Star QB, out. Star TE, out. Star WR, out. We're talking about the New Orleans Saints opponent this week. There won't be many more favorable scenarios than the one New Orleans finds themselves in this week.
But can the Saints take advantage of this Mac Jones-led 49ers squad? Any offense with Christian McCaffrey will have a fighting chance.
THE GAME | 49ers (1-0) at Saints (0-1)
- When: Noon, Sunday, Sept. 14
- Where: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Series history: 49ers lead 50-27-2
- Last meeting: 2022, 49ers 12, Saints 0
- Betting: Saints +3
- TV: Fox
- Listen: WWL AM-870; FM-105.3 & the Audacy app
- Pregame: First take with Steve Geller & Jeff Nowak, 8-10 a.m.; Countdown to Kickoff with Steve Geller & Bobby Hebert, 10 a.m.-noon
With all that in mind, here are the top three things I'm watching for in the Saints' Week 2 showdown with the 49ers.
1. Can Rattler do it again?
The Saints had a simple but not uncomplicated request to their QB this season: Don't be the offense, let the offense work for you.
That's where I think Spencer Rattler succeeded in Week 1, a game that he dropped back 47 times, didn't turn the ball over and only took one sack. His ability to do that again in Week 2 could be critical.
Arizona's strategy was to keep everything underneath and Rattler took what was there.
"I thought he did an excellent job," OC Doug Nussmeier said.
"That’s part of the style in which they play, they were going to keep a lid on it ... so it makes it difficult and challenging to find ways to get behind them and so, you know, playing quarterback it’s important that you stay patient, you stay detailed and you don’t force the ball into coverage and I thought he did a good job of that.”
It was a loss, but Rattler gave the Saints a chance to win. The challenge this week will be repeating that performance against what figures to be a much more aggressive group. The 49ers enter with backup QB Mac Jones and no star tight end with George Kittle on IR. It's a group that doesn't figure to put up a big number. What the Saints offense CAN'T do is make life easier on that group by giving them the ball in plus territory or by allowing the defense to put up points. This 49ers group figures to play a more aggressive man scheme with zones thrown in changeups. There will be chances for shot players, but holding the ball increases the chance for big sacks.
I'd prefer touchdowns. I'm OK with settling for field goals, particularly in this type of game. It's not how a quarterback necessarily wants to play, but it's the way you want him to play to have the best chance of beating the 49ers.
One of the biggest points of growth this year for Rattler is his ability to stick to and execute the gameplan. At some point he might be asked to elevate the gameplab. But if all he does is follow the plan on Sunday, I think the Saints win this game ... and Rattler finally ends the starting QB skid that now sits at 0-7.
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2. Can the back end hold up?
The Saints of a few years back would've probably been scouring practice squads or turning to a more veteran player after learning one of their starting safeties had a season-ending injury.
That's not the case for this year's Saints, one of the clearest signs yet that they're leaning into a rebuild. The first chance at filling the gap will be rookie Jonas Sanker, a 4th round pick in the most recent draft out of Virginia. Coaches have been impressed with the young player's development and particularly through his performances in the preseason games.
"You’re never truly ready as a rookie," DC Brandon Staley said this week. "You’ve just got to go trust that they’re going to go out there and play the right way, which is what he’s done. ... There’s going to be some things that happen out there for the first time for him, certainly going to be a challenge for him against this offense, but that’s the only way you get better.”
Veteran teammate Justin Reid, who was in a similar situation in his rookie season with the Texans, had some simple advice.
“On the first play try and hit somebody as hard as you can to settle yourself in," Reid said, "and then after that just go play ball.”
Fair enough. It's a big moment for Sanker, no question, and his ability to get downhill and play with physicality will be a nice addition for this group. He needs to go out there and play fast. The Saints need to make sure to protect the young player as much as they can, because the 49ers will assuredly be trying to find him out there.
This figures to be a low-scoring game, which means it's the type of game that one blown coverage for a long touchdown could be the difference. Keep an eye on 33.
3. Staley vs CMC
The 49ers have one of the NFL's most dangerous weapons in Christian McCaffrey, but they'll be without one of its top TEs in George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk still has not returned from a knee injury last year and starting QB Brock Purdy has already been ruled out. The number of players that force a defensive coordinator to pay some extra attention is down to, arguably one.
That's why I have this matchup as Staley vs CMC, because when a team has just one elite option, your primary goal HAS to be taking that away. As good as CMC is, if you can't do that with the scheme and extra bodies, I blame the scheme.
There is some balance, as noted above, between protecting Sanker on the back end and bracketing CMC out of the backfield. But the plan has to be taking away the star and forcing other players to beat you. I'm comfortable guarding Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and [enter any TE name you'd like here) 1-on-1. If those guys are able to tilt the matchup and you have to adjust, so be it, but that's got to be the plan.
If Jones and his receivers aren't executing but CMC is keeping their offense afloat, I'll be very disappointed in the defense.
LAGNIAPPE
Alvin Kamara had 13 touches in Week 1. That's not enough, particularly considering how effective the ground game was at points. The penalties and situation (trailing by 10 in the second half) played in, but I think Kellen Moore simply got away from the ground game too quickly in Week 1. It happens, but it can't become a trend. ... No Chase Young again. Woof. The Saints got the job done with Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson and a rotation behind them. The biggest difference between Mac Jones and Brock Purdy is mobility, so this should be another matchup that group can impact. ... Taliese Fuaga has a lingering knee issue that the team is managing. We'll have to wait and see whether they let him try to play through it or shut him down to try to get it right early in a long NFL season. If he can't go it'll be Asim Richards again, who told me that he had never played at RT in a game before taking over for the fourth quarter a week ago. It wasn't perfect but he was satisfied with the results and a week of practice should help him lock in. ... Former Saints punter Thomas Morstead is back in the Superdome for the first time since he was cut. It's the second consecutive week the Saints have faced off with a former punter. ... Look for Devaughn Vele and Juwan Johnson to be involved in this game, with the new WR continuing to see his role develop. This figures to be a game where Rattler is looking for release valves and both players provide big targets who can box out defenders. Vele should be a weapon in the red zone and hopefully that can help the Saints' efficiency in that part of the field. ... I don't think this team will slow down its tempo offense, but can they clean up the mental errors that led to a gaudy total of 13 penalties last week? The team had refs at two practices this week. If things don't get cleaned up this week it becomes a much louder talking point.