The Saints and Packers have spent a few days getting familiar, but on Friday they get to start hitting each other for real.
After two joint practices, Week 2 of the preseason pits the Saints and Packers kicks off at 7 p.m. at Lambeau Field.
Here's a six-pack of storylines to keep in mind:
- Who plays? A majority of the veterans were held out of action in Week 1, but that could start changing in Week 2 (though we know there will be no Jameis Winston)
- Does the pecking order at RB change? Last week it went Dwayne Washington, Tony Jones Jr., Devine Ozigbo, then Abram Smith.
- Can Trevor Penning take a step forward in pass protection? The rookie thrived in run blocking, but got beaten up in pass-blocking. He needs to be more consistent this time around.
- Can Andy Dalton do it again? The Saints backup QB went 5-for-5 with a TD pass on his lone drive of the opener. If he can be that effective again, it's a very positive sign for the offense.
- Who stands out on special teams? Players like Dai'Jean Dixon looked good in the opener, but it'll be their work on special teams that likely decides those final few roster spots.
- Run defense? The interior line struggled in that regard in the opener against a less-than-peak rushing attack. You'll want to see that shored up a bit better in Week 2.
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THE GAME | PRESEASON WEEK 2
WHO: Saints (0-1) at Packers (0-1)
WHERE: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
WHEN: Friday, Aug. 19, 7 p.m. (CST)
TV: Fox
LISTEN: WWL AM-870; FM-105.3 & the Audacy app
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THE SCORE
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THE HIGHLIGHTS
OLA OLAVE
The Saints didn't waste their extra opportunity. Ian Book extends the play, Chris Olave creates space and he snags a 20-yard touchdown for the first score of his pro career (even if this one didn't technically count).
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ERIC WILSON GETS IT BACK
Taysom Hill slipped and Book logged a tough interception, his second of the preseason. But Eric Wilson has his QB's back, forcing a turnover that PJ Williams managed to get his hands on at the bottom of the pile.
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BOOK SETTLING IN
There were two turnovers in the first half, but Ian Book finally started to settle in. He converted two third-and-longs on one drive, including this nice connection on a catch-and-run to Kevin White.
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WIL LUTZ IS BACK, AND HE'S GOT A CANNON
Dennis Allen called a timeout to give Wil Lutz a chance at a 59-yard kick with the wind at his back. It was the right decision. Welcome back, Wil. We missed you.
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KIRK MERRITT TURNS ON THE JETS
Kirk Merritt is fighting for a roster spot, and a 59-yard kick return will certainly stand out in the minds of coaches.
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TE TAYSOM HILL IS FUN TO WATCH
That shouldn't need to be said, but I'm saying it anyway. On the opening drive with most of the starters inactive, Taysom Hill got his first touch since shifting to TE and picked up a good chunk of yardage.
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