It's finally time! Well, almost. The Saints are kicking off their preseason slate on Sunday against the L.A. Chargers, and they've got a lot of questions to answer.
Will we know the starting QB by Sunday evening? Will the offense and defense start to hit their stride? Can the new-look defensive scheme cause havoc for the opposing QBs the same way it has for the Saints' young group? We'll have at least some of those answers by the end of this weekend.
THE GAME | Saints at Chargers (preseason Week 1)
- When: Sunday, 3 p.m. (central)
- Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
- TV: CBS
- Pregame: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., First Take with Steve Geller & Charlie Long; 1-3 p.m., Countdown to Kickoff with Steve Geller & Bobby Hebert
- Listen: WWL AM-870; FM-105.3 & the Audacy app
Here are the top three things I'm looking for in the Saints' preseason opener against the L.A. Chargers.
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1. DOES QB BATTLE HEAT UP ... OR END?
Spencer Rattler will be getting the first shot at starting QB action, and as we sit here today, all that means is that the status quo remains the same.
Rattler has been the first guy off the bench all offseason. He's pulled the most first-team reps, including both scrimmages over the past week. Getting the first shot with the 1s only made sense. But will he own that role and never give it back?
Time will tell, but I think this is a more important game for Tyler Shough. We've seen Rattler start games in the NFL. He's the better option at this stage to navigate an unsteady situation. Could that change by the time Week 1 rolls around? Sure, but it'll require the rookie to prove it's a conversation worth having.
We have seen improved confidence and decision-making from Shough over the past week-plus, as well as some well-executed touchdown drives in scrimmage situations. The rookie seems to be at his most comfortable when he's given opportunities to use his legs, and his off-schedule playmaking can also be a weapon. A key for him will be finding positive plays on first down so he can stay in manageable down and distances.
The struggle for both QBs could come with availability. Alvin Kamara won't play, and it's highly unlikely that Chris Olave suits up as he navigates an ankle injury. There will likely be a handful of other offensive players who don't see the field. Rattler will have to manage that with the 1s, but the 2s will look more like the 3s.
A successful day for both QBs will be one that moves the ball and operates the offense on schedule. Stay away from negative plays and sacks. Put points on the board (3 is fine). This time of year is about setting a baseline and finding ways to keep moving it slightly higher. Hopefully that'll be the case for both young QBs.
Once the Rattler and Shough reps run their course, expect a heavy dose of Jake Haener. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulls the entire second half, and he'll certainly be motivated to show he should be getting a more serious look in this competition.
1B. WHO IS PLAYING?
Every coach seems to be slightly different when it comes to their preseason philosophy, and we're still waiting to see what Kellen Moore's is.
“I’d say any time we need to go through an evaluation process I think it’s important to go through that process in the preseason," Moore said, "so there’s certainly players that we need to go through a process and evaluate them and they’re competing for different roles."
The coach said there will be about a half-dozen players on each side of the ball that don't see the field, but he didn't specify whether that list includes players out with injury.
The players I definitely don't expect to see:
- RB Alvin Kamara (veteran)
- WR Chris Olave (ankle)
- RB Devin Neal (hamstring)
Two others in Bryan Bresee and Rico Payton are dealing with illnesses. I'd be a bit surprises if they're out there after missing Friday's practice. Landon Young and Moochie Dixon also missed practice with injuries and feel unlikely to suit up.
The rest of the absences will likely be veteran players who don't have a ton to prove. In these instances clearing the deck for the backups often feels more productive. Here is a list of other players I'd be surprised to see active, but we'll have to wait until warmups to confirm:
- WR Rashid Shaheed
- TE Juwan Johnson
- C Erik McCoy
- RG Cesar Ruiz
- LB Demario Davis
- S Justin Reid
- DE Chase Young
- DE Cam Jordan
- DE Carl Granderson
- DT Davon Godchaux
- S J.T. Gray
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2. HAVOC DEFENSE?
One things that's stood out to this point in training camp has been a pressure heavy defense that's sped up QBs and hasn't allowed much time to operate within the pocket. Defense's typically don't send many blitzes in preseason games, so this will be more about the rush and coverage.
It's unclear who all will be out there, but there are several depth defensive line roles up for grabs. Can a player like Chris Rumph continue to make his presence felt? How about a player like Jonah Williams on the interior? Can Isaiah Foskey take advantage of reps and look like a player that justifies his second-round pick status? Can the young linebackers get up field and fill lanes?
The recipe for the Saints punching above their weight this season will be a lot about both sides of the line. Can the Saints pressure the passer and stuff the run? Early returns say yes. I'd like to see it in a game, though.
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3. RB LADDER
Alvin Kamara won't be playing, and he's the no-doubt leader in the RB room, but how about everybody else?
Rookie Devin Neal is dealing with a hamstring injury and won't play, which opens the door for several other players to prove their mettle.
- Kendre Miller
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire
- Cam Akers
- Velus Jones Jr.
- Marcus Yarns
I expect the Saints to keep four running backs this year, but other than Kamara, who will it be? If I had to pick today, I'd have Miller and Neal on that list. If thats true, that'd mean Edwards-Helaire, Jones and Yarns have a prime opportunity to show they're worth keeping around.
At this point I'd lean toward Jones, simply because his 4.31 speed adds an element that this team doesn't have. I also like Clyde's receiving game ability.
You really can't get a good read on RB ability until the tackling becomes real. If one ore more of these guys can deliver big in this game, they'll set themselves up well to potentially stick around.
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LAGNIAPPE
The kicker battle really isn't a question, get ready for another season of Blake Grupe. But how about the punter battle? One of Kai Kroeger and James Burnip will take over that role this season, and whomever gets the first shot at it will probably be a good indicator of who's ahead. My money is on Burnip. ... Assuming the first-team OL plays, this'll be the first chance we get to see Kelvin Banks (LT), Trevor Penning (LG) and Taliese Fuaga (RT) in live action. I'm not entirely sure what to expect, but the more reps the better at this stage. ... This won't be a situation where backup play-callers get some run in the preseason. Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley will be calling plays and hopefully they can settle in by the start of the regular season in that regard. One of the reasons the Saints have been so invested in scrimmages is for the "call-it" format, which forces coaches to call plays on the fly. Not to be repetitive, but the more reps the better.
