one never knows what factors went into the firing of a coach, the players don’t seem too broken up about it. Tight end Dennis Pitta, who called Trestman a “good guy,” also noted the ouster was “something that this offense needed.”

2. So who is Marty Mornhinweg?
We know he has a name like a hero of a Herman Wouk novel, but who is Marty Mornhinweg? He’s a longtime NFL coach, who has served in various rules, including a brief stint as the head coach of the Detroit Lions. His biggest claim to coaching fame was when he was quarterbacks coach for a young, talented QB by the name of Brett Favre. Together, they won Super Bowl XXXI. He also idolizes the late coach Bill Walsh, and famously keeps a notebook of the coach’s plays by his side. While Trestman was a relatively mild-mannered guy, Mornhinweg is known for riding a fast motorcycle (although he insists his speed demon days are behind him) and for his colorful press conferences. As for his expectations this Sunday against the Giants?

“Our expectations are high. Period. Done.”

3. Vote Trumbo!
Today is the last day you can vote for Mark Trumbo for the Hank Aaron award, given to the top offensive player in each league. Trumbo led the American League with 47 home runs. Don’t let Big Papi win the sentimental vote!

4. This “journalist” thinks Zach Britton wasn’t the best reliever in baseball.
Please give him a piece of your mind in the comments section.

5. Jimmy Smith Ain’t Afraid of No Odell Beckham, Jr.
The Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. is undoubtedly a talented guy. But another big part of his game is intimidation. He’s notorious for post-whistle skirmishes and what his fellow players call “cheap shots.” Ravens CB Jimmy Smith is having none of it. “All of that extra hitting and talking, that’s not going to fly,” Smith said Wednesday, via ESPN.com. “That’s not my game. I like to line up and play. ‘Give me your best shot, and I’ll give you mine.’ But if you hit me after the whistle, there’s going to be a fight.”

Can’t say Beckham wasn’t warned.

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Here’s just one of the weird things about this match-up: The Ravens, at 6-4, are currently last in the AFC North, while the Saints, at 4-6, sit atop their division.

Also, the Saints, normally very tough at the Superdome, have dropped their last two at home. And, the last time the Ravens played in the Superdome, we won, but didn’t beat the Saints. We knocked off the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

Normally, the easy bet, if you’re not a Ravens fan, would be to take Drew Brees and the high-powered Saints offense indoors, especially with Ravens star cornerback Jimmy Smith out with a foot injury. To that point, the bookies have installed the Saints as 3.5-point favorites, setting the total over-under points at 50 or 50.5, indicating they expect a high-scoring game. Then again, word from Vegas is that while general public is betting on the Saints, the “sharpies” are loading upon the Ravens.

We’re optimists at heart at Baltimore magazine, so here are two things we like about this game: The Ravens are coming off a bye, have had time to prepare for Brees, and (other than Smith) should be healthy. Also, we’re not bad indoors—for an outdoor team. We’ve played one indoor game this year, losing to Indianapolis, but it was a game we could’ve won. Last year, we won inside at Detroit and again, we earned those Super Bowl rings two years inside.

Against the diminished Saints’s secondary—they’ve got a couple of safeties out with injuries—Flacco could throw for 300 yards and three TDs, who knows?

If you want to keep sorting through this, CBSports.com’s come up with a list of “15 things to know” about tonight’s game. For us, it’s time to stop over-thinking this and decide what we’re going to eat, what we’re going drink, and where we going to watch the game.

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