The actual preseason results don't matter, and that's a good thing for the Saints, because they haven't been particularly competitive in that regard.
But with a majority of the starters resting for the second week in a row, we got a premium look at a lot of players competing for depth roster spots in a 20-10 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field.
With all that in mind, here are my top five takeaways from the Saints' loss to Green Bay in Week 2 of the preseason.
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WE'VE SEEN PLENTY OF THE BACKUPS
Dennis Allen said the first-teamers got a lot of competitive reps in joint practices against the Packers, and that's why they were largely inactive when the ball kicked off Friday. The list is so long it's not worth writing out, but outside of Taysom Hill, Cesar Ruiz and Chris Olave, if a player could be considered a starter, he wasn't in the game.
But that allowed us to see a lot of intriguing players like Tony Jones Jr., Lewis Kidd, Trevor Penning and others working with the 1s. The game wasn't always pretty, but I thought Penning in particular had a really solid day with difficult assignments.
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My biggest concern is the struggles stopping the run. The Packers didn't trot out AJ Dillon or Aaron Jones for this game, but the crew of Tyler Goodson, Patrick Taylor and Amari Rogers still managed to churn out 68 yards on 13 carries in the first half. A week after getting burned by rookie Dameon Pierce, it's yet another rough showing from the interior line.
Just as it was last week, there's a clear caveat: David Onyemata is a premier run-stuffer, as is Demario Davis at linebacker. When those guys are out there the equation changes significantly. But these guys looking to make the roster haven't shown well in that regard.
The backup linebackers performed well, though. Eric Wilson forced a fumble, and newly signed Jon Bostic held up well in coverage and I think performed well overall while leading the team with 6 tackles. Chase Hansen appeared to leave early with an injury. I don't know how many roster spots are there to be had in the linebacker room, but I expect at least one of those three to make the final roster.
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TOO MANY PENALTIES
The Saints finished the game with 9 penalties worth 78 yards, but the circumstances when they happened were even uglier.
Early in the game Adam Trautman got called for a hold on a run play on 2nd and 3. Even if you're beat, holding is never acceptable in that scenario. A TFL is far preferable to a 10-yard loss. But that wasn't even the most egregious penalty. That honor belonged to Malcolm Roach, who had a no-question late hit on Jordan Love well after the ball was thrown and as the quarterback was falling to the ground. The ball sailed incomplete on a 3rd and 19 near the Packers goal line, but the drive was extended. Green Bay responded with a 75-yard, 11-play drive that ended in a Romeo Doubs touchdown catch. Co-DC Ryan Nielsen gave Roach an earful coming off the field, and it was deserved.
Roach bounced back and made some nice plays on the interior as the game wore on, and that's a good sign. But it won't erase the negative of an awful penalty.
There were also a handful of special teams penalties that put the offense in tough field position. Dennis Allen used the term "shooting ourselves in the foot" and that's exactly what it was. Now, these penalties were largely against backups, but they hurt all the same. The discipline has to be better.
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THE KICKER/PUNTER IS A WEAPON
Dennis Allen called a timeout just before the end of the first quarter to give Wil Lutz a chance to attempt a 59-yard field goal with the wind at his back. He blasted it through with room to spare. But that wasn't even the most impressive boot of the night.
That honor belonged to Blake Gillikin, who unleashed a hard-to-believe 81-yard bomb in the second quarter. The only negative was that he kicked the ball so far (snapped from his own 19), that it found its way into the end zone for a net of just 61 yards. The more effective kick came in the third quarter, when he bombed a punt for a net of 65 yards, with a Packers penalty forcing a drive to start from their own 2 yard line.
With the elite ability to flip the field and also cash in from distance, the Saints look well-positioned to dominate the special teams phase of the game again.
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CHRIS OLAVE PUNCHES IT IN
For the second consecutive week rookie Chris Olave didn't see a ton of action in the passing game, but he made his biggest opportunity count. He finished with 2 catches for 28 yards, but the 20-yard touchdown stood out as a big moment, and in terms of how it happened.
The coverage went wonky for the Packers, with no one carrying up the field with Olave. But when you're in the red zone, there's never an abundance of space available. Olave's awareness is excellent, and he's got a knack for identifying space, sitting where he needs to be and presenting a target. Ian Book got flushed from the pocket and extended the play before delivering a good ball to the outside that only Olave could make a play on. The rookie's positioning allowed him to shield the ball from the defender, and he displayed his agility to skirt inside the pylon for a much-needed score with 12 seconds left in the half.
I'm not going to make too big of a deal out of Olave's light target share. The majority of his work in camp hasn't come with Book throwing passes, and I think when Jameis Winston is under center he'll be looked for early and often, particularly downfield where Winston likes to attack. But Olave came in touting his ability in the red zone, and we saw that for the first time up at Lambeau Field.
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TONY JONES JR. TAKES BIG STEP FORWARD
It's possible that Tony Jones Jr. is just a preseason hero and his impressive performance the past two weeks is the same mirage we saw last year. But it's difficult to not come away impressed with what he's displayed against the Texans and Packers.
With Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram and Dwayne Washington inactive, Jones took the first-team reps and again displayed power, speed and elusiveness. His day would've looked even better if not for some penalties on the OL and a facepalm moment on a screen where Cesar Ruiz got pushed into TJJ for a tackle that ended the play for a 20-yard gain. He finished with 19 yards on four carries and also returned a handful of kicks with positive results. The icing was a tackle and assist on special teams. He'll be jumping into the four-man RB room on my upcoming roster projection.
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Devine Ozigbo didn't have a bad game, but I just don't see the burst or the interior ability that I'd like to for a back his size. HBut he did have 40 yards on his seven carries and made a couple big plays on the drive before halftime. He's a solid player and should have a home on an NFL roster.
Abram Smith is still in the discussion, and he made sure not to put the ball on the ground for the second week in a row. But going against a third-team defense I was left wanting more outside of a 9-yard run that displayed good vision. He finished with 25 yards on 9 carries and 5 receiving yards on 3 catches. I still see his upside as the highest among the trio we saw out there today, and that alone might be enough to keep him around. But not seeing any action in the first half of either preseason game isn't confidence-inspiring.
LAGNIAPPE: Ian Book struggled again, with yet another fumble on a QB-center exchange. Both can be blamed on the QB. I'll forgive his interception considering the receiver slipped, but four turnovers in two games is u-g-l-y. Book gets credit for leading a nice march down the field in the 4th quarter, and he showcased his athleticism a few nifty scrambles and a game-high 49 rushing yards, but recently re-signed John Parker Romo missed a kick that'd have set up a potential game-tying drive. ... Dai'Jean Dixon was targeted twice in the passing game but otherwise didn't record a stat. ... Speaking of ugly, the Saints did a good job of validating Sean Payton's cleat obsession. I spotted at least three players slip and fall. That's something you don't want to see when the games get real. ... Taysom Hill got in on the action, and had a nice moment on a screen from Ian Book early in the game. Lambeau Field is where Taysom started his NFL career before the Saints claimed him way back when. He was a quarterback then. Life is weird. ... Kirk Merritt had a spectacular kick return for 59 yards, but he missed his big opportunity later in the game on a nice throw from Book. Merritt had to fully lay out for it, but it fell between his outstretched arms. ... Remember Danny Etling? Yes, that LSU quarterback no one remembers? He's got some wheels. The Packers' third-string passer had the biggest play of the night with a 51-yard run as the Saints lost composure on the backside of the defense. Rough look for Daniel Sorenson, but good for Danny, a guy I'd have never guessed would have stuck on NFL rosters this long.