There's really not much left to say. After months and months of thinking and talking and analyzing what the Saints would look like when they take the field again, we finally get to see it in action.
A new-look coaching staff (well, sort of) leads a new-look offense (again, sort of) into a rivalry game against a hated rival that actually does have a lot of new faces. Marcus Mariota has taken the place of Matt Ryan, the pass-catchers are Kyle Pitts, a dinged-up Drake London and an assortment of other names. The Saints head in as favorites.
With all that in mind, here's a 6-pack of storylines to watch for:
1. The Bradley Roby game. Likely starting cornerback Paulson Adebo has been ruled out, so the veteran acquired prior to last season finally gets his chance to start. Let's see what he's got.
2. Who covers the slot? C.J. Gardner-Johnson is out of town, and with Roby on the outside, there's at least some question on who gets the bulk of the reps at slot corner. My money's on PJ Williams, but it's likely we see some kind of committee approach there.
3. Mike Thomas, welcome back. The fact that this is No. 3 kind of underscores just how confident I am in MT looking a lot like the MT you remember. He's listed as questionable, but there's no doubt in my mind he's playing. It's a cool moment. Enjoy it.
4. Jameis to Jarvis. The Jameis Winston return is also a big story, but I'm very confident in his ability to look like the Jameis we remember (the version from 2021, at least). But how does he take advantage of his new weapons? The J to J connection thrived in the little preseason action we saw, so it's time to find out if that can bleed over into the regular season.
5. Can the DEs cause havoc? The group of Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport, Payton Turner and Co. are all healthy. And as long as that's the case, I like their chances to wreck games.
6. DA and sneaky Pete. I'm not sure if that nickname is going to stick for Pete Carmichael, but either way the two Sean Payton understudies now get their shot to prove they've got what it takes, too.
THE GAME
SAINTS (0-0) at FALCONS (0-0)
- Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
- When: Noon, Sunday, Sept. 11
- Betting: Atlanta +5.5 (Caesars)
- TV: FOX
- Listen: WWL-AM
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THE SCORE
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THE HIGHLIGHTS
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