The New Orleans Saints fell short against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars in their preseason opener, losing 24-20 in the final second of play.
New Orleans Saints fans were treated to a surprisingly dramatic preseason game, but we'll take it. Seeing guys playing with passion and energy at a time when the final score only matters for bragging rights is always entertaining.
Veteran cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. broke up three of Jacksonville's first 11 passes and looked like an outstanding fit in the coverage scheme New Orleans wants to run. Linebacker Jaylan Ford played with his hair on fire, notching eight tackles, a quarterback hit, and an interception just in one half of football.
Rookie free agent defensive end Michael Heldman made a good case for more snaps at practice after being stuck on the third team for two weeks; he racked up six tackles in total, including two sacks, three tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits.
Slot cornerback Jayden Price popped off with a pass breakup and an interception, too. Offensively, Audric Estime started strong with a 9-yard touchdown run and a very respectable 5.6 yards per carry.
Wide receivers who were starting to be overlooked like Bub Means (four catches for 77 yards) and Jalen Moreno-Cropper (three for 49) stepped up. Rookie sixth-round pick Barion Brown caught each of his four targets for 53 yards.
However, quarterback Spencer Rattler looked overwhelmed, struggling with pressure early and often as backup center Torricelli Simpkins III was beaten by the Jags' defensive interior. He averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt and regressed after showing some encouraging development at practice.
The Saints' defense also had its issues, giving up 18 points in two quarters to another team's reserves, who are in the same situation. Meanwhile, the special teams unit had too many mistakes, including penalties and bad decisions like when Dalys Beanum cost the team time and field position by picking up a rolling punt.
The Saints had four of their eight accepted penalties and 37 of their 66 penalty yards came on special teams. Veteran punter Ryan Wright rebounded from it, but he can't be shanking 15-yard punts in the first place.
For the most part, the players who are safe bets to make the 53-man roster later this month did well: defenders like Ford and Emerson. Players on the bubble helped themselves like Price, Heldman, and if he's not too badly injured, Estime.
However, there are probably a dozen roster spots still up for grabs and it's uncertain if the Saints have the right guys on the team right now to fill them. The Saints are set for a weeklong trip to California, where they'll scrimmage with both the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys before a preseason game with the Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Source: Yahoo Sports