Steve Smith needs to be on national television more often because he always puts on a show, during and after the game. That was true as usual in New Orleans on Monday night.
Smith had four grabs for 89 yards in Baltimore's 34-27 win, including a 40-yard grab and a beautiful 15-yard touchdown. He outmuscled defenders when the ball was in the air and blocked the hell out of opponents during Baltimore's runs. Smith's back-and-forth with safety Kenny Vaccaro ignited an ugly fracas on the sidelines.
"I made a pact with myself that I'd look in the eyes of all my victims before taking their lunch money," Steve Smith said on ESPN after the game in reference to Vaccaro. "Anyone can run a go route. Can you cover these multiple routes I'm gonna run? The answer is no."
Smith hadn't made as many big plays lately after a torrid start to the year, but he says that self-scouting during the team's bye week with receivers coach Bobby Engram helped. It didn't hurt that Smith was playing a former NFC South foe in the Saints.
"When Steve gets fired up, we get fired up. Sometimes you got to hold him back. In the end, I think it was worth it," fullback Kyle Juszczyk said.
This Ravens team looks built for a potential playoff run, in part because Joe Flacco has more weapons around him. The running game is one of the league's best, and Steve Smith has given the Ravens another 1,000-yard receiver. In Smith's mind, the Saints should just be happy they don't have to face him again.
"They don't have to worry about me anymore," Smith said, via The Baltimore Sun. "They move on and I move on."
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